The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce is pleased to shine a spotlight on Steven Sansone in our “Community Proud” series, sponsored by Charter Oak Credit Union. Through his work in hospitality and his commitment to serving others, Steven has built a career centered on relationships, trust, and creating experiences that make people feel genuinely welcome.

Steven’s hospitality journey began at the front counter of a neighborhood Chinese restaurant, where he answered phones and interacted with customers. He later followed a more traditional career path into the hotel industry. That experience gave him a strong foundation in professionalism, service, and the many details required to care for guests.

Over time, Steven found himself drawn to restaurants and the personal connections they make possible.

“For me, building relationships is an essential part of hospitality,” Steven said. “In restaurants, when guests come in, they’re present. You have the opportunity to welcome them, care for them, and create an experience they’ll remember. That’s where I found the magic.”

That philosophy ultimately led Steven to open IDK., a hospitality company built around intention, discipline, and care. Instead of trying to offer everything to everyone, Steven believes in doing fewer things exceptionally well. Every decision is made with the goal of creating an experience guests will remember and want to enjoy again.

Steven hopes IDK. will become known above all else for consistency. He wants guests to feel confident that the food, service, and atmosphere they enjoy today will be just as memorable years from now.

“Ten years from now, I hope someone takes a bite and says, ‘That’s exactly the burger I remember from ten years ago,’” he said. “To me, that’s trust.”

For Steven, trust begins before a guest walks through the door. When someone chooses to visit IDK., they are deciding to spend their time and money with the business. Steven and his team do not take that decision lightly. The greeting, ordering process, food, response to mistakes, and consistency of each visit all contribute to honoring the trust a guest has placed in them.

The greatest compliment, he believes, is not hearing that someone enjoyed a meal. It is hearing a guest ask, “Who am I bringing here next?” It is also seeing a longtime customer return and receive the same thoughtful experience that brought them through the door in the first place.

Steven’s approach to hospitality is closely connected to his belief in community. He sees businesses as existing because of the communities they serve. Long-term success is not measured by a single strong quarter or year. It comes from earning a meaningful place in the lives of the people around you.

“At IDK., our commodity is food, but what we’re really selling and working  earn is trust,” Steven said.

IDK.’s mission is to feed the individual, nourish the community, and build better tomorrows. Steven strives to make the business a grateful, responsible, and active community partner. His guiding belief is simple: there will always be a community without the business, but there could never be a business without the community.

That commitment also guides the causes Steven supports. He is drawn to organizations whose work improves the quality of life for people or animals. Whether helping individuals, strengthening the community, or advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves, Steven believes everyone shares a responsibility to leave life a little better than they found it.

As his career has evolved, Steven has become increasingly confident in his own approach to hospitality. He is proud of the accomplishments and professional milestones he has reached, but titles and awards are not what matter most to him. He is proudest of the relationships. Throughout his career, Steven has watched first-time guests become regulars and regulars become friends. Some of those friendships extend well beyond the business, while others exist within its walls through years of conversations, mutual trust, and simply showing up for one another. To Steven, those relationships are among hospitality’s greatest privileges.

Rhode Island has become home for Steven, but his definition of home is not limited to geography. It is shaped by the people and relationships that give a place meaning.

Steven and his partner, Gabrielle, have built their home through the life they share, the dogs they have rescued, the chickens they raise, and the connections they have formed throughout the community. They did not simply find a home here. They created one.

Outside of work, Steven is inspired by discovery and experiences that broaden his perspective. He enjoys reading, painting, traveling, cooking, staying active, listening to music, viewing art, and spending unhurried time with Gabrielle, their dogs, family, and friends. He especially values the conversations and everyday experiences that offer an opportunity to learn something new.

People are sometimes surprised to learn about Steven’s wide range of interests. He enjoys lifting heavy weights, but he also paints landscapes. He reads fantasy, science fiction, philosophy, and classic literature. He loves opera and can welcome guests in several languages.

While those interests may challenge people’s first impressions, Steven sees no contradiction among them. Each one reflects the same curiosity that has shaped his life and career. He believes people are far too interesting to fit neatly within someone else’s assumptions, a lesson he applies to himself and everyone he meets.

Steven is grateful to the many mentors, family members, friends, teammates, guests, neighbors, and fellow business owners who have influenced his journey. He is quick to acknowledge that none of his accomplishments were achieved alone.

“I didn’t start alone, I’m not doing it alone, and I won’t continue alone,” he said.

Being recognized through the Community Proud series is meaningful to Steven because it communicates a powerful message: “We see you.” Yet recognition has never been his goal. Instead, he tries to offer that same acknowledgment to guests, team members, neighboring businesses, and others throughout the community.

By helping people feel seen, welcomed, and valued, Steven brings a deeply human quality to hospitality. His career is a reminder that memorable service is not only about what is placed on the table. It is about the care, trust, and connection created around it.