Lester Coronado has been working for Doherty since January of 2014. Through the years, because of his hard work and dedication, he has moved up the ranks to Kitchen Manager and then Assistant General Manager in August of 2021. Lester has truly been an asset to our company. Lester has always been guest focused and will follow through on all guest requests. He shows a tremendous sense of urgency on every shift while still managing customer challenges and will drive his employees to do the same. Lester is very confident in his leadership role and has always been comfortable with giving his team direction to succeed and a win for every guest. Lester has always been capable of handling multiple initiatives at the same time. Lester always sets achievable goals for himself as well as the team. It’s a well-deserved promotion as he continues his journey engaging with guests and staff.

Please join us in congratulating Lester to the General Manager position of Rockaway.

Kristen understands the concept of control profit and the forecasting process.

She writes all FOH schedules and adjusts staffing pars based on forecasting and staffs according to school holidays. She also takes a proactive approach to cutting and staffing on shifts to ensure the labor budget is met but doesn’t sacrifice guest services.

Kristen makes smart decisions when running shifts and knows how to think on her feet.

She is the training manager, typically all modules are complete and all campaign quizzes are finished. When assigned a task she completes it without much following up.

Kristen is passionate about doing a good job and always wants to learn. She takes initiative to learn new things and embraces new technology. She is respected by her staff, and everyone loves working with her.

Please join us in congratulating Kristen on her promotion to Senior Manager.

Mike has been with Doherty since our Florida restaurant acquisition in 2013.  He has been with the Applebee’s brand for 18 years and is a mentor to many in the market.  He is a great developer of people who has promoted several managers from within and trained MITs for multiple markets in our region.

Most recently, Mike has been the Executive General Manager in Greenacres training location while also directly supervising the Cutler location in the Miami market as part of our Multi-Unit General Manager Development pilot program in Florida.

Since 2020, he has overseen both our former Florida City and Cutler locations, consistently showing his ability to build teams and deliver operational, people and financial results. 

Daniela started with us as an hourly employee in Totowa Applebee's in 2013. She has worked in several restaurants in our area over the last 9 years, continuously being promoted and showing her success. Daniela is an exceptionally hard worker and successful in all her job roles, and has become an asset to our team in Clifton NJ. She has excellent verbal communication skills and is extremely organized. She is capable of leading a variety of initiatives, making her a great multitasker. She has truly shown she can thrive in this environment that has multiple work demands. Daniela is always willing to offer her assistance and help coach her co-workers when needed, making her a great addition to the team. She is very well liked among the staff and has excellent awareness of all specs and standards. She has always loved to receive feedback and will always adapt her leadership style to best meet the needs of her team. She is able to delegate tasks appropriately and drive initiatives independently when needed. We look forward to her continued success.

Please join us in congratulating Daniela on her promotion to Assistant General Manager!

Eric joined Panera in 2011 as an associate in our Bayside café. As an Associate Eric trained many associates while helping mangers to execute Panera initiatives. In 2018 Eric was promoted to Shift Supervisor helping his GM streamline tools and systems in the café. Eric later went to Glendale where he immediately made an impact. Eric is dedicated to solving problems and producing immediate results. He has excellent work ethic, passion for service, and a can-do attitude. Eric is known for his ability to build positive connections with guests and staff.

Please join us in congratulating Eric on his promotion Assistant Manager in Rego Park!

Matt started with us back in October in 2018. He has worked in many restaurants over the last 3 plus years and has proven to be a great leader. Matt has a can do attitude and will help wherever he is needed. He engages with his staff and always puts in 110% effort every shift. Matt has shown to be a great motivator and when given a goal he attacks it as well as champions his team to rally to hit or exceed the target. Matt is very engaging in the dining room and laser focused on WOW service with every guest. He truly makes connections with all guests as well as building strong relationships with his team. He has excellent awareness of all specs and standards as well as being a go to manager for others to support.

We wish Matt all the best in his new role as Assistant General Manager!

Jermaine Johnson has recently been promoted to General Manager of Hackensack, NJ. He joined Doherty Enterprises in 2001 - over 20 years ago! Jermaine is no stranger to hard work and high volume. He has worked in Clifton, NJ since December 2017 where he has shown incredible Leadership and WOW service. Jermaine has worked in several districts and restaurants throughout NJ. He is well liked among his teams and associates. He is great with community involvement and getting to know our guests. Jermaine demonstrates high quality coaching, training, and has developed several promotes-from-within at our company.

Please join us in celebrating and congratulating Jermaine in his transition to General Manager.

Emilio joined Doherty in 2015 after years of experience in the industry. Emilio has a consistently calm, poised demeanor which helps set the tone in the cafe. He has served a crucial role in impacting food and labor results in his café. Emilio’s presence and maturity helps to keep the entire cafe pointed in the right direction and consistently reaching company goals. His good instincts, understanding of operations and WOW service consistently leads to results. Emilio always approaches work with a positive energy and this has led to strong relationships with his associates and guests alike.

Please join us in congratulating Emilio on his promotion to Assistant General Manager! We wish him continued success!

Misan started with Doherty 2003 in the Livingston Applebee's as a host/SA and then went over to the Clifton location. He worked in all areas of the front of the house and become a supervisor in 2007. Misan completed MIT late 2020 in Garfield.

Misan is immediate to solving problems and producing immediate results. He has excellent work ethic, passion for service, and a “whatever it takes” attitude. Misan always manages to take on new responsibilities and excels at them. He is a strong team player with great follow through. Misan has strong spec knowledge and is great at keeping morale up.

Please join us in congratulating Misan on his promotion to Senior Manager!

Gina transferred from Applebee’s Atlantic City to Tinton Falls in 2018. She attended Stockton University, completing her Bachelor of Science and her Master of Social Work while beginning her career in the restaurant business. Gina began her journey with Doherty as a server and quickly became a certified Neighborhood Expert and then promoted to Bartender. She was promoted to Supervisor at Tinton Falls in January 2020. Gina took on the role of Training Manager over the summer of 2020 and was able to keep up with the massive rehiring for opening outside dining. She was recognized by the ASI FAD for exceptional job for her work in the training department. Gina was transferred to Milltown in May 2021 and has shown herself to be a dedicated and hardworking team member always willing to take on a new task.

Please join us in congratulating Gina on her promotion. We wish her all the best in her new role as Senior Manager!

Kyle started with Doherty in July 2014 in the Howell Applebee's as a Line Cook. He worked in the kitchen while attending culinary school to receive a degree in Culinary Arts & Pastry Certification. Kyle transferred to Manalapan as a supervisor in early 2019. He also completed the MIT program in late 2019 in Woodbridge as their first official MIT. During the lockdown, Kyle worked at multiple Applebee's locations helping with various projects and day-to-day operations: Manalapan, Howell, Middletown, Milltown, and Tinton Falls. He then transferred to Tinton Falls and has been working in this location since early 2020 as a kitchen focused manager.

Please join us in congratulating Kyle to his promotion of Kitchen Manager in Applebee’s of Tinton Falls!

Sajjad is good at financial results and has great operations knowledge. He is a big picture thinker and a strong relationship builder with staff, fellow managers, and vendors. Sajjad is always there to assist others and does a great job helping the district wherever / whenever needed.

Sajjad started with the company in October 2018 as a Manager in Farmingdale and was promoted to Senior Manager of Huntington in February 2021.

Now we congratulate Sajjad on his promotion to Assistant General Manager at Farmingdale - we wish you all the best in your new role!

Frances Martinez joined the Doherty team in 2008 as a Host in our Clifton location. Upon graduating the Doherty SIT & MIT program in 2017, Frances joined the management team in our Garfield location. In 2019 Frances became a senior manager where she helped develop and train multiple managers and supervisors.

Frances has worked in many locations during her time as a Senior Manager. She is extremely passionate about and dedicated to her job. She has a positive attitude and never settles for anything less than excellence. She is hardworking and possesses drive, skill, and the willingness to be a team player and a leader. She builds great connections with our staff and guests. Frances holds herself accountable for all aspects of the restaurant. She expects the best from her team members and holds herself to the same standards.

Frances has truly embraced the WOW culture and lives it every day; she also encourages her team to do the same. She can identify issues that need improvement and is constantly looking for any opportunity to perform better and make every day great. She has been a big part of training future MITs and SITs working in a training store.

Congratulations and Good Luck to Frances as she moves into her new role of AGM!

Marketing is excited to announce the promotion of Emily Crooks! She began with us as an intern this winter as she was completing her degree from Rutgers. She won us all over with her attention to detail, great attitude, video skills and thoughtful, detailed work.

Congratulations to Emily on her graduation and becoming the Marketing Specialist for Applebees and Chevys!

David joined Doherty in November 2018 after Graduating MIT, he joined the Glendale team and then Long Island City where he was promoted to AGM. Being an AGM of a training café, he assisted in training MIT’s and development of Shift Supervisors. David was pivotal in the cafes improved financial results and operations while being faced with increased volume through e-commerce. David is a big picture thinker and had built great relationships and has become a resource inside the district, he is always there to assist others and does so with ease while being successful in his day-to-day duties. He connects with his associates to get the job done while maintaining a sense of humor. David is an advocate for operational tools and processes who dives deep in understanding and leverages them to run the business.

Please join us in congratulating and wishing David lots of success in his new role of General Manager of Panera Bread in New Hyde Park!

We are excited to announce the promotion of Tammy Corra to Accounts Payable Manager!

Tammy has been with Doherty Enterprises for more than 15 years. She works hard every day to fulfill our vision to be the best food service company by providing immense support to her colleagues, operations team, managers, and vendors. She has instilled the WOW culture into her everyday work ethic and our mission of WOW. Throughout the pandemic, Tammy could always be relied on and never hesitated to roll up her sleeves to lend a helping hand wherever needed.

Tammy has earned tremendous respect from her fellow team members, colleagues, and vendors. She is an incredible asset and adds value to the Accounting and Doherty team.

Let us all take a moment to congratulate Tammy on her well-deserved promotion and wish her continued success!

Jessica came to Doherty seeking to enhance her career into more of a people focused role, and she has hit the ground running. She excels at tracking, organizing, and prioritizing, and is an extremely quick learner producing work efficiently, and accurately. She is a hard worker and quickly mastered the HR coordinator role and became an asset to our team. With that, we have promoted her to the HR Generalist role to assist with higher level compliance matters, strategic initiatives, and Culture Club. There is no doubt she will excel in her role.

Please join us in congratulating and wishing Jessica success in her new role!

It is with great excitement that we announce the promotion of Cheryl Slonski to Senior Accountant.

Cheryl joined Doherty in 2004 as an accounts payable coordinator. Since that day, she has consistently demonstrated dedication to the company. Over time Cheryl has been promoted to Staff accountant and then to A/P manager. At each position, Cheryl has continued to WOW everyone she meets. She had a large hand in A/P’s paperless project, Docufree and during the pandemic saved the company a huge amount of money. Cheryl is always willing to help and brings a team-first attitude to the department. She will be a large asset to the Accounting team going forward.

Please join me in congratulating and wishing Cheryl success in her new role!

It is with immense pleasure that we announce the promotion of Elisse Delgado to Senior Accounts Payable Coordinator!

Elisse has been with us since 2019 and has achieved wonderful things. For example, during the pandemic; Elisse helped negotiate payment terms and discounts with numerous vendors, saving Doherty significant money. She is always willing and able to lend a helping hand while always having a warm smile on her face. She is an amazing asset to the Accounting and Doherty team.

Please join us in congratulating Elisse and wishing her the best of luck in her new role!

Meena joined Panera in 2013 as an associate, through cross training and having the face of Panera, Meena became a Certified Associate Trainer. During that time, she helped train and develop associates around her through in depth knowledge and holding standards. Eventually she was tapped to become a Pro-Team trainer for multiple new store openings on Long Island and Brooklyn. In 2019 Meena was promoted to Shift Supervisor and immediately connected with her management team. She hit the ground running assisting in café and brand initiatives. Recently she has taken ownership of her development to Assistant Manager using her GM and AD as resources to fill gaps and gain knowledge. Meena has in depth brand knowledge and has strong relationships with her people and always looks for ways to WOW Every Guest, Every time.

Please join us in congratulating Meena to her promotion of Assistant Manager in Panera Bread of New Hyde Park!

Jessica has been an essential member of our office for the past eight, coming on nine years. She started with us in May of 2013 as a Human Resources Administrative Assistant, gradually moving her way up as she gained experience. She wears many hats; having had led legal tracking and invoicing, managing the EPLI, Guest Liability, Workers Comp and Property & General Casualty Insurance programs. In addition to handling all of that alone for over six thousand team members and 131 restaurants, pubs, and cafes, she picked up all the HR Administrative duties to keep current program offerings up to date. She assists whenever called upon with a humble “okay”, getting things done efficiently with incredible knowledge and remarkable grace. With a great understanding of the Doherty systems and procedures and an extraordinary work ethic, it is no revelation that Jessica has earned the highest praise as one of the silent warriors of Doherty.

Please join us in congratulating her on her promotion from Risk Management Coordinator to Risk Management Manager 😊!

Allison came to us as an intern in 2020, quickly learning and excelling at the LOA process for all four of the states we operate in and the issues that come with them. She steadily grasped the expertise behind the arrears process, billing, monthly enrollment, and more. She does it all to perfection and makes it happen without the skip of a beat. During our tough times with COVID, Allison solely developed and managed a covid tracker for over 6,000 employees and worked with others to ensure that we, as a people and organization, stayed in full compliance with all the state’s laws and procedures surrounding the pandemic. We are delighted to offer her the opportunity to deliver at a higher level and cannot wait to see the continued value she will add to our great team.

Please join us in congratulating Allison on her promotion from Benefits Coordinator to Benefits Manager 😉!

Virginia joined Panera Bread Bayside in 2014 at the age of 16. She worked in the bakery throughout high school eventually being cross trained on the production line. Through her professionalism and commitment to standards, she became an Associate Trainer and eventually a Zone Leader. She proved to be a valuable asset to her management team and teammates that they could always count on. After years working at the café, Virginia began development towards Shift Supervisor getting promoted in January of 2021. Virginia comes to work with a great attitude every day and demonstrates poise at all times. She is a savvy operator, analytical thinker and true leader that always looks for ways to WOW!

Over the past year, Virginia has developed herself to Assistant Manager while simultaneously finishing her degree in International Hospitality at St. John’s University. Please join us in congratulating Virginia on her degree and promotion to Assistant Manager of Panera Little Neck!

Sara has displayed the passion, enthusiasm, and skillset necessary to thrive in Human Resources since her first day as an intern in November of 2020. No matter what was needed, Sara stepped up to the plate and delivered – always with a willingness to learn and help wherever she can. She has a flair for enhancing company culture and event planning, and an eye for compliance which is an ideal combination to succeed in Human Resources. As a quickly defining asset to the success of our team, we are happy to announce her promotion as a Human Resources Generalist. 

Please join us in congratulating Sara on her promotion!

Nick joined the Doherty team in 2013 as a server at Applebee’s Edison. Following his success as an hourly employee, he began corporate training in 2014. Nick opened two new locations and assisted with many revitalizations in Florida from 2015 through 2018. During that time, he was also supervising in Applebee’s Union and Applebee’s Middletown. Nick began his MIT program in 2018 and following graduation became the Bar Manager at Applebee’s Clark. In 2021, Nick was transferred to Applebee’s Parsippany and immediately took leadership in the kitchen.

Nick’s dedication has helped him maintain great results, as well as, his strong knowledge of food safety, variance and Rosnet. He leads with a very high impact and positive approach. Nick’s training background has helped him to train MITs and develop the staff at Applebee’s Parsippany. He has diligently worked towards becoming Kitchen Manager and he does not shy away from a challenge.

Please join us in congratulating Nick on his promotion to Kitchen Manager! We wish him continued success!

Darnick joined the Doherty team with the 2013 acquisition as a Line Cook. He was promoted to Supervisor shortly after. Darnick was promoted and started his Manager in Training in 2018.

Darnick has been a huge part of successfully running the kitchen at Applebee’s Okeechobee. He always comes into work with an upbeat attitude ready to tackle the day. Darnick excels at WOW-ing both our guests and our employees.

Please join us in congratulating Darnick on his promotion to Senior Manager! We wish him continued success!

Tonianne joined the Doherty team in 2012 as an hourly employee. Following her success as an hourly, she started the Supervisor in Training program in June 2017. Tonianne was promoted and moved onto the Manager in Training program in September 2019.

Since becoming Manager, Tonianne has excelled in the role. She has been a great training manager and received 100% in that category on the 2021 SPA. We have been diligently working with Tonianne on becoming a Kitchen Manager as she has become known for attacking anything put in front of her with a great work ethic, a positive attitude and a passion to succeed.

Please join us in congratulating Tonianne on her promotion to Kitchen Manager. We wish her continued success!

Jessica joined the Doherty team in 2004 at our Applebee’s Manahawkin. Throughout her time with us, she has held all Front of House positions. Jessica was promoted to Supervisor where she quickly learned the ins and outs of the Back of the House.

In the past, Jessica has stepped in to oversee two different kitchens, covering their Kitchen Managers’ leaves of absence. She has a great knowledge of BOH operations and her high energy approach to every shift keeps the staff and managers motivated. Jessica is an extremely hard worker, has a great eye for detail, has good organizational skills and is well respected by the staff and management team. She has worked her way up to Assistant General Manager by using these skills, running a great kitchen and working with several other managers to improve their efficiency in the BOH.

Please join us in congratulating Jessica on her promotion to Assistant General Manager. We wish her continued success!

Sarah joined the Doherty team in 2009 at our Applebee’s Union 2 restaurant as a Server. She quickly moved up to Neighborhood Expert and soon after became a Bartender. Sarah moved to Applebee’s Edison as a Supervisor and gained critical BOH experience there. She became a corporate trainer and helped in Florida with some of the revitalizations in 2014. Sarah started MIT and then moved to Applebee’s Brick to work with the Kitchen Manager to continue building her knowledge in the BOH. When our Clark Applebee’s opened, she joined the opening team as the Bar Manager and eventually worked her way to Assistant Kitchen Manager. From there, Sarah worked hard to become the Senior Manager in 2016 and then was promoted to Kitchen Manager in the summer of 2017. She came back down to Applebee’s Brick at the end of 2019 where she has been the Kitchen Manager.

Since returning to Brick, Sarah has built solid relationships with the management staff, her team and other managers in the district. She has worked very hard to increase her knowledge on all levels of business analysis while maintaining her duties in the kitchen at a high level. Sarah is an asset to any team she has been a part of and will continue to be for any team she leads now and in the future.

Please join us in congratulating Sarah on her promotion to Assistant General Manager. We wish her continued success!

Kelsey joined the Doherty team in November 2015 as a Server and Bartender. She had previously worked at an Applebee’s in Ohio. Kelsey quickly moved on to become a Supervisor and assist with Neighborhood Expert Camps. Kelsey assisted with the opening of Applebee’s West Palm Beach in 2017 as a Corporate Trainer. In October 2019, she started MIT at West Palm Beach. Kelsey was promoted to Senior Manager earlier this year.

Kelsey has been a big part of the training program at West Palm Beach. She has had great SPA scores with not one result under 900. Kelsey and the West Palm Beach store received a 98% on their last EcoSure report.

Please join us on congratulating Kelsey on her promotion to Kitchen Manager! We wish her continued success!

Please join us in congratulating Derek Chiong on his promotion to Learning & Development Manager for Doherty Applebee’s in Florida and Georgia.

Derek joined the Applebee’s brand in 2010 as a server and a bartender in Hialeah then came to Doherty through the 2015 acquisition of the Miami and Ft Lauderdale markets. He has had several years of experience working with MITs both as an hourly team member and a Supervisor. With an obvious passion for learning and development, he has been a go-to facilitator for rolling out new initiatives over the years, like meat cutter training, Applebees University, and Neighborhood Expert Trainer Camps across multiple locations in his district. Derek has travelled the world as an Apple Elite corporate trainer and Team Lead, supporting 12 new restaurant openings in locations like Hawaii, the Philippines, and our own West Palm Beach. Derek has also toured with the world-renowned Cirque Du Soleil on their North American tour of Alegria where he was the Team Lead and coordinated everything from customer satisfaction to food and beverage for the VIP department. Derek has supported multiple locations in the market as a Supervisor, always focusing on the quality and consistency of our training systems.

Please join us in congratulating Elyse on this well-deserved promotion to Director of Human Resources!

Elyse came to us as a very eager intern, she majored in Psychology with a minor in business. Elyse’s concentration was on industrial organizational psychology where she learned about the HR function. She soon realized she found her passion. Upon graduation she joined Doherty as a full time employee. She continued to enhance her HR skills by achieving the SHRM-CP certification. Elyse has learned all aspects of the HR department in her past roles from HR coordinator specializing in leaves, spearheaded compliance, ER, worked on event planning for our outings, worked on the HRIS implementation and even helped with recruiting processes. She was promoted to the Generalist role where she continued to take on more and more projects to expand her knowledge and contributions to our organization. She works tirelessly behind the scenes and has proven she will be a great continued contributor to our organization.

Erika joined the Doherty team in 2019 as a Treasury Coordinator while working towards her Master’s degree at Ramapo College. During this time, Erika did a terrific job in contributing in the A/P department as well as reconciling our cash deposit and credit card accounts. She has handled chargebacks, sales tax payments and various report requests for our accountants. Recently, she has taken on a shared roll in Rosnet Administration and will begin to work with our Finance and Accounting teams in a greater capacity. She is respected by her peers and always willing to pitch in.

Please join us in congratulating Erika on her well-deserved promotion to Treasury Specialist! We wish her continued success!

Daniela joined the Doherty Team in April 2013 as a Host. During the next four years, she worked as a Sever, Carside Server, Expo and even a Line Cook before becoming a Bartender and a Supervisor. Daniela was promoted to MIT and began her training at Applebee’s Garfield in October 2017.

Daniela is dedicated to helping others and WOW-ing our Guest. She has excellent work ethic and a passion for service. Daniela is a team player and helps out the district in any location when needed. She has a great attitude and makes great connections with our guests and staff. Daniela has been successful in every restaurant she has worked in and continues to grow with the company!

Please join us in congratulating Daniela on her promotion to Senior Manager! We wish her continued success!

George joined the Doherty family as an hourly employee in 2006 at Applebee’s Bethpage. After years of working as an hourly and shift supervisor he was promoted to MIT in 2017. Upon graduation and moving around to various stores, George settled into Applebee's Bellmore for an extended stay from 2017 to 2021. During his time at Bellmore, he championed training standards, shift execution and focusing on the guest experience. George is now back at Bethpage where he started his journey and has been working hard to make an impact there as we continue the uphill battle of Covid-19.

George’s determination, drive, intensity and energy are some of his best attributes. He is always working to do the right thing by his staff and the guests. George is always trying to move the business forward.

Please join us on congratulating George on his promotion to Senior Manager! We wish him continued success!

Deana joined the Doherty team in October 2000. She is a long-term manager who has been an integral part of numerous teams on Long Island including Applebee’s Bellmore and Applebee’s New Hyde Park. Deana was part of the opening team for Applebee’s Elmont in 2011 and has been there ever since.

Deana’s determination and attention to details have been a huge part of growing Elmont in sales and overall metrics across the board. Most recently, the Elmont team scored a 100% in hourly training during their recent SPA. Deana is a bearer of standards and steadfast in her expectations of execution and staff performance. She’s also very active in the local community and you can always count on her for great looking, festive and inviting restaurant decorations. Deana constantly leads by example and embodies our six words.

Please join us on congratulating Deana on her promotion to General Manager! We wish her continued success!

EJ joined the Doherty team in February 2019 as a Manager in Training. He has previously worked at Duffy’s Sports Bar. Upon graduating, EJ worked at a few different locations, but landed at Applebee’s Royal Palm.

EJ is super personable and always willing to help. When Applebee’s Royal Palm was down a General Manager, EJ stepped up and assisted the Assistant General Manager in running the location. EJ took the lead of hiring, new hiring orientations and ordering.

Please join us in congratulating EJ on his promotion to Kitchen Manager, we wish him continued success!

Nick joined the Doherty team in February 2015 as a Server and then became a Bartender. He was promoted the Supervisor in 2017 and then began MIT in 2018. Nick’s passion for the restaurant industry started while he was studying Business Administration at The College of New Jersey and working in restaurants.

Nick is dedicated to solving problems and producing immediate results. He has excellent work ethic, passion for service, and a “whatever it takes” attitude. Nick is known for his ability to build positive connections with guests and staff.

Please join us in congratulating Nick on his promotion to Senior Manager! We wish him continued success!

Rukaya started her career with Doherty in 2011 as an Associate in Panera North Babylon. She became an Associate Trainer then a key member and finally a Zone Leader in 2016. Rukaya served as a Pro Team Trainer for several new cafe openings and was promoted to Shift Supervisor in March of 2017. She really excelled in leadership roles, especially at Panera Massapequa.

Rukaya has a consistently calm, poised demeanor which helps set the tone in the cafe. She has served a crucial role in helping to develop several Shift Supervisors. Rukaya’s presence and maturity help to keep the entire cafe pointed in the right direction and consistently reaching company goals.

Please join us in congratulating Rukaya on her promotion to Assistant General Manager! We wish her continued success!

Tim joined the Doherty team in 2016. He had previously graduated with a degree in Food and Hospitality Management, completed an internship at Disney and worked at several highly respected restaurants in NYC. Following his graduation from MIT at Panera Mineola, Tim remained in the cafe as a manager and played a key role in executing training of MIT’s. Tim really grew as a leader in Mineola, resulting in his promotion to Assistant General Manager and a move to Panera Rockville Centre in 2019. In Rockville Centre, he quickly became a key leadership figure in the cafe.

Tim is always upbeat, energetic and brings a consistent positive energy to the cafe. He is a constant resource for his associates and really gets to know what inspires, motivates and brings out the best performance in them. Tim’s knowledge of Panera’s processes and procedures plus a consistent WOW approach has helped guide Rockville Centre to elite results on a consistent basis.

Please join us in congratulating Tim on his promotion to General Manager! We wish him continued success!

David joined the Doherty team in 2015 as a supervisor. Within a year, he was promoted into our Manager in Training program. In a short amount of time, David was again promoted to Kitchen Manager at Applebee’s Kingsway and became the location’s Training Kitchen Manager. He played a key role in the success of the store with food cost, CP, and labor.

David has worked side by side with many MITs and helped with the development of multiple managers. He is always willing to help out another manager or staff member. David goes above and beyond daily to ensure that we are WOWing every guest, every time. During the pandemic, he was helping out in many stores and giving support to the whole district.

Great job David! Congratulation on your promotion to General Manager! We you continued success!

Nicole began her career in the hospitality industry two decades ago as a bartender. She steadily moved up to manage small local bars and restaurants. In 2012, Nicole moved to Havana Central to pursue a corporate career in hospitality. She worked at multiple locations including NYC to help develop, design, and launch a new location in New Jersey. By 2014, Nicole saw the fastest personal growth in the company’s history and became the General Manager of the Roosevelt Field location. She joined Doherty Enterprises in 2017 and was quickly promoted to Assistant General Manager in January 2019.

Nicole has excelled in employee training and development, P&L management, and guest relations. She has elevated the hospitality experience at Spuntino on a daily basis. Nicole has managed the wine list and helped to earn Spuntino the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2019 & 2020. She has also received the accolades of Training Manager of the Year and Specialty Manager of the Quarter.

Please join us on congratulating Nicole on her promotion to General Manager! We wish her continued success!

Neil joined the Doherty team in October of 2016 as an Assistant General Manager for the Applebee’s Florida market. He had previously worked at Apple Metro in New York.

Neil has helped out on the West Coast and Jacksonville markets on multiple occasions when they were short managers. He has also helped out the East Coast market as needed. Neil is a great team leader and excels at developing his staff. He always promotes a WOW environment for guests and the team.

Please join us in congratulating Neil on his promotion to General Manager! We wish him continued success!

Jessica joined the Doherty team as a Marketing Intern in March 2021. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Kean University. She has many years of experience both in Social Media and working as a Server in multiple restaurants.

Jessica is passionate about Social Media and Marketing and will be a great addition to the team!

Please join us in congratulating Jessica on her promotion to Marketing Specialist! We wish her continued success!

David joined the Doherty team in November of 2018 as a Manager in Training at Panera Garden City. Following graduation, David joined the Panera Glendale team and immediately began impacting the cafe’s high-volume catering and sales execution.

In January 2021, David moved to Panera Long Island City. His operational knowledge has helped to improve the cafe’s speed of service. David has also assisted with training MITs.

David takes great pride in maintaining standards. He is a great teammate who is always willing to help out.

Please join us in congratulating David on his promotion to Assistant General Manager! We wish him continued success!

David joined the Doherty team in November 2020. He had spent years working in the restaurant industry and was able to pick up the Panera Bread brand quickly. Upon graduation, David became Assistant General Manager and was able to further his development. His knowledge and skills positively impact service and standards. David’s leadership and belief in tools and system help deliver a WOW experience for guests and associates alike.

Please join us in congratulating David on his promotion to General Manager! We wish him continued success!

Maria joined the Doherty team in 2013 as an Associate. She was the first hire for the Panera Bread Bellmore location. In 2019, Maria was promoted to Shift Supervisor.

Maria has worked at Panera Bread Bellmore for six years. During that time, she has consistently demonstrated great dedication and work ethic. Maria has proven she has the ability to lead the team to success.

Please join us in congratulating Maria on her promotion to Manager! We wish her continued success!

Tonianne joined the Doherty team in 2012 as an hourly employee. Following her success as an hourly, she started the Supervisor in Training program in June 2017. Tonianne was promoted and moved onto the Manager in Training program in September 2019.

Since becoming Manager, Tonianne has excelled in the role. She has been a great training manager and received 100% in that category on the 2021 SPA. Tonianne was the opening Manager for two Ecosures with results of 95 and 96. She also takes a tremendous amount of pride in making the restaurants festive for all holidays.

Way to go Tonianne! We wish you continued success in your new role as Senior Manager! 

Matt joined the Doherty team back in October of 2018. He has quickly learned all systems in the kitchen and has gained a wealth of knowledge for all our specs and standards. Matt is also an excellent teacher and has taken his knowledge and has shared it with his employees. He has been involved in quite a few SPA scores over 900 during his tenure.

There is not a better team player than Matt, he has shown support in eight of our restaurants in New Jersey. He has always followed through on commitments to our team and guests. Matt can handle all guest issues with a positive spin and knows how to win a guest back. He displays a great sense of urgency in all tasks and projects and can always be counted on to deliver.

Congratulations on your promotion Matt! We wish you continued success in your new position as Kitchen Manager!

Robert joined the Doherty team in 2009, after previously working as an Assistant General Manager for Windmill Food Chain. He worked began as a Host while earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from New Jersey City University.

In 2012, Robert was promoted to Supervisor. During his time as Supervisor, he ran the bar in Applebee’s Wall and assisted in the kitchen at both Applebee’s Wall and Applebee’s Middletown. In 2016, Robert was promoted to Manager at Applebee’s Howell. He assisted with training new Supervisor’s in Training and Manager’s in Training.

Most recently, Robert has been at Applebee’s Manalapan assisting in the kitchen and running the bar. In 2019, Robert and the Applebee’s Manalapan scored double 900+ SPA Champions.

Please join us in congratulating Robert on his promotion to Kitchen Manager! We wish him continued success!