CARLA SIEGEL, FOUNDER
“In celebration of her 6th birthday Carla was asked what she wanted for dinner. Her response? “Sushi or Wendy’s.” Some thirty years later that’s still about right!”
Experience working in restaurants informs Carla’s work for restaurants. With a Communications Design degree from Syracuse University, a Culinary Arts diploma from The Institute of Culinary Education, and several years in the trenches of New York City’s fast-paced restaurant business, Carla’s background includes training in both graphic design and the culinary arts in addition to tangible front- and back-of-house restaurant experience.
After college, Carla left her hometown of Chicago for a post-9/11 New York. Working on a freelance basis for several months she eventually landed a job with Scholastic, Inc. art directing illustrators and designing children’s books. Despite the comforts full time work afforded in a volatile market, Carla knew there was something missing. The energy she experienced working as a hostess in Chicago and the delicious dishes she had encountered along the way were always back of mind. With an aim to infuse her design career with her passion for food, Carla enrolled in culinary school. The culmination of her program included an externship in the kitchen of Marcus Samuelsson’s famed Scandinavian restaurant, Aquavit. Having only previously held front-of-house positions, this is where she got her first taste of restaurant service; one cut, burn and back ache at a time.
The following year Carla would successfully transition into the hospitality business on a full time basis, landing a position at an intimate, food and wine-focused event venue in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood. There she enjoyed planning, promoting and executing hands-on chef-led dinner parties, culinary-themed press events, video productions and more.
After only one brief year in special events Carla was hired by Daniel Boulud’s growing restaurant management company, The Dinex Group, in a role that would combine all facets of her previous positions. Brought on to assist with special event planning, public relations support and graphic design, Carla would, over the course of nearly eight years with Boulud, come to oversee all branding, design and creative needs for the group’s 18 restaurants worldwide.
Today, Carla offers her expertise to established restaurant groups, growing restaurant brands and PR firms; bringing a unique combination of creativity, culinary knowledge, operational experience, communications skill and public relations savvy to her work.
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