Boxerbrand | Recipe for Success

What do a couple of defense contractors know about the hospitality biz? Plenty. Café 44 in Alexandria, Va., which got its start in 2016 as a “glorified break room” serving military personnel a couple of “squares” at breakfast and lunch, has blossomed into a full-on dining experience, which has breathed new life into the Potomac River waterfront in Alexandria, Va. Cofounder Jula Jane began Café 44 in 2016 with her partner Keith Coggins of defense contracting company Coggins International. The…

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On the very day of the World Trade Center attacks in New York City, restauranteurs Marc Propper and his wife Michelle Silver were expecting their second child. “Our son was actually due on 9/11, but fortunately he was born a couple days later, and after that, we started thinking about slowing down, and possibly starting something new upstate.” Two years later in May, the couple opened the doors of Miss Lucy’s Kitchen (named for their first child) in Saugerties, and…

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An MIT grad with a bachelor’s degree in brain and cognitive science returned home to Boise, Idaho to make his dream of owning a brew pub come true. Jake Lake opened Cloud 9 Brewery in 2014 after leaving the hallowed halls of Boston academia to grind out success in the hospitality business. Along the way, he became a professional in IT, and rolled the dice financially on the venture before reaping the benefits. In this week’s Q&A with Recipe for…

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The early morning fog in the Russian River Valley cools the grapes grown on the Thomas George Estates Winery perfectly. Their fruit, when ripe, bursts with such full and delectable flavor that six bottles of Chardonnay and Pino Noir—the varietals the vineyard is known for, recently took top scores by one of the world’s most esteemed wine critics. World-renowned wine writer Robert Parker recently scored six bottles produced in 2015 by the winery so highly that the estate is packaging…

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Walking through the doors of the Mohawk Golf Club patrons get a sense of having “arrived.” No detail is too small for a staff working tirelessly to ensure that the experience at the 120-year-old private club in Schenectady, N.Y. is like no other. And in the center of the Tudor style clubhouse is a restaurant managed to a tee by seasoned hospitality manager Mr. Tracy Nichols, a 30-year veteran of the restaurant business who has worked in 26 states and…

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Rena Frost, was plugging away at a career in accounting when 10 years in, she decided to return to her roots. Walking away from what college prepared her for, and toward her lifelong love of cooking, Frost went to work for restauranteur Mike McMahan in the early 90s at his Texas landmark eatery Mac’s Bar and Grill. She never looked back. Managing all aspects of the 30-year-old business in Arlington, Texas, Frost was McMahan’s right-hand-woman. She oversaw everything from personnel…

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From the time Jasper Mirabile Jr. was 6 years old, he knew where he belonged. And it wasn’t the T-ball field along with all the other kids, but in the kitchen practicing culinary arts alongside his mother and grandmother. “I would watch my Mom take six ingredients and make a complete dinner,” says the chef who has overseen a family restaurant dynasty and been honored three times by James Beard. “I think I knew back then that restaurants would be…

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Gilbert’s Lodge in St. Claire Shores, Michigan has earned a place in the heart of a rock star, who got his start in its kitchen, and many others who have a soft spot for the unassuming lodge. Rock singer Eminem worked as a cook in Gilbert’s before he was famous. By day, the “very quiet, very nice kid” made burgers and other comfort food. And at night, often very late, he recorded at a nearby music studio, creating his Slim…

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Soon after hanging a shingle outside his commercial real estate office, Randy Gruber got an uncomfortable feeling. “I felt like a used-car salesman, and didn’t like it,” he recalls. Daring to reinvent himself after earning a college career that pointed him away from the restaurant biz and family tradition, Gruber returned to his roots. Following in the footsteps of his famous restauranteur grandfather Walter Shapiro, who cofounded the famous Cooky’s Steak Pubs, an 11-unit restaurant and catering chain begun in…

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Steps away from the beach, shops and art galleries of Cape Cod stands an inn so special it was ranked by Trip Advisor as the number 1 most romantic hotel in New England. The 1830s structure, renovated in creamy tones and modern coastal décor, has consistently attracted customers to its doors since husband-wife hoteliers Jeff and Kayla Ippoliti took over the property four years ago. Their dream was to “go big” in the quaint, seaside town they loved. “My wife…

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