New England Restaurant & Bar Show 2027 Exhibitor List

Graham Silliman opened Siena on Cape Cod in 2002 and has grown that into to a group of restaurants in Massachusetts, including Tavolino, Citizen Crust / Slice Bar, and Café Baristo. Hospitality is how he makes a living, but he also views his work as a creative endeavor. Graham and his wife live on the Cape.  Their three children are all grown, but they each have worked in one of their restaurants — important experience, even as they have pursued other careers.

David Lombardo is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Owner of Lombardo's Hospitality Group (LHG), a multi-unit hospitality brand specializing in catering and pizza. From full service catering out of their Off the Vine Catering wing, to their South Shore Bar Pizza concept, Bardo's Bar Pizza, or Spitfire BBQ, their southern BBQ Catering division, LHG infuses hospitality, service, and great flavor into everything they do. David is an avid fundraiser, volunteering his time with the American Cancer Society, Event Pros Take Action, and The SEARCH Foundation, which raises money for event professionals in crisis. When not working or volunteering, he loves spending time with his growing family, golfing, or hanging out with his 4 yr. old dog Sammy Buca!

Jeremiah Micka, a dedicated restaurant owner with over a decade of ownership experience and more than 30 years in the restaurant industry, combines a deep commitment to hospitality with an unwavering work ethic. A US Army veteran, Jeremiah served for five years, bringing a disciplined, team-oriented approach to his business. Growing up on a family farm, he learned early the values of hard work and resilience that continue to shape his career. Married with two children, Jeremiah is devoted to creating exceptional dining experiences and maintaining the highest standards in his establishment.

Doug Woodward is the Owner and Innkeeper of The Inn at Woodstock Hill in Woodstock, Connecticut, which is a 21 room Bed and Breakfast and banquet/wedding facility. With 24 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry he has had a hand in every aspect of the business. Doug started off as a dishwasher at the Inn and then did everything from gardening, property maintenance, serving, bartending, office work, and anything else that was needed. He also worked at Tuscany, a Todd English restaurant at Mohegan Sun, and was a liquor salesman for Connecticut Distributors which is a division of Breakthru Beverage. After all of that he returned full time to The Inn in 2021 and took over operations with his wife Karissa. They reside in Eastford, Connecticut with their 4 children and 3 dogs.

<p>Nancy Cushman is the Co-founder and Co-creator of the highly acclaimed restaurant group that owns and operates three full service restaurants o ya, Hojoko, and Bianca and four fast casual concepts gogo ya, Ms. Clucks Deluxe Chicken &amp; Dumplings and Mr Roni Cups.</p> <p>Prior to opening her first restaurant o ya in 2007, Nancy spent over a decade in Account Management at top advertising agencies in the country including Leo Burnett, Arnold Worldwide and Hill Holliday, working on major national food clients, including Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Ocean Spray, Dunkin' Donuts and Procter &amp; Gamble. Following Account Management, Nancy spent a number of years in advertising human resources gaining experience from senior level management coaching to recruiting and training which would prove invaluable for opening her own businesses.</p> <p>Nancy is also a certified Advanced Sake Professional and created and developed the sake program at o ya. Her passion for sake was first sparked 20 years ago during her advertising career in Chicago. After her first sake experience on one of her first dates with now husband and business partner, James Beard Award Winning Chef Tim Cushman, she became fascinated with sake and made studying the beverage her mission. She left her career as an advertising executive and in 2006 and she completed the Sake Professional Course in Japan with John Gauntner, who is recognized as one of the world's foremost sake experts. In 2012, Nancy travelled back to Japan to complete the Advanced Sake Professional Course and is certified as an Advanced Sake Professional.</p> <p>o ya has received numerous awards in the past fifteen years, including being named by the New York Times' Food Critic Frank Bruni as the #1 new restaurant in the U.S. outside of New York, multiple Best of Boston awards from Boston Magazine, being a top Zagat rated restaurant in Boston and making the short and long lists for additional James Beard Foundation nominations.<

<p>Jimmy Liang, founder of JP Fuji Group, is a visionary entrepreneur and accomplished chef. Co-founding his first restaurant, Fuji, in 1998, Jimmy's achievements have been acknowledged in notable publications, including &quot;Boston's Future 50&quot; by SmartCEO and &quot;40 Stars Under 40&quot; in the Patriot Ledger. His influence extended to Converse Sneakers' Global Exhibition Campaign.</p> <p>Beyond his culinary success, Jimmy's leadership extends to chairing the South Shore YMCA's Taste of the South Shore, serving on boards like Beth Israel Deaconess Milton, Eastern Bank, and collaborating with Cambridge Savings Bank. His philanthropic efforts span diverse causes, including Father Bill's &amp; Main Spring's Food Fest, the South Shore Medical Center's Asian Service Fund, Bakes for Breast Cancer, Rodman for Kids, Quincy Asian Resources (QARI), Inc., WGBH, Pine Street Inn, Josline Diabetes Center, and more. Jimmy's ethos of empowerment and unity resonates profoundly. His belief in investing in his staff's growth is evident through his partnership with &quot;English for New Bostonians,&quot; providing English classes to new immigrant employees.</p> <p>JP Fuji Group, under Jimmy's guidance, thrives with nine Metro Boston locations. His journey embodies not only culinary excellence but also a profound dedication to uplifting individuals, fostering community, and shaping legacy of unity and empowerment.</p>

<p>Jim Drost joined Bakers' Best Catering in May 2022 as the Vice President of Culinary Operations and Executive Chef after relocating from Virginia to Massachusetts.</p> <p>Jim graduated from Johnson and Wales University with a bachelor's degree of Culinary Arts prior to moving to Virginia. In returning to New England, Jim is brining a hands-on approach to the culinary program at Bakers' Best. He has been introducing new seasonal menu rotation and limited time menus that focus on holidays and food celebrations. Bakers' Full-Service catering department will also be a focus of development for Jim as we work to ensure that every event is executed seamlessly for our clients. Internally, Jim manages a multi-cultural team of 95 employees across three departments of culinary, expo and purchasing. &ldquo;We are focused on internal development and opportunities for our great staff. They work tremendously hard every day to provide the freshest meals possible for our clients throughout the Boston/Metro-west area&rdquo;.</p> <p>Previously, Jim Drost was the Vice President of Operations for F&amp;B Restaurant Management LLC based in Charlottesville, VA. F&amp;B operates four unique restaurants in Central Virginia including their newest restaurant, Augusta Kitchen in Fishersville. F&amp;B's mission is simple: &ldquo;serve high-quality, honest and approachable food and drink to our neighbors, friends, family and total strangers, in a warm, fun, friendly and mildly quirky environment&rdquo;.</p> <p>In addition, he has previously been a Director of Culinary for Matchbox Food Group, Director of Culinary for Metropolitan Hospitality Group and Executive Chef for Great American Restaurants.</p> <p>Jim now lives in Worcester County Massachusetts with his wife and two children. They enjoy baseball, campfires, and swimming. With respect to family, home and community, Jim and the team at Baker's Best, in conjunction with New England Country Mart, are excited to launch a new line of off

<p>Michelle Giovine has been a respected leader in the Massachusetts restaurant industry for more than three decades. As such, she provides vast restaurant industry knowledge, business acumen, and inspirational leadership for her current teams.</p> <p>Michelle joined the Ninety Nine Restaurant team over 23 years ago, holding various roles of increasing responsibility, starting out as a Marketing &amp; Beverage Manager to Vice President of Marketing.</p> <p>In her current role as Senior Vice President of Marketing for Restaurant Growth Services, who operates over 150 casual dining restaurants in 20 states including Ninety Nine Restaurant &amp; Pub and O'Charley's Restaurant &amp; Bar, she is responsible for beverage, marketing, and brand leadership for both brands.</p> <p>Michelle earned a bachelor's degree in management from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She began her restaurant career at Friendly's Ice Cream and has held various operations, training, and marketing roles at Pizzeria Uno along with Max &amp; Erma's in the Midwest. Michelle is a board member for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.</p>

<p>Philip Frattaroli grew up above his parent's Hanover Street restaurant in Boston's Historic North End. He spent much of his childhood working in his family's businesses, Lucia Ristorante in Boston and Winchester and Filippo Ristorante. Despite his background, Philip pursued other interests and a law degree. But it was a semester studying in Parma, Italy and a year spent living in Manhattan, that cemented his love for Italian cuisine and restaurants.</p> <p>In 2009, just two weeks before sitting for the Massachusetts Bar Exam, Philip opened Ducali Pizzeria &amp; Bar. Then in 2015, Philip bought the East Boston property that his maternal grandfather operated Oscar Woodworking out of for fifty years. On the site, he developed a 12,000 sq ft mixed use building that is home to Cunard Tavern, a gastropub he opened in 2017. In 2016, Philip purchased a stake in both Lucia Ristorante locations and created Filmark Hospitality Group. Most recently in 2022, Philip opened the Pine Bar, the first bar in Boston Public Market.</p>

<p>Raffaele Scalzi is the president of Scalzi Hospitality and the driving force behind some of Boston's most prominent food and beverage events, including the Boston Wine Expo and the Boston Pizza Festival. He also owns Next Door Speakeasy, Pazza on Porter, and Casa Lucia Function Facility.</p> <p>With over 15 years of experience in the events and restaurant industry, Raffaele has developed a reputation for organizing large-scale, successful events that attract thousands of attendees. His expertise in event planning, marketing, and hospitality management has earned him success in creating memorable and impactful experiences.</p>

<p>Sofia Kampoures has spent over 25 years in the retail industry, honing her skills in strategic merchandising, product development, and innovation. After ten years in fashion, Sofia followed her passion for food, cutting her teeth in grocery retail at Trader Joe's Company. During her tenure with TJ's, she led the private label national strategy for multiple categories, identifying new business/growth opportunities in product innovation with a focus on transparency within the supply chain, sustainability, and clean ingredients.</p> <p>After leaving TJ's, Sofia spent two years consulting on strategic innovation and merchandising in the ecommerce/retail space until she was recruited for her current role as Director of Product Innovation for the Own Brands division at Giant Eagle. She and her team have created signature seasonal programs and many differentiated products throughout the store. Her extensive travel, creativity, and understanding of the customer continue to drive excitement, build legacy programs, and generate incremental revenue.</p> <p>Sofia currently lives in MA with her husband and two children. She holds an undergraduate degree in International Relations from Tufts University and attended culinary school at Johnson and Wales University.</p>

<p>Nia Grace is an award-winning entrepreneur and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Bar &amp; Kitchen Hospitality,&nbsp;Inc., where she is known for her role as the Owner of two highly acclaimed restaurants:&nbsp;Grace By Nia&nbsp;and&nbsp;Darryl's Corner Bar and Kitchen&nbsp;in Boston.</p> <p>Recently named&nbsp;the 2023 &quot;Restauranteur of the Year&quot; by&nbsp;The Boston Globe, she is celebrated for her contributions to Boston's culinary&nbsp;scene, particularly as a leading Black restaurateur. &nbsp;</p> <p>Beyond her culinary ventures, Nia has a background&nbsp;in the nonprofit sector and is actively involved in community service, holding positions on various boards&nbsp;and organizations including the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and Meet Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau. Her innovative approach to hospitality has earned her numerous accolades, including&nbsp;recognition as one of the &quot;100 Most Influential Bostonians&quot; by&nbsp;Boston&nbsp;Magazine&nbsp;and a spot in the&nbsp;Boston Business Journal's &quot;Women Who Mean Business&quot; list​.</p>

<p>Ryan Dion is the Chief Executive Officer of Kelly's Roast Beef and is charged with maintaining Kelly's iconic legacy and a focused expansion of Kelly's footprint while keeping the quality and tradition that made Kelly's a beloved name.</p> <p>Prior to joining AAM15/Kelly's Roast Beef, Ryan held the role of Chief Executive Officer of RA Ventures Hospitality, where in 2014, he co-founded 110 Grill.&nbsp;Dion spearheaded the brand's rapid growth and global operations throughout the Northeast and into Florida. The 110 Grill currently has 40 locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.</p> <p>Ryan has received multiple awards over the years, including the Massachusetts Restaurant Association's &ldquo;Restaurateur of the Year&rdquo; in 2021, as well as the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce's &ldquo;Business Leader of the Year&rdquo; in 2017. 110 Grill features an award-winning allergy commitment and modern American cuisine in an upscale-casual atmosphere. It has been named one of the most allergy-friendly restaurant brands in the United States by AllergyEats. 110 Grill has partnered with organizations like ProStart to help grow the future of the restaurant industry.</p> <p>Prior to founding 110 Grill, Ryan was a General Managing Partner at a privately held upscale casual restaurant company with locations in five different states. He holds degrees in business and hospitality from the University of New Hampshire and lives in Westford, Massachusetts with his wife Hilary and two sons.</p>

William Kovel, Chef-Owner of Catalyst Restaurant and Catalyst Catering is happiest when he's in his kitchen at Catalyst teaching his culinary team. Described as kind and humble, his interest in food began at an early age and led him to travel in pursuit of delicious food and refining his techniques. Kovel's culinary career has brought him overseas to the Michelin-starred Orrery in London and across the United States to Jardinière in San Francisco before he decided to settle in Boston. Citing his time at Jardinière and Northern California cooking as his biggest influences, Kovel dedicates himself to using the best and most responsible seafood, produce and other products locally available

<p>Dan on Cape Cod, where he&rsquo;s built a reputation for bold coastal flavors and elevated, house-made Italian cuisine. With over 20 years in the industry, including formative years at The Lobster Trap in Bourne, Dan brings technical skill and New England roots to all of his kitchens.</p> <p>A Plymouth native, Dan found his passion for cooking at 13 years old and eventually graduated from Newbury college with a culinary degree. His passion for cooking has earned him two ACF Chef of the Year titles and appearances on several local television programs. Dan&rsquo;s on screen charm and creative dishes have brought a tasty spotlight to Cape Cod&rsquo;s culinary scene.</p>

Patrick Cairoli is an award winning hospitality veteran; having served in a variety of roles within the foodservice industry from restaurant operations in national chains and regional independents, vendor sales and representation, and corporate marketing at Gordon Food Service. He currently provides thought leadership and training strategies linking a desirable customer experience to executable operational tactics.