Kimberly Grant’s career in the hospitality industry is a testament to her unique ability to blend culinary innovation with corporate strategy. Her journey began humbly as a waitress at Morrison Restaurants, later to become Ruby Tuesday Restaurants. Through hard work and dedication, Grant ascended through the ranks, ultimately becoming the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Ruby Tuesday, before making significant impacts at renowned organizations like Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Think Food Group. Grant’s background in the culinary world has enriched her strategic decision-making and driven innovative business strategies that have elevated brand experiences globally.
From Culinary Roots to Corporate Heights
Grant’s hands-on experience in various roles, from line cook to kitchen manager, gave her a deep understanding of the operational intricacies and challenges within the culinary world. This grassroots experience laid a solid foundation for her future leadership roles. One of the most significant leaps in Grant’s career came when she transitioned from operations to finance for a few years and back to operations, all during her tenure at Ruby Tuesday. She eventually became the vice president controller for Ruby Tuesday, despite her initial lack of formal training in finance. Grant’s operational insights proved invaluable, as she brought a practical perspective to financial management, aligning it closely with business operations.
Reflecting on her early career, Grant shared, “I knew how to run a business, and I knew how to make money. However, I needed to learn P&L responsibility beyond a single P&L. Moving into the finance department exposed me to the strategic planning process of a public company; not only how to analyze past performance but also how to budget and forecast future performance for a multi-billion global enterprise.”
Transforming the Food and Beverage Mindset at Four Seasons
Grant’s tenure at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts marked a transformative change in mindset for the brand’s food and beverage division. As the Global Head of Restaurants and Bars, she oversaw the company’s extensive portfolio, comprising over 620 restaurants and bars across around the world. Grant’s emphasis on culinary excellence and innovation was a driving force behind bringing enhanced awareness to the quality and uniqueness of dining offerings.
Grant explained her approach at Four Seasons was to view and lead the food and beverage portfolio as the largest owner and operator of luxury restaurants in the world. “I realized very early on that the restaurants and bars within the hotels while servicing many hotel guests and residents, were a formidable player in the local dining scene in many of the global cities they operate.” In fact, she was incredibly impressed how the internal talent, not celebrities, had garnered some of the most coveted culinary, wine, and spirit awards in the world, including over 30 Michelin Stars and numerous Gault Milleux, Black Pearl, World’s 50 Best, and Wine Spectator awards – more than any other luxury restaurant group in the world.
While serving as the global head of restaurants and bars, Grant reinforced, both internally and externally, how culinary and beverage innovation and creativity was a not only a corporate strategy but a competitive strength.
Investing in Growth-focused Hospitality Companies
For the last several years, Grant has been investing capital into and advising emerging hospitality companies in the restaurant, hotel, and premium wine and spirits sectors. Grant’s role in each of the companies centers around providing strategic financial and operational management guidance, leveraging her deep industry insights to drive growth and innovation. Her efforts work to bolster each of the company’s financial and human capital infrastructure to provide a foundation for sustainable growth.
“My experience as an emerging growth company CEO helps me to uniquely understand the challenges entrepreneurs face as they navigate the early growth cycle of a business. Having already ‘climbed the mountain’, I can counsel entrepreneurs on how to prepare for what is ahead – both the exciting and unnerving aspects of growing a business.” As both a private and public market executive, Grant knows first-hand that capital raising efforts – both for financial and human capital are never-ending and proactive management and foresight is paramount on both fronts for long-term success. She advises her mentees to nurture a robust and diverse pipeline of capital sources and high-potential talent before they become a critical need.
Innovation and Brand Elevation
Kimberly Grant’s career is a testament to the synergy between culinary innovation and corporate strategy. Her unique ability to integrate these domains has driven business transformation and elevated brand experiences in every organization she has led. At Four Seasons, her initiatives to enhance culinary offerings improved guest satisfaction and strengthened the brand’s global reputation. Similarly, Grant’s experience as CEO and president of a globally recognized restaurant groups and an independent director of a Fortune 100 food distribution company have been pivotal in a career that has spanned all corners of the food industry.
As Grant reflects on her career, she attributes her success to a relentless curiosity and a passion for learning. “Curiosity does not allow not knowing,” she states, emphasizing the driving force behind her continuous pursuit of excellence and innovation. Kimberly Grant’s journey from the kitchen to the boardroom highlights the value of diverse experiences in shaping innovative business leaders inspiring aspiring professionals to blend their passions with strategic vision to achieve remarkable corporate success.
