Lawrence

Big doings are in the works for chef Lawrence Page and the staff at the Pink Tea Cup in Season 2 of WE tv’s “Hustle & Soul.” He just has to get everyone on the same, er, page.

As the new season gets going Thursday, March 22, Page is in the process of expanding the Pink Tea Cup brand beyond the four walls of his 20-seat Brooklyn eatery by opening up a 250-seat restaurant 1,300 miles to the south in Miami Beach. This means more flights to and from, a crushing workload, and a lot of seeing who of his existing staff is up to the task of an exponential expansion. This while keeping the original location up and running, occasionally cooking and refereeing personality clashes among his spirited employees.

“We’re opening up in March,” Page says, “so we’re shooting in two restaurants at the same time back and forth. And I think that was the challenge, you know, leaving Miami and coming back to Brooklyn and shooting in Brooklyn and going back to Miami and taking your whole staff with you and trying to let everybody know this is going to be a franchise … but I need a winning team with me and you guys need to learn how to work together to make this happen. That was pretty much the challenge, getting everybody to see who’s going to be on board this year, and who’s going to run with us for the second season.”

Some faces from the first season will be gone and new ones will come on board. As usual, there will be staff drama and love triangles, some involving Page himself, and dysfunction – all set against the backdrop of swaying palms and turquoise waters.

“I think loyalty plays a really big part this season and tough skin plays a really huge part,” Page says, “because now the stakes are high. So everybody wants to get out of Brooklyn and go to Miami and come back and forth. Like, who’s good enough to come with me and accomplish this dream with me that I’m pushing?”

What book are you currently reading?

“I’m reading a book called ‘Who Moved My Cheese?’ “

What did you have for dinner last night?

“At Pink Tea Cup, I had fried chicken, mac and cheese and yams.”

What is your next project?

“Pink Tea Cup Miami.”

When was your last vacation, where and why?

“My last vacation was Miami with the staff. And I know it doesn’t pertain, but I work 24 hours (a day) so my last vacation was Miami. Now it becomes a workcation.”