Crain's New York - February 25, 2013 - (Page 8)

39% of employees BUSINESS PEOPLE nationwide admit to dating a co-worker at least once Source: CareerBuilder EXECUTIVE MOVES buck ennis GUESS WHAT’S COMING FOR DINNER? John Stevenson’s premeasured meals are prepared in his new Bronx facility. GOTHAM GIGS Outsourcing the sous chef John Stevenson stirs up ready-to-cook meal service Chef’s prepped dinners cater to timestarved New Yorkers John Stevenson smiled proudly last Tuesday as the final piece of his new food business fell into place. The 29-year-old executive chef of Guastavino’s and 583 Park Avenue, two big event spaces in Manhattan, stood amid gleaming stainless-steel counters, sinks and ovens inside a former warehouse in the Port Morris section of the South Bronx. His new commercial kitchen had just passed its first city health inspection. ¶ This week, Stevenson Culinary Works will begin delivering dinner kits—premeasured and prepped meals that need to be cooked—to timestarved New Yorkers. The company will also outsource prep work for restaurants. “We can use one cook to chop onions for 10 restaurants,” said Mr. Stevenson. ¶ The chef, with his staff of 13, had been preparing for this day for the past six months, ever since he signed the lease for the 1,500-square-foot space, built it out—and 8 | Crain’s New York Business | February 25, 2013 moved from his Upper East Side apartment to a building a 12-minute walk from the kitchen. ¶ “Financially, I’m in very, very deep in this, and I kept saying I can’t get any deeper,” he said. “Then construction went longer than I had budgeted for.” ¶ The Cookit Kits, as he calls them, cost between $13 and $19 and range from Spanish seafood paella to maple-braised beef short ribs. It is a market that has just begun to take off in the city, with at least four other companies offering a similar service. ¶ Mr. Stevenson, who grew up on a farm in Minnesota, is determined to make his mark. ¶ “On the one hand, there is this enormous bone-crushing weight of ‘What have I done?’ ” said Mr. Stevenson, a 2009 Crain’s 40 Under 40. “Then I think of the small successes like the two new employees I hired last week who now have jobs because of some idea I conjured up.” —lisa fickenscher Bluerock Real Estate: Randy Anderson, 44, was promoted to president of the investment management firm. He was previously managing director. Habitat for Humanity New York City: Neil Hetherington, 39, was promoted to chief executive at the nonprofit. He was previously chief executive of Habitat for Humanity Toronto. GFI Mortgage Bankers Inc.: Stephen Bakst, 37, was promoted to chief operating officer. He was previously director of operations. Murray Hill Properties: Marc S. Miller, 52, joined the real estate firm as executive managing director. He was previously managing director at Studley. Grant Thornton: Rona Pocker, 56, joined the accounting firm as managing director. She was previously senior vice president at Bank of America Corp. CohnReznick: Bill Riley, 62, was promoted to Northeast regional director of the affordable-housing industry practice at the accounting firm. He was previously senior principal. CIRCA: Mary Forte, 61, joined the jewelry company as acting chief executive. She was previously president and chief executive of Zale Corp. Jayne Conway, 46, was promoted to chief operating officer. She was previously chief administrative officer and continues as chief financial officer. Green Education Services: Julie Taylor, 33, joined the green building and construction safety training company as director of partner sales, a newly created position. She was previously senior sales associate at Seamless. Capital One Bank: Paul Darrigo, 45, joined as senior vice president of its Long Island and Queens middlemarket banking team, a newly created position. He was previously senior vice president at RBS Citizens. Skanska USA Building: Norm O’Brien, 46, was promoted to vice president of environment, health and safety for the construction company’s Northeast region. He was previously environmental health and safety director for the New England region. 20 Gates Management: Charles Chen, 42, joined as chief investment officer and managing director at the investment management firm, a newly created position. He was previously president and chief investment officer at Newfleet Asset Management. Hughes Hubbard & Reed: Savvas Foukas, 35, was promoted to partner at the law firm. He was previously an associate. See EXECUTIVE MOVES on Page 10

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crain's New York - February 25, 2013

IN THE BOROUGHS
IN THE MARKETS
THE INSIDER
BUSINESS PEOPLE
OPINION
ALAIR TOWNSEND
GREG DAVID
REPORT: DIGITAL NY
THE LIST
CLASSIFIEDS
FOR THE RECORD
REAL ESTATE DEALS
SMALL BUSINESS
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
SOURCE LUNCH
OUT AND ABOUT
SNAPS

Crain's New York - February 25, 2013