Nashville's un-restaurant company with a passion for hospitality
Our brands
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ABOUT
Overview & Philosophy
A.Ray Hospitality is Nashville’s “un-restaurant” company. We build brands that are resilient, approachable and timeless while creating experiences for our neighbors that blur the line between restaurant and bar.
Each of our concepts represents a comfortable “third place” where our neighbors can unwind and socialize outside of the home or office. Our guests don’t need a special occasion or big plans to visit our restaurants. Our casual atmosphere, simple and delicious food, fresh drinks, and neighborly service make every day the perfect day to dine with us. We own Nashville’s greatest places to get out without getting fancy.
Brand Focus
We only create focused and memorable brands. The experiences we deliver connect with our guests on an emotional level. We achieve this by creating concepts that are familiar, timeless, comfortable, and visually stimulating with a culture that transcends generations. Our brands are simultaneously classic and innovative.
Culture & Values
Empathy + Action = Hospitality, and our passion is hospitality. We constantly strive to see our businesses through the eyes of our guests and our team members, but with each decision we make, we focus on finding the balance between the guest, the team, and the business.
Our leadership believes in nurturing teams that are empowered to create their own destiny, measure their results, cultivate “A” players, and fully understand the implications of their actions. We are respectful yet direct, team oriented, results driven, and transparent. Together we celebrate our wins, examine our losses, and communicate openly on all levels.
Our FAMILY VALUES are at the core of everything we do:
Treat Everyone Like a Good Neighbor
We surround ourselves with only the BEST to care for our guests, team and vendors as if we expect to see them again and again.
Play to Win
We make things happen and search for solutions together.
Details Matter
Relentless commitment to high-quality standards and systems.
Let's Goooo!!!!!
We live for spreading joy and creating memories. We always look for ways to celebrate our wins, each other, and our guests.
Our People
Austin ray
President & Founder austin@arayhospitality.com
Austin Ray has been a Nashville-based restaurateur since 2003. Ray is the owner and founder of M.L.Rose Craft Beer and Burgers: an award-winning neighborhood pub concept with four locations in the greater Nashville area, and A.Ray Hospitality, a restaurant, consulting, and real estate holding company. He is also operating partner at Von Elrod's Beer Hall & Kitchen.
He entered the hospitality scene at 23 years old as co-owner and developer of the posh nightclub Bar Twenty3 and 1200-person capacity music venue City Hall in 2003.
Ray has a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Administration from Boston University.
In addition to regular giving at the community level through the Martha O’Bryan center and other organizations, Ray has been a regular mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters since 2008.
tom perry
Chief Operating OfficeR
Tom Perry has served as the Chief Operating Officer for A.Ray since September 2015. Growing up in small town in the Midwest, Perry developed a passion for people, development and the service industry. He honed this passion with studies at The Ohio State University as well as studying abroad.
Joining Team A.Ray, Perry is able to capitalize on his corporate education and experience while reconnecting with his roots in the industry, working for independent, people-driven restaurants and bars.
Prior to joining Team A.Ray, Perry held several corporate leadership positions in operations and training at some of the industry leaders such as Chili’s, Red Robin, O’Charley’s, Bar Louie and Aramark at the University of Tennessee. He has also supervised over 50 new restaurant openings for various brands throughout the Southeast.
From serving as a board member for the Tennessee Chapter of Habitat for Humanity to being a certified disaster shelter manager for the American Red Cross, Perry believes in giving back.
Dunny Wanstrath
Chief Financial Officer
Dunny's breadth of experience in multiple functions and sectors combined with his ability to build relationships and interface with all stakeholders is a huge asset to the A.Ray Hospitality leadership team.
His background in hospitality is extensive. As part of the in-house M&A group at Brinker International, he helped close over $800mm worth of franchises, including Chili's, On The Border, Macaroni Grill, and Maggiano's. He worked as a finance executive at EY London while simultaneously founding Lonestar Group, a multi-brand restaurant group. And back in the States, he was responsible for the restructuring and turnaround of Cornbread Ventures, a multi-brand, multi-state restaurant holding group.
Dunny graduated from University of Arkansas with a degree in Business Administration and received his MBA from UT Dallas with a focus in finance and accounting. Dunny has served as CFO of A.Ray Hospitality since April 2022.
DEREK KIRK
Marketing Director Derek.Kirk@arayhospitality.com
Derek Kirk has been the Vice President of Marketing at A.Ray Hospitality since November 2023. His career spans numerous leadership positions, including Senior Director of Brand Development at Nextbite, Vice President of Marketing at Brooklyn Water Bagel Company and Hurricane Grill & Wings, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill, and General Manager for DIRECTV's Bars and Restaurants Segment. He also held the role of President & Principal Consultant at Vella Marketing Consulting, and has experience in brand and marketing management at Darden Restaurants.
Derek graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and later earned an MBA from The Wharton School of Business. In his spare time, Derek leads soulPhoodie, a community dedicated to celebrating and elevating Black food and beverage culture, with over 180,000 followers across various platforms.
katy sanders
Marketing Director katy.sanders@arayhospitality.com
Katy Sanders, a Tennessee native and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga alumna, holds a BS in Marketing. Her professional journey began at CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, Inc., where she started as a Marketing Coordinator and rose to the role of Brand Director for Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, one of CraftWorks' flagship brands.
In 2012, Sanders transitioned to the consumer packaged goods sector before ultimately returning to her roots in the restaurant industry. Currently serving as the Marketing Director for A.Ray Hospitality, she brings a wealth of experience and a passion for elevating brands to the team.
Anna Mason
Senior Director of People Experience
Anna Mason is the Director of Training at A.Ray Hospitality. Mason grew up in small town Virginia, getting to experience the history and culture of different areas of the state that sparked a lifelong love for learning. Picking up a part time job at Logan’s Roadhouse while finishing up her undergraduate education degree, led to combining her love of learning with a passion for teaching team members how to create a great guest experience.
Prior to joining A.Ray Hospitality, Mason held various roles in corporate restaurants working in both operations and training, first for Logan’s Roadhouse, then CraftWorks Holdings, and finally as the Director of Shared Services at SPB Hospitality before joining the A.Ray team.
Joining team A.Ray has allowed Mason to capitalize on the experience she gained from her time in the corporate restaurant world in developing training systems, while allowing her to have the honor of working for a company that is true to their culture.
RoseAnn Siciliano
Director of Operations for M.L.Rose
After graduating from Cornell University, RoseAnn Siciliano began her career in NYC’s lively hospitality and musical entertainment scene, where she fostered her passion for culture and community.
In 2013, RoseAnn moved to Nashville and started her A.Ray journey at the original M.L.Rose on 8th Ave in the Melrose neighborhood. She has since held multiple leadership positions within the company and plays a central role in opening new locations for the brand.
RoseAnn was promoted to Director of Operations of M.L.Rose Craft Beer & Burgers in 2019.
