On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed the COO & Co-Founder of Vetri Restaurant Group, Jeff Benjamin.
After graduating from The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Benjamin met Marc Vetri in New York City while working in the food industry. When Marc decided to return to his native Philadelphia to open Vetri Cucina, he tapped Benjamin to be his business partner and general manager—and the rest is history.
Today, Benjamin serves as co-founder of Vetri Cucina, and has worked alongside Marc to open many restaurants in the past 25 years including Fiorella, Fiore Rosso and MVP located in the Philadelphia area, and Osteria Fiorella and Vetri Cucina in Las Vegas. Benjamin is the co-founder and a board member of the Vetri Community Partnership.
In 2015, he published his first book, Front of the House: Restaurant Manners, Misbehaviors & Secrets, a behind-the-scenes look at the details that go into an evening out. In addition to operating restaurants, Benjamin enjoys helping entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry through angel investing and consultation.
Benjamin recently released, "Extra Innings: A Memoir of Fathers, Sons, Fandom, and Fate" which explores the relationships between generations and the passion of being a sports fan, and the bond between a father and son through their shared love for the Chicago Cubs. Benjamin intertwines themes of family, faith, social justice, and personal growth.
Currently he is an investor and sits on the boards of Federal Donuts, a quick serve restaurant company, and Simply Good Jars, a CPG salad product for the foodservice and grocery industry.
Benjamin lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Melissa, and has two daughters. When not working, he can be found spending time with his family and rooting for his beloved sports teams, the Cubs and 76ers.
Jeff Benjamin:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-benjamin-57472a132/
X: @RkBenji