Dimitrios Mantzouranis

Vice President of Hospitality and Strategy

Dimitrios is a seasoned hospitality leader with over 20 years of experience. Dimitrios graduated with a BA in Tourism from the Institute of Business Administration in Athens, Greece. He received a Master’s with Honors in Hospitality Management from the Swiss Hotel Management School, Switzerland, and the University of Derby, UK. In 2006, Dimitrios joined Hyatt Hotels as the Assistant F&B Manager at the historic Park Hyatt Philadelphia. He advanced his career through various Food & Beverage roles in some of the company’s most prominent properties, including Park Hyatt Los Angeles, Grand Hyatt San Francisco, and Hyatt Regency Jersey City. Dimitrios moved to New York City in 2011 as the Beverage Director at the renowned Grand Hyatt New York, where he successively assumed the roles of Executive Steward, Director of Banquets, Assistant Director of Food and Beverage, and acting Director of Food and Beverage. In March 2020, Dimitrios joined Levy at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center as General Manager for the iconic venue’s new hospitality brand, CULTIVATED. During the COVID pandemic, he orchestrated the center’s medical surge Food and Beverage operations, transitioning to the largest vaccination operation in the US before the convention center’s re-opening for business in August 2021. Dimitrios is proud to be leading the CULTIVATED brand by inspiring his talented team to re-imagine the guest food and beverage experience and by building trusted partnerships. In 2021, Dimitrios was honored with Levy’s ‘Location Leader of the Year’ award.

JABBAR JEFFRIES-EL

General Manager

Jabbar is a leader in the Hospitality Industry with 18 years of experience. Jabbar is a member of the Food and Beverage Association of America as well as a member of the Les Amis D’Ecoffier Society. Jabbar was born in West Philadelphia, grew up in Brooklyn, and attended Penn State University on a Basketball Scholarship while majoring in Business Management. He has worked at three luxury hotel properties in Midtown Manhattan, as Director of Banquets and Catering at the NY Marriott Marquis, Director of Banquets and Catering at the Waldorf Astoria, Director of Food and Beverage at the Intercontinental Hotel Times Square. Jabbar won Manager of the Year at the New York Marriott Marquis in 2006 and again in 2008. He has worked at Shea Stadium with the New York Mets as a Restaurant Manager and Director of Food, Beverage, and Merchandise for Madison Square Garden Company at the Beacon Theater. Jabbar was a member of the Opening Team for Revel Resort and Casino in Atlantic City. He has also worked in the Higher Education Field as a Director of Operations overseeing Catering, Residential, and Retail Dining.

Jabbar started with Compass Group in 2020, working as the Senior Director of Operations at the University of Pennsylvania, part of the Ivy League Schools. At the University, Jabbar oversaw all Retail Locations, Students’ Dining Halls, and Catering Functions throughout the campus. Jabbar joined the Cultivated Family in May 2022, taking on the role of Director of Operations, leading the Restaurant and Cafes Department and the Catering Operations Department. Jabbar oversees all Front of the House. He focuses on improving the customer experience, all while building and developing a solid team.

Andrew Matthews

Senior Executive Chef

For over 25 years, Chef Andrew Matthews has been a leader in the culinary space. A Culinary Arts, Food Science, and Business of Hospitality Management graduate from William Angliss Institute in Melbourne, Australia, he extended his fine cuisine and gastronomy studies at the Cordon Bleu, Paris. In 1997 while working under the late world-acclaimed French-Australian Chef Jacques Heraudeau, he was awarded the Andre Simon award for outstanding student chef by The Australian Wine and Food Society.

He traveled through France, Spain, Italy, and the UK, working at the most recognized culinary institutions. Then in 2005, Chef Andrew came to New York City as a sous chef at Gramercy Tavern; he rapidly became an industry leader, working at E-Squared Hospitality, Marriott Hotels, and a.k.a. Hotel Group Chambers Hotel. He was also honored by the James Beard Foundation and featured in NBC, PIX11, Gourmet Traveller, and The Age. He later served as Executive Chef of TAO Group and MSG subsidiaries for seven years, elevating the food standard, taking the company’s culinary program internationally, and receiving global recognition.

In 2022, Chef Andrew joined CULTIVATED as Senior Executive Chef. He has integrated different food cultures and cuisines of New York, drawing focus from the local community in a modern way. He brings his magnitude of culinary experience and his focus on local, seasonal, and sustainable food to the world-famous landmark, the Jacob Javits Center. Chef Andrew leads CULTIVATED’s unique ‘Rooftop Farm-to-Table’ concept, which incorporates fresh produce from the one-acre rooftop farm into the convention center’s menus.

Erika May Pagapong

Director of Sales and Marketing

Erika has been a Hospitality professional for almost two decades, with expertise in Food & Beverage, Sales & Marketing, Event Management, and Operations of Hotels, Restaurants, and related Institutions. A native of the Philippines, she started her career very early when she helped manage her family’s bakeshop & party needs business. Erika studied Hospitality Management for her Bachelor’s degree and then supplemented that with Meeting & Conference Management and Special Events Planning certificates. She completed her MBA in International Business Management and graduated with Honors. Erika’s career journey brought her to many reputable luxury companies, namely Hyatt Hotels, LUX* Resorts, Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria, Marriott, Dinex Group by Chef Daniel Boulud, and presently, Levy of Compass Group.

The CULTIVATED family at Javits welcomed Erika in August 2021 after a successful tenure at Barclays Center, where she served as the Director of Catering & Sales. She has spearheaded hospitality for NBA, WNBA, and NHL teams and special events in the arena. She also supported prominent events across Sports & Entertainment Levy venues.

Erika is a versatile leader motivated by her passion for the industry, drive for excellence, and dedication to building and nourishing relationships. Her positive outlook, energy, and genuine care have increasingly built an incredible culture within Cultivated and Javits while elevating the Sales & Marketing aspects of the operation.

Andrew McGrady

Controller

Andrew joins Cultivated with 20 years of hospitality experience in business dining, higher education, facilities and restaurants. Andrew began his hospitality career with Compass Group. During his tenure with Compass Group, he rose from his role as an hourly associate to Regional Controller overseeing high-level accounts from 2016 to 2019 including American Express, and Rockefeller University in New York City. In 2019, Andrew transitioned to the Howard Hughes Corporation as the Accounting Manager overseeing the Seaport District’s sponsorships, concerts, skating, catering and events business with an annual operating budget of $45M. In 2020, Andrew transitioned to Aramark as a Controller and was quickly promoted to Senior Controller overseeing dining and facilities for 9 college and universities in the NY Metro Area with a combined annual operating budget of $65M. Andrew’s extensive background in operations, accounting and finance speaks to his great success. Andrew holds a certificate in Accounting and Book Keeping from the City College in New York, and a certificate in Food and Beverage Operations from New York University.

JOHN SHEWCHUK

DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING

John, a New York native, is a seasoned Food and Beverage professional with over 20 years of experience. John graduated with an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts from the New York Institute of Technology in 2002. He started his long career with Centerplate in 2001 as the

Culinary Operations Manager at Bethpage Ballpark in Central Islip. John was responsible for all Concessions food services, purchasing concessions food, training culinary personnel, sanitation standards, and inventory control. In 2007, John transferred to the Prudential Center in Newark as Sous Chef. In 2013, John became the Executive Chef for The John Harvard’s Brewery and Ale House in Lake Grove. In 2017, John became the Sous Chef, followed by his appointment as the Purchasing Director for Centerplate at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where he remained through the transition to Levy/Cultivated. Since joining Levy, John has led the Purchasing department and has spearheaded the organization in purchasing, inventory, costing, and accounts payables. John’s experience and institutional knowledge of the convention center’s business are invaluable to Cultivated’s mission of elevating the guest experience and expanding it to a global audience, including the growth in special events.

Javone Beverly

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Javone has 20 years of Human Resources experience in the NY Metro area. She comes to us from the Pepsi Cola Bottling of New York, where she held the Regional Director of Human Resources role since 2020 and led a team of over 1,500 people from New York to Virginia. Before that role, Javone was the Director of Human Resources for Marriott International. In her 6-year tenure, she led 22% improvement in engagement results. She advanced the Hotel’s labor relations by mentoring her Senior management team and building a strong relationship with the Local 6 Union leadership. Javone’s experience and progressive career advancement include roles with Sodexo in the NYC Healthcare industry, ServosAir at JFK and LGA, and host Marriott at JFK. Javone graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Labor Relations and John Jay College with a degree in Criminal Justice. She Joined the Cultivated team in May 2023 as our Director of Human Resources.