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. Why is elephant in our name? Elephants are compassionate, intelligent, and powerful, and they use that power for the benefit of others in their herd communities. That ethos and spirit represent our passion and purpose beautifully.
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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.
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eat plants feel beautiful
OUR TEAM
J. ISRAEL SERRANO
Executive Chef
J. Israel Serrano - Executive Chef
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Chef Israel has been working in high-volume, upscale restaurant kitchens for decades and has vast experience in all genres of cuisine. He is loving creating incredible vegan cuisine for our guests to enjoy.
TANNER JOHNSON
General Manager
Tanner Johnson - General Manager
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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.
JORDAN PEDONE
Assistant General Manager
Jordan Pedone - Assistant General Manager
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Rooted in his love for animals, Jordan has been passionately living a vegan lifestyle since 2017. In 2021, he earned his plant-based nutrition certification from Cornell University. Jordan blends his expertise in hospitality with his knowledge of plant-based eating to cultivate an exceptional experience for our guests.
HUGO ORTEGA and COOK TEAM
Sous Chef
Hugo Ortega - Sous Chef
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Hugo has been with Spirit since its opening and enjoys helping to create a memorable culinary experience every time for our guests. Here he is pictured with the Cook Team.
SILVIA ORTEGA
Pastry Chef
Silvia Ortega - Pastry Chef
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​Silvia has 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
JOSE SANDOVAL
Bar Manager
Jose Sandoval - Bar Manager
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Jose has been part of the Spirit bar team for years and especially enjoys the chemistry behind creating the perfect cocktails.
PREP TEAM
Front of House Team
JAMES PIERSON
President and COO, Fast Casual
James Pierson - President and COO
Fast Casual
James has a tenured history in fast casual restaurant operations and worked for decades with big brands driving efficiency, strategy, culture and growth. James has been with WTRG since 2020 and loves the challenge and excitement of working in a start-up environment. He is passionate about excellence in food and hospitality and continually improving operations at WTRG.
JOSHUA GREENBERG
Director of Strategy
Joshua Greenberg - Director of Strategy​
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Josh is a recent graduate of Kellogg Graduate School of Management and his specialty is using data analytics to inform strategy. Josh enjoys the dynamic landscape of the restaurant world, almost as much as he loves Excel and modeling predicted outcomes.
JEFF MATUSZEWSKI
Managing Director, Full Service
Jeff Matuszewski - Managing Director, Full Service
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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.
DENNIS WALTER
Director of Finance
Dennis Walter - Director of Finance​
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​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
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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.
MORGAN RALPH
Events and Catering Manager
Morgan Ralph - Events & Catering Manager
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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.
