We recently had the chance to connect with Nat Comisar and have shared our conversation below.
Nat, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: When was the last time you felt true joy?
Last Saturday! September 13, 2025. In addition real estate I’m a professional singer. Music is where I find consistent joy! I am a member of No Promises Vocal Band and on Saturday we held our 10th Anniversary show with all the past members of the group. We had the backing of the 21 piece Kentucky Symphony Orchestra Boogie Band. Love from the audience and love for each other. It was spectacular!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a father, husband, musician, realtor, developer & retired dishwasher. I’ve helped raise 6 wonderful kids. I am incredibly fortunate to love and be loved by my wife Bridget. I continue to enjoy a full life of learning, exploration, and especially music. Currently I sing with 2 groups and have performed all over the US with some amazingly talented people. Real Estate has been my 2nd career for 20 years and it’s been more fulfilling and rewarding than I imagined. My previous 33 years in the Restaurant Business was extraordinary and left me with indelible memories and cherished friends. There have been plenty of downtimes and tragedies to work through, just like everyone does. However, I count myself incredibly lucky for the people and experiences in my life and I look forward to the next opportunity that may present itself at any moment.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I grew up in a family of Restaurateurs which demanded excellence. There was no exception to that rule. It was the only rule. My grandparents opened Maisonette in 1948. When I closed the doors in 2005 it was the most honored and decorated restaurant in the history of North America. Receiving the Mobil Travel Guide 5 Star Award for 41 consecutive years is akin to winning the Super Bowl 41 times in a row. And that was just one of the many accolades the restaurant received. We owned and operated between 4 and 6 restaurants at any one time, and the bar that was set at Maisonette extended to the others as well.
At 13 I started in the kitchen: washing dishes, stocking shelves, prepping food. The employees who took the time to teach me were proud to be passing on the culture and the legacy they were a part of to someone who would one day run the show. They held me to a higher standard. They expected my best and were not shy to let me know it. I watched my father and uncle rule with strict discipline, and everyone respected them for it. I learned what hard work looked like and understood what accountability meant at an early age.
At 27 I took over as General Manager of Chester’s Roadhouse in Montgomery. In 1972 my father and uncle took an old farm house, added a glass roofed green house as a dining room, put a kitchen behind a window in the back so everyone saw the show in the kitchen and revolutionized restaurants. No reservations, a well trained staff, great food & drink, and an hours long wait every night for dinner.
A cardinal sin in a restaurant is breaking a glass at the bar. If broken glass falls in the ice the bin must immediately be emptied, cleaned, and then refilled. Its dangerous, It stops the bar service, which ripples across everything in a busy restaurant. One Saturday night at the peak I heard the crash and knew. I stepped into the bar and saw faces which expected to incur my wrath. My father or uncle would have come in with guns blazing and unleashed a torrent on the poor soul who made the mistake.
Viva Goorian was a waitress working that night. Her father Lenny was a wonderful, loving, larger than life and very funny man. He was a prominent television producer and well known to most of the city. To me he was “uncle Lenny.” Cathy was the waitress who broke the glass. She was waiting for the hammer to fall standing next to the bin. I said: “Be careful not to cut yourself. Please get this cleaned up. Everyone help her” and I left. These were the people who taught me. I was not about to raise my voice to them.
At some point Viva called her dad and told him how I handled the situation. The next day he stopped in at the restaurant and pulled me aside. He said: “You earned everyone’s respect. There’s nothing they won’t do for you now because they know you care about them. You’re a good man.”
To this day I’ve never lost the center of that moment. I’ve raised my voice at times, but I have never demeaned anyone for a simple mistake, especially those that are working hard to get something right. I no longer have 350 employees, but the connection is still there. I ran into Robert Calhoun a few weeks ago. It had been 20 years since we saw each other. He was a cook in 3 different restaurants we owned. Instantly we were hugging, telling stories and laughing like it was yesterday. Lenny Goorian reinforced my instinct to trust good people and to be kind. He allowed me the grace to form relationships that have lasted for decades after the restaurants closed. For that, I will always be grateful.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
A friend of mine once said: “Everything I let go of in life has claw marks.” I think those could have been my words as well. Sometimes the pain of something needs to become greater than the fear of change before we let go of our old ideas. I needed a to feel a lot of pain before it sunk in that I couldn’t drink anymore.
I grew up in a household where I learned the nuance of alcohol. As a teenager I was tasting wine with my father and drinking a lot of beer with my friends. In college I was encouraged by my professors and my family to learn about wine and spirits as it was part of what I was about to do as a career. There are those who could have managed this responsibility well. I learned a lot, but I also did far too much research…
By the time I was 31 with 2 kids and a marriage falling apart it was apparent I needed to do something to “take the pressure off.” I went to rehab and came home energetic and excited for a new life. However, I had not suffered enough to really learn anything and 6 months later I was back to my old ways.
Then at 37 there were 4 kids. I was married but still struggling. The physical consequences were what pushed me over the edge. I was able to admit to myself and to another human being that I had a problem and that I couldn’t control it. Somehow, in that moment, I was relieved of the responsibility of managing alcohol. I gave up control, and stopped.
29 years later and it was the best thing I ever did for myself. In those 29 years I was divorced, bankrupt, remarried, said goodbye to my parents and lost a child. Suffering allowed me to get sober. Sobriety gave me the tools to survive and thrive.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
My grandfather on my dad’s side is reported to have said: “If you’re going to steal, steal from a bank, not the deli.” To that end, I have pilfered from many in my life and am happy to give them all the credit!
John S Wadsworth, a great uncle on my mom’s side used to say 2 things that were really impactful:
“Excuses don’t matter, results do” and “Don’t let your desires rule your decisions.”
The former is on the back of my business cards and is something I try to live my life by. I’m still working on the latter.
A good friend, Jeff Fleetham said 2 things to me as well and both changed my life:
“Never have conversations with people who aren’t there” and “Someone else’s opinion of me is none of my business.”
I used to play out full arguments in my head with people I was at odds with. Realizing what a waste of time and energy this was revolutionized my whole being. Letting go of the judgement of others was equally catalytic in changing how I viewed myself and the world.
Finally, I owe my career in Real Estate to 2 people: Rob Sibcy and Dick Duval.
When I closed the restaurants and did not know what to do Rob’s exact words to me were: “you dodo, you know everybody! You need to do this!” At the time I was too much enamored with my prior life to accept the mantle of realtor. I did not know at the time how much hard work and integrity was required to do this job well. That’s where my friend Dick Duval comes in. I asked him what to do and he said: “Well, you can save your ass or your pride, but you have to pick one.” I owe them both an immense debt of gratitude.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
I started in real estate deep in the hole when I was 48 years old. Retirement is not something I think about often. That’s not a complaint, but rather an acknowledgement of where and who I am.
I tell all my clients to call or text anytime. If it’s Saturday at 10:00 pm and they have a question don’t hesitate. If it takes me 2 minutes to answer something that’s gnawing away at their thoughts I would prefer they ask me now and not sit on it until Monday morning. I suppose that is what they would miss the most. If you want me I’m usually there or I’ll call you back as soon as I’m free.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.natcomisar.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ncomisar/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natcomisar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ncomisar
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/natcomisar/
https://www.facebook.com/nopromisesvocalband/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1301845134180192
