Experience

Hospitality Consulting Services
• Hospitality
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Chief Operating Officer

  • Mar 2021 - Present


Passion Food Hospitality

• United States
• Restaurants
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Co-owner / Chief Operating Officer / Multi Unit Operator

  • 1998 - Present

  Partner in growing startup restaurant management company into nationally recognized regional network of 12 restaurants, with up to 750 staff across Washington, DC metropolitan area. Built unsurpassed team, raised funding, developed brand, created operational infrastructure, negotiated location leases, and directed buildouts. • Grew startup with several national-class seafood restaurants and premier regional operations. • Built popular brands by careful attention to guest comments and sales reports to identify and maximize most popular dining trends, and involve staff in theme and product development. • Gained publicity and high praise from Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Esquire, Travel + Leisure, Wine Spectator, Food Arts, The Washington Post, and multiple regional publications. • Won Best New Restaurant and Best Wine and Beverage Program awards from Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington; named Restaurant Operator of Year by Washingtonian magazine; and selected for Washington Downtown Business Improvement District Award. • Successfully negotiated large rent reductions and early lease releases for unproductive locations over years and after COVID, enabling location closures while minimizing financial effect. Show less



Capital Restaurant Concepts

• Restaurants
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Vice President, Special Projects

  • 1996 - 1998

  Promoted by ownership of $40M restaurant management company to direct expansion and new restaurant openings outside core Washington, DC area, as well as evaluation and closure of unprofitable locations.• Opened first successful non-hotel, American-owned tavern/restaurant in Beirut, Lebanon, navigating very different business climate and culture and gaining collaboration among different groups involved.• Opened profitable, high-end bistro in Atlanta area, and made restaurant culinary success by obtaining cooperation of 2 world-class chefs in same kitchen.• Identified, planned, and opened innovative, new revenue source with convenience store and quick food preparation facility at Georgia State University residence hall.• Consistently identified and accurately evaluated profitable new restaurants sites nationally, and negotiated favorable leasing terms and bank financing. Show less

• Regional Vice President

  • 1989 - 1996

  Recruited by global, $40M restaurant management company as unit manager, promoted to General Manager, then Vice President in charge of 2 divisions, overseeing General Managers and teams at 7 locations with total 250 staff and $14M P&L. • Won VP promotion for consistently improving performance across all categories with sustained sales growth and profitability.• Managed first site in company history to achieve profit of $1M on $4M in sales; drove profitability and significantly reduced earlier losses at all locations in region.• Introduced meetings between corporate management and restaurant staff at restaurant locations to drive consensus and collaboration, and improve morale and performance. Show less