Ignacio Mattos is the chef and founder of Mattos Hospitality, which comprises the quintessential New York restaurants estela, Altro Paradiso, Corner Bar, and Lodi. Since moving to Manhattan nearly two decades ago, the Uruguayan-born chef has developed a bold style marked by deceptive simplicity, and built a reputation for creating elegant spaces that capture the energy of their city. Estela, Mattos' first restaurant, holds a Michelin star. Flora Bar, his beloved Upper East Side project, opened in 2017 as the flagship restaurant of The Met Breuer and went on to enjoy a wildly successful run until the museum closed in 2020.

Katia began her career 15 years ago. Performing a variety of restaurant jobs while pursuing an accounting degree, she came to realize that her passion was in merging these two worlds. With prior experience as the Controller at Le Bilboquet Restaurant Group, Katia simply excels at financial operations, combining an abiding love for numbers and passion for hospitality with an unerringly positive, energetic approach.

Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, Lauren Miller began her career in restaurants in 2013. She has since worked with some of New York City's most esteemed restaurant organizations, including NoHo Hospitality Group, Union Square Hospitality Group, and Delicious Hospitality Group. In 2021, after serving as General Manager of Charlie Bird and Pasquale Jones, she joined Mattos Hospitality to carry forward the culture and creative spirit that define estela, Altro Paradiso, Corner Bar, and Lodi as the company embarks on a period of growth and evolution.

Josh is a born and raised New Yorker, a native of Chelsea. He got his start in hospitality with the legendary Buzzy O’Keefe before moving on to work with Geoffrey Zakarian and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. It was with Jean-Georges that Josh rose within the ranks to become the Beverage Director for the iconic ABC Kitchen as well as its sister restaurant ABC Cocina. After years helming those programs, he moved into the world of hotels for a spell, before returning to the world of food-and-beverage to relaunch the storied Pastis by Keith McNally and Stephen Starr as their Bar Director. 

Natalie joins Mattos Hospitality after nearly two decades planning events and working with some of the most esteemed fashion houses, such as Ralph Lauren. During her career in fashion, she designed, sourced, and produced custom home product collections on an international scale, while also conducting client-experience work for major department stores. Owing to her early jobs working in cocktail bars and fast-paced New York restaurants—along with fond memories of home-cooked Italian-American meals where there were always too many people and not enough chairs—she transitioned seamlessly to event planning. Natalie is excited to bring this experience to bear while spearheading Mattos Hospitality’s events, collaborations, and partnerships wing.

Born and raised in the Bronx, Melissa was in her twenties when she began her career in accounting, working overnight shifts at the Stage48 nightclub. In 2016, the Tao Group hired her as Bookkeeper. She spent two years with the company and, after backpacking through Europe, joined Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.’s Finance & Human Resources Department. Since joining Mattos Hospitality in April 2022, she has risen from Staff Accountant to Assistant Financial Comptroller.

With roots in both the rural and urban parts of New York State, Olivia sees her work as Events Coordinator as the perfect avenue to marry her love for big-city gatherings and her appreciation for the foodways that surrounded her in the Hudson Valley. In addition, Olivia's previous experiences across a broad range of industries allows her to effortlessly connect with people from all walks of life.