Nashville, Tennessee, United States
I’ve always believed that great food does more than just fill a plate—it feeds the vitality of a busy world. As a passionate restaurateur and executive, my mission is simple: serve wholesome, healthy food that nourishes both people and the planet. Every day is an opportunity to empower teams, cultivate a culture built on trust, and push the envelope of sustainability. It’s all about leading with values and integrity while driving results that fuel sustainable growth and innovation. My career has been anything but ordinary. From independent restaurants to large-scale chains, I've navigated the wilds of hospitality, balancing the structure of large corporations with the scrappy spirit of startups. The secret sauce? A commitment to servant leadership, where empowering others and embracing a shared mission takes center stage. Whether I’m turning around a struggling brand or launching a new concept, I lead by example and believe in building up those around me. My adventures extend beyond the boardroom—I'm just as likely to be found summiting a mountain as I am crafting a strategic plan. After all, it takes creativity, grit, and a little bit of risk-taking to climb Kilimanjaro (twice!) or lead a team through the ups and downs of a fast-paced industry. And that’s exactly how I approach every challenge: with curiosity, resilience, and a drive to make a positive impact. Outside of work, you’ll find me trekking through rugged trails or volunteering to make the world a little better—because giving back is part of who I am, both in business and in life. Let’s connect and talk about how we can build something extraordinary—together.
About our company: We are a network of passionate, hands-on, restauranteurs with the operations, financial, research and culinary expertise to grow units, increase guest counts, drive sales and improve profitability. We are a global, full-service restaurant consulting firm helping both large and small restaurant clients in all aspects of their business from concept ideation, restaurant design, and financial modeling to marketing, branding, operations improvements and grand openings. We are innovators driven to succeed in this dynamic and changing economy, with one goal in mind - YOUR SUCCESS. Each and every day your guests are faced with dozens of dining choices, and to make business more challenging, a shiny new restaurant, a new competitor opens for business. Your business can't wait for tomorrow, so let's get started today on growing your business! www.MatrixRestaurantConsulting.com
Imagine arriving back from Europe in March 2020, where COVID was already spreading quickly, to arrive back in the US, arriving home to get 6 hours of sleep before you pack your bags and drive 8-hours to take the helm of two restaurant concepts, one of which was hemorrhaging money. Well, that was the start of my journey at Green & Tonic and Myx Kitchen. In the months to come, I would rebuild the culture, vision and values of each concept; reduce operating costs and slash debt; while acquiring a new location, expanding our business into third-party locations and introducing new menu items. And I should mention that during the peak of the pandemic, we cut our support staff to 3, making me also the head of marketing, HR, IT, and Finance. Once stabilized, I successfully transitioned the company to a new President over the course of 4-weeks. About the company: Green & Tonic was established in 2012 in Darien, CT as a healthy option for those seeking balance and harmony via food. The concept was rooted in plant-based food (before plant-based diets were trendy!) exploring the techniques and flavors that make good-for-you foods delicious, inviting, and accessible. Today, Green & Tonic’s heritage lives on by offering delicious, crave-able food designed to nourish the mind, body, and soul. It is food for all. For those on the go and those that like to take it slow. For curious eaters and comfort food seekers. For the flavor kings and health queens. Green & Tonic has 5 locations which are supported by a central commissary.
Myx Kitchen (now Supr. Food Kitchen) is a sister concept to Green & Tonic. In addition to what I noted under Green & Tonic, I combined the corporate staffs of both concepts, housing them at the Green & Tonic central commissary. Additionally, I introduced new meal bundles, expanded outdoor seating, and added our own local delivery service to maintain sales and profitability. About the company: Founded in 2017, Myx Kitchen has established itself as the delicious, local destination for wholesome and clean ingredients. We pride ourselves on providing our customers with healthy food that never lacks in flavor. We believe that healthy food should be accessible, sustainable and most of all NEVER boring. Whether you create your own dish or choose from our chef-driven curations, we guarantee that you will find your perfect meal! Myx Kitchen operates one unit in Greenwich, CT.
A brand rich in tradition, it was my job to help grow and modernize the brand, while preserving the “secret sauce” that made it highly successful. Job 1: Design, build and open the first new location in 16-years as soon as possible. Drawing from my experience opening a new prototype for Red Lobster, we built a wood kitchen to "prove out" the consulting designer's kitchen. Much to the chagrin of the consultant, I worked with our most experienced cooks and managers to draw out (in-scale) a new kitchen and interior. We opened the new prototype not only in a newish market with huge buzz, but in the dead of the Cleveland winter, not an easy task as we were an old-fashioned drive-in with curb servers. Working with our head of real estate and development, we significantly reduced the investment cost, then expanded throughout Cleveland, and then down to Columbus. My reponsibilites also included marketing, training and QA. With the latter, I introduced a customize third-party QA audit to the company, elevating sanitation and procedures at each unit. About the company: Swensons Drive-In has been in operation since 1934 and has become iconic to all who have lived in the greater Akron region. Famous for our signature burger the "Galley Boy" which is a double cheeseburger with two secret sauces, and we have more than 18 different-flavored milk shakes. Recognitions include "Best Burger in Ohio" by Business Insider, "America's Best Cheeseburger'' by Forbes, " World's Greatest Cheeseburger" by the Ion Network, and "Best Burger in the Universe" by the LeBron James Family Foundation.
About the company: A mission driven, fast-casual, vegetarian restaurant soulfully serving the community with the most vibrant, organic, therapeutic, whole food you could ever imagine in an inspiring environment that honors local artisans, the community, and our global ecology. Life Alice's higher purpose is "To energize the vitality of all living beings and our planet.”