Be a Disruptor

Lessons in innovation and entrepreneurship from building a New York City restaurant empire
 
Stratis Morfogen has been one of the most innovative names in New York City’s hospitality scene for decades. From bringing the famed Fulton Fish Market online in 1997 to pioneering the automat movement with Brooklyn Dumpling Shop to opening a 25,000 square foot venue in Times Square during the pandemic, Morfogen continues to disrupt the status quo.
 
In Be a Disruptor, Morfogen provides an unconventional, real-world education for any entrepreneur by sharing how he beat the odds in the cutthroat, mob-influenced New York City restaurant world. Morfogen teaches readers what he has learned about finding business opportunity in any situation, starting new ventures in times of adversity, and succeeding against all odds in one of the most challenging environments in the world. It’s a playbook for entrepreneurs with the page-turning qualities of a memoir.
 
With lessons for navigating pressures from powerful entities like the New York mob and local government, restarting mentally and financially after failed ventures, being aggressive when competitors are being conservative, and managing business and personal relationships, Be a Disruptor is a can’t miss, street-smart education for any entrepreneur, restauranteur, or anyone interested in how the NYC hospitality world really works.
 

Stratis Morfogen has been an innovator in New York City’s hospitality scene for decades. He is the owner of Brooklyn Chop House, which is frequented by celebrities like Oprah, Barack Obama, and Mary J. Blige, and Brooklyn Dumpling Shop. Morfogen brought New York’s famed Fulton Fish Market to the internet in 1997, and was the partner/owner of many well-known New York establishments like Club Rouge, Gotham City Diner, Hilltop Diner, The Grand, Philippe Chow, and Jue Lan Club, among others. He is the author of Damn Good Dumplings and lives in New York City.
 

“Stratis Morfogen is a shining example to entrepreneurs. He’s one of the rare innovators who sees opportunities, creates original visions and has the know-how to make them a reality. His strategy for success should be taught in business school.”
—Michael Cohen

​“An ambitious restaurateur…[with] a knack for marketing.”
—New Yorker 

“Determination, grit, and personal attention has made Stratis a success multiple times over.”—Entrepreneur

“Stratis is disrupting politics and the failure of government! He is a successful man and could have easily went with the flow. However, he challenges governmental and social injustice because it’s the right thing to do. As a fellow disruptor, I respect his actions and his courage.”
—Hawk Newsome, BLM

“Morfogen steps into the national spotlight for his brazenness.”
—Eater

“An industry trailblazer….A master marketer, Stratis has created a plethora of unique restaurant concepts and signature dishes that have all gone viral."
—Gotham Magazine