Beacon of Growth, Natalia Levey
Restaurateur Natalia Levey approaches the notoriously high-stress industry with a Zen-like growth mind-set.
“It is important for us to learn to be kind to ourselves so we can project that to other people,” says Levey, the founder of Hi Hospitality Group, which operates Kojo, Speaks Clam Bar, and the upcoming St. Pete Food Hall project. “I say become a beacon and spread positivity as much as you can within the industry and keep learning!”
Levey’s mindful approach is holistic, all-encompassing, and focused on the well-being of the entire “ecosystem” of an establishment— not just the menu. Each component is carefully thought out, from the space planning to the mental and physical health of her customers and staff.
An avid traveler who has visited more than 40 countries, Levey credits time in Southeast Asia in her late teens with revealing the beauty of energy and the benefits of injecting positivity into everything she does, including her experience in culinary training at the Art Institute of New York, which she recalls as “tough” and “eye-opening.”
“It’s through the challenges when you really learn, get better, and improve,” she says.
After culinary school, Levey spent time working with Manhattan chef Laurent Tourondel, then catering breakfast and lunch for a large law firm in Manhattan. But personal health issues forced Levey to take a step back. As she focused on healing, she and her husband, cheerleader, and now business partner Mark Levey welcomed a daughter and relocated from NYC to Florida, where they have been for almost 18 years now.
Even as she stepped back from work, there was no downtime for Levey. While she focused on her family, health issues motivated her to dig deeper to learn how the love we put into cooking affects our health. Those studies ultimately led her to Integrative Nutrition and certification as a Nutritional Consultant. Her first business venture— Healthy Intent—was a client-based culinary wellness education company. She also wrote her first book on cravings, gave a TEDx talk on gut health, and continued taking courses on various food industry topics, from food photography to restaurant marketing.
Then, in 2018, she was presented with an opportunity to marry her experience in the culinary industry with her knowledge of wellness as part of the Speaks Clam Bar restaurant venture.” I felt that the universe was calling me back,” she says. “I said, ‘You have just learned all this on mindfulness and wellness’ and the door just literally opened for me to bring everything I had learned in my own business into the restaurant.”
Levey formed Hi Hospitality Group with an intention to infuse the wellness culture into the business, implementing actions like internal “Mindful Minute” newsletters and conducting breathing exercises with restaurant managers and staff. She also launched a social media campaign and quickly increased restaurant business. All the while she approached her new role with a humble beginner’s mind.
“I put myself in the shoes of every person and learned what their experience was like,” says Levey. “That was a big learning curve for me, [and] I am still learning.”
Hi Hospitality opened its second Speaks Clam location not long after and in February 2021 launched Kojo—which means “continuous improvement.” Kojo embodies everything Levey and her team value, including an elevated and inclusive customer experience.
Having gone through the experience of being limited in what she could eat, Levey made it a goal for the Kojo kitchen to accommodate a customer’s health needs without making them feel left out. The chefs at Kojo can adapt almost anything on the menu to meet specific dietary needs.
Natalia and Mark were also intentional with Kojo’s space planning and décor, adding touches like custom-made tables from Asian woods and a one-of-a-kind sculpture that Natalia fell in love with through the window of the art gallery next door. She even learned to fold napkins in the shape of kimonos and continues to hand-paint rocks which are placed on top of guest checks as they are brought to tables.
Levey also put herself in the body of each customer, asking things like: “Does the lighting feel right?” and “Can I have a conversation with a friend?”
“There are so many different things that we take into consideration from the wellness and mindfulness perspective when we design the space,” she says.
Levey places a high priority on respecting the members of the restaurant teams, getting to know them as individuals and aiming to understand their goals, whether they are with the group for a short time or long-term.
“We have a couple hundred employees and every night I go to sleep understanding the responsibility that I have for them, for their families,” says Levey. “Staying in that space of gratitude is what helps me to really keep going and stay positive and optimistic. I don’t take this responsibility lightly. We must continue to inspire and show up in a way that benefits not just the company but every person that works for this company.”
Looking to the future, Levey dreams of supporting team members at a deeper level through staff housing, technology that integrates health and wellness, and even the possibility of creating more opportunities through Hi Hospitality produce farms. And, in its current and upcoming projects, the organization is constantly looking at ways to become more sustainable: improving the food waste process, incorporating eco-friendly packaging, and offering more plant-based options, to name a few.
“We are continuing looking to improve in every step of our process,” says Levey. “That is my passion: continuing to challenge myself and my team members. Asking ‘How can I be 1% better tomorrow than I was today?’”
Levey’s professional growth journey continues, as well, as she was chosen as a participant in the James Beard 2021 Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program. In conjunction with Cornell University, the WEL program supports female entrepreneurs and restaurant owners to grow their careers and businesses and Levey will network with the 20 other women chosen. Levey plans to share her current and future knowledge with the community, starting with an upcoming collaboration with the University of South Florida’s marketing program as part of its student capstone project.
“In life, there is always someone ahead of you and there will always be somebody who is behind you,” says Levey. “We can learn from the people that have more experience but at the same time, we need to give back and mentor people that are just starting out. It’s finding that balance between learning and giving back and continuing to inspire people.”
