Out Palm Beach: Table 26 Owners Eddie Schmidt & Ozzie Medeiros

Eddie Schmidt and Ozzie Medeiros, restaurateurs, owners of Table 26 Palm Beach and community philanthropists are a dynamic duo. What immediately can you mind when speaking with them is their zest for life, passion and commitment. The wonderful restaurant Table 26 reflects all of these attributes! They live and work a fascinating life. As Virginia Woolf once said, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”

A Chat with Table 26 Owners Eddie Schmidt & Ozzie Medeiros

Take us back to the love at first site (30) years ago in New York between you and your husband Ozzie. And how that love and partnership manifested itself  in your wonderful and successful restaurant?

Ozzie: I was driving home to Greenwich, CT where I lived and spotted this Incredibly handsome man in the car that stopped next to me at a traffic light; and after a few more stops (red lights) something in my head told me that if I didn’t speak to this person now, most likely, I’d never see him again, after all, it was New York’s west side highway, not just any place where people usually gather socially; so I begged  him to please, pull over, first on 79th St. exit, then on 95th and finally as we approached 125th street, I decided to exit the highway hoping that he’d follow me, which thankfully he did, so I ran up to his car, at 3:30AM and thanked him for stopping, gave him my number but I didn’t feel that it was a safe place to chat and I called him the next day. and four months later, we were moving together!

Well talk about destiny! Tell us what is the key to a long term love and business partnership?

Eddie: As I reflect about the last 30 years of our relationship it is very difficult to try to place within one sentence or paragraph. But simply, love forgiveness, patience, and always dream together, work hard with passion and love and be truthful to each other as we grow in our relationship, our careers and of course our love. Within our business we need to stay focused to our dream and divided areas of responsibility. But I would be lying it is hard working and living together in a long term relationship but we have made it work. To be honest Table 26 was really my dream and I shared every detail with Ozzie and he stood behind me to allowed my dream and our dream to come true.

Ozzie: “Yes, dear!” All kidding aside, the most important thing, in my opinion, is the trust in each other and always being mindful of the fact that it’s a partnership and not a competition.

Eddie: Also truly allowing each other to own their own area of responsibility of the business and find the balance not to always talk work. Find the balance for work, travel each other and never loose site of ourselves.

Tell our readers about your move to Palm Beach County and what gave you the foresight and perseverance and experience to open in West Palm Beach so many years ago before it was the hot and upcoming spot in Palm Beach County ?

We moved to Florida in 1997 and settled in West Palm Beach and started developing relationships in our community and we always dreamed of opening our own restaurant and when we were developing the plans for Table26 we realized that instead of renting a building in Palm Beach, there was a slight chance that we could actually buy a property in West Palm Beach when we came upon a for sale sign a the building where we are today, and its location, although wasn’t the most desirable, I noticed that it was in the vicinity of the Norton Museum and Palm Beach Atlantic University, Which, when we moved to Florida Was a small college and I said to Ed, I Believe this is a great opportunity, with this two major anchors it can’t possibly go any lower. This was our home and there was a true need for a high end but casual local restaurant on this side of the bridge. We always felt that West Palm Beach will change, not like as it has but we know. We believe in our mission and stayed focus to the very best in service and hospitality.  We never looked back we only looked ahead. it’s easier together to do so.

When talking to you both, I feel that perseverance and great confidence have propelled you forward with the restaurant and such a success. Can you talk to us a little bit about the pandemic and how your customers assisted with the gift card situation that you told me about. It almost made me cry. (As well as how you moved forward.)

The day the governor ordered the shutdown, we thought we’d lose everything, so we put together an action plan. We first had to lay off the team and cut the managers salary by 40% with the promise we would pay back the difference once we got back to normal. We then redesigned the menus  in order for it to travel and still look as presentable at home in a box as it would on a plate at our tables, was our first challenge and we thought of how can we raise some cash to stay afloat, and we came up to the Idea of selling “Bonds” in the form of gift cards with a 20% return, with the condition that it couldn’t be used, before January of 2021: We immediately, raised over 65K and Ed would do a “Facebook” broadcast from the restaurant almost every day with announcements of what we were planning for all occasions. It was full steam ahead and we told our staff that got laid off that we are working at 200% to save their place of work. and we did!

Would you also talk about how tragedy in your own life has given you empathy and understanding when dealing and interacting with your customers . You’re not just a restaurant you’re a safe place a home and a family to many of your customers.

The darkest day was March 23 at 12:30 p.m., when we got the call that our son, Mark, took his own life. He battled depression and his coping outlet was the use of drugs which lead to 14 treatments centers, countless days of worries, and pain for him and his family. We knew all we could do is love him and offer the support he so wanted. But on that day, all we had were the memories of Mark, and, of course, each other. He will never leave my heart, and I know wholeheartedly he is always with us.

Tell us about some of the charities that you and Ozzie support ? This column is not just about successful people. It’s about philanthropy and people who give back to the Palm Beach community.  Talk a little bit about the Hanley Foundation, 211 and some of the other charities you support?

Our love for our families and the up bringing they offered each of us lead to our paying it forward. We from the day we met shared the same philosophy to always help others. Table 26 allowed us to use this platform to do so from Planned Parent Hood, Center of Creative Education, Hanley Foundation Palm Beach Zoo The Kravis Center, Jewish Women’s Foundation  and so many more. Giving back to small local organizations helps our community thrive in success. Helping others is a top priority in our lives as a couple and business owners.

What do you love about the Palm Beaches?

Look out the window! We live in paradise however the community of people and all West Palm Beach has to offer is truly amazing. who needs to go anywhere else.

In just a few words Eddie and Ozzie are:

Dreamers. Over the last 30 years like the movie Field of Dreams…”If you build it, they will come” We feel like over the last 30 years we have built a life together. And still building!