Ashley Bennett started as an hourly employee in Algonquin in May of 2007. She’s since grown from FOH Manager in Algonquin to Managing Partner in Naperville (and has recently transferred to Deer Park). Nate Smith started his Biaggi’s career path as a BOH hourly employee in Deer Park’s kitchen in September of 2009. He was promoted to sous chef there and then to Chef Partner in Naperville.

2017 was a banner year for Ashley and Nate, and Naperville. As a team, they exceeded budgeted sales and PBA in every quarter and posted the highest annual sales AND PBA in Naperville’s history. This was accomplished through a combined commitment to exceeding guests expectations and delivering an exceptional food/service/facility experience while simultaneously creating a motivating and fun environment for their employees. Though everyone in Naperville was sad to see Ashley leave, we are all excited to watch her and Nate’s continued success. We are definitely a better company with them as a part of.

Congratulations to the 2017 fourth quarter winner, Patrick Trainor!

Pat with some of the Ridgeland, Mississippi staff after he showed them the finer techniques of shoveling snow and doing parking lot doughnuts!

This year Pat made a commitment to find and develop internal candidates to move into captain roles and eventually be ready to help support other units and be in line for Sous Chef openings as they occur. He has a solid team so he know this work is going to help the entire company as we strive to find great people to put into our management positions. In the 4th quarter, this commitment really came together and has allowed Pat and his Davenport team to be able to lend numerous weeks of support to the field in Ridgeland, Des Moines and Middleton.

To finish out the year, he has a captain that is now promotable and one nearing the point where she will be available to help support outside of the unit. In November, Pat himself was able to turn over the reins of his store to his Sous’s and Captains so that he could make an extended trip to Ridgeland (his second this year) to continue and help get that BOH back on the right track. At the end of his time there we were in a much better position but Pat realized they still will need continued follow up as we get a new chef trained and in the building and he let me know he felt it made sense for him to be the guy to go back… so if you need him, call Ridgeland as he’ll be there for the next 2 weeks!

Thanks Pat!

-Mark Evoy