BE Hospitality

Nicholas Elmi is the chef and owner of Laurel and In the Valley in Philadelphia. The former chef of the renowned Le Bec-Fin struck out on his own in 2013 with his first restaurant Laurel after winning season 11 of Bravo’s Top Chef. Laurel was nominated by the James Beard Foundation as one of the “Best New Restaurants” in America that year and named one of GQ’s ten best restaurants in the country. Since, Laurel has been awarded four bells by award-winning critic Craig Laban of the Inquirer and named the “Best Restaurant in Philadelphia” by Philadelphia Magazine. Chef Elmi followed up with a contemporary cocktail bar right next door to Laurel named In the Valley, the name reflecting the Lenape translation of “Passyunk,” one of Food and Wine’s “Best Food Streets” in America, where both restaurants reside. In the fall of 2019, he published his first cookbook, Laurel: Modern American Flavors in Philadelphia, co-written by Adam Erace. He currently serves as the Chef Chair for Philadelphia’s Taste of the Nation, an annual event benefiting No Kid Hungry, an organization chef and his team are longtime supporters of. Chef currently resides in Collingswood, New Jersey with his wife and two children.

Fia Berisha is a restaurateur and co-founder of BE Hospitality, the group behind The Landing Kitchen and Lark in Bala Cynwyd, PA, named in Food & Wine ’s list of “15 Most Anticipated Restaurants Opening in 2021.” Berisha boasts 20 years of dynamic experience in the hospitality industry, working both front and back of house at award-winning East Coast hot spots including Daryl Wine Bar & Restaurant, Battello, Elements, Aether and Mistral.

Berisha has honed an eagle-eye for quality of service, food and atmosphere, noting how small, but integral details like lighting and music can create unparalleled dining experiences and memories that last a lifetime. Recently, Berisha has utilized this eye for designing restaurant spaces and curating esteemed beverage programs.