damian mogavero

“Avero has become the go-to tech company for the hospitality industry, but the secret to Damian's success lies in his deeply rooted passion for food.... which The Underground Culinary Tour illustrates brilliantly!”

- TOM COLICCHIO, Founder of Crafted Hospitality

“The real Underground Culinary Tour is not for the faint of heart.  By the end of day one, I returned home zonked, my mind and body beyond full. . . You are far more fortunate.  You have in your hands an excellent guide to our adventure.  There are no buses to board, no credentials to proffer, and you don’t have to worry about pacing yourself.  All the tour’s secrets – the cutting-edge trends, the wisdom of employing data and technology, the hidden dining revolution – are all yours and may be gleaned with the turn of a page.”

- DANNY MEYER, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group

“I can’t imagine running our restaurants without the technology that Damian and his team have created – the access to the data and information allows us to better understand what our guests are looking for, and to better serve them. He has helped us to evolve, and to continue to strive to deliver the very best for our guests.”

- MICHAEL MINA, Chef & Founder of Mina Group

“At the heart of every great restaurant are the passionate people who bring it to life. No one knows this better than Damian Mogavero. In The Underground Culinary Tour, Damian shows how data and technology are empowering people to embrace change and transforming the guest experience across our industry.”

- CHRISTIAN CLERC, President/Worldwide Operations at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

“In the past 10 years, the restaurant industry has seen an influx of technology, all promising to impact the bottom line. However, it took a smarter visionary to transform the data and provide us invaluable insights to run our restaurants better. This practical and technical tool is enhanced by the genius of Damian Mogavero from his passion for food, wine and hospitality. His journey in this book is a true success story about people, Chefs and restaurateurs, and their businesses.”

- DANIEL BOULUD, Chef & Owner of Dinex Group

“Damian and Avero have positioned themselves at the convergence of the art and the science that creates a great restaurant experience and are now helping others to identify and take advantage of that critical intersection in their own restaurants. Through The Underground Culinary Tour, Damian allows you to join him on the exhilarating (and exhausting) tours that he has hosted to highlight great work going on across our industry. Enjoy the ride!”

- DAVE PACE, CEO of Jamba Juice

“In ‘The Underground Culinary Tour’, Damian Mogavero takes us behind the scenes to see how pioneering restaurants are using data and creativity to serve up a triple win: delighted customers, fulfilled staff, and profitable owners. Readers and leaders in any industry being transformed by data will value its insights.”

- PROFESSOR JAN W. RIVKIN, Harvard Business School

“On the surface, Damian Mogavero’s book is about how data and restaurant trends will change the way we all eat and drink. On a deeper level, it’s a gift to restauranteurs and businesses of all stripes, showing us all how innovation, passion and technology can inject logic and common sense into any business and become a game-changer.”

- GEOFFREY ZAKARIAN, Iron Chef

“Damian, through Avero, has increased financial transparency and reporting through a well thought out interface, designed for people who love to cook and provide amazing hospitality. The Underground Culinary Tour is a reflection of how people like me began to work with technology to provide a better guest experience.”

- JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN, Celebrity Chef & Owner of Jean Georges Restaurants

“Many years ago, when I worked in a brewery restaurant, it seemed to me that only a few people in the business had what I called "The Sight" - the ability to see, feel, smell, and hear every single thing happening in the dining room at once. The Sight was like a super-power, and the proper use of it could help make a restaurant a success. Not only does Damian have The Sight, but his book can give you this power too. The Sight is in the data if you know how to look. This book will help you find the Holy Grail of the restaurant business - a healthier check average tied to a happier customer.”

- GARRETT OLIVER, Brewmaster at The Brooklyn Brewery

“Damian Mogavero's book not only takes the reader through a wonderful journey of what it's like to run a restaurant, it shows how technology and analytics is transforming one of America's biggest and most visible industries.”

- PIETRO SANTRIANO, President & CEO of US Foods

“Damian shows how analytics and thoughtful food make for a memorable meal for both patrons and restaurateurs alike. His work was the source of great value to Caesars and will be to you, no matter the industry, whether you run restaurants or simply dine happily in them.”

- GARY LOVEMAN, Chairman of Caesars Entertainment

“If a modern day chef's mission is to cook simply and let their ingredients shine, then Damian's message is to simply let information speak. He shows us how data, when mixed with creativity, can be just as transformative to a business as the food and hospitality itself. Part history, part map of where to eat, part demystification of what makes a restaurant great––and a great restaurant profitable–Damian's stories are just as appealing as the food and drink he's describing, and just as satiating.”

- KATIE CARGUILO, Youngest National Barista Champion & Quality Analyst at Counter Culture Coffee

“Damian has successfully married the art and the science of being a restauranteur. The art comes from his deep passion for food and the science comes from his natural curiosity of how to genuinely improve the guest and teammate experience. The Underground Culinary Tour brilliantly blends both in an informative and entertaining fashion.”

- RICK FEDERICO, Chairman of P.F. Chang's

“Damian has definitely blazed new territory in how to utilize data to improve your restaurant business in an effective practical approach. His passion for food and hospitality are truly unparalleled which shows that loving what you do is all inspiring and creative. You should check out the underground culinary tour to see exactly how creative he is.”

- GJ Hart, CEO of California Pizza Kitchen

“These days, there are a dizzying number of tech companies sprouting up within the hospitality world- all with the intent of making our lives easier, the guest experience better, and our bottom lines more intact. But Damian has been doing just that for nearly two decades. The vision he showed (and continues to show!) is inspiring. Add to that his genuine and profound passion for food and hospitality… There is a lot to love about Damian, and even more to learn from."

- WILL GUIDARA, Restaurateur, Eleven Madison Park & The Nomad

“Our economy is being reshaped, industry sector by industry sector, by entrepreneurs who connect content experts with technology experts to develop applications and platforms to advance efficiency, productivity and profit. In the restaurant industry the pioneer is none other than Damian Mogavero. And where does Damian learn the trends - from the Underground Culinary Tour!"

- MICHAEL D. JOHNSON, Provost, Babson College Dean Emeritus, Cornell School of Hotel Administration

“Damian's incredible vision and ability to combine his passion for food and analytical intelligence have helped bring an extraordinary tool into existence. The insights and information Avero offers have allowed Lettuce Entertain You and the entire hospitality industry to see a different side of the business.”

- KEVIN BROWN, CEO & President of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc.

“Historically, very few things have been able to impact success in the hospitality industry outside of great food, great service and a rock star team. Over the last 10 years technology has rapidly been injected into the space. Based on my experience and exploration, the majority of the tech tends to be more of a distraction, then an asset. Well, then there’s Avero, a true one stop shop in restaurant reporting technology that allows operators like myself to dive into data and make educated decisions that affect long and short term decision making. Avero is best in class, and Damian the founder and CEO lives and breathes the business, both tech and hospitality. I have developed a great relationship with Damian and his team over the years, and truly appreciate what he's done for our industry. If you're looking to stay ahead of the curve in our business, you're using Avero.”

- MICHAEL CHERNOW, Restaurateur & TV Personality