Today we’d like to introduce you to Lawrence Lessing.
Lawrence, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Whenever I talk about my career path at Lessing’s Hospitality Group, I always begin by mentioning the unique tradition we have. Despite growing up in the thick of our family’s restaurant business, we have a rule for family members that you need to gain outside industry experience before officially joining the company.
After college, I began my journey with Shake Shack starting as an hourly team member on the grill. My time there taught me skills that I still use today. I quickly moved up and became a trainer for five of Shake Shack’s new restaurant openings, and eventually worked my way up to assistant manager at their busiest location. That experience was invaluable, teaching me about world-class restaurant operations from the ground up.
When my cousins decided to franchise Blaze Pizza, it was the perfect opportunity for me to bring my outside experience back home to Lessing’s. I jumped at the chance and came on board as the general manager of our first Blaze location. That role turned out to be a launching pad for my career. I went on to open nine Blaze Pizza locations and an ice cream shop, each time learning more about what it takes to manage and expand a brand.
In 2018, we saw a unique opportunity to create something different with a full-service brunch concept called Hatch. It was an exciting project because it allowed us to offer a chef-driven breakfast experience that was a cut above the local greasy spoon. It was also a concept that would close at 3 p.m., which would give our staff an incredible amount of quality time in their lives. Hatch was a hit, and we were on the verge of opening our second location in Fort Lauderdale when the pandemic hit in March 2020, putting everything on hold.
The post-COVID world posed its own set of challenges, but it also opened new doors for me professionally. I was put in charge of Lessing’s restaurant operations and business development, navigating through the uncertainties. A second Hatch eventually opened in Fort Lauderdale in July 2023, and has been doing really well!
Earlier this year, I was named COO of Lessing’s Inc., a role that encompasses overseeing all aspects of our operations, from restaurants to marketing, technology, and business development. Reflecting on my journey from flipping burgers at Shake Shack to helping steer the ship at Lessing’s, it’s been an incredible ride. The last decade or so has taught me the importance of gaining diverse experiences, the value of resilience, and the unbeatable strength of a family united in business and in spirit.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The hardest part of being COO is juggling all of the things coming at me and getting through them fast enough. The ability to innovate and evolve is a big reason Lessing’s has been around for 134 years. We continuously work to improve all aspects of the company; introducing new software to support operations or administrative work, updating our menus and dining rooms to keep them fresh, and enhancing how we train our people and market to our guests.
While these projects are happening, the business keeps running and there are normal day-to-day things to work on. As COO, you are in the middle of all the above, and juggling all of it requires a lot of time management and focus.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Lessing’s Hospitality Group?
Lawrence Lessing is the COO of Lessing’s Hospitality Group. The family-owned and operated company is comprised of over 115 locations throughout the Northeast and Florida. Lessing operates 20 wedding and catering venues, 20 full-service restaurants, over 75 corporate and academic dining centers, a historic inn, and a presidential yacht. Steeped in more than 130 years of tradition, Lessing’s Hospitality Group’s focus is on providing each guest and client with unique, personalized experiences and remarkable hospitality.
What do you think about happiness?
Outside of work, the things that make me happy are pretty simple: hanging out with my wife and two kids and playing golf with my friends. It is amazing how the older you get the list of things you like to do gets smaller. But it works out perfectly because you don’t have time for much else anyway!
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