Newport Restaurant Group CEO Paul O’Reilly cites the dynamic of employee ownership as playing a big part in his company’s success in cultivating creative chefs. The group’s chefs are a who’s who in Rhode Island hospitality, led by Chief Operating Officer Casey Riley, Director of Culinary Arts Kevin DiLibero, and Karsten Hart and Sean Westhoven on the executive culinary team. In addition, each restaurant concept in the group – 12 at the moment, but stay tuned – has an executive chef making contributions beyond his or her own eatery.
A shining example of the company’s success came with the recent announcement of the semifinalist nominations for this year’s James Beard Foundation Awards, known as the “Oscars of the Food World.” Chef Mariana Gonzalez-Trasvina of Bar ‘Cino, one of Newport Restaurant Group’s newest executive chefs at one of its latest concepts, was nominated as Rising Star Chef of the Year. This national category included 30 chefs from across the country. This is the first time Gonzalez-Trasvina has been selected. She has been with the Newport Restaurant Group for over four years. She was previously the pastry chef and sous chef at sibling restaurant The Mooring. It is also the first time Bar ‘Cino has been nominated, having just opened in the past year in Newport.
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RECOGNITION: Chef Mariana Gonzalez-Trasvina of Bar ‘Cino was recently named a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Awards. / COURTESY NEWPORT RESTAURANT GROUP[/caption]
Gonzalez-Trasvina’s story is part of what O’Reilly calls an “aha moment” that many of his up-and-coming staffers experience. “They start to realize that [a restaurant job] does not have to be a temporary gig,” he said. Newport Restaurant Group is 100% employee-owned. Any employee from waitstaff to executive who works 800 hours per year is eligible to participate in the employee stock ownership plan. The company’s retention rate is enviable in the industry with some turnover reports of less than 15%.
O’Reilly was asked if this advantage has made a difference in the ultracompetitive Boston market where the group has three restaurants, one of which is a just-opened Bar ‘Cino that has had overwhelmingly positive reviews. He said that Boston is a more challenging labor market with a much larger number of restaurants. The company operates in the suburbs that are slightly less bustling than in Boston, although increasingly competitive.
All of the group’s restaurants are located fairly close to each other, which opens the possibility of “waiter-hopping” – that is, servers who hopscotch among top-tier restaurants. O’Reilly again pointed to the company culture of employee-owners that enables even tipped workers the potential of hourly wages near the top of the market. Combined with an increase in available shifts, it can result in less need to hop.
Another way to create more opportunities is to open more restaurants. Newport Restaurant Group has announced the opening of a new restaurant concept to be located in the recently shuttered Outback location in East Greenwich. The management team hopes to have the restaurant open late this summer or early this fall. “We will be investing in a significant renovation of the building and surrounding landscape to transform the space, including a covered outdoor dining patio,” O’Reilly said. The restaurant will be led by a team from existing company management ranks. While not revealing specifics of the new concept, O’Reilly compared it to the Bar ‘Cino concept, which chef Sean Westhoven created.
O’Reilly freely gives credit to his employee-owners for Newport Restaurant Group’s successes. In the rarified air of restaurant doors opening as fast as others are closing, he is confident that the people behind the success stories inside his company’s eateries can meet the challenges of a rapidly changing industry.
NEWPORT RESTAURANT GROUP
The company was founded in 1925 as a gasoline supplier for the city of Newport’s new bus service. By 1980, it was a hospitality company with restaurants, a hotel and event space. One hundred percent employee-owned since 1995.
Employees: 1,200
Restaurants: Avvio, Bar ‘Cino, Boat House, Papa-Razzi, Iron Works, Trio, The Mooring, 22 Bowens, Castle Hill Inn, Waterman Grille, Hemenway’s, Smoke House.
Mission Statement: “Food is about more than a meal Ω it’s at the core of our communities. So know that when you dine with us, in addition to enjoying a great experience, you’re also supporting our employee-owners and the farmers, fishermen, and artisans that live and work close by.”
Bruce Newbury’s “Dining Out” radio talk show is heard Saturdays at 11 a.m. on 1540 AM WADK, on radio throughout New England, through various mobile applications and his podcast. Email Bruce at Bruce@brucenewbury.com.
