Growing up in the San Francisco Bay area, Dana fondly remembers visits with her Armenian relatives. A farmer in the Central Valley, her Grandpa Art always brought a “lug box” brimming with fruits and nuts from his ranch, which her Grandmother and 'Aunties' employed as they

took over the kitchen preparing traditional family dishes. Dana watched intently while enjoying their spirited conversations in their native language. Their family table was the place where she developed an appreciation for radical hospitality. At 16, she took a job as the “salad girl” at The Good Earth Restaurant in Palo Alto and continued working with the company as a server while getting her B.A. in Theatre Arts from San Jose State University.

 

Moving to New York City to pursue theater, Dana continued working in restaurants, embracing the staff camaraderie, while discovering an interest in training. Working for The Reise Brothers, she was tapped at age 23 to open 7 new Houlihan’s Manhattan locations in 18 months; responsible for all front of the house training and logistics. From there, completely hooked on restaurants, she accepted a job with Ark Restaurants managing their bustling Ernie’s and The Metropolitan Café. Having met her photographer husband Matt in New York, the couple decided to return to San Francisco to start their family. Dana quickly landed a management position with The Kimpton Group, where she spent the next 9 years working side-by-side with some of the best chefs and restaurateurs in the industry. She managed multiple properties and conducted training seminars in San Francisco and the Pacific Northwest. She opened and served as General Manager for the company’s flagship restaurant, Scala’s Bistro, winning a James Beard award. It was with Kimpton that she honed her fine dining skills, attention to details and uncompromising excellence. 

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With two children in tow, Dana and Matt fell in love with a beautiful seaside town in Rhode Island and within a year of moving there, opened their award-winning Greenwich Bay Gourmet, which offered fine foods for sit down, prepared take-out and full-scale catering. Their longing for

authentic Mexican food sparked the opening of 3 locations of Tio Mateo’s Mexican Grille—both concepts received “Best of Rhode Island” recognition annually. After 15 years of ownership Dana and Matt sold their restaurants and Dana accepted the challenge of re-positioning the upscale boutique restaurant, Besos Kitchen and Cocktails. Her reputation for unparalleled hospitality and executive leadership lead to consulting opportunities and the creation of Butter + Grace in 2017.

 

Now a resident of Nashville, Dana loves consulting for others by sharing her experience and knowledge of openings, restaurant logistics and most importantly, keys to radical hospitality!