As a son of a successful New York restaurant owner, Andrew Molen developed a passion for the hospitality industry at an early age. While working for his family’s restaurant, Samalita’s he progressed to the role of General Manager. Poised to carve out his own niche in New York’s competitive marketplace, Andrew transitioned out of the family business and has made a significant impact in leadership roles for some of the finest restaurants in New York, including Insieme (Michelangelo Hotel), Chez Josephine, Southgate Restaurant (Jumeirah Essex House), The Plaza Food Hall (The Plaza Hotel), Sunset Beach (AB Hotels), Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (The London Hotel) Topping Rose House (Jean Georges) and Todd English Enterprises. Dedicated and Passionate to “all things restaurant“, Andrew has elevated the dining experience by ensuring that service, atmosphere, food and wine intermingle to produce unrivaled customer experiences for local, business and tourist clientele. Recognized by colleagues as a forward-thinking “people-person” with excellent training and development skill, Andrew’s career is punctuated by a record of improving business, processing through designing and implementing operational efficiencies, all resulting in increases in revenue while holding costs below industry averages. Andrew currently operates out of Boston and New York, having launched five new Ludlow VT locations in 2021 plus one in Windham NY. During the spring of 2022 he partnered up with Isola on Shelter Island, NY (Hamptons) and is currently working on a new few new location in New York City, Boston and The Hamptons. You can also find him cooking a lot private and catering events throughout New York, and New England!
USA Today
6. Andrew Molen on: the golden rule – treat others the way you’d like to be treated
Andrew Molen is a New-York based restaurant operator with an impressive culinary background. Working with staff in high-end establishments has taught Molen the importance of treating others with respect and not leaving anyone out. He says, “We rely on each other to finish the game.” To truly succeed with such high stakes on a weekly basis, great teamwork takes you a lot further than being an individual. With plans of expansion in a new direction, look for Molen at a restaurant near you.
Yahoo! finance
Andrew Molen has currently stepped down as Director of Operations at Todd English Enterprises, a restaurant group with roots in New York City as he is pursuing some exciting new projects which will be rolling out soon.
Operating at the Executive level, Andrew is a natural-born leader in the upscale restaurant industry but has worked his way to the top to achieve more.
Andrew specializes in market valuation, industry trend analysis, store openings, as well as operation and team development. In an industry where differentiation is crucial for success, Andrew followed his parents' footsteps and was taught by some of the most elite professionals in the hospitality industry.
When Andrew first started to work in restaurants, he was taken up by some of the most notable and established individuals of New York and played a major role in developing and building their empires.
In his early years, Andrew was put in charge of providing leadership and direction to more than 100 employees across restaurants and hotels.
Managing multiple locations at once not only required an immense amount of focus, but also a lot of passion.
As Andrew's mentors and leaders gave him huge responsibility from the start, his love for the hotel and restaurant industry came early.
His motivation to strive for more stemmed from the fun he had and the hospitality experience he provided to numerous people.
Through his various roles, Andrew has taken it upon himself to help develop different restaurants and hotels through strategic business planning.
Not only that, but developing a business plan that integrates menus across different restaurants and in different hotels became more and more crucial for the success of the businesses.
Through researching demographics and trends, Andrew developed menus that would contain specific cuisines and could contribute to foot-traffic in business.
He has worked with some of New York's most elite Michelin-Star chefs and restaurants, including Gordon Ramsay and Marco Canora.
As something he truly enjoyed doing, Andrew picked up skills, tricks of the trade, and connections that follow him wherever he goes.
The restaurant and hotel industry is extremely complex, and starting something new requires a certain level of sophistication to successfully execute a business plan.
Andrew understands that loving one's passion is extremely important and can make or break a business, but he recognizes that having a unique business idea is essential.
With his eye on the ball and a fueled desire inside, Andrew is ready to take the industry by storm. While he continues to maintain some level of caution, he knows that to break barriers, he will have to take some chances.
Through years of experience, Andrew has transformed from that newborn in the restaurant to one of the industry's most renowned players.
Fox Sports Radio “what’s going on” co host Ryan Vernuille
NY Daily News
Chef Andrew Molen, who cooked at the Maidstone Inn for fans like Ramona Singer and Luann de Lesseps, will be found this winter manning the stoves at Calcuttas in Ludlow, Vt., and Union and Post in Windham, N.Y.
Radar
In the evening, guests including Marcus Adolf, Cavier Coleman, Cassidy Gard, Christina Ianuzzi, Tatiana Logan, Jacques Naudé, Bruce and Stephanie Moulton, Ricardo Pavoncelli, and Sarah Zurell gathered in the garden at The Maidstone in East Hampton for a four-course plant-forward dinner “Celebrating the Sea.” The menu was designed and prepared by chef Andrew Molen.
Board Member Alexandra Richards Naudé set the scene for the evening by DJing for the first time since becoming a new mom. Project Zero Founder Michele Clarke welcomed the special guests and introduced a siren song by Judy Darling along with an eco-inspired poem by Shelton Lindsay.
NY Post “Jennifer Gould
Also on Shelter Island, rising star chef Andrew Molen, who worked for Jean-Georges Vongerichten — is now executive chef at Brad Kitkowski’s Isola, where he’s cooking up cauliflower cacio e pepe with pecorino cream parmesan and cioppino with mussels, claims, shrimp and calamari. The restaurant seats 140 people inside and out.
Forbes
While Isola on Shelter Island features the creations of Chef Andrew Molen, a protégé of Jean Georges and Todd English. Molen puts a modern twist on Italian coastal cuisine and works with local ingredients from the land and sea for his plates (www.isolany.com).
Daily News “Richard Johnson”
For those of you who remember and miss the fun ‘90s, uberchef Andrew Molen is looking to relaunch the legendary Tatou Supper Club, alongside his mother Sandra Arcara who was a co-founder of the original club along with nightlife legend Mark Fleischman.
The mother and son are writing a cookbook together and working together as chefs at fancy parties in New York and the Hamptons.
The duo are looking for a space in midtown and hope to launch it by next spring.
The original club hosted luminaries like John Gotti, JFK Jr., Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.
Chef Andrew Molen brings new energy into the already bustling Ludlow dining scene.
James Corden made headlines when he was called out for his behavior by a NYC restaurant owner. Sue O’Connell spoke to restaurant owner Andrew Molen about how inflation and the pandemic has changed the industry.