We caught up with Pinnacle Peak owner Steven Smith to talk about a life in the F&B industry

How'd you end up in Shanghai?
I started out in San Francisco in the early '60s, then went to Europe where I ran a club in Ibiza from the '70s to mid-'80s, and after that I went to Bali and opened a restaurant in Ubud. I met a very beautiful girl whose family had a warung, and I expanded it from eight seats to 20 because her mother was one of the best cooks I've ever met in my life. It was very traditional Balinese cooking. But I moved on, and I've been here over seven years now.

How is running a club and running a steakhouse similar?
You always entertain well. Either way, my philosophy is, "Welcome to my home." I'd treat you no differently than if you were in my house. That's how it should be.

Have you ever worked back-of-house?
Actually, I started out in the kitchen, and I was back there in Europe for five years. But, after a while, I felt like I didn't want to be in the kitchen any more. I love to cook, but I wanted to be out on the floor. So that's when I went out to the front. But, after all these years, I'm still most comfortable when I get to go back and create in the kitchen.

Do you get back there often nowadays?
Oh yeah, that's when I really have fun. A lot of the dishes on our menu I co-create and help refine. It's about good ingredients and how you balance everything. That's why we're so selective with our beef from Tasmania and why 70 percent of everything we use is organic.

Put on your cowboy hat and get yourself a big hunka meat at Pinnacle Peak or check out their menu and photos on their website.