The New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA) has announced the 2024 New York City Chapter Board with the appointment of 17 board members from across the restaurant industry in New York City. The board is comprised of globally renowned executives in hospitality that bring decades of world-class knowledge and experience to bolster local, state and federal efforts. To lead the board, Taniedra McFadden of Sylvia’s Restaurant will serve as Board Chair and Emma Blecker of Boqueria will serve as Vice Chair.
“From family-owned restaurants to world-renowned dining experiences, New York City’s distinct restaurant landscape faces broad and unique challenges. The New York City Board is charged with navigating those complexities for restaurants across the five boroughs. I am thrilled to welcome such a diverse group of industry professionals to the board and look forward to getting to work,” said Melissa Fleischut, President & CEO of New York State Restaurant Association.
The distinguished board brings together some of the industry’s largest names that will help advance New York City’s restaurant community. From acclaimed dining experiences of The Dinex Group to a division of the world’s largest foodservice company, along with the consultants behind New York City’s top restaurant Tatiana, NYSRA’s New York City board is a collection of top culinary and hospitality talent. Their experiences successfully navigating the challenges of successfully operating in New York will provide the New York State Restaurant Association with incredible knowledge and be a resource for members through New York City and the state.
The New York State Restaurant Association is also increasing its presence in New York City with the recent appointment of Gina Zimmer as Senior Vice President of NYC Operations. A native New Yorker, Gina has spent her career moving through the ranks of the New York City hospitality industry. Most recently, Zimmer previously worked at Union Square Events, a division of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, where she held the position of Senior Vice President of Business Development and Client Services. In conjunction with Zimmer’s New York City-based efforts, NYSRA’s advocacy work in New York City is led by Kathleen Reilly Irwin.
“New York City’s restaurant scene is a global culinary destination. But at the same time, we are facing unique challenges amid a difficult landscape. I look forward to serving as Chair of the New York City Board as we look at the industry’s path ahead on both the city and state level,” said Taniedra McFadden, Chief Operating Officer, Sylvia’s Restaurant.
The New York State Restaurant Association and the New York City Board are a trusted resource to New York City’s restaurant and hospitality community. The association provides programming to support business owners, workforce training and development, and meaningful networking opportunities. Additionally, through effective lobbying and advocacy, the association develops and supports policies that positively impact the hospitality industry —and work to defeat those that harm it, at the city, state, and federal levels.
The 2024 New York City Board:
Talia Berman, Friend of Chef
Emma Blecker, Boqueria
Luca DiPietro, Tarallucci e Vino
Jesse Feldman, Tony’s DiNapoli
Marc Fuchs, Singer Equipment
Michael Gallagher, Restaurant Associates
Adam Gross, Jackson Lewis
Chris Harkness, Great Performances
Liz Huh, Union Square Hospitality Group
Mickey King, Antun’s
Taniedra McFadden, Sylvia’s Restaurant
Sally Minier, Jane Street Capital
Marty Shapiro, Myriad Restaurant Group
Sebastien Silvestri, Dinex
Saadhya Singampalli, Unapologetic Foods
Michael Woodka, Ecolab
Amy Zhou, Gracious Hospitality Management
For more information about the New York State Restaurant Association, please visit https://www.nysra.org/.
