Hey, I’m Nick.
With twenty years in the food and beverage industry, I have the skills and experience to lead teams, manage operations, and streamline processes. I am a natural extrovert and communicator who leads with positivity to make the big picture possible. I have a background in creative/copywriting, am proficient in AP style, and have an array of computer skills.
Leadership
Throughout the course of my career I have been instrumental in developing strategic visions, building effective teams, and helping restaurants achieve breakthrough levels of performance. As the Head Chef of Grata Bar & Lounge I developed new menus, created innovative recipes, and helped my team navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Early in the pandemic when indoor dining was restricted I helped transform our kitchen operation, pivoting towards prepared meals that our guests could order ahead and pick up. Soon after we pivoted again to hot-and-ready family meals, holiday family meal offerings, and the opening of our second location. During the pandemic I helped with the creation of Grata Catering Kitchen that positioned us for success as the world returned to (somewhat) normal.
Logistics
Whether it’s a small local bar, a national grocery chain, or a medium-sized restaurant, the success of any operation is closely tied to logistics. Food needs to get from growers to warehouses to distributors to the store room to the cooks, and ultimately the customers. I have two decades of bar and restaurant experience, as well as retail food production, leadership, and administrative experience from my time as Culinary Team Leader at Whole Foods Market in Lincoln.
Planning
Success in business is not built on a happy accidents, but on a series of well-designed plans executed with vision and leadership. Throughout my career I have been fortunate to work with amazing teams and carry out transformational changes, as well as maintain daily operations with speed and efficiency, all built on a foundation of solid planning. From identifying stakeholders to preparing a budget or P&L to creating a schedule, all the way to ensuring that deliverables are the highest possible quality, I know how to create plans that get work done and exceed customer expectations.
Service
The mark of a true leader is someone who is willing to put the needs of others before himself or herself, and seek ways to create positive change by helping others. From managing the the work of others to mopping the floors, there is no job in a restaurant operation that I haven’t done, and I never ask my team to perform a task that I am unwilling to do right alongside them. In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic I started “Give and Let Live,” a pay-it-forward operation to help local bars and businesses make it through the tough economic times they were facing. Partnering with Zipline Brewing, I helped create Local Time Live, a live front yard concert series to raise money for struggling local venues during the pandemic. I also have a deep, abiding passion for music and was instrumental in creating and teaching a local School of Rock program to help children learn teamwork, creativity, and self-expression through playing in bands.
