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MEET THE TEAM
JENNIFER LAMPERT
Jennifer Lampert, managing partner and founder, is a successful restaurateur. Her diverse skills range from concept and design to operations, project management, and outside the box innovative creative event programming.
Jennifer has 15–plus years of experience working on ground-up, new construction ventures, as well as rehabilitation projects. Beginning her hospitality career in her teens as a busser, hostess, waitress, and bartender Jennifer continued to develop those skills while working as a union actress in her 20s.
After continuing her performance career and working in the residential & commercial real estate industry, Jennifer found herself back in the world of hospitality, working under the direction of renowned biergarten creator Andrej Ivanov at The Pilsener Haus in Hoboken.
From there Jennifer went on to partner with Ivanov, opening & operating the award winning Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten, eventually buying him out and becoming the managing partner.
Jennifer has perfected and refined the biergarten concept by creating and operating the Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten. She fostered a strong family culture at the Festhalle with dedicated team members, many of whom stayed with her for several years and are considered top performers in their field.
Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten has been featured in The NY Times, NJ Biz, NJ.COM, The Daily Meal, Jersey Bites, Zagat, Asbury Park Sun, Asbury Park Press, The Philadelphia Enquirer, NJ Monthly, The Bergen Record, NBC News, ABC News, Channel 12 News, CBS News, Entertainment Tonight, WRAT Radio, Q104.3, and 94.3 the Point. CCN.COM listed Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten as the #3 biergarten in the U.S. The Festhalle has served more than 1 million customers, earning more than $25 million in total revenue in its first 1st 4 four years.
Among other publications, CNN.COM listed Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten as the #3 Biergarten in the U.S. The Festhalle has served more than 1 million customers, earning more than $25 million in total revenue in its first four years under Jennifer’s leadership.
In 2019 Jennifer sold her shares in the Biergarten to her partners to form H.E.A.T. Hospitality.
DIANA GROSSMAN
Diana Grossman, managing partner and founder, is an experienced business management professional skilled in the development, operations, and financial modeling of multiple hospitality groups. She specializes in leading projects from start-up to established entities and restructuring struggling groups to financial success.
Diana has been a successful restaurant operator for more than fifteen years. In business as a hospitality consultant, Diana has had the opportunity to open hospitality businesses from concept development, as well as reinvent bars & restaurants. She grew up in this industry, bussing tables and entertaining guests since age 5 at her family's deli; her passion is in her blood.
A master of multitasking, Diana has worked her way up the restaurant ladder throughout her high school career and began her first management position while studying at university. Her experience as an event specialist in Manhattan after college gives Diana a unique perspective to every restaurant space, and she has taken those skills to establish additional revenue streams in each bar & restaurant she has operated.
In the last 10 years Diana has successfully opened and operated 10 bars & restaurants. Her projects have received accreditation from The New York Times, Asbury Park Press, The Atlantic City Press and The Ridgewood Burbs. They have been featured in NJ.com, Jersey Bites, Zagat, Asbury Park Sun, The Philadelphia Enquirer, The Bergen Record, NBC News, ABC News, Channel 12 News, 94.3 the Point, and 104.9 Hot AC. Under her direction her projects have received various awards in multiple publications; New Jersey Monthly, Best of Monmouth, AC Nightlife, as well as leading teams to win local food & beverage competitions.
A natural born leader, Diana has led clients to savings of upwards of $100,000 during build out, taught profitability maintenance, trained management teams to control food/beverage and labor costs, and has successfully executed million dollar events. During her career Diana has spearheaded city redevelopment, created business associations & established community fundraisers. She has managed teams to become leaders, created jobs for hundreds, and has turned profits in less than one years time.
EMILIANO GRACI
Emiliano Graci, managing partner & founder, is a skilled solutions specialist focused on designing and implementing functional systems across global platforms. He has an extensive background in creative culinary arts and project development. Emiliano has had the opportunity to develop, open, and operate multiple Italian cafes and restaurants on the East Coast.
Traveling the world with his family’s engineering company, Emiliano has had the pleasure of visiting every continent and leading teams in all languages. His value engineering and technical mind is an asset for any team.
Food is Emiliano’s passion. In 2003 he followed his dreams and attended culinary school in his hometown of Milan, Italy. With a concentration in pastry and frozen desserts, Emiliano became a Gelato Master and set his sites to bring his expertise to America. Landing in New Jersey and attending Ucita Language School to perfect his English, Emiliano began working in restaurants starting as a server, bartender, line cook, up to management.
Making valued connections, Emiliano was asked to be the key figure for the American expansion of an Italian coffee and gelato brand. Opening storefronts in Tampa, Florida; Palio, Pennsylvania; Princeton, New Jersey; and on Broadway in New York City. Owning the cafe in Princeton, Emiliano was awarded the best Gelato in New Jersey by NJ.com in the very first year of operation. Selling his Princeton cafe brought Emiliano to consult on another coffee & gelato concept in Asbury Park. Emiliano’s projects have been featured in NJ.com, Asbury Park Press, The Star Ledger, Asbury Park Sun, BestofNJ.com.
From store design and concept, to culinary and brand development, Emilianos diverse skills and leadership bring a world view to any project.
His attention to detail is unmatched.