Kelly Gladstone Izumi

Kelly’s career in hospitality began early, working in local San Diego restaurants in high school and returning years later with a psychology degree and an interest in people development. After five years of steadily increasing responsibility, Kelly committed herself even more fully to the industry by not only attending the Culinary Institute of America but by graduating as Valedictorian, earning multiple achievement awards as well. From the CIA, the NYC market beckoned - leading Kelly to excel first at Hillstone Restaurant Group and later at DIG Food Group, overseeing operations in single and multi-unit capacities, participating in more than 15 restaurant openings and training over 100 salaried restaurant leaders. A major source of pride for Kelly was opening DIG’s first teaching kitchen, a live restaurant focused on training culinary fundamentals and achieving ever higher operational and culinary standards. An enthusiastic advocate for personal and professional development, Kelly is thrilled to bring her operational experience to clients in support of creating better workplaces with Empowered.

What is your ideal restaurant experience?

I love a bar seat. In my experience, you get some of the most memorable service experiences when you pull up and say hi to the bartender. I’m also a big fan of a small, dark, bistro that smells like booths and serves classic French fare - moules frites, salad Lyonnaise and a cold martini.

What does "creating workplaces where people thrive" mean to you?

I believe in creating workplaces where people feel safe and supported to be themselves. In my experience, peak productivity comes when individuals feel invested in what they are creating and feel empowered to use their experience to shape the work.