Jonathan Caretsky is the director of Catering Operations at Levy Restaurants. With management experiences at premier venues including the Phoenician, Mandarin Oriental, Rainbow Room and Public Hotel, Caretsky is driven by operational excellence and a passion for creating unforgettable guest experience.
From Family Dinners to Luxury Dining
My journey in hospitality began in Sparta, New Jersey, where early memories of helping my mom set the table and plan family dinners sparked a love for creating memorable experience. In high school, I discovered how much I enjoyed bringing people together, from organizing house parties to tailgates, which led me to study hospitality at Johnson & Wales University.
During college, I built hands-on experience at the Radisson hotel in Providence and spent summers working at a Hilton Garden Inn back home. A pivotal moment came when I interned at the 5-star Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, where I learned the art of high-end service.
After graduation, I joined Starwood as a management trainee at the Sheraton New York Times Square, eventually becoming a restaurant manager, after spending time in banquets overseeing major events like the Clinton Global Initiative and the NBA All-Star Game. My next chapter was at the Mandarin Oriental, where I helped maintain 5-star standards in the lounge, bar, and Forbes-rated Asiate restaurant. That experience led me to the iconic Rainbow Room, where I even managed the Golden Globes as the sole front-of-house manager during the pandemic.
I later became Director of Banquets at Ian Schrager’s Public Hotel before stepping into my current role as Director of Catering Operations at the Javits Center with Levy Restaurants. Each step, from family dinners to luxury dining and large-scale conventions, has shaped my approach to hospitality, defined by operational excellence, attention to detail and an unforgettable guest experience.
Guided by the Principle of Delivering the Extraordinary
No matter the size of an event, my guiding principle is always the same: deliver a wow moment. Whether it’s dinner for two or lunch for 10,000, I ask how we can surprise and delight guests in a way they’ve never seen before.
Innovation is central to that vision, and I often draw inspiration from Steel Farm, the Javits Center’s rooftop farm. Sometimes that means heading up to the farm at 5AM to pick flowers to place on the Chef’s tables or show manager’s office that same day, designing a cocktail or mocktail around the latest harvest or even brewing beer with hops grown right upstairs, a project that connects guests directly to the space they’re in. These details create a tangible link between the food, the venue and the people enjoying it.
Each step, from family dinners to luxury dining and large-scale conventions, has shaped my approach to hospitality, defined by operational excellence, attention to detail and an unforgettable guest experience.
At the same time, we focus heavily on show quality, ensuring every element from presentation to service flow is seamless. By combining creativity with strong systems, we deliver impactful, memorable events at any scale.
Innovation, Creativity and Planning at the Heart
When I first joined the Javits Center, I quickly realized that success at this scale is all about planning. Transitioning from a single ballroom property to over a million square feet of event space taught me that BEO meetings aren’t a formality, they’re essential. Aligning every team and capturing every detail ensures flawless execution.
We build structure that enables creativity. By collaborating closely with chefs, we transform inspired ideas, like seasonal dishes or farm-sourced presentations, into processes that can be replicated whether serving 50 guests or 10,000. Training, communication and accountability are the backbone of that balance. Every detail, from plating to staffing, is carefully choreographed so that guests experience seamless service and not the complexity behind it.
Innovation is the heartbeat of what we do. It keeps our work exciting, relevant, and constantly improving and it’s the only way to push beyond traditional hospitality. I always say, “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.” We’re constantly exploring new ways to enhance the guest experience. Recently, we invested in Ilume heat lamps and LowPros from Spring USA, elevating both presentation and food quality. We also introduced catering furniture with built-in batteries, a game-changer for a venue where power access can be tricky.
But innovation isn’t just about technology. It’s about rethinking how we serve, present and connect with guests. By embracing new tools and creative service models, we create experiences that feel fresh, elevated and unforgettable.
Empowering Teams to Lead and Learn
Convention center catering is unlike any other hospitality environment: the scale and pace are unmatched. Because it’s hard to find experienced talent externally, I prioritize training and development. It takes time to prepare someone for this world, but the investment pays off.
Training isn’t just about teaching procedures. It’s about building confidence, judgment, and understanding how every department fits together. I never put a manager into a large-scale event until they’re truly ready. Instead, I walk them through different scenarios, explain the “why” behind decisions, and make sure they can collaborate effectively across teams.
When timelines are tight and stakes are high, preparation is everything. Once a team is trained and aligned, I step back and let them lead, because empowered managers don’t just meet expectations, they exceed them.
My strongest advice is simple: empower your team. Give them decision-making authority, even frontline staff. In many cases, they have more hands-on experience than you do and their insights can elevate service in meaningful ways. Our teams are incredibly diverse, with people bringing unique perspectives and culinary influences from around the world. When you create space for them to express that in how a dish is presented or how service is delivered, you elevate the entire experience. For young professionals, my advice is to do the things others don’t want to do. That mindset accelerated my career; I became the youngest manager at both the Mandarin Oriental and the Rainbow Room by embracing tough jobs and learning every part of the operation. This industry rewards grit and resilience. Master the hard work early and you’ll open doors to bigger opportunities.
