Benjamin Appelbaum
– HHG Principal

Ben’s passion around food and drink was evident from his childhood in New Orleans, his birthplace, where he eagerly absorbed the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of that unique American city. His family moved upriver to Minneapolis/St. Paul when he was six, but his love for all things culinary never waned. In high school, he worked at several St. Paul restaurants as dishwasher, garde manger, and line cook. After graduating from Cornell University’s prestigious School of Hotel Administration where he concentrated in food and beverage management, Ben took a position with J. Alexander’s, an upscale casual chain of restaurants with 33 locations, five of them in Florida. At 24, he became the youngest General Manager in the company’s history when he assumed responsibility for managing the Atlanta restaurant. He moved to Plantation, Florida to oversee that location in 2009 and grew it to be the highest grossing in the company.

In 2015, he joined Beaker & Gray, an upscale small-plates concept in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood as opening General Manager. In addition to designing and implementing the service model, constructing the Point of Sale framework, and generating all fiscal reporting for ownership, Ben also was called upon for restaurant design, culinary, and work-flow assistance. His commitment to the total guest experience was relentless.  In their first year of operations, not only did Beaker & Gray remain profitable, but it gained notoriety for being a must-visit restaurant in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood.

Hospitality encompasses food, drink, service, environment, and the intangible “feel” of an outlet. Ben is committed to creating hospitable and profitable food and beverage operations for every client he works with.

Larry Carino
– PR and Marketing

Managing Partner/President Larry Carrino has worked at Brustman Carrino Public Relations (BCPR) for close to two decades. There, he oversees publicity, special event and marketing campaigns for the firm’s roster of top restaurant, hospitality, event, arts and entertainment accounts. He is well-known for his superlative work as publicist for nationally esteemed celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein and currently spearheads regional PR efforts for the famed Food Network South Beach Wine Food Festival. The current PR chair for Slow Food Miami, he sits on the board of the Miami Light Project and is the former chairman of the South Florida chapter of the American Institute of Wine Food. In 2009 he was selected as one of the top “40 Under 40″ Professionals by Gold Coast magazine and was cited as “Best Flack” by Miami New Times in 2008 and again in 2013. A talented writer, he has penned several features for publications including Miami Herald, Broward New Times, Florida International, and Restaurant Hospitality.

Glen Fifer
– Hospitality Construction

Glen Fifer is the founder of RG Fifer, Inc. They have over 20 years of experience in the construction industry in and around Miami/Miami Beach. Our clients vary from restauranteurs, hoteliers, to the Mayor of Miami Beach. Our Construction Management team controls the overall planning, coordination and management of a project from inception through to completion. We aim to exceed client goals in order to produce a functionally and financially viable project. From renovations to new construction, residential build-outs to property maintenance, RG Fifer Inc. is synonymous with excellence in construction.

Jean King, Ph.D.
– Evaluation

Jean King is a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development at the University of Minnesota where she has served as Director of the Minnesota Evaluation Studies Institute (MESI) for over 20 years. A long-time writer on participatory evaluation, she is the author of several books and numerous articles and chapters. Her most recent book, Interactive Evaluation Practice (with Laurie Stevahn), was published in 2013, and, a former Board member, she currently chairs the Competencies Task Force for the American Evaluation Association. Professor King has received several awards for her work, including the Myrdal Award for Evaluation Practice and the Ingle Award for Extraordinary Service from the American Evaluation Association, three teaching awards, and three community service awards. Her proudest achievement is having supervised over 100 U of M doctoral students to completion.

Brian Nasajon
– Culinary

A Miami native, Brian Nasajon was born into a family where a love of food and an appreciation of culinary arts were household values. Exposed to global flavors as a young boy, Nasajon’s favorite memories include observing his grandfather’s every move as he expertly grilled asado – a staple of any Uruguayan household. “We had chefs and serious cooks in the family,” says Nasajon of those early years. “Great food was the center of our lives so it became almost instinctual for me as a kid. Later, it seemed obvious that cooking professionally would be my life.” Be that as it may, he was pursuing a degree in Philosophy at New York University when he embraced kitchen life. Right after graduating, he
decided to leave the academic world to begin his true vocation.

Now, backed by the support of his family, Nasajon has embrace a role as chef/owner of Beaker & Gray. With complete creative control, Nasajon’s vision is to offer diners a “tapas-style” global ingredients-driven menu that will elevate dishes giving them a unique spin in a fun, approachable environment. In its first year of operations, Beaker Gray received 3.5/4 stars from the Miami Herald and was featured as one of Miami’s top 10 restaurants. Nasajon participates in the SOBE Wine and Food Festival where he won Swine & Wine back to back in 2016 and 2017.

Aubrey Swanson
– Social Media

Aubrey is responsible for providing social media consultation, management, and training to a variety of individuals and businesses seeking improved online brand reputations through developing and implementing social media strategies. Her specialties include social media audits and consultations, social media kick-starters, and full-ownership management. She leverages sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Google Plus, YouTube, Foursquare, Pinterest, and online review sites to build brand awareness, grow advocates, and increase the bottom line. Industries of expertise include (but are not limited to) restaurant and hospitality, the arts, consumer goods, events, and more. Aubrey is a 2010 graduate from the University of Miami where she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in International Finance & Marketing and Accounting. Aubrey is an active advisor to the University of Miami’s Hyperion Council. She serves on the Arts Business Council Miami Arts Marketing Project Steering Committee, and Social Media Club of South Florida board. She has been featured in numerous speaking engagements.