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Our service includes a comprehensive consultation to help identify gaps and opportunities, a comprehensive report that includes a project plan with timelines and milestones, a cost analysis, and a schedule. We also offer a suite of quality products that will help you get there quickly and smoothly. That’s how we ensure your success.
“Doug” Zeif, is the principal in The Concept Gurus, Next! Hospitality Advisors, and Equal Measure Partners consulting and advisory practices firms he founded in April, 2013. Next! specializes in hotel and resort product and profit improvement; The Concept Gurus is dedicated to concepting and fixing restaurants, bars, and lounges; and Equal Measure Partners is a boutique restaurant and bar management company.
Prior to that, Doug was Senior Vice President of Food and Beverage/Asset Management Services for WHM, LLC, a portfolio company subsidiary of The Blackstone Group, which Doug joined in late 2004 to help co-found the LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels, a brand with over 60 four and five-star hotels, including the ideation, conception, and launch of The London hotel brand, whose West Hollywood location sold for the highest price per key ever in the State of California in 2015.
During 2008 and 2009, as part of Blackstone, Doug helped with the transformation and corporate relocation of Hilton Worldwide and set the stage for incomparable operating results in The Americas. As Asset Manager, Doug also had oversight of the Blackstone’s European portfolio, including Axios Hotels, Hospitality Europe, and Center Parcs, among others. Basically, Doug is connected to every full-service hotel and entertainment venue that falls under the Blackstone Real Estate Partnership’s ownership, numbering over 100 hotel properties globally. Blackstone remains Next!’s largest hotel and resort client.
Prior to joining WHM, Doug spent eight years as a gastronomy and concept consultant to many multi-national companies- most notably for Darden Restaurants, Karstadt Quelle, AG and Gastro- Consulting in Germany; Grupo Zena in Spain- and, for almost a dozen years in the very early stages, Doug was second-in-command at the nationally famous The Cheesecake Factory. Zeif was responsible for creating Cheesecake Factory's universal appeal having joined just after the second restaurant opened, with a 20-item menu in place. He was personally responsible for overseeing the development of the restaurant product line, created the procurement and production mechanisms, and personally oversaw the national expansion of the concept as well as helping take the company with it’s IPO in 1992.
Doug is known for many things in the industry, most notably, his brilliant operational mind and his commitment to sustainability and preservation of the earth’s resources. He has been part of the conception, development and operation of five national Hot Concepts® award-winners during a nine-year period when he was mainly in the restaurant field.
At LXR, Doug was successful at uniting five different corporate operating cultures under one mission, repositioning the food and beverage product offerings at all of the hotel properties ac- quired into the portfolio and, substantially increased its food and beverage revenues, gross profits derived from food and beverage operations, guest service scores, and enhanced product offerings to rival the best hotel companies in the world.
As well, Doug sought out and executed a bevy of licensing, joint venture, and lease deals with many of the world’s foremost chefs and operators- Suzanne Goin, Michel Richard, Gordon Ramsay, Masaharu Morimoto, David Burke, Michela Larson, Serendipity 3, and Pim Techamunavivit to name a few.
Doug Zeif is a strategic visionary and a concept genius. He is a developer of people, systems, and concepts. At Cheesecake Factory, Doug cites amongst his most significant accomplishment as the fact that his position went unfilled more than ten years after his departure. He hired, trained, developed, and led his team to incomparable success. His team more than quadrupled the size of the company after his departure.
He brings with him an unbridled passion for hospitality, exacting standards, and an extensive management, operations, and culinary leadership background. He is considered one of the industry's brightest minds.
Doug is native to New York City, and attended the University of Buffalo. A grill cook at the age of fourteen, Zeif held several restaurant jobs throughout high school and college. "The business really got into my blood while I was cooking and serving my way through college. The camaraderie was incredible!” A move to California in 1977 led Doug to choose a career in restaurant management.
Before his career led him to Cheesecake Factory, Doug traveled extensively throughout Europe and the United States honing his skills in the hospitality business. Zeif developed a great love of food and wine along the way and built a solid foundation in operations management. He considers himself a "student of the game ", one who studies food, eating trends, pop culture, and other’s successes and failures. Certainly there are lessons in both!
Because of his outstanding reputation and expertise, since leaving Cheesecake Factory Doug has been highly sought-after to lead several multi-unit national companies, was on the cover of the “Rising Star” issue of Restaurant Hospitality magazine (May 1998),and has won several ‘Awards for Excellence’ from Wine Spectator magazine.
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Our ramp up process is designed to empower your team and outfit them with the tools they need to succeed. Talk to us today about how we can support your growth, limit your turnover, and put you on a solid track to success and profit.
About Us
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Morgen Jacobson, Creative Director
Darlene Marcello, Logistics & Technical
Darlene Marcello, Logistics & Technical
Morgen began his career as a chef and owner before founding his consultancy, Bread and Butter Advisors; he focuses on the creation and operation of relevant restaurants and bars with the correct mix of art and commerce for their audience. As a chef and operator with experience that ranges from luxury dining (chef at the legendary Quilte
Morgen began his career as a chef and owner before founding his consultancy, Bread and Butter Advisors; he focuses on the creation and operation of relevant restaurants and bars with the correct mix of art and commerce for their audience. As a chef and operator with experience that ranges from luxury dining (chef at the legendary Quilted Giraffe and his own restaurant, Quince, both in New York City) to high volume concepts, his experience includes the rehabilitation of restaurant brands as well as new concept development and implementation. His international projects include the creative development and restaurant launches of two brands in the U. K., and menu development for four restaurant concepts in Spain, including the NBA Cafe Barcelona.
Morgen is engaged as the Creative Director for Restaurants, Bars and Lounges across the portfolio of Hotel brands owned by Blackstone LLP. Active projects include seasonal menu changes for all the restaurants of the Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton Florida, and multiple restaurant and bar renovations with Interstate Hotels and Resorts, the international Hotel management company. In January 2016 he formed an F&B asset management company with two partners, Equal Measure Hospitality LLC.
He has extensive knowledge of wine and spirits through study with the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. Morgen indulges his love of coffee liberally through forensic espresso bar research in each city he visits.
Darlene Marcello, Logistics & Technical
Darlene Marcello, Logistics & Technical
Darlene Marcello, Logistics & Technical
With over 20 years of operational and management experience, Darlene Marcello is a true Food and Beverage professional. Recently, as the VP of Food & Beverage and Procurement with HRI Lodging, she oversaw the operations of all F&B operations in over 30 hotels as well as procurement including 36 additional multi-family properties. Darlen
With over 20 years of operational and management experience, Darlene Marcello is a true Food and Beverage professional. Recently, as the VP of Food & Beverage and Procurement with HRI Lodging, she oversaw the operations of all F&B operations in over 30 hotels as well as procurement including 36 additional multi-family properties. Darlene has proven experience turning once bankrupt F&B operations into profit centers. Her brand development is savvy and eclectic creating new concepts such as Grayson Social and Killer Biscuits in Dallas, TX. In San Francisco, she led Puccini & Pinetti transition and created Verge in Los Gatos. Other top concepts: The Roost, Flannel, Market 104, Powdered Sugar and Batch Bar, a Top 10 Hotel Bar in New Orleans.
Darlene has also owned and operated a multi-unit restaurant group and was the VP of Operations with Semolina, Inc. Darlene mastered managing daily operations in a large multi-state portfolio including managing P&L, contract negotiation, revenue forecasting, and creating SOP’s for all departments.
Darlene has her CSW certification and her CEC certification. She was a member of the Hilton Worldwide Food and Beverage Advisory board and is currently an active board member of the Hotel F&B Executive Advisory board and the New Orleans Healing Center board.
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Peter Vestinos, The Bar Medic
Peter Vestinos, The Bar Medic
Peter Vestinos, The Bar Medic
Peter Vestinos is an award-winning bartender with years of experience designing and implementing cocktail programs; training bartenders, sales teams and consumers; and consulting with multiple spirit brands. With over 15 years of experience in the bar and restaurant industry, he has worked at all levels of the business including behind t
Peter Vestinos is an award-winning bartender with years of experience designing and implementing cocktail programs; training bartenders, sales teams and consumers; and consulting with multiple spirit brands. With over 15 years of experience in the bar and restaurant industry, he has worked at all levels of the business including behind the bar, distribution and supplier.
Vestinos pioneered the modern craft cocktail movement in Chicago with the opening of Michelin-starred Sepia in 2007. There he developed a fresh ingredient and seasonally inspired cocktail menu based on then-forgotten classics. A “game changer for the city’s beverage programs,” according to Modern Luxury magazine, Vestinos helped to firmly place Sepia and Chicago on the national cocktail map.
From Sepia, he was recruited by Wirtz Beverage Group, one of the nation’s leading luxury and premium beverage alcohol wholesalers, in the role of beverage Development Director. He acted as a liaison between the supplier, distributor and trade industry, as well as contributing his expertise to cocktail and beverage programs, as well as trade and industry events.
In 2012 Vestinos launched the beverage consulting company, The Bar Medic, to develop cocktail programs, train bartenders, assist with brand marketing, and to educate consumers through classes. Vestinos has developed cocktail programs for such prestigious Chicago locations as Michael Jordan’s Steakouse, The Winchester, bellyQ, Sepia, Nomi, Gibson’s Steakhouse, The Roof, Elate, The Exchange, City Tavern and the recently opened AceBounce
Vestinos also oversees the beverage program of Footman Hospitality’s establishments, including the upscale gin bar and restaurant, The Betty and the 1940’s Cuban rum bar, Sparrow. He currently proudly serves as the Chicago President of the U.S. Bartenders Guild.
Some of his accolades include: National 1st Place winner in the 2009 Hendrick’s Gin Cocktail and Limerick Competition, National 1st Place winner at the 2008 Bombay Sapphire’s “The Nation’s Most Inspired Bartender” Competition, 1st Place winner in the 2007 Chicago Iron Bartender Competition, and the 2008 U.S. Bartenders’ Guild National Cocktail Competition. He also received 2nd place at the 2008 Las Vegas “Shake It Up” Competition and was honored with the 2008 Time Out Chicago Editor’s Choice Award for “Best Modernizer of the Classic Cocktail.”
Paul Fiala, Operations
Peter Vestinos, The Bar Medic
Peter Vestinos, The Bar Medic
Paul has more than 25 years of food and beverage leadership experience and is recognized in the hospitality industry as an innovative, creative thinker who knows how to get things done. Most recently, Paul led food and beverage for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
During his tenure, he introduced
over 20 new restaurant and bar concepts in
Paul has more than 25 years of food and beverage leadership experience and is recognized in the hospitality industry as an innovative, creative thinker who knows how to get things done. Most recently, Paul led food and beverage for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
During his tenure, he introduced
over 20 new restaurant and bar concepts including Jean-Georges Philadelphia, Marcus in Montreal, Milos in Cabos, Mina’s Fish House in Oahu, Zuma in Boston and multiple local chefs partnerships including Greg Vernick, Gavin Keyson, Alon Shaya, Gerard Craft, Eric Anderson, and Jonathan Sawyer.
Leading operations, strategy, and finances for 250 restaurant and bar outlets in 50 hotels across Canada, United States, Mexico, South and Central America, and the Caribbean for this
international luxury hotel company with direct oversight of $900M in annual food and beverage revenue. Paul had oversight of 50 Directors of Food and Beverage.
Prior to his tenure at Four Seasons, Paul led food and beverage for Starwood’s full-service hotels, developing restaurant and bar concepts and chef collaboration partnerships for St. Regis, W, Sheraton, Westin and Le Meridien brands. During his tenure at Starwood, he was hand picked to lead the company’s franchise food and beverage division.
Paul’s extensive development and renovation experience allowed him to work with some of the
most exclusive restaurant and bar designers in the world such as Avroko, TAL, Meyer Davis, Zebulon, Martin Brudnizki, Alexander Waterworth and EDG.
Paul is also a hands-on operator where he was Chief Operating Officer for Big Red Hospitality, a group of 11 restaurants and two boutique hotels. He led the group through the challenging 2008 economic downturn with a focus on driving results through creating operational efficiencies while growing same store sales.
Paul was a founding member of Four Seasons Restaurant and Bar Council; Starwood’s Food and Beverage Council as well as Starwood’s Franchise F&B council. He has extensive experience sourcing restaurant partners and negotiating deals.