Paradies Lagardère has named Marie Grimm as the company’s new vice president of dining operations. Grimm previously served as the head of culinary at airport restaurateur OTG Management and has successfully led culinary transformations for renowned brands such as NBC Universal Studios, Dine Global Brands and Darden Restaurants. With over 20 years of experience in the culinary industry, she has a proven track record of developing and executing strategic solutions that enhance the customer experience, optimize operational efficiency and drive revenue growth.
“I’m thrilled to be part of such a highly respected organization, and I look forward to helping Paradies Lagardère grow more proprietary brands,” says Grimm. “I’m passionate about bringing culinary creativity and excellence to the challenging and dynamic airport environment.”
At Paradies Lagardère, Grimm is responsible for the overall support to the success of the Dining Division, which includes more than 225 restaurants and bars across more than 40 different airports. Her strategic leadership will drive service initiatives, culinary experiences, food safety procedures and procurement best practices to deliver best-in-class dining.
Since starting in the hospitality industry, Grimm has delivered compelling menu innovation, improved ingredient and production processes, and increased guest satisfaction and loyalty for several celebrated brands. She also has partnered with acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs to create diverse and elevated airport cuisine that showcases local, seasonal flavors. Her multi-unit experience spans all different cuisines and business models.
“Culinary pride and passion are my favorite aspects of the job,” says Grimm. “I love identifying high-performing chefs, helping them develop the skills to become business leaders and working side by side with them.”
Grimm strongly believes in cultivating these key relationships and encourages cross-functional collaboration among all team members to increase employee and guest satisfaction.
Looking to the future, Grimm is focused on technology and process efficiencies to meet the industry’s high demands while addressing labor constraints. “Efficiency from the back of the house is very important to me,” she says. “I want to be a partner to our folks in the field, so I’m focused on strategically organizing our teams to make sure we are supporting each other and our mutual goals while finding ways to execute fresh food in high volume.”
