Restauranteur and Cooking Channel star Robert Earl talks about his career and love of Orlando

Greater Orlando is home to a multitude of British expats, but few as high-profile as Robert Earl. Perhaps best known as the founder and CEO of Planet Hollywood, Earl also serves as the chairman of the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, and he even finds time to host his own TV series, Robert Earl’s Be My Guest, on the Cooking Channel, among other endeavors.

What really endears him to us, though, is the fact that he and his family call Orlando home—not to mention the fact that he made time to speak with us for this exclusive interview while overseeing the relaunch of Disney Springs’ Planet Hollywood Observatory.

ORLANDO FAMILY MAGAZINE: You were born and raised in Great Britain but make your home in Orlando. What brought you to our city in the first place, and what made you fall in love with it enough to stay?

ROBERT EARL: Orlando became our home very quickly—the friendliness of the population, the opportunities here, the early stage that I came to the city before it really exploded, were all enticing factors. I obviously missed certain things about Great Britain, but coming home to Orlando from all of my frequent travels is a very comforting thought.

OFM: What are some of your favorite things to do in Orlando?

RE: The weather, the people, the restaurants, my office and, most of all, my home.

OFM: On a related note, where are some of your favorite places to eat in Orlando?

RE: Standouts for me, other than my own places, are: Enzo’s on the Lake, Morimoto [Asia], Eddie V’s.

OFM: Given that you grew up with European football, you’re in a fairly unique position to answer this: What are your thoughts on the Orlando City FC so far?

RE: Orlando City FC has been an incredible success. I wish I had invested. I think that Phil Rawlins has moved mountains, shown fantastic commitment, and has given us a team to be proud of. My company has taken a box in the new stadium to support.

OFM: You launched your first restaurant business in 1977. What made you decide to focus your career on feeding people?

RE: My father was a famous singer. I had zero talent, so the restaurant industry was the next best thing.

OFM: In the years since, you’ve owned and founded numerous restaurants. Which of those brought you the most satisfaction in seeing it come to fruition, and why?

RE: Every restaurant that I open gives me great satisfaction. I think my crowning glory, though, is the new Planet Hollywood [Observatory] at [Disney Springs], and I hope that you’ll all come and see it.

OFM: Speaking of which, Planet Hollywood Observatory just celebrated its grand reopening after interior and exterior renovations. What was the thought process behind the redesign?

RE: After a successful 20 years on Disney where we were the highest-grossing restaurant in the world during some of those years, Disney came to me and said that they would like me to stay and grant me a new lease. However, my futuristic globe sitting in the water would no longer be appropriate, as they were building Disney Springs, a turn-of-the-20th-century mining village. They then showed me their creative ideas of how to take our existing structure and convert it into an observatory, a feature that was sprouting up in the early 1900s in the USA. I fell in love with their idea immediately and, because we were to be located at the beginning of the springs, Disney also agreed to give us exterior terraces.

OFM: When you’re eating out, what sort of experience are you looking for?

RE: I’m looking for restaurants that know me, that make a fuss of me, that serve me quickly, and, most of all, serve the food identically each time I go there. I have my favorite dishes at all of the restaurants I mentioned previously, and I just love how consistent they are.

OFM: You’re the host of Robert Earl’s Be My Guest on the Cooking Channel, and you’ve also appeared on many other food-centric programs. What’s your favorite television-related experience to date?

RE: I have so many favorite television-related experiences. I particularly enjoyed setting fire to the hibachi table at Nobu, and I just generally enjoy the chefs that I get to meet and the fantastic restaurants that I get an insight into.

OFM: Last but not least, you’re married with three children. Any tips on parenting you’d like to share with our readers?

RE: No one can give any tips on parenting because everyone’s kids are different. The only thing I know for sure is that you need to be there for the kids, you need to know what they’re up to, and you need to be very worried if they don’t want to bring their friends home to your house.

This article originally appeared in Orlando Family Magazine’s May 2017 issue.