With four decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Nick Mautone is a visionary leader who champions mentorship, leadership, collaboration, and the realm of possibilities. He is renowned as the architect behind an innovative approach known as "Hospitality Sabermetrics," which can be likened to the Moneyball concept applied to the hospitality field. Nick possesses a unique ability to anticipate trends and is celebrated for his role in nurturing sustained success, optimizing operations, and aligning core values within various facets of the hospitality sector.
Nick's journey into the world of hospitality began in Mt. Vernon, NY, where, as a young child, he spent weekends crafting cheese and handmade pasta for his father's specialty food business. While harboring dreams of becoming a NASA scientist (and still harboring a deep fascination with the stars), he worked his way through school in restaurants—engaging in tasks like bussing tables and tending bars. Eventually, Nick and his siblings ventured into entrepreneurship, launching the innovative pizzeria, American Pie, on the Upper West Side. His passion for science became a hobby, while restaurants became his life's pursuit.
Throughout his career, Nick has collaborated with some of the world's most iconic and influential restaurants, including Gotham Bar & Grill, Hudson River Club, and most notably, Gramercy Tavern, where he served as managing partner alongside Danny Meyer and Tom Colicchio for an impressive seven years. During this tenure, he played a pivotal role in shaping and nurturing the concept of "Enlightened Hospitality," a term coined by Danny Meyer and his team.
In 2003, drawing from his wealth of experience and expertise, Nick established his management and consulting firm, Mautone Enterprises. This venture was born out of his desire to share his unique approach, mentorship, and leadership. Whether he's laying the foundation for a first-time restaurateur or steering a struggling venture back on course, Nick's approach centers on grassroots collaboration, uniting chefs and owners, designing systems for success, and delving deep into financial figures and the P&L to pinpoint areas requiring adjustment, refinement, or a complete overhaul. His holistic approach yields success encompassing profitability, streamlined operations, a sense of community, harmony, staff growth, and the sustainability of the concept.
Over the years, Nick's clientele has included notable names such as The Television Food Network, celebrity chef Rachael Ray, The Atlantic Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale, 6-Penn Kitchen in Pittsburgh, Citarella, Geoffrey Zacharian's The Carlton Hotel and Country in midtown Manhattan, il Buco in Noho, Apiary in the East Village, the Park Central Hotel and its boutique sibling, the West House, Southgate at the Jumeirah Essex House Hotel, and Northwestern University Hospital in Chicago.
In 2013, Nick was engaged by CohnReznick LLP, one of the largest accounting firms in the United States, to serve as its hospitality guru. His role involved providing restaurant therapy to projects in need and guiding establishments through the tumultuous opening process. He also collaborated with renowned brands such as The Standard Hotel.
Most recently, Nick was enlisted by the global real estate firm Tishman Speyer to rebrand, reimagine, retool, and revive the historic Rainbow Room. Under his stewardship, the Rainbow Room transformed into a historic icon and one of the top 50 highest-grossing food service establishments globally. In recognition of his contributions, Tishman created a new position for Nick—Managing Director of Hospitality—where he continued to oversee the iconic Rainbow Room, contributed to the new vision and retail renovation of Rockefeller Center, and spearheaded hospitality projects for the firm outside of New York.
Beyond his work with restaurants, Nick has collaborated with numerous beverage companies, providing guidance on marketing and brand management, sales and distribution team training, new product development, trendspotting, and mixology. He served as the Grey Goose Brand Ambassador and On-Premises consultant from 2005 through 2012 and worked with startup brands like VeeV Acai Vodka, Beleza Pura Cachaca, Origen Holistic Spirits, and others.
Nick is also a prolific author, with several books to his name, including "Raising the Bar: Better Drinks, Better Entertaining" (Artisan, 2004), "The Artisan Kitchen: Holiday Cocktails" (Artisan, 2017), "The Artisan Kitchen: Summer Cocktails" (Artisan - Spring 2021), and "The Artisan Kitchen: Classic Cocktails" (Artisan - Summer 2021). Currently, he is working on two additional books: "Sundays, Holidays and Meatballs," a family history and recipe book, and a memoir titled "A Life Behind Bars: Lessons & Learnings from My 40 Year Journey in the Bar and Hospitality Business," accompanied by a companion podcast.
Nick is a strong advocate for active community participation and has collaborated with numerous local and national nonprofits dedicated to hunger relief, poverty alleviation, and workplace violence prevention.
These days, Nick resides outside of Seattle, where he enjoys spending quality time with his family—his daughter Alexandra, son Nicholas, and wife Terri Ludwig. His interests include reading, cycling, amateur astronomy, and science exploration. He also relishes pastimes such as pickleball, paddleboarding, kayaking, and, hopefully, golf and tennis in the future.
