Our Team
Thomas Hardes
Kitchen Organization and Operation Consultant
  • 15 years all inclusive chef experience at
    prestigious fine dining restaurants throughout
    England, Germany, Greece, Thailand, Australia,
    New Zealand and including a Michelin Star rated
    restaurant in France
  • NVQ Level 3 in Food Preparation and Cooking
  • Advanced Food Hygiene Certificate
  • Duke of Edinburgh Award and Queen Scout
    Award winner
  • Experience training entire kitchen, restaurant
    and bar staff
  • Responsible for all menu planning, budgeting,
    stock and costing
  • Specializing in kitchen trouble-shooting and
    reorganization

Strand Hoagland
Project Management and Technology Change  
Consultant
  • 2 years experience in project management and
    corporate banking in Arizona
  • Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with
    a focus on Communications from Arizona State
    University
  • Certified member of the Project Management
    Institute
  • Responsible for managing and mitigating
    fraud/risk exposure of over $1 million in finances
    on a weekly basis
  • Currently works in portfolio and technology
    change management for Bank of America
  • Ensures end-to-end accountability for the health
    of all projects in-flight

Joshua Grossman
Business Strategy Consultant
  • 10 years hospitality experience in Colorado,
    Utah, California and London with a focus in fine
    dining bar management
  • MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver
    with an emphasis in Finance
  • Recently worked for Cadent Financial Services
  • Currently works at the Chicago Mercantile
    Exchange
  • Specializing in strategic planning, financial
    analysis, marketing, accounting and consumer
    services

Ron Kruse
Marketing and Advertising Consultant
  • 35 years of broadcast ownership and
    management experience
  • 15 years as CEO of national direct mail
    marketing firm, with clients including fortune 500
    companies
  • 1994 National Association of Broadcasters
    Marconi Award winner for best radio station in
    America
  • Currently CEO of Image Sciences, an
    advertising agency providing ongoing marketing
    analysis and development to more than 175
    retailers across America
  • Specializing in advertising and marketing with a
    primary focus on targeted multi-media
    campaigns

Adam Still
Front of House Operations Consultant
  • 5 years fine dining/cocktail bar management
    experience in Colorado, Arizona, Australia and
    New Zealand
  • BS in Political Science with minor in Sociology
    from University of Arizona
  • Trained and taught by the only living 6th
    generation brewmaster in the US (Jim Koch)
  • Currently works as the VP of marketing & sales
    for the fastest growing association of realtors in
    the world
  • Specializing in online marketing and stealth/non-
    branded advertising, account management, staff
    training, front of house troubleshooting,
    beverage, tableware, music and uniform
    selection
Experience/Credentials
Ramy Abu-Yousef
CEO, General Counsel and Director
  • 10 years business law and restaurant industry
    experience in Los Angeles and New Zealand
  • Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan
  • Former manager and head chef at exclusive New
    Zealand restaurant, The Bathhouse, until its sale
    in October 2009.
  • Currently working for high end resort hotel in
    Queenstown, New Zealand. www.therees.co.nz
  • Specializing in macro-analysis, diagnosis and
    targeted solution management for restaurant
    operations

Cynthia Friedemann
Creative Director and rReview Coordinator
  • 5 years active sports bar, international fine
    dining, and restaurant management experience
    in Los Angeles and New Zealand
  • Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a focus
    on International Relations from the University of
    Oregon
  • Former Creative Director and server at exclusive
    New Zealand restaurant, The Bathhouse.
  • Currently owner of environmental t-shirt design
    company Parker and Stella.  
         www.parkerandstella.com
  • Specializing in web design and content, business
    organization, merchandising and review criteria

Erin Landsberg
Sommelier, Food and Wine Consultant
  • 3 years front and back of house corporate
    restaurant industry experience in Los Angeles
  • Culinary Arts Degree from the Art Institute of LA
  • Certified WSET Sommelier
  • Currently works sales & consulting at The Wine
    House in LA and writes restaurant reviews for
    LA2DAY.com
  • Specializing in wine selection and purchasing as
    well as food and wine pairing

Kimberly Blaine
Staffing, Beverage Selection and Floor Design
Consultant
  • 15 years restaurant management experience in
    Florida, Tennessee and California
  • Manages LA based restaurant chain that makes
    over $50 million in revenue each year and has
    expanded their franchise every year for the last
    10 years
  • Advanced Certification from the American Feng
    Shui Institute
  • Specializing in interview/hiring/training, temp
    services, beverage selection and floor plan
    optimization

Alyson Vidoli
Music Selection Consultant
  • 10 years corporate bar services experience
  • Bachelors Degree from the University of
    Massachusetts (Amherst)
  • Exhaustive knowledge of music in all genres
  • Currently working in the field of Music
    Supervision for Go Music Services, responsible
    for soundtrack selection for TV shows such as
    Entourage, Weeds, House, Dexter and Cavemen
  • Specializing in music selection and playlist
    coordination

Amir Zahra
Creative Solutions Director and Research
Consultant
  • 5 years experience in research and analysis
    programs in California, Boston and New York
  • Bachelor of Science from University of California
    San Diego
  • Currently involved in advanced research
    program at Columbia University
  • Specializing in focus groups, survey and
    research, think tank coordination and unique
    problem solving

Leo Silvestre
Floor operations, Team leadership and Management
Consultant
  • 13 years management and general operations
    experience in several establishments throughout
    Boston and Los Angeles
  • Currently heads one of the most successful
    restaurants in Manhattan Beach, CA
  • Specializing in floor troubleshooting and team
    management