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6 Reasons to Cook Professionally at Morrissey Hospitality

By June 29, 2022December 23rd, 2025No Comments

For those of us with a passion for food, working as a professional cook is the dream. But starting a new career can be tough, and finding a company to grow with can be even tougher.

No matter what type of cuisine, number of covers, service style, or size of the team you’re seeking, Morrissey Hospitality is the place to develop, grow, or even start your career as a professional cook.

Here’s six reasons why working as a professional cook at Morrissey Hospitality can heat up your culinary career.

1. Competitive Pay

Morrissey Hospitality offers competitive wages, a clear pathway to promotion, and PTO to eligible employees. We believe that everyone – regardless of rank or title – deserves to earn a fair, competitive wage. As our family of brands continues to grow, so will opportunities to advance to higher-paying positions in the kitchens and throughout the company.

As an additional benefit, all Morrissey employees are paid bi-weekly, and are eligible for wage increases with annual performance reviews.

2. Continued Culinary Education

At Morrissey Hospitality, we believe that by investing in people, we can build the best culinary teams – and the best chefs – in the country. Whether you’re brand new to professional kitchens or a well-seasoned vet, Morrissey provides you with the educational resources and training you need to reach your goals.

To support our culinary teams, we created the Morrissey Hospitality Culinary Council in 2022. Composed of operational and culinary leaders, the Culinary Council was formed to foster continuing education and training for culinary employees and maintain culinary excellence across Morrissey brands.

Additionally, Morrissey Hospitality gives its culinary team members free access to the American Culinary Federation’s 16 professional culinary certification programs. Regarded as the industry standard of excellence in culinary skills and knowledge, the ACF certification programs are designed to help chefs become more valuable, hireable and promotable.

3. Growth & Development

At Morrissey Hospitality, there is no such thing as a dead-end job. We want our culinary team members to reach their fullest potential, which is why we offer structured paths to advancement, hands-on mentorship, and leadership development.

In addition to its other initiatives, the Morrissey Hospitality Culinary Council identifies high-performing employees to develop into future culinary leaders. We develop our leaders from within, and ambitious individuals can progress into senior positions relatively quickly. Examples of this on-the-job training and mentorship abound in the Morrissey kitchens – living proof that we have the recipe for success.

4. Flexible Schedules

When it comes to retaining great employees, flexibility is the best policy. Morrissey Hospitality values our employees as whole people – people with obligations, responsibilities and interests outside of work. We offer flexible schedules that work for our employees’ whole lives. Our family of brands provides a plethora of scheduling options – from daytime hours and prep shifts, to special event, banquet, and event center schedules, to set schedules, and even holidays off – we do our best to accommodate the needs of our team members.

5. Health & Wellness Benefits

Morrissey Hospitality is deeply committed to employees’ health and welfare. We offer generous health and wellness benefits to eligible employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, HSAs, and Flexible Savings accounts. We offer voluntary 401(k), life/AD&D insurance, and disability coverage options.

Morrissey team members care about and support each other. Our Employee Assistance Program includes resources for confidential mental health support, legal guidance, financial resources, and more. We believe that talking about our mental health – especially with the collective trauma of the last couple years – is critical to the well being of our team members and of our company.

6. Perks & Bonus Programs

At Morrissey Hospitality, we want our culinary team members to live their best lives – inside and outside the kitchen. We offer shift meals and discounts across concepts, We provide complimentary uniforms, and we offer a “Shoes for Crews” program for work footwear discounts. We give team members opportunities to connect with our communities, including one dedicated PTO day to volunteer in the community.

Additionally, we offer hiring bonus and employee referral bonus programs, giving employees an opportunity to earn money outside of their scheduled hours.

Build Your Career as a Professional Cook

While there are plenty of restaurants and hospitality concepts in the Twin Cities looking for cooks, Morrissey Hospitality offers so much more than just another job. If you’ve been pursuing your culinary career, or looking for your next hospitality home, Morrissey Hospitality kitchens will get you to your professional cooking goals.

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Richard Dobransky

President & CEO

Richard joined Morrissey Hospitality as President in 2018 and accepted the role of CEO in 2023. Under Richard’s leadership, the organization implemented best-in-class solutions to support its hotel, restaurant, and events venue portfolio. He spearheaded efforts to upgrade all internal systems, embrace automated workflows and data analysis, and streamline every aspect of the organization for real-time, accurate reporting and accountability.

Focusing next on the employee experience, Richard oversaw a restructuring of employee compensation to ensure that every Morrissey employee earns more than a living wage. With his team, he improved employee benefits packages and ushered in numerous new initiatives to reflect the needs of employees and promote better work-life balance.

Under Richard’s leadership, the Morrissey portfolio has grown from 5 to 18 owned and managed properties. He oversees a team of over 100 managers and 1,000+ employees, leads efforts to provide authentic hospitality experiences at every location, and is an active coach and mentor to many.

Well respected and highly regarded throughout his career, Richard enjoys annual recognition in the Minnesota Top 100 and Top 500 Business Leaders list, and was named among Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s 2026 Most Admired CEOs. He serves on the Board of Directors for Visit Saint Paul and The Downtown Saint Paul Alliance.

Richard intrinsically understands the communities he serves, helping to create hospitality concepts that serve as long-lasting, meaningful gathering spaces. He aims each day to make, do, and be better for Morrissey customers, employees, clients, partners, vendors, and community members alike.

Elizabeth Morrissey

Senior Vice President

As Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer at Morrissey Hospitality, Elizabeth leads the company’s growth strategy with a focus on business development, strategic partnerships, and brand expansion. With nearly a decade of internal leadership experience and deep roots in hospitality, she drives new revenue opportunities, cultivates client relationships, and strengthens the company’s presence in new and existing markets.

Elizabeth began her career at The Saint Paul Hotel before taking on leadership roles at the Waldorf Astoria New York, Johnson Brothers Liquor Company, and Moet Hennessy. She returned to Morrissey Hospitality to help shape the company’s next chapter, progressing quickly from operations into business development. Her background spans hospitality operations, marketing, human resources, and sales strategy — making her uniquely positioned to scale the organization’s impact while preserving our guest-first, people-focused culture.

Elizabeth’s leadership is grounded in purposeful growth: building high-performing teams, elevating client brands, and delivering exceptional service across every property in the Morrissey Hospitality brand portfolio.

Paula Soderberg

Vice President of Human Resources

Paula is a results-driven professional with comprehensive and extensive human resources experience. She is well-versed in labor relations, employee relations, retention, training and development, HRIS, compensation and benefit management, domestic and international recruiting, job description development, HR audits, unemployment hearings, worker’s compensation claim management, and risk and safety management. She is also well versed in Def Leppard — so don’t mention the band unless you want her to talk your ear off.

Paula’s experience helps her foster an optimal working environment through development and deployment of new strategies in recruiting, onboarding, training, job description and standards, benefit administration, and employee development. She is a versatile and motivated leader, with proven communication and organizational skills. She is practical, articulate, and creative with a demonstrated ability to solve difficult issues.

Paula started in hospitality while a teenager at her family’s restaurant in Stillwater, MN. She continued to work FOH positions while in college pursuing her HR degree (don’t ever let her work BOH. She can’t cook…at all.) She understands operations, allowing her to support management and coach employees effectively. She also has held many HR management roles within healthcare, insurance, telecommunications, and government, but hospitality is her home.

Keith Reardon

Vice President

Keith is a hospitality management professional with 30+ years of experience leading food & beverage operations for hotels, restaurants, golf courses, and sports & entertainment facilities. His peers describe him as a high-capacity, intuitive, creative, thoughtful, and disciplined leader. With years of industry knowledge and experience in multifaceted hospitality environments, he routinely demonstrates strength in strategically building high-performance teams, resulting in stable revenues and profits.

Before joining Morrissey Hospitality, Keith held positions with Ritz Carlton Hotels in Palm Springs, before moving on to Centerplate, where he operated the Colorado Convention Center and opened Seattle’s T-Mobile Park. Keith’s passion is restaurant and kitchen design and construction. He recently completed the design and construction of all the hospitality components at Morrissey’s newest location, Tattersall Distillery in River Falls, Wisconsin. Keith is active in the Twin Cities community, serving as Treasurer on the Executive Committee for the Hospitality Minnesota’s Educational Foundations Board, and as an advisor to Visit Saint Paul.

Johnessa Hardyman

Vice President of Finance

Johnessa has always had a passion for finance and accounting. She started her career in community banking and completed her bachelor’s degree in accounting before finding a passion for hospitality in 2012 at The Saint Paul Hotel. Johnessa spent two years working onsite at The Saint Paul Hotel before transitioning to the Morrissey Hospitality Shared Services Office.

Johnessa Hardyman brings over a decade of expertise in hospitality finance to her role as Vice President of Finance at Morrissey Hospitality. Since joining the company in 2012, she has held key leadership positions, including Senior Accountant, Controller, and Director of Financial Planning and Analysis. Johnessa’s extensive experience spans budgeting and forecasting, cash management, internal and external audits, system transitions, and acquisitions.

With a Master of Science in Accountancy from Saint Mary’s University, Johnessa excels at leveraging financial data to drive informed decision-making. She leads the accounting team with a focus on accuracy, efficiency, and strategic planning, ensuring that financial insights translate into actionable business strategies. Passionate about financial forecasting, she thrives on analyzing how businesses actualize their projections and the impact on cash flow. Her deep understanding of both finance and hospitality makes her an invaluable asset to the organization and its clients.

Amy Houston

Vice President of Marketing & Communications

A Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) with a deep passion for hospitality, Amy blends creativity with strategic vision to build meaningful connections between brands and guests. Her expertise in brand development, campaign execution, and revenue-focused marketing continues to shape Morrissey Hospitality’s growth and industry leadership. Known for her empathetic leadership style, she fosters collaboration and inspires those around her to think bigger and work together to bring bold ideas to life.

Amy Houston brings over 20 years of experience in marketing, hospitality, and sales. Since joining Morrissey in 2020, she has led strategy for 18 independent brands, driving measurable success through data-driven campaigns and innovative storytelling. Under her leadership, the company has transformed its marketing operations, bringing services in-house and streamlining digital platforms to create a more cohesive, results-driven approach.

Callie Kiepke

Vice President of Operations

Callie Kiepke is Vice President of Operations for Morrissey Hospitality, bringing more than a decade of leadership experience across event venues, restaurants, and golf course operations. Known for building strong teams and implementing effective, scalable processes, she plays a key role in driving consistent performance across the organization.

Callie began her hospitality career at 18 and earned a degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Wisconsin–Stout. After nearly ten years with TPC Twin Cities, she joined Morrissey Hospitality at Bunker Hills Event Center, where she advanced from Catering Sales Manager to Director of Catering and later General Manager. Under her leadership, Bunker Hills became one of the company’s top-performing properties.

In addition to her work at Bunker Hills and Kendall’s Tavern & Chophouse, Callie has supported operations at Stockyards Tavern & Chophouse, played a key role in the opening of Dawn Manor, and is instrumental in strengthening private dining operations. As Vice President of Operations, she leads menu development, systems strategy, and process standardization, with a focus on continuous improvement and exceptional guest experiences.

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