Los Angeles — Love Serve Remember (LSR), the restaurant group behind plant-based restaurants Café Gratitude, Gracias Madre and Gratitude, has hired Dan Evon as president. He joins the company from Lettuce Entertain You.
Since March 2011 with the opening of Café Gratitude Larchmont in L.A., the founding leadership team of LSR has expanded its concepts into Newport Beach and San Diego, added additional locations in Venice Beach and the Art’s District of Downtown L.A. and introduced Gracias Madre to the L.A. market.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Dan to the LSR family as we plan out the future of Café Gratitude, Gracias Madre and Gratitude,” says Lisa Bonbright, CEO of Love Serve Remember. “Our restaurants are so much more than a place to eat; they are truly a lifestyle and it was important that the person we brought on be able to embrace what we have created over the past 7 years. We are lucky to have Dan as part of our leadership team — someone who not only offers the highest level of operational expertise, but also understands our brand through and through.”
Evon brings a rich history of restaurant experience and hospitality, most recently as a partner with industry leader Rich Melman, the founder of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, where Evon has, for the past 13 years, overseen some of the most successful restaurants in the country, including Mon Ami Gabi in Las Vegas. Evon brings extensive national brand development and expansion experience co-creating growing brands for Lettuce, including M Street Kitchen in Santa Monica, Calif.; Stella Barra Pizzeria in California, Illinois and Maryland; El Segundo Sol and Stripburger in Nevada and Summerhouse Santa Monica in Illinois and Maryland. Before joining Lettuce Entertain You, Evon was a partner with Paul Fleming at Ztejas Southwestern Grill. Prior to working with Paul Fleming, Evon was managing partner for Bertolini’s Authentic Tratoria (Morton Restaurant Group) where he oversaw national expansion.
Says Evon: “I couldn’t be happier about joining the Love Serve Remember family with their amazing culture, great food and true sense of hospitality — the three key ingredients for success. LSR is already the industry leader offering a 100% organic, plant-based menu and our goal is to provide that flavorful, healthy food across America. The sky is the limit.”
Café Gratitude is a collection of 100% organic plant-based restaurants that specialize in gourmet vegan cuisine. Originally founded in 2004 in San Francisco, Café Gratitude currently has three locations in Los Angeles (Downtown Arts District, Larchmont Village and Venice Beach), a restaurant in San Diego’s Little Italy, and its upscale Gratitude restaurants in Newport Beach and Beverly Hills. Gracias Madre is a 100% organic, plant-based Mexican restaurant located in the heart of West Hollywood. The LSR leadership team plans to expand the concepts regionally and nationally.
SOURCE: Love Serve Remember