Human Resources

🍴 Matthew Aldred, with 15 years of experience including a Michelin-starred restaurant, is appointed as the new executive chef at The Naunton Downs Estate, a luxury golf club in Cheltenham. A new menu focusing on seasonal local produce will debut during Cheltenham Festival Week, from 11-14 March, featuring dishes like treacle bread with miso butter and tomahawk steak. Additionally, a new Sunday lunch and regular lunch menu have been introduced. The estate will extend its food service hours from 8.00am until late during Cheltenham Week.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, has been reporting on food trends since 1999. Host of "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast, he also wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008) and spent five years in Thailand writing for Manager magazine and Asia Times. A Tufts University magna cum laude graduate and Le Cordon Bleu-trained, Thorn received the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award and was inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014. He's based in Brooklyn, N.Y. Email: [email protected]

📦 James Walker appointed as CEO of Lunchbox, with Nabeel Alamgir as Executive Chairman to drive growth and innovation. Lunchbox saw a 340% increase in average deal size and 300% growth in product adoption since 2022. High-profile brands like Subway®, Nathan's Famous®, and Cinnabon® are part of Walker's 30+ years of executive experience. The new era includes a funding round led by a strategic investment from Shift4, aiming to integrate Lunchbox with Shift4's SkyTab POS system and prioritize profitability.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation's Restaurant News since 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality from 2016, has expertise in food and beverage trends and French and Asian cuisines. He hosted "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast, wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008), and was part of Asia Times and Manager magazine in Thailand (1992-1997). With a BA in History from Tufts University, he also studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Thorn won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award, was president of the IFEC in 2005, and inducted into the Disciples d'Escoffier in 2014. He authored entries for the Oxford Encyclopedia (2012) and Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets (2015). Originally from Denver, he now resides in Brooklyn, N.Y. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on social media.

📈 Sunnyvale, CA, Pascal Schubert appointed VP Business Development Europe for LodgIQ on March 3rd, 2025. Former senior roles include SHR Group and D-EDGE Hospitality Solutions, focusing on revenue management and market expansion in hotel technology. Schubert’s 20+ years in the sector and his expertise in AI-driven solutions are expected to bolster LodgIQ's global expansion. The AI-powered platform of LodgIQ serves 550+ hotels, with offices in Silicon Valley, New York City, and Bangalore.

🏩 JoAnn Kintzel appointed CEO of M3, the cloud-based financial software for the hospitality industry, in Lawrenceville, Georgia, on February 27, 2025. She succeeds Allen Read, now Executive Principal. Kintzel, former CEO of Procare Solutions, is expected to drive growth under Blackstone's ownership. Allen Read, a foundational M3 employee, has over 30 years of experience and has held multiple roles, including VP of Operations and President. M3 serves over 9,000 entities and has a 95% customer retention rate.