The Bartolotta Restaurants has named a new chief operating officer for the restaurant group.

Kai Speth, most recently the vice president of hospitality for the pre-opening of Durango Casino & Resort in Las Vegas, brings 30 years of hospitality experience, including leadership for five-star hotels and award-winning restaurants across the globe.

In his new role, Speth will oversee the continued evolution of current food and beverage operations for The Bartolotta Restaurants with a focus on team member engagement and development, guest experience and accelerating new business concepts.

“Kai’s record of accomplishments and his reputation for being a transformational and innovative leader proved to be exactly what we have been looking for in a Chief Operating Officer,” says The Bartolotta Restaurants Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner Keith Trafton. “His background in restaurant concept development, guest journey and experience aligns perfectly with our goals for growth and continuous improvement of dining across all of our venues.”

Speth began his career as a trained chef in his hometown of Bad Kreuznach, Garmany, and honed his operational expertise in both culinary and front-of-house roles at Michelin-starred establishments such as Landhaus Scherrer in Hamburg, Germany, and Le Regence at the Plaza Athenee in Paris, France. 

Additional roles have included Gaw Capital’s Owner’s Representative and asset manager for the Standard High Line Hotel in New York City, The Hollywood Rosevelt in Los Angeles, the Ambassador Chicago, and Hotel G in San Francisco. He has also served in concept development and operations positions in food and beverage leadership roles at venues including the Grand Hyatt Bali, Grand Hyatt Seoul, The Regent Hong Kong, and New York City’s Four Seasons, Millennium Hotel, and Hotel Westbury.

His career also included award-winning work for the Sofitel Legend brand in posts like Hanoi and Vietnam where he oversaw the launch of the iconic Bamboo Bar and the opening of Italian concept Angelina. He also served as general manager at the Grand Hyatt Incheon in South Korea, the Park Hyatt Los Angeles, and the Grand Hyatt Taipei. As Vice President of Operations and Business Performance for the Windsor Property Management Group Corporation in Ho Chi Minh City, he oversaw the award-winning Reverie Saigon, a member of The Leading Hotels Of The World.

“Throughout my career, I have always looked for opportunities to join a company that is founded in family, and that’s what makes The Bartolotta Restaurants so special,” Speth says. “What Paul, his sister Maria, and their late brother Joe and his team have done for this community is remarkable. I hope to build on the company’s reputation as visionaries and business leaders that have made Milwaukee one of the world’s most respected culinary destinations.”

Chef, Owner and Co-Founder Chef Paul Bartolotta says the addition of Speth to the team will impact operations on all levels.

“Our organization has incredible momentum,” he says, “And Kai will play an integral role in accelerating growth and challenging our team to new heights, both within the organization and in the way we elevate the social fabric our communities in doing so. Kai shares our values and our commitment to excellence. He will ensure that we continue to live The Bartolotta Promise.”