Aaron Paul’s New Luxury Obsession
The Only Caviar is sustainably produced in Italy and supports ocean protection initiatives
There is a particular kind of energy that happens when Aaron Paul talks about something he loves. It is bright and technical and kinetic. It is the same electricity he brought to television, now redirected into a growing culinary world he is shaping with The Only, his humane, sustainable caviar company. We met in Las Vegas during F1 week inside 1850 by American Express at ARIA, where Paul was hosting tastings for Platinum and Centurion members. Before the tins even hit the table, he grinned and said, “Should we do some caviar bumps?” The tone was set.
Paul calls the collaboration with American Express a career moment. “I have been a proud Amex cardholder for many, many years,” he says. “I have a Platinum—they get you into all the lounges at the airports. It is really focused on travelers. So the fact that I partnered up with Amex for this event is a big deal for me. It is a big feather in our cap.” Inside 1850, guests encounter oversized tins of The Only designed to be shared, sampled and passed around freely. “Both brands pair well with each other,” Paul adds. “I think it helps elevate both.”
The Only arrives with a surprisingly modern sensibility. It has the confidence of a heritage product but none of the pretense. Paul describes the origin as a mix of curiosity, research and a desire to rethink how caviar is produced at scale. “Once I started educating myself on the current state of sturgeons globally, it shocked me,” he says. “Ninety percent of caviar in the States and eighty percent globally comes from three very large farms in China—it’s all the same caviar in different pretty packaging. They pump their sturgeons full of hormones. It’s very inhumane.”
The Only was built to be the counterpoint. “We had access to this beautiful farm in Italy about an hour and a half west of Milan,” Paul says. “It was built in the ’50s directly on top of a river downstream from a waterfall. They started farming sturgeons in 1969. We are bringing out a humane, sustainable caviar. It is fully runoff of solar power. We now have just north of three hundred thousand sturgeons. We are very proud of how we treat them.”
Paul is direct about the company’s values. “People want to be part of something that makes a difference,” he says. “We have a three percent give back initiative to help clean up our waters. This is a very new company. As our company grows, that percentage will grow alongside it.”
The story of how he stepped into caviar at all is pure serendipity. Paul met his partner Diego Sabino at a private Nobu tasting at Casa Ferrari during Pebble Beach Concours. “He used to run culinary for VistaJet globally,” Paul says. “He had a 50 million dollar budget to bring the finest foods in the world onto these jets. I pitched him my mezcal company. He fell in love with it. That is how we became fast friends.” Diego later educated Paul about the global caviar landscape and shared the idea of creating a sustainable alternative. “I said I loved it, as long as we have a big give-back initiative.” Paul says. “Here we are.”
The Only’s first account was The Wynn in Las Vegas. From there it expanded into Four Seasons properties and other luxury groups, a trajectory Paul describes as both organic and surreal. “People are responding to our initiative,” he says. “They want quality but they also want responsibility.”
Launching The Only during F1 week felt intentional. Paul lights up when talking about motorsports. “I have been to F1 a few times now. It is very exciting, very thrilling. People want to experience something new. Caviar gives that. It is a luxury. It is the top of the top. But it is not unattainable. I did not have caviar until my mid-thirties. Now I always want it.”
Chefs are using caviar with a refreshing sense of playfulness, which Paul fully embraces. “I love it on ice cream,” he says. “You have the sweet and the salty. But I also love pairing it high and low. Caviar being a high and a barbecue chip being a low. I cannot recommend that combo enough.”
When asked how he wants people to enjoy The Only at home, he is wonderfully democratic. “It does not have to be a crazy fine dining experience,” he says. “You can have a luxury snack at home when you are watching a movie with your friends or your partner. Barbecue chips, crème fraîche and a dollop of caviar on top. It is over the top and incredible.”
The Only reflects Paul’s taste for craft and his belief that luxury is not about exclusivity but about intention. Sustainable sourcing. Humane farming. Solar power. Clean water. Shared tins. Playful pairings. Elevated access. It is caviar that feels aligned with contemporary culture rather than preserved from an old one.
“We are building something that is good for the planet and good for people,” Paul says. “I think everyone is looking for a way to give back. This is ours.”
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