NRAEF joins with American Express, Resy to host new leadership development program
The Restaurant Academy will be free to those chosen, and coaches include a star-studded lineup of James Beard Award-winning operators.
July 1, 2026
Many independent operators and managers learn on the job. The notion of leadership training is a bit of a luxury, particularly for restaurants operating on tight margins.
That’s why the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) is joining forces with American Express and Resy to launch a new leadership development initiative designed to fill that gap.
The first Restaurant Academy launched on Wednesday. It’s a free pilot program designed to give independent restaurant operators (with one to five units) access to leadership training.
And this is not a typical business-school class.
The program includes interaction with some of the hottest restaurant operators in the country — all are James Beard Award winners — who will help coach those selected. They include Mashama Bailey (The Grey, L’Arret); Gregory Gourdet (Kann); Nok Suntaranon (Kalaya); and sommelier and restaurateur Victoria James (Cote Korean Steakhouse, Coqodaq).
For the first Academy cohort, 30 operators or managers will be selected. Applications are available here. Participants will be selected by a panel of judges.
Jennifer Skyler, chief corporate affairs officer for American Express, said, “We’re looking for leaders at independent restaurants who are already making a real impact in their businesses and are excited to keep growing as managers and operators. They care about developing their teams, they’re thinking about the long-term success of their restaurants, and they’re eager to learn from others who share that same commitment.”
The program takes about four months. But, understanding that it can be difficult to step away from the day-to-day, the program is a mix of in-person and virtual training and mentoring, said Amy Saltzman, the NRAEF’s vice president of program strategy and implementation.
It includes a two-day in-person gathering in Washington, D.C., scheduled for Sept. 23-24. Travel costs and hotel will be covered and attendees will also receive a stipend, said Saltzman.
Most of the learning can be done as time permits, with a mix of live virtual sessions, interactive discussions, and peer networking. And programming will also pause during the holidays, when restaurants might be too busy to take time away for participation, said Saltzman.
“The idea is to make every part of the program practical, so participants leave with leadership skills they can put to work right away, along with relationships that continue well beyond the program itself,” added Skyler.
The program is organized around three pillars:
Leadership that strengthens teams. This offers practical tools for hiring, onboarding, and training, as well as strategies for retention, career pathway development, and using tools like AI.
Leadership that enhances the guest experience. Here, participants will learn about building hospitality-focused teams, as well as tools for de-escalation, active listening, communication, and how to stay grounded during high-pressure moments.
Leadership that understands the bottom line. This pillar is designed to build financial fluency with training on P&Ls, managing food and labor costs, cash flow, and vendors with the goal of building margins.
Leadership that strengthens teams. This offers practical tools for hiring, onboarding, and training, as well as strategies for retention, career pathway development, and using tools like AI.
Leadership that enhances the guest experience. Here, participants will learn about building hospitality-focused teams, as well as tools for de-escalation, active listening, communication, and how to stay grounded during high-pressure moments.
Leadership that understands the bottom line. This pillar is designed to build financial fluency with training on P&Ls, managing food and labor costs, cash flow, and vendors with the goal of building margins.
The program builds on the NRAEF’s long history of industry training, as well as Amex’s Leadership Academy, which targets leaders across all industries.
Whether the Restaurant Academy will become an annual program remains to be seen.
“That’s still a question at this time,” said Saltzman. “But we’d hate to see something like this created and not continue.”
About the Author
Lisa Jennings
Executive Editor, Restaurant Business
Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. Her experience includes other industry publications as well as the daily newspaper The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn., where she was Food Editor. Her work has been cited in the Los Angeles Times, Business Insider, FoodBeast, The Huffington Post, Time.com and more.
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