Answer extracted from The Crexi Commercial Real Estate Podcast — listen to the full episode below.
How did the Dining Terrace at Westfield Century City redefine food court experiences in American shopping malls?
Westfield Century City reimagined the food court entirely by introducing table service, proper cutlery including knives and forks, and a full scullery operation—transforming a utilitarian dining concept into a genuine restaurant-quality experience. The model was built on Westfield's earlier success at Westfield Bondi in Sydney and represented cutting-edge dining experience design for American shopping centers at the time.
This was far more than a cosmetic upgrade. Rather than rows of self-service stations and disposable serviceware, Kurzawa and the Westfield team created what they called the Dining Terrace—an approach detailed in the podcast—with dedicated staff clearing and resetting tables just as in a standalone restaurant. The back-of-house infrastructure included a full scullery, meaning dishes were properly washed and cycled rather than discarded.
The operational shift was deliberate and ambitious. Staff presence at tables created an entirely different shopper psychology—the space felt curated and intentional, not just a necessary break between retail browsing. This investment in operational detail signaled to visitors that Westfield understood dining as part of the broader placemaking experience, not as an afterthought squeezed into a basement corner.
From Sydney Innovation to U.S. Shopping Center Standard
Westfield did not invent this concept in Los Angeles. The Dining Terrace at Century City was a direct adaptation of what the company had pioneered earlier at Westfield Bondi in Sydney, bringing Australian retail innovation to American mall culture. Paul Kurzawa's career across both markets, starting in Sydney at Penrith Plaza before moving to the United States in 1996, gave him firsthand insight into how different markets valued dining experiences.
At the time—during Kurzawa's tenure at Westfield, which spanned approximately 8 to 9 years—this approach to food service in American malls was genuinely ahead of its time. Most U.S. shopping centers still operated traditional food courts with minimal service layers. Westfield's willingness to invest in staff, infrastructure, and operational complexity positioned Century City as a destination where dining mattered as much as shopping.
Paul Kurzawa — Chief Executive Officer, Centennial. With more than 25 years of experience in retail, open-air, and enclosed environments, Kurzawa specializes in redevelopment and placemaking. His career has spanned leadership roles at Lendlease, Westfield, Caruso, CenterCal Properties, and The Blackstone Group, and he has directed major projects including the $660 million Willis Tower redevelopment in Chicago and the Americana at Brand alongside Westfield Century City.
The broader lesson embedded in the Dining Terrace concept reflects Kurzawa's philosophy across his 25-year career: listening to how customers actually use spaces and then investing deliberately in those moments. A food court is not incidental; it is a key touchpoint in a visitor's journey through the mall. Treating it with the same care as any other retail area elevates the entire property's perception.
See also
What distinguishes Westfield's branding strategy from competitor approaches in shopping center development?
Westfield created shopping destinations with the brand prominently displayed and experiences built around the brand promise, including a curated retail mix and differentiated concepts like the Dining Terrace that set properties apart from competitors.
How did an international transfer opportunity in 1996 transform a career in commercial real estate development?
Paul Kurzawa was selected on his birthday in 1996 from nine candidates in Lendlease's Career Advancement Plan to work with the Armuth Group division in San Diego, launching a global perspective that shaped his later approach to retail innovation at Westfield and beyond.
What early career experiences in retail marketing shaped a professional's approach to commercial real estate?
Paul Kurzawa's first job was in marketing at Penrith Plaza in Western Sydney, where hands-on retailer coordination and mall operations provided foundational insights into how physical spaces drive commerce and customer experience.