By Aja Arnold and Nancy Wood
One of the things that makes the restaurant industry so unique is that anyone can start with zero experience and, through hard work and a willingness to learn, rise through the ranks to the top.
That belief is evident with this year’s group of Rising Stars. The program, in its third year, recognizes those in the industry who are going above and beyond expectations in their jobs and finding new ways to lead the industry forward.
From a former Marine, a musician and a firefighter to someone who just wanted to earn some extra cash in college, each of these five people started out serving food and drinks and discovered that the industry had so much more to offer.
Whether they’re working the line, behind the stick or quietly toiling away behind the scenes, all are finding that the hospitality industry is a place where they can pursue their own dreams and make a life for themselves, too.
Each year, we receive many nominations from people across the state’s industry. It’s always hard to choose just five. The final selections were determined by Restaurant Informer editorial staff in partnership with the Georgia Restaurant Association. Restaurants and organizations must be a member of the Georgia Restaurant Association for employees to be recognized. Congratulations to this year’s Rising Stars!
– Christy Simo
Raul Dominguez
Executive Sous Chef, Bar Mercado, Atlanta
Raul Dominguez, 33, did not have an ordinary start in the kitchen. He began working for free at a local restaurant in Kingsland while still serving in the Marine Corps.
He moved to Atlanta and earned his culinary degree from the Art Institute of Atlanta, then started his fine-dining restaurant career as a line cook at Kyma, a Buckhead Life Group restaurant, along with stints at Baccanalia and Miller Union. But when he saw an ad for the restaurant Cooks & Soldiers featuring an asador – a wood-burning grill – he was hooked.
He was drawn to the fire – quite literally – entranced by the opportunity to work with the grill at Cooks & Soldiers, which specializes in Basque tapas. He started at the West Midtown restaurant, which is part of the Castellucci Hospitality Group, as a line cook in 2014.
The company recognized Dominguez’s creativity and leadership and promoted him to sous chef when it opened Bar Mercado – a Spanish tapas restaurant in the popular Krog Street Market – in November 2017.
From the beginning, Dominguez’s passion for food and respect for all those he worked with, including other chefs and local farmers, has been evident in everything he does. But what makes Dominguez stand apart is his intense discipline, ability to mentor and inspire others, and to run a team.
Surely, all these things have translated into the kitchen easily from his experience in the Marines. “If it wasn’t for the Marine Corps, I would have a harder time in the kitchen,” says Dominguez.
With the intense pressure and strenuous hours the job requires, Dominguez finds its his job’s gratification that keeps him going day in, day out.
“Those fleeting moments when you see people happy makes it all worth it,” he says. “It keeps me motivated. Food is definitely the love of my life; I’ll take the good and the bad.” – AA
Jeramie Eubanks
Lead Bartender, Revival, Decatur
At 27 years old, Jeramie Eubanks proves that if you’re passionate about what you do, you can advance quickly in the restaurant industry. In less than 10 years, he’s moved from serving tables at a small seafood joint in Albany to lead bartender at one of the top restaurants in metro Atlanta.
As a teen, Eubanks worked as a drum instructor and played small live gigs in bands for income. When he was 19, he began serving tables at a small seafood joint called The Catch in Albany, Ga. He quickly realized the food and service industry had more to offer than just a side hustle and immediately fell in love with the restaurant world.
He and his wife decided to then move to Atlanta in late 2014, seeking more opportunities in the industry. He immediately started working at Empire State South, then moved to Cakes and Ale in Decatur, where he stayed for nearly two years.
Eubanks was then brought on to the serving team at Revival – renowned Chef Kevin Gillespie’s Southern concept in Decatur – in January 2017. With an ever-evolving skill set and an intense earnestness to learn, Eubanks quickly advanced from server to bartender to head of the beverage program.
“I started learning as much as possible as quickly as possible,” says Eubanks. “Being thrown in the fire made me realize all that goes into ensuring guests get drinks on a nightly basis. I fell in love with the cultivation process.”
In his role as lead bartender, he has developed an ever-evolving beverage menu, designed a wine training program, retooled the restaurant’s wine program and most recently developed a complex zero-proof cocktail menu and beverage program.
Even on his days off, he studies the industry, goes out to eat, reads blogs and researches his craft. He holds a reverence for old cocktail techniques and often finds new inspiration sifting through the past.
“I continue to wake up everyday and put my nose in liquor and cocktail books,” says Eubanks. “There’s an incredible amount to learn, and [that] keeps me on my toes.” – AA
Beth Jarvis
Beverage Manager, Lure, Atlanta
It’s rare that a Rising Star nominee is referred to as a ‘nerd,’ but as the Beverage Manager at Fifth Group’s Lure restaurant, Beth Jarvis laughingly says, “I’ll take it!” Known for ‘nerding out’ on their beverage program, Jarvis is passionate about both gaining and sharing knowledge.
From her first job during college at a craft beer hall and music venue, Jarvis has been on a learning track about the industry. She’s been a host, server, bartender, assistant manager and general manager at some well-known Atlanta spots. But she wanted more.
During a move to Chicago, she decided to raise the stakes. “I had done a lot in the restaurant industry, but I didn’t know anything about wines or fine dining,” she says. So she took a job as a server in a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant. “I got a chance to learn so much.”
After moving back to Atlanta, Jarvis climbed the ladder at Empire State South. Four years ago, she earned her Level 1 Sommelier Certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Once she was ready for the next challenge, she joined Fifth Group in 2017.
“On the business end, Fifth Group has helped me the most,” she says. “Everyone on their staff is invested in the financial success of the restaurants, which is something I really wanted to dig into more.”
Today, the 31 year old is in charge of developing cocktails and curating the wine list at Lure. She uses her fascination with how alcohol, wine and beer reflects culture and cuisine to hold twice weekly wine and cocktail tastings for the 15-member front-of-house staff.
“It’s the part of my job I enjoy most,” says Jarvis. “It’s fun to see people grow and learn. When you’re talking about wine, the only way to learn is by tasting – and that’s not the worst way to learn,” she laughs. – NW
Chris Ledbetter
Culinary Manager, Ted’s Montana Grill, Buford
Described as having a ‘servant’s heart,’ Chris Ledbetter has forged a path in the restaurant industry that combines the things he loves: building relationships, working on a team, giving back to the community, taking care of his family – and food.
But the one thing that really prepared him for his job as culinary manager at Ted’s Montana Grill in Buford was his previous job – firefighter and EMT.
“At the fire department,” he says, “my job was to prepare three meals a day for five to 15 people. That was really where I started to fall in love with it.”
Like most Southerners, the 38-year-old Georgia native was influenced by family and friends – a grandmother who loved to cook with fresh vegetables from his grandfather’s garden, a mother who’s been in the industry for 39 years, and friends who worked in restaurants. That may explain one reason Ledbetter enjoys his work. “The biggest thing about food is that communion together,” he says, “the bonding experience of cooking food and dining.”
As for ending up at Ted’s? Ledbetter’s turning point was the economic downturn in 2008. In need of a second job, he decided to apply at Ted’s and got hired.
Since then, he’s never stopped working to be the best. In just two-and-a-half years, he went from server to bartender to front-of-house team lead to heart-of-house team lead. “When I got accepted in a management role, I left the fire department,” he says.
Today, Ledbetter oversees a staff of 24 and handles everything from food preparation to ordering, receiving and training. He’s even helped with new restaurant openings across the country.
And his ‘servant’s heart’ is evident at work and in his community. In 2018, he was Ted’s top Atlanta fundraiser for the No Kid Hungry campaign and regularly works in his church’s soup kitchen.
“There are a lot of people who are struggling,” he says. “It helps them, but it’s more rewarding for yourself.” – NW
Mark Springfield
Sous Chef, Coalition Food & Beverage, Alpharetta
If you ask Mark Springfield what he likes most about his job, he doesn’t hesitate. “I love to cook. It’s always about the food,” he says, “crafting it and making it. I love to feed people and make people happy.”
That attitude comes in handy in his role as sous chef for Coalition Food & Beverage in Alpharetta, one of three concepts from RO Hospitality Group, which also includes Table & Main and Osterio Mattone.
Like many Rising Stars, the 32-year-old Marietta native got his start working in neighborhood pizza places and steakhouses. That launched a calling, and soon he went to culinary school.
“After graduating, I met someone who worked at Table & Main, which is where I really started to come into my own,” he says. Springfield then moved to Osteria Mattone as a line cook, and as Laura Orellana, the executive sous chef there says, “He was my right hand for a long time, and we saw his potential. He has a passion for food that he shares through his cooking.”
Crediting chefs he’s worked for over the years for nurturing his career, Springfield still calls his grandmother a personal mentor. “My grandparent’s backyard was basically a huge garden,” he recalls. “I was able to be around homegrown foods, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever.”
Although he didn’t really like “good old Southern food” as a child, “As I got older, I grew to appreciate it,” he says. “Simple, fresh ingredients are really the key to great cooking more times than not.”
When Springfield isn’t busy overseeing his staff of 14 or filling out orders for everything from produce to paper goods, he’s making lists. “I make sure everyone has what they need to run the restaurant successfully,” he says.
Even on his time off. “There are many late nights where I write notes on what we need to be doing for the menu,” he says. “I’m always thinking about it.” – NW
