Sam is a seasoned restaurant and small business operator, entrepreneur, and advisor with more than 13 years of experience building, scaling, and leading businesses. As the founder of Chomp Kitchen & Drinks, he grew the Rhode Island-based concept from a single restaurant into a multi-unit group before successfully exiting the business.

Over the years, Chomp became one of Rhode Island’s most recognized restaurant brands, earning more than a decade of Best Burger honors from Rhode Island Monthly and national recognition that included its signature Stack being ranked the #4 burger in America by The Daily Meal. Sam was also named the 2023 Restaurateur of the Year by the Rhode Island Hospitality Association.

Behind that success was the day-to-day work of actually running and growing the business. Sam worked across nearly every part of ownership, from opening new locations and building leadership teams to improving margins, developing systems, adopting new technology, and navigating the challenges that come with growth.

Sam also became a recognized voice within the hospitality industry. He has been featured by The Boston Globe and Providence Journal discussing restaurant economics, margins, technology, and the challenges of scaling a hospitality business, and has appeared on several industry podcasts to talk about growth, operations, team culture, and the systems behind building Chomp. He has also participated in industry panels and advisory discussions, including with Toast, sharing firsthand operator perspectives with marketing and product teams.

His involvement in the industry extended well beyond his own restaurants. Sam served for ten years on the board of the Rhode Island Hospitality Education Foundation, including two years as Chairman, supporting hospitality education, workforce development, and the next generation of industry leaders. He has also advocated on behalf of restaurant and small business owners at both the state and federal level, including testimony before the Rhode Island General Assembly and direct engagement with elected officials and members of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Today, Sam brings that experience to owners facing many of the same challenges he encountered himself: understanding the numbers, improving profitability, developing stronger leaders, building accountable teams, evaluating growth opportunities, and creating a business that does not depend on the owner for every decision.

His approach combines people-first leadership with disciplined financial and operational thinking. Data and technology are part of the toolkit, but the focus is practical: helping owners make better decisions, develop their people, improve performance, and build stronger businesses.