Chief Operating Officer

• Mar 2023 - Present

Named Top Workplace for the seventh consecutive year by Nola.com/Times Picayune, as well as awards for #3 Mid Sized Employer and Best Communication.

Vice President of Restaurant Operations

• May 2017 - Mar 2023

Named a Top Workplace by Times Picayune | Nola.com in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. City Business Best Places to Work Honoree in 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020. Published in FSR Magazine as "Top 50 Emerging Restaurant Chains" and "7 Breakout Restaurant Chains for 2018".

Area Director of Operations

• Nov 2009 - May 2017

Contributed to the research & development, opened, and leads the team of Mizado cocina. Took over the Semolina brand in 2010 and evolved the concept. Pioneered the launch of Taste Buds Catering & Events. Some highlights in this role include:• Evolved, refined, and re-positioned the Semolina brand for future growth.• Contributed to development and opening of Mizado cocina, rated in the Top 5 “Best New Restaurants in New Orleans” by CityBusiness Magazine in 2014. Mizado also is the #3 "Hottest Happy Hour in New Orleans" by nolaeater.com.• Successfully catered the Acura Hospitality Area at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, since 2013, feeding lunch and dinner to 2,700 invited guests over 6 days. Mastered the logistics of building a fully functioning restaurant and bar on a dirt, horseracing track.• Successfully catered the football teams invited to the AllState Sugar Bowl and BCS National Championship Game, for multiple years.• Mastered the logistic of catering large corporate events in diverse venues, including: Fairgrounds Race Course, Krewe of Rex’s den, Basin Street Station, Sugar Mill, NOLA Motorsports, and Generation’s Hall. Show less

Director of Culinary Operations

• Nov 2006 - May 2017

Collaborate daily with our chefs and general managers on product quality, menu execution, and management systems in order to consistently deliver our culinary vision. Develop new products from conceptualization, through R&D and into implementation at the restaurant level. Evaluate, coach, and develop our culinary teams and put succession plans in place. Some highlights in this role include:• Developed and evolved a closely integrated package of Culture, Philosophy, Training, and Systems, that have produced industry leading performance in food cost and labor. Historically, we have produced a 2 percentage point advantage over our competitive set. • Improved employee retention to industry leading level and have maintained for 8 years.• Earned recognition as New Orleans City Business Magazine’s Top 50 Best Places to Work for three years in a row. • Part of team that earned the 2012 Restaurant Neighbor Award from the National Restaurant Association.• Orchestrated a plan to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of New Store Openings. Result has reduced time to achieving profitability to 45-60 days in Zea openings.• Collaborated on designing Zea’s prototype kitchen, improving efficiency and reducing costs.• Implemented a safety plan, based upon best practices of other industries, to improve employee safety, lower our insurance “experience modifier” to .72, and lower our workers comp premium costs. Show less

General Manager

• Mar 2006 - Nov 2006

As General Manager of Semolina’s Bistro Italia, I collaborated with the owners to create, convert and launch this experimental concept within an old Semolina space.Some highlights in this role include:• 19.74% increase in sales• 93.29% Mystery Shopper average during tenure there; highest among all Taste Buds restaurants during that time.

Service Manager

• Jun 2005 - Mar 2006

As Service Manager, I successfully lead the re-opening of two Zea restaurants in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Some highlights in this role include:• Recruiting, selection, and training of service staff for re-opening of the remaining Zea restaurants, ensuring timely and successful re-openings.• Having all of our hurricane impacted restaurants re-opened by December 2005. At the time, Taste Buds Management was the largest hospitality employer in the region. • Personally delivered management training of any new managers during this time.• Produced record sales & profits. Show less

General Manager

• Dec 2003 - Jun 2005

Turned around a struggling restaurant, and positioned the restaurant for a sale event, through improving operations, stabilizing sales, and improving profitability.

Assistant GM | Chef de Cuisine

• May 2001 - Dec 2003

Opened this new franchise of Copeland’s of New Orleans. Took over the role of Chef within six months of opening to stabilize operations and quality.

Manager

• 1998 - 2001