OUR STORY
Spirit Elephant and elephant+vine were created to shine a light on all the great reasons to eat a diet rooted in plants instead of animals. It's remarkable that by choosing to eat plants, we can have a direct and positive effect on the lives of others. Eating food from plants is consistently found to be very healthy for humans, with extreme athletes touting veganism as a means to be in the best possible physical condition, as well as the fact that physicians recommend a plant-based diet for improved heart health and better cancer outcomes.
Why is elephant in our name? Elephants are powerful herbivores who are also compassionate, intelligent, have traditions and culture of caring for everyone in their herd communities. That ethos and spirit represent our passion and purpose beautifully.
Of course people don't just eat for purpose, they eat for pleasure and enjoyment, and that's why we created food so delicious and a space so lovely, you won't miss eating animals, and we hope you leave our restaurant with a whole new perception of how it feels (and tastes) to eat plant-based.
eat plants feel beautiful
MEET SOME OF OUR TEAM
TANNER JOHNSON
General Manager
Tanner Johnson - General Manager
Tanner has been with Spirit since its inception and is drawn to the people-aspect of the restaurant industry. He thrives on working to ensure the restaurant operates at its best and you will frequently see him jumping in to help the team.
JACOB SMITH
Executive Chef
Chef Jacob Smith
Chef Jacob has a great depth of experience as an Executive Chef. From working in high volume restaurants to opening new concepts, Chef Jacob brings the highest level of culinary excellence to our team. Chef especially loves letting vegetables shine in his dishes, supplementing, rather than covering up natural flavor, beauty and nourishment.
HUGO ORTEGA AND SILVIA ORTEGA
Hugo and Silvia
Hugo has been with Spirit Elephant since the beginning and has exceptional skills in creating dishes and running kitchens. Hugo is a wonderful part of the team at Spirit.
Silvia has also been working with Spirit Elephant since it opened and has recently been promoted to head of pastry. Silvia loves the precision and fine art of baking
Executive Sous Chef and Pastry Chef
JEFF MATUSZEWSKI
Managing Director, Full Service
Jeff Matuszewski - Managing Director, Full Service
Jeff has worked for some of the biggest full-service restaurant groups and is excited to apply his experience and expertise to our growing group. He is passionate about the positive impact plant-based eating has on the environment.
BRIAN TUBOLINO
Managing Director, Fast Casual
Brian Tubolino
Managing Director, Fast-Casual
Brian brings a powerhouse combination of growth strategy and hands-on execution to our team. With a proven track record of launching and scaling multi-unit concepts from scratch, paired with extensive experience streamlining high-volume systems at Starbucks, Brian knows exactly how to grow a brand without losing its soul. He is uniquely positioned to lead our fast-casual division forward—building smart processes that support intentional, purposeful growth.
MORGAN RALPH
Events and Catering Manager
Morgan Ralph - Events & Catering Manager
Morgan brings her incredible organizational skills and her restaurant acumen acquired through her years in restaurant management to the events team. She believes event success lies in the details and strong communication with clients.
IAN RECTOR
Strategy and Analytics
Ian Rector
Senior Strategy Analyst
Ian's background in AI and computational analytics allows him to provide the team with the tools to inform our growth. Ian is also a self-proclaimed foodie who enjoys bringing his friends to our restaurants and giving us lots of valuable insights from these frequent diners.
DENNIS WALTER
Director of Finance
Dennis Walter - Director of Finance
Dennis has a background in corporate accounting and loves that he can combine that with a passion for great food in his new role.
CD YOUNG
Founder & CEO
CD Young - Founder & CEO
CD's life was changed in so many wonderful ways as a result of changing her diet to food made from plants rather than animals. Because of how positive this change was for her, she hopes to share with the world how beautiful eating plant-based makes you feel, and how delicious it can taste.
