La Jolla businessman Sami Ladeki operates nearly 20 restaurants across two states, and, in spite of a sagging economy, business is booming. For some people in his situation, this would be the time to step back from the long hours and constant pressure to reap the benefits of years of hard work. For Ladeki, however, the drive to improve and grow is nowhere close to waning. Ladeki has more than four decades of experience managing restaurants across the country and in international locales, and he has called La Jolla home for more than 20 years. He opened his first Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza in 1989. The chain has since expanded to include 12 locations in San Diego County and five in the Las Vegas area. In recent years, he has also added Roppongi Sushi and Mosaic Catering to the Ladeki Restaurant Group umbrella. With so many facilities to manage, one might expect Ladeki to assume the role of a sort of Wizard of Oz — the man behind the curtain who calls the shots, but is seldom seen. Yet Ladeki is still driven to learn from his customers and make improvements, and he is a fastidious observer of human nature. “In the restaurant business, you not only have to have the culinary part of it … you also have to be a good observant of human behavior — what they like, what they don’t like, what they are eating, which restaurant they like the most,” Ladeki said. Ladeki has built his empire on this attention to the decisions his customers make. He said that when he eats at his own restaurants (which occurs frequently), he monitors where his customers choose to sit, noting whether they prefer areas with low ceilings or vaulted spaces, or if they choose a booth over a table. He uses these observations to make improvements at his existing restaurants and to perfect his designs at new locations. He is equally interested in how his customers order their food. Sammy’s once introduced a chopped salad with pepperoni to the menu, but Ladeki noticed that several times people asked to replace the pepperoni with chicken. He tried the combination himself, deemed it restaurant-worthy, and had the chicken version added to the menu as well. These studies of human behavior extend beyond the food and seating options to the overall customer experience, Ladeki said. He will not build a restaurant at a location that requires drivers to make a U-turn to get to the entrance, he said, because he has watched people drive past establishments that aren’t easy to access. Ladeki likens the restaurant business to the fashion industry, where tastes change quickly and designers must constantly tap their creativity to stay ahead of the trends. “We are constantly, on a daily basis, experimenting with new items at both restaurants (Sammy’s and Roppongi),” Ladeki said. “We are always innovating and renovating … like fashion — it changes, food changes. Every year they have a new show, a new length of skirt. You have to be relentless about always bringing new products.” Ladeki’s passion for keeping up with these changes also fuels his desire for growth. He said he has plans to open another Sammy’s in Huntington Beach in September, and he is scouting locations in Santa Monica for the chain’s 19th location. He is also looking for a second location for Roppongi in North County.