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Christopher Meers is the Vice President and Supervising Partner of Mon Ami Gabi, Ambria, Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba and Stripburger for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc (LEYE). Meers joined LEYE in 1998 and now oversees Chef/Partner Gabino Sotelino’s Restaurants including Ambria and Mon Ami Gabi (with locations in Chicago, Oak Brook, Las Vegas, and Bethesda). Meers has also taken a large role in developing Stripburger, a concept opening summer 2007 on the Las Vegas Strip.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Bethesda, Maryland, Meers remembers being sixteen years old and having to convince his parents to let him work part time at a local Steak House where he started as a dishwasher and quickly worked his way up to food preparation. The first of many restaurant jobs to follow, Meers has worked as a food runner for a pan Asian restaurant and manager of its sandwich take out shop as well as ran a produce stand selling fresh produce to suburbanites on the weekends. These experiences taught him that "the concept of good food and good profit goes together."
While attending the University of Maryland, Meers went to work for Capital Management where he held his first management position as beverage manager at a new Italian concept restaurant. Then Capital Management was opening a new supper club where he assisted with the training of the bar & wait staff. Ruth Chris Steak House then approached Meers to become the General Manager of one of their new restaurants. Trained in New Orleans, Meers assisted in the opening of their Indianapolis location and was assigned the responsibility of opening and managing the new Ruth Chris in Cleveland, Ohio.
It was in 1998 that Meers was approached by LEYE and became the General Manager of Ambria and Mon Ami Gabi in Lincoln Park. Meers says he was excited about this "opportunity and challenge of operating two restaurants and working in a chef driven environment." He then assisted in the opening of Mon Ami Gabi and Eiffel Tower Restaurant in Las Vegas. Working with founder Rich Melman and Senior Vice President, Steve Ottmann, Meers says he "learned about expanding and growing a restaurant concept, such as Mon Ami Gabi and adopting to its customer base, surroundings and local taste."
Meers values most his relationship with Vice President and Executive Chef of Ambria, Mon Ami Gabi, and Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! Gabino Sotelino. Working together on the expansion and development of new Mon Ami Gabi and Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba stores, and says he has learned many aspects of the restaurant business from Gabino and values his professional and personal relationship with him. Meers now calls Chicago home and lives here with his wife and two children. | 