Today, we are excited to announce the 2024 winter cohort of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program. The flagship initiative of our Women’s Leadership Programs, WEL is an advanced educational, training, and networking program for owners or co-owners of brick-and-mortar food or beverage businesses in the United States.
Through the 10-week virtual program and extensive curriculum, participants work to refine and articulate their goals and vision for growth, develop long-term strategies to scale their business(es) and increase revenue, grow as a leader, and create a network of support with each other and the broader WEL community. JBF has invested in this group of established women entrepreneurs to ensure there are more successful women-owned businesses and a growing network of female entrepreneurs across the country.
Following completion of the program, participants join a growing community of WEL alumnae with regular opportunities to connect with each other and the Foundation. Check out our state-by-state directory of WEL alumnae businesses across the country to learn more.
The 2024 winter WEL cohort overview:
- 20 women representing 11 states: California, Florida, Maine, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Washington, D.C.
- Own 47 units collectively
- Average business revenue in 2022 of over $3.2M; $65M collectively
- Employ 55 people on average; 1,092 collectively
- Have been in business five years on average
- Serve an average of 38,700 covers a year; 1.8M covers a year collectively
Read on to get to know our 2024 winter WEL participants!
Sara Abernethy
WH Hospitality, Raleigh, NC
Sara Abernethy is a celebrated restaurateur, sommelier, and businesswoman and the chief executive officer of WH Hospitality. Upon moving back to her hometown of Raleigh in 2017, Abernethy leveraged her vision and tenacity to elevate one of the city’s landmark restaurant spaces into Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing, a gastropub and craft brewery now affectionately known as “Raleigh’s Front Porch.” Under Abernethy’s leadership, the restaurant group expanded with the opening of Glasshouse Kitchen in 2022 and Twisted Ladder in 2023. With its upscale eclectic fare, Glasshouse Kitchen has quickly become a mainstay for the Durham and Research Triangle communities.
Einat Admony
Balaboosta and Double Dip, LLC, New York, NY
Two-time James Beard Award semifinalist Einat Admony is the chef-owner of fine-dining Middle Eastern–Israeli restaurant Balaboosta and founder of beloved fast-casual falafel chain, Taïm. A pillar of the international Israeli cooking community, Admony and her homestyle cooking from her childhood tell an intricate story of immigrant roots and the American Dream. She is a two-time champion of Food Network’s Chopped and has been featured in the New York Times, Bon Appétit, and Forbes and authored two cookbooks. In 2014, she received the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s Great Immigrants award for exemplary contributions to American life.
Chelsea Marlene Coleman
The Rose, Secret Sister, and Mabel’s Gone Fishing, San Diego, CA
Chelsea Marlene Coleman's interest in food started young with fond memories of churning peach ice cream and crimping pie crusts with her Texan grandfather. Coleman volunteered at farms in Maui and Argentina, spent a year cooking in Tuscany, and has spent the last 15 years pursuing her childhood fantasy of owning hospitality businesses that give you “that warm fuzzy feeling.” To that end, she currently co-owns The Rose, Secret Sister, and Mabel's Gone Fishing in Uptown San Diego. Coleman also organizes the Nat Diego Natural Wine Festival and The Women's Arm Wrestling Tournament, which benefits area shelters.
Toni Elkhouri
Cedar’s Cafe, Afterhours Supperclub & Events, Space Coast Restaurant Group, and Brevard Catering Collective, Melbourne, FL
Toni Elkhouri is the chef-owner of Cedar’s Cafe in Melbourne, Florida. When cooking, her focus is on sustainable methods, ethically sourced local ingredients, and showcasing her Lebanese roots. She is dedicated to preserving dishes and sharing their history while moving them forward. Elkhouri is an alum of JBF’s Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change.
Angela Garbacz
Goldenrod Pastries and Goldenrod Grocery, Lincoln, NE
Angela Garbacz is the chef-owner of Goldenrod Pastries in Lincoln, Nebraska. Goldenrod Pastries specializes in inclusive baking, providing options for people with a variety of dietary restrictions. Garbacz is also the author of Perfectly Golden: Adaptable Recipes for Sweet and Simple Treats. Garbacz was called one of the “most innovative women in food and drink” by Food & Wine and has been featured in Forbes, Martha Stewart Living, Cherry Bombe, the New York Times, and Food Republic, among other outlets. Garbacz is an alum of JBF’s Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change.
Alba Huerta
Julep, Houston, TX
Alba Huerta is a proud Mexican-American, award-winning bartender, and bilingual cocktail educator with a bar pedigree that has taken her craft around the world. Julep, Huerta’s flagship cocktail bar in Houston, received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program in 2022 and ranked 46th in the inaugural North America’s 50 Best Bars list the same year. Among Huerta’s recognitions include spots on Thrillist’s Best Bartenders in America, Houston Chronicle’s 50 Most Fascinating People, and Bar World’s 100 Bar Personalities, and an IACP award for her debut cocktail book, Julep. In 2021, she joined Williams Sonoma’s Chef Collective and launched their Beverage Academy.
Amelie Kang
MáLà Project, New York, NY
With over a decade in the hospitality industry, MáLà Project co-founder Amelie Kang blends business acumen with a knack for nurturing emerging talent. Kang's culinary skills and dedication earned her spots on Eater's Young Guns, Forbes' 30 Under 30, and Eater’s New Guard of New York Dining lists. Beyond hospitality, she co-founded community-driven studio Everyone Yoga and is an ambassador for Mulan House, a platform to empower women of Chinese-descent and ignite their personal and professional growth. Her passion for creating memorable experiences in New York City continues with her next venture in 2024, upscale jazz bar Only Love Strangers.
Petrushka Bazin Larsen
Sugar Hill Creamery, New York, NY
Petrushka Bazin Larsen is the co-founder and co-owner of Sugar Hill Creamery, Harlem’s first family-owned small batch ice cream shop. After opening in 2017, Sugar Hill Creamery opened its second location in Hamilton Heights in 2020, its third location in the Time Out Market in 2021, and most recently, its newest location in East Harlem. Customers can also enjoy Sugar Hill Creamery via nationwide shipping and in the American Wing Cafe and The Met Dining Room at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Sugar Hill Creamery has been featured on the Today Show, in the New York Times, and on Eater’s list of 18 essential ice cream shops in New York City.
Ochi Latjuba Vongerichten
Wayan, Mari Makan, Mari Makan Next Door, Ma·dé, and CV Hospitality, New York, NY
Ochi Latjuba Vongerichten is an Indonesian native who has called New York City home for over two decades. Her path into the culinary world was inspired by her mother, who owned a successful catering business in Jakarta. Vongerichten’s own journey began at the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. Together, Vongerichten and her husband have established a culinary empire, co-owning and managing two distinguished restaurants in the bustling heart of New York City—Wayan and Ma·dé—and two more abroad in the dynamic culinary landscape of Vongerichten’s hometown of Jakarta—Vong Kitchen and Le Burger.
Marisa Lewiecki
Mr. Tuna, Bar Futo, Portland, ME
Marisa Lewiecki is the co-owner of Portland’s Mr. Tuna and Bar Futo. Born in Essex, Massachussetts, Lewiecki embarked on her 15-year journey in the industry at the iconic Woodman's of Essex, where her passion for hospitality took root. Today, her passion lies in nurturing her team and working towards equitable business models and sustainable practices. In 2017, Lewiecki and her partner opened Mr. Tuna, which started as a food cart and quickly burgeoned into Portland’s first hand-roll bar and three food trucks. In 2018, Lewiecki opened Bar Futo, a neighborhood restaurant and sake bar rooted in binchotan-fired cooking.
Cinthia Martinez
Nixtaco, Roseville CA
Cinthia Martinez is the life partner of a self-taught professional chef with whom she has built Michelin Bib Gourmand Nixtaco, a Mexican restaurant in Roseville, California. Martinez has a profound dedication to her community, demonstrated in her coordination and operation of food distribution programs during the pandemic. She also hosted a supper club in Mexico while balancing a full-time job and side business and founded and co-owns northeastern Mexican restaurant Cantina Pedregal in partnership with renowned local restaurateurs. Martinez’s life is marked by her dedication to family, culinary excellence, her community, and the pursuit of meaningful impact.
Kaia Matheny
Adrift, Anacortes, WA
Kaia Matheny is the owner-operator of Adrift Restaurant and has a background in environmental education and community outreach. Living in both Alaska and Washington, she has a fondness for the outdoors and environmental stewardship. In one form or another, Matheny has worked in the hospitality industry throughout her entire career, performing every job in a restaurant along the way. Matheny and her co-manager purchased Adrift in October 2019. She has learned from the process of purchasing a business and the pandemic that community is a way forward, supporting her community through volunteerism, local purchasing, and building a healthy and stable workplace.
Jeanine Prime
Cane and St. James, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Jeanine Prime is the owner of Cane and St. James, Caribbean restaurants in Washington, D.C. Both restaurants pay tribute to her native Trinidad and Tobago, reflect the Caribbean region’s melting pot of cultures, and have won several noteworthy accolades. Since its 2019 opening, Cane has been recognized with The RAMMYS Best New Restaurant award, a Michelin Bib Gourmand every year from 2020 to 2023, and features in Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and the New York Times. Since opening in 2021, St. James has been added to Michelin’s Washington, D.C. Guide, Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurants list, and the Washington Post’s 2023 Spring Dining Guide.
Neilly Robinson
Heirloom Kitchen, Heirloom at The St. Laurent, and Lita, Old Bridge, NJ
Neilly Robinson is the founder, co-owner, and managing director at Heirloom Kitchen, Heirloom Kitchen at The St. Laurent, and Lita. In 2013, Robinson opened the restaurant and cooking school Heirloom Kitchen with her mom, Judy—which has grown into a beloved East Coast restaurant, with chef David Viana in the kitchen. Following a successful pop-up in Philadelphia, Robinson and Viana launched Heirloom at The St. Laurent in summer 2022, an upscale restaurant-bar in a restored 1886 women-owned hotel. A self-taught entrepreneur, Robinson supervises every aspect of Heirloom Hospitality, including culture, marketing, creative, and ensuring that no detail is overlooked.
Chelsey Rosetter
Benny Boy Brewing, Los Angeles, CA
Chelsey Rosetter and her partner’s 2015 Belgium beer trip solidified a concept they would spend the next seven years executing: producing beer and cider following Old World methods on modern equipment. Today, Benny Boy Brewing is home to the only tank bar in Los Angeles—including a 15-barrel production brewery, cider house, and outdoor beer garden—and has been honored by Imbibe and the Sunset Travel Awards. Rosetter is a Pink Boots Society and Regarding Her member and, in gratitude to her own start-up advisors, started a quarterly Female Founders Night, which has grown into a networking series hosting over 250 founders.
Jessica Sanders
DrinkWell and Paper Boat Hospitality, Austin, TX
Jessica Sanders is a bar owner and hospitality professional based in Austin, Texas. She is the sole owner and operator of DrinkWell, an award-winning cocktail bar in Austin's North Loop district that has been recognized by the Spirited Awards and Bar & Restaurant Expo’s Industry Excellence Awards. Sanders is a 2020 graduate of the Bar5 Day spirits education program and serves as president of the board for Texas Food & Wine Alliance, a culinary nonprofit that provides grants and education for food and beverage entrepreneurs. She is also a member of the Les Dames d'Escoffier Austin chapter.
Hengam Stanfield
Mattenga’s Pizzeria, Schertz, TX
Hengam Stanfield is a dynamic entrepreneur and electrical engineer renowned for co-founding the successful San Antonio chain, Mattenga's Pizzeria. Stanfield is also the voice behind the Making Dough Show podcast, where she delivers actionable insights to help restaurant professionals thrive financially. Her involvement extends to active participation in her local chamber of commerce. Renowned for her innovative spirit and dedication to business development, Stanfield has scaled Mattenga's Pizzeria from a single outlet to a thriving six-location brand and helped earn recognitions, including Best Pizza in San Antonio in the Best of San Antonio's reader's choice poll.
Julia Sullivan
Henrietta Red, Nashville, TN
James Beard Award nominee Julia Sullivan is the chef-owner of Henrietta Red in Nashville, Tennessee. Her passion for seasonal cooking and ingredient-driven menus stems from her early cooking in Nashville and New York. Motivated by an interest in sustainable food systems, Sullivan joined the opening team of Haven’s Kitchen, a cooking school and event space in downtown Manhattan. In 2013, she returned to Nashville to open her own business, which has received honors in Bon Appétit and GQ. In addition to multiple James Beard Award nods, Sullivan was named one of Robb Report’s Best Young Chefs in America and Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs.
Michal Talmor
Pomella, Oakland, CA
Mica Talmor grew up in northern Israel, where she attended culinary school and worked in high-end restaurants. In 1998, she came to San Francisco to study pastry at the California Culinary Academy, going on to become a pastry chef at Eos and Grasshopper. From 2005 to 2018, Talmor and her then-husband operated high-end catering company Savoy Events. They opened Ba-Bite, a successful fast-casual Israeli restaurant in Oakland that was featured in Food & Wine, Sunset, and KQED’s Check, Please! before closing in 2018. In March 2020, Talmor opened Pomella, an Israeli deli and eatery combining impeccably sourced California produce with traditional regional flavors.
Danica Wilcox
Moosewood, Ithaca, NY
Danica Wilcox grew up in Moosewood’s kitchen. Her mother, Kathleen (Kip) Wilcox, is a member of the collective ownership that founded Moosewood in 1973. In 2022, she took ownership of the restaurant and is working to revitalize the brand.
Applications for the next cohort of WEL will open in May 2024. Learn more about the program and application process here.
Get updates on the program, application deadlines, and related events by signing up for our Industry Support Newsletter.
