Dear ESR Friends & Family,

Writing this blog post is both bittersweet and exciting. Over ten years ago, Ethan and I started down this crazy restaurant path not sure of what would happen. We certainly were not planning to open 16 restaurants with over 400 employees.  All we knew was that we wanted to provide great food and service to our guests - and more importantly, great jobs and a sense of family to our ESR team.

I have spent the last ten years doing a job that I love with people that I love. However, giving back to our community and helping people in need have always been at my core. I have spent a lot of time over the last few years volunteering for organizations that help lift people out of poverty and homelessness. It is that passion that has led me to the decision to step away from my day-to-day role as CEO of Ethan Stowell Restaurants.

In October I will assume the CEO position at FareStart, where I am excited to spend the next part of my career helping others on their journey out of poverty and into better lives for themselves and their families. I have long admired the work FareStart does to provide job training in restaurants and hospitality to those in need. The experiences I have gained through the growth of ESR and my passion for their mission makes this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I can't pass up.

Please know through this transition we have a really strong leadership team in place at ESR. We want to take our time to find the right CEO for our family business and also someone with the skills and experience to help us grow. I give credit to my husband, Ethan, for his vision, creativity, and drive and can’t wait to cheer him - and our ESR family - on from the sidelines.  

I feel very lucky and excited to move in a direction where I get to do more of what I love every day. I want you all to know how grateful I am to each of you, our staff and guests for making Ethan Stowell Restaurants part of your story. Thank you again for all of your continued support.

With sincere gratitude,

Angela