My love of hospitality began long before I ever set foot in a restaurant. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I spent treasured holidays with my Armenian relatives, watching my grandmother and aunties transform the bounty from my Grandpa Art’s Central Valley ranch into magnificent traditional family meals. The kitchen buzzed with spirited conversations in Armenian, and the table overflowed with food, laughter, and love. It was there that I first experienced the magic of radical hospitality—where everyone felt welcomed, cared for, and connected.

 

What began around my grandparents' table grew into a four-decade career opening, managing, and owning restaurants coast to coast.

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Along the way, I discovered that my greatest passion wasn't simply opening restaurants or creating memorable dining experiences. It was building teams, refining the details of service, cultivating healthy cultures, and helping people recognize the extraordinary power of genuine human connection.​

 

This inspired me to create Butter + Grace in 2018. Now based in Nashville, I bring my experience to restaurant consulting, leadership, and storytelling, guided by a truth I first learned as a child:  Hospitality isn't just about what we serve. It's about how we make people feel.