RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES CELEBRATES DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY WITH AN EYE TO THE NEXT 75 YEARS
INDUSTRY TRAILBLAZER MAINTAINS COMMITMENT TO INNOVATIONS IN DINING AND STANDARDS IN HOSPITALITY WITH NEW LEADERSHIP AND EXPANDING PROGRAMS
R estaurant Associates, known as a leader in on-site dining management and premium catering, is celebrating 75 years in the industry with new faces at the helm and an even deeper commitment to community, employee experience, and innovation that will continue to define the hospitality landscape for decades to come. The Diamond celebration underscores R/A’s position at the forefront of delivering elevated, and coveted, workplaces and higher education dining experiences, as well as serving as the culinary prowess behind the food & beverage offerings at some of the world’s most important and lauded cultural establishments. Ed Brown has assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer. Drawing upon his more than two-decades at R/A and more than 30 years as a chef, Brown’s focus will be on growth, with an emphasis on public restaurants. As the creator of several high-profile concepts within the R/A family, Brown will continue to bring his creativity and business acumen to the CEO role, further cementing the company’s position as restauranteurs in addition to serving the world’s leading workplace, education and cultural organizations. Michael Gallagher, a European-trained chef with more than 25 years of experience in culinary and operations, will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer. A promotion from his previous position as President of Managed Services in which he oversaw R/A’s corporate and educational dining accounts, Gallagher will focus on operational excellence and innovation across all divisions, bolstering the company’s values of hospitality and culinary excellence.
Dean Martinus is serving as President of Catering Services, leading an integral piece of the R/A business after returning to the fold. Martinus began his career at R/A after graduating from Paul Smith’s College and returns to apply his more than two decades of industry experience to overseeing the company’s robust catering services in Boston, New York, Washington D.C. and beyond. Rounding out the team is Einav Gefen, a new face at R/A who assumes the role of Chef/Innovator. The role is being passed between two acclaimed chefs, as Gefen receives the baton from Brown. She will be the second person to hold the unique title following Brown’s 11 years in the role and her appointment further cements R/A’s reputation as a chef-driven, culinary-first company. Gefen has worked in acclaimed kitchens across the globe including at Mul-Yam in Tel Aviv, Israel and Danal in Manhattan’s East Village. Most recently Gefen served as the Corporate Executive Chef for Unilever, leading innovation and the roll out of new products among other duties. At R/A, Gefen will continue to drive forward a commitment to quality as well as augment sustainability, diversity and wellness initiatives. “R/A was founded as, and continues to be, a restaurant operator. We’ve got three trained chefs at the helm who along with their business experience, lead from a chef ’s point-of-view,” said Brown. “As we envision what the next 75 years looks like for us, the mantra of ‘Once a Chef, Always Chef ’ couldn’t be more true. We’ll use the creativity, attention to detail and commitment to service that is ingrained in each
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