Our Team
We provide a combined 100+ years of experience in the food and beverage industry encompassing a variety of specialties and focuses. As patrons and team members, we provide working knowledge of all food, beverage and service aspects of hotel and restaurant operations. Our clients and past employers include some of the most well-respected leaders and brands in hospitality: Daniel Boulud/The Dinex Group, NoHo Hospitality, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and various prestigious hotels and independent restaurants across the US, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean. We are passionate about our industry and this passion helps ensure your success.
ARIA DORSEY | SENIOR DIRECTOR
Aria has over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, spending time in New York, Washington, DC, Napa and Nashville working with large organizations including Chef Daniel Boulud and the Four Seasons, as well as the independent and renowned restaurants Rolf and Daughters and Folk. The latter two of which have been named one of Bon Appétit’s Best New Restaurants and Wine Enthusiast’s Best Wine Restaurants of 2019. These restaurants are where she most recently served and the Director of Operations and Wine. She has an eye for service, focusing on details, consistency and the importance of training. Aria is a board member of SommCon, where she provides mentorship and focuses on diversity and inclusion within the hospitality industry. Prior to starting her career in NYC, Aria earned her BA in Hospitality Management from Cornell University.
BRADFORD THOMPSON | ASSOCIATE: CULINARY
Bradford was the Executive Chef at Mary Elaine's at the Phoenician, earning five diamonds from AAA, The Mobil 5-star Award, and a Grand Award from Wine Spectator. Bradford was one of Food and Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs of 2004, won the James Beard Award in 2006 for Best Chef Southwest, and was inducted into the Scottsdale Culinary Hall of Fame. In 2009, Thompson took the helm at Lever House in NYC where he showcased his unique style of Modern American Cooking. Thompson’s culinary consulting experience includes Bar Artisanal, Miss Lily’s, Tiny Fork Oyster bar, The Milford Plaza Food Court, Red Hen, Gumbo Bros., The Rainbow Room, and Brooklyn Barge. He has a Level I certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers.
CARLA SIEGEL | BRANDING + DESIGN
Training in both the graphic and culinary arts, accompanied by years working with some of the country’s top restaurants and chefs, adds a distinct perspective to Carla’s branding and design projects. Following several years alongside Brett serving as The Dinex Group’s Brand Creative Director, Carla founded Agentsie in 2015 - delivering attractive, sustainable and carefully considered design solutions that are mindful of operational and budgetary constraints common among hospitality industry clients. From developing new branding to refreshing existing print and digital collateral, Carla brings a unique combination of creativity, culinary knowledge, operational experience, communications skill and public relations savvy to her work.
STUART DAVIS | KITCHEN DESIGN
Stuart is a foodservice veteran with over 20 years experience in the industry. After obtaining a culinary degree from the New England Culinary Institute, he worked as a chef in some of the top restaurants in Chicago. For the past 15 years, Stuart has worked as a foodservice consultant, designing kitchens worldwide. He has a deep understanding of how a kitchen works, and dedicates a solution-oriented design to every project. His clients have included Thompson Hotels, Ford Fry Restaurants, Restoration Hardware and Union Square Hospitality Group.
MONICA SAPIRSTEIN | ASSOCIATE: OPERATIONS
With a background in travel public relations and destination marketing, Monica began her hotel career managing the ’44’ restaurant at the original ‘design hotel’ the Royalton in the first collaboration between Ian Schrager and Phillipe Starck. Monica specializes in developing F&B for hotels with chef and design-driven concepts, while collaborating with some of the best in the business. Past hotel projects include Standard Hotels in NY and LA, XV Beacon in Boston, The Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca, and Grupo Habita’s first US property, Hotel Americano New York. Having lived and worked in Abu Dhabi, Shanghai and Nairobi, Monica employs a broad frame of reference when developing new projects. She is specialized in concept development, service strategy, and design projects which combine her creative talents with a strong understanding of operations.
SAMANTHA WHITLAM | ASSOCIATE: FINANCE
Samantha moved from a career in finance covering mergers & acquisitions and capital markets in London to pursue her passion for the restaurant industry in New York in 2013. She joined Major Food Group as Director of Operations while studying restaurant management at New York’s Institute of Culinary Education and obtaining a culinary degree at the French Culinary Institute. Samantha joined the Dinex Group in 2015 with a remit to use her financial acumen to improve the bottom line of each of the group’s restaurants. Samantha then became Director of Operations for the groups chain of fast casual cafe’s, Epicerie Boulud. Samantha returned to London in 2019 and now consults for restaurant groups and private equity on strategies to improve financial performance.
FELIPE HAYVARD | FINANCE
Felipe is a seasoned financial management professional with a 14-year career at Ingeniería y Construcción Sigdo Koppers S.A., the largest industrial and mining construction company in Chile. Felipe has proven expertise in accounting processes, operations oversight, and compliance reporting. Knowledgeable about forecasting models, contract administration and budgeting, he is an accomplished team builder with result-focus expertise.