Daniel Karsevar

About Daniel Karsevar

I’m a results-driven hospitality executive, trained chef, and concept innovator with 20+ years of experience leading multi-unit hotel and restaurant operations, creative F&B rollouts, and wellness-focused brand development. I’ve held senior leadership roles with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, national luxury restaurant groups, and award-winning startups, delivering operational excellence and customer-centric dining experiences across the U.S. and abroad.At Starwood Hotels, I helped launch transformative global concepts including Aloft & Element Hotels and led the Le Meridien global F&B rebrand, shaping culinary identity and scalable systems across multiple properties. As Director of Operations for high-end restaurant groups like BLT Restaurant Group, I oversaw multi-unit performance, team development, and new store openings across diverse dining environments. I’ve consistently delivered results—driving $50M+ in revenue growth, saving $27M in CapEx through vendor negotiation, and optimizing budgets, labor, and menu engineering across full-service and fast-casual models. As Principal of PlantBased Solutions and Solutiontopia, I’ve worked as a Fractional COO and scaled better-for-you CPG brands into foodservice and retail with partners like Compass Group and Sodexo, while advising international companies like Unilever, Shinsegae and Neat Burger on U.S. market entry. I’ve also led operations and manufacturing for award-winning brands like Yumami, and served as Fractional COO for D2C wellness ventures. Previously, as President & COO of Chloe’s Soft Serve Fruit Co, I built and scaled a QSR concept into a successful wellness CPG product brand with nationwide retail distribution. I bring a unique blend of culinary creativity, operational rigor, and visionary leadership. I’m now seeking executive roles with luxury restaurant groups, hotel F&B platforms, and wellness-driven hospitality brands where I can elevate guest experiences, lead cross-functional teams, and drive innovation at scale. Let’s connect to explore how I can contribute to your success in hospitality and restaurant operations.

Experience

1. Principal

   Plantbased Solutions

   Jul 2018 — Present · New York, NY, US

   PlantBased Solutions is an award-winning consultancy specializing in product and brand development for plant-based and natural foods. Since taking over as CEO in 2018, Daniel has doubled revenue through strategic account acquisition, including institutional, ingredient-based, media, and international clients. In 2019, he acquired the business and organized pivotal events at Natural Products Expo West, drawing significant attention from founders and investors in the natural foods sector. • Partnered with startups and Fortune 500 companies to develop, launch, and scale natural food products across the U.S. and international markets.• Directed operational strategies for brands, including third-party manufacturing, supply chain optimization, and market expansion.• Successfully guided Unilever in launching two brands from concept to production: concept, formulation, 3PM, packaging design.• Acted as a keynote speaker on topics including sustainability, regenerative farming, and wellness in foodservice at IFMA & Natural Products West.

Education

• The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College

  Associate of Science - AS, Culinary Arts / Hospitality Management

Skills

• Catering
• Income Statement
• Banquets
• Hospitality Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Training
• Chef
• Leadership
• Inventory Management
• Management
• Food & Beverage
• Customer Service
• Fortune 50
• Business Planning
• Operations Management
• Food Safety
• Menu Development
• Hospitality Industry
• Sales
• Strategic Planning
• Restaurant Management
• P&L Management
• Research
• Hotels
• Business Development
• Brand Management
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Marketing Strategy
• Budgets
• Food
• Consumer Package Goods
• Product Innovation
• Management Consulting
• Marketing
• Food Service
• Hotel Management
• P&L
• Product Management
• Restaurants
• Start-Ups