My First Job: Paul Reder, owner of Tap House Grill

The Seattle Times Company

June 4, 2006

My First Job: Paul Reder, owner of Tap House Grill

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Paul Reder

Current position: Owner of Tap House Grill and general partner at Trader Vic's, both in Bellevue.

First job: Busboy, age 14, at Piccolo's Pizza in Denver.

Pay: $2.13 an hour in 1982.

How I got the job: I asked my mother to drive me around to various local restaurants and apply. I had given up after being rejected everywhere. After a full afternoon of job hunting, my mother needed to stop at the grocery store. She suggested I try Piccolo's as she shopped. I started working the very next day. I worked there for five years on and off through high school.

What I learned: That teamwork is the foundation of any successful restaurant. The owner's work ethic and commitment to success was infectious and all employees loved being a part of that environment. As an employee there, I really felt like part of their family. This is also a big reason for their long-term success — 25-plus years. I can go in and visit them today, and they remember me and my family 20 years later. I try to remember that in my current work relationships.

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