Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is set to debut a new signature restaurant developed by Major Food Group, the operator behind CARBONE, Torrisi, and ZZ's Club, replacing the Italian-leaning Cipresso, which served its final guests on July 19 after seven years. The resort, which recorded a $1.5 billion expansion in 2019, operates more than 20 food and beverage outlets across 87 acres on the Hollywood Seminole Reservation.
The Partnership Context
The announcement is the most visible output yet of a strategic alliance between Hard Rock International and Major Food Group that was formalized in 2024 to develop distinctive dining concepts across Hard Rock's global portfolio of integrated resorts, hotels, and casinos. Major Food Group, founded in 2011 by Mario Carbone, Jeff Zalaznick, and Rich Torrisi, now operates more than 50 restaurants, private clubs, bars, and hotels across 15 cities worldwide. The group was named one of GQ's "20 Most Creative Companies in the World." The two organizations have prior shared history: in December 2023, MFG brought a Carbone residency to Cipresso to mark the introduction of live craps, roulette, and sports betting at Seminole Gaming properties across Florida — a milestone that immediately elevated Florida's standing among major U.S. gaming markets.
What Operators Should Watch
The deal is part of a broader trend in integrated resort foodservice, where casino and hotel operators increasingly partner with brand-name restaurant groups to differentiate their property-level F&B and drive incremental non-gaming revenue. At Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, the dining floor competes directly with an expanding South Florida luxury hospitality corridor; a marquee MFG concept gives the property a credible anchor that standalone hotel restaurants typically cannot replicate. Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming, described the collaboration as "an exciting next step" reflecting the resort's "continued investment in world-class dining and hospitality." MFG Co-Founder Jeff Zalaznick framed the project as building "something very special together — a restaurant that's exciting, extraordinary."
In the interim, selected Cipresso signature dishes — including Nonna's Meatballs, Bolognese, and Bone-In Veal Chop Alla Parmigiana — have migrated to Abiaka Wood Fire Grill, which expanded to seven-day-a-week service beginning July 27, ensuring continuity of F&B revenue while the new concept is built out. Randy Morton, President of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, said the new restaurant "will bring fresh energy to the property" and strengthen its position as a premier South Florida hospitality and entertainment destination.
Full details — including the restaurant's name, culinary direction, design renderings, opening timeline, and reservation information — are expected to be disclosed this fall.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
