Description

Who it’s for: Owners, GMs/AGMs, Chefs, Bar & Kitchen Managers, and emerging hospitality leaders across restaurants, hotels, venues, and inns.

Full 5 Course Bundle: 

1^st Course (COMPLIMENTARY SESSION):

Feature Promotion: Free Session – “Menu Engineering for Profitability”

Topic: Menu Engineering Masterclass – Boost Margins Without Sacrificing Guest Experience
Date: September 30, 2025,

Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Location: Chelsea Groton, Community Meeting Space, 904 Pequannock Rd, Groton, CT 06340

Topics Covered:

• Introduction to contribution margin vs. food cost
• How to categorize menu items (stars, plow-horses, puzzles, dogs)
• Pricing strategies that reflect brand and guest expectations
• Quick menu audits and hands-on case study
  • Bring a copy of your menu!

2^nd Course: 

Topic: Profit Power - Controlling Costs & Driving Revenue - Turn operations into a profit engine

Thursday November 6^th 9am-10:30am

Location: Chelsea Groton, Community Meeting Space, 904 Pequannock Rd, Groton, CT 06340

Topics Covered:

• Food & labor: the metrics that matter (and how to read them daily)
• Contribution margin thinking in the real world
• Advanced menu engineering for margin, not just sales
• Smarter purchasing: forecasting, pars, and vendor strategy that goes beyond pric

3^rd Course:

People Leadership That Actually Works - Lead the operation, not just the shift

• January 15, 2026
• Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM 
• Location: Chelsea Groton, Community Meeting Space, 904 Pequannock Rd, Groton, CT 06340

Topics Covered:

• Clarity, cadence, and culture on every shift
• Leading under pressure: setting tone & expectations
• Building high-performance teams: recognition, growth plans (Gen Z & beyond)
• Real-time coaching, micro-training, and accountability without micromanaging

4^th Course:

Guest Experience as a Strategic Advantage - Design moments that create loyalty—and great reviews

• March 3, 2026 
• Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

• Location: Chelsea Groton, Community Meeting Space, 904 Pequannock Rd, Groton, CT 06340

Topics Covered:

• Mapping the guest journey (parking lot to payment); aligning FOH & BOH to one mission
• Service standards vs. emotional connection; storytelling & memory anchors
• De-escalation and recovery plans before problems go public
• Professional, purposeful responses to online reviews

5^th Course:

Running a Modern Hospitality Operation - Use tech and teamwork to amplify performance

• May 12, 2026 
• Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

• Location: Chelsea Groton, Community Meeting Space, 904 Pequannock Rd, Groton, CT 06340

Topics Covered:

• Practical, human-centered uses of data and AI in hospitality
• What to review daily/weekly/monthly (signal over noise)
• Marketing from the inside out: every manager as a brand ambassador
• Collaborations, community events, and loyalty flywheels that actually stick

Bundle & Registration Notes

• Full 5-Course Bundle: transfer seats across team members with one-week notice (email updates to the organizer).
• Chamber member and standard pricing options are available, with break-even math transparent for partners.

Facilitators

Brian P. Connors, M.S., CHE, CSW — Principal Managing Partner, Connors Davis Hospitality; Managing Partner, Accelerating Leaders; Faculty, Salve Regina University. (Recognized among the “Most Influential Educators in Global Hospitality”; extensive consulting across cruise, hotels, and restaurants.)

Dr. Melissa “Missy” Varao — Director & Chair, Department of Business & Economics, Salve Regina University; CPCE; event & tourism expert; board roles with RIHEF, Greater Newport Chamber (Vice Chair), and Discover Newport.