Chris Barish & Julie Mulligan
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer, TenderCrush & The Lookup Rooftop
Chris and Julie, with Chef Stephen Parker, rocked the fast casual space in 2015 by launching Black Tap (blacktap.com) which has literally defined what a great burger is globally. Add to it the foodpreneurs’ trend-quaking CrazyShake phenomenon and you have the perfect storm of entrepreneurial innovation! Now the couple is at it again with TenderCrush (tender-crush.com) which aims to define New York Style Crispy Chicken while disrupting the space even further with their I Scream Tender, a play on an ice cream novelty debuting at the TenderCrush location in SoHo this month. The team also have The Lookup Rooftop at the Kixby Hotel (thelookuprooftop.com) which serves some of the yummiest views of the Empire State Building alongside their delicious cocktails and fare.
Carlos Suarez
Bobo, Claudette, Roey’s and Rosemary’s
Carlos Suarez is one of those rare foodpreneurs who blends vision, heart, and community into every dish and dining room he touches. A former Wall Streeter turned restaurateur; Carlos pivoted from finance to follow his passion for hospitality—launching Bobo (bobonyc.com) in the West Village in 2007. But he didn’t stop there. Through his hospitality group, Casa Nela, Suarez has created some of the city’s most beloved neighborhood spots, including Rosemary’s (rosemarysnyc.com), Claudette (claudettenyc.com), and Roey’s (roeysnyc.com)—each a distinct expression of his core philosophy: approachable elegance grounded in authenticity.
What sets Carlos apart is his deep commitment to sustainability and community connection. Rosemary’s, his flagship restaurant, famously boasts a rooftop garden that not only supplies herbs and produce for the kitchen but serves as a symbol of farm-to-table integrity in the heart of Manhattan. His restaurants prioritize local sourcing and partnerships with educational and urban farming initiatives, reinforcing his belief that food should nourish more than just the palate—it should feed the soul of a community.
Carlos Suarez doesn’t just build restaurants. He builds culture. And in a city as fast paced as New York, his work reminds us that hospitality, when done right, can slow things down just enough to make a lasting impact. And I can tell you from personal experience at virtually every location of Carlos’ growing empire (which I have been to), but particularly Rosemary’s East Side which I frequent monthly, this is 100% true.
Stathis Antonakopoulos
Carnegie Diner & Café
A seasoned foodpreneur and hospitality veteran, Stathis began his culinary journey at age 18 in his native Greece, working at his grandfather’s hotel and restaurant. He later became Director of Operations at Kellari (with locations in Midtown West and Washington, D.C.) before opening his own restaurant, STIX, in 2012.
Stathis is behind Carnegie Diner & Café (carnegiehospitality.com), a modern, family-friendly restaurant with two NYC locations and a third on the way in the Diamond District in addition to having two successful locations in Secaucus, New Jersey and Virginia. As CEO of Carnegie Hospitality, he also oversees Carnegie Catering, and three delivery-focused ghost kitchens: Organic Burger House, NYC Pancake House, and NYC Pastrami House. Stathis literally defines the American dream of being a foodpreneur!