About.

CULTIVATE IS A FULL SERVICE FOOD & BEVERAGE CONSULTING
TEAM THAT CONNECTS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS WITH
INDUSTRY-LEADING CHEFS AND RESTAURANT OPERATORS.

We use our combined experience in both food & beverage operations
and real estate development to guide our clients through the complex
world of food & beverage-anchored development. Our services include
master planning, design oversight, underwriting, concepting,
and
operator search.

100
Years combined experience in
real estate development and food
& beverage operations

1,000
Food & beverage and retail spaces
successfully
conceived
and delivered

250+
Existing operator relationships

Team.

Peter Peterson President & Managing Partner

Peter Peterson is President and Managing Partner of Cultivate Hospitality Group. In this role, he leads the strategy, origination, and execution of the firm’s consulting engagements and food & beverage investments. With over 25 years of experience working in F&B operations and real estate development, his unique background provides him with the skill set to understand F&B development from the perspective of both the operator and the developer.

Prior to founding Cultivate, Peter was a Vice President at Related Urban, the mixed-use development division of The Related Companies. As the most prominent privately-owned real estate firm in the United States with a $30 billion portfolio of best-in-class real estate including mixed-use, residential, retail, and office, Related’s hallmark development formula focuses on the careful curation of distinctive food & beverage concepts to anchor their real estate developments.

During his 12 years at Related, Peter was responsible for the master planning of the food & beverage programming for all of the company’s projects worldwide. He completed over 450,000 square feet of F&B developments, including signature restaurants, casual eateries, food markets, and event spaces. He was responsible for all the facets of the development process, including the negotiation of leases, joint venture agreements, management agreements, and licensing agreements; concept development; construction management; design oversight; and marketing/opening strategies. Peter’s responsibilities at Related also included the asset management of Related’s F&B ownership interests, including Thomas Keller’s 3-Michelin star rated Per Se.

In this role, he interfaced with each restaurant’s management team ensuring the ongoing financial viability and performance of each restaurant. Peter started his career with over a decade in operations at the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company and the Himmel Hospitality Group. He received a Master’s in real estate development from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration with a concentration in food & beverage management.

LIC # 02109725

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Sam Bakhshandehpour Co-Founder & Principal

Sam Bakhshandehpour is Chief Executive Officer & Board Member of José Andrés Group (JAG), a restaurant and media company. Driven by the mission of “Changing the world through the power of food,” JAG’s platform spans 40+ world-class restaurants across 9 markets globally, including the 2-Michelin starred minibar by José Andrés and numerous Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants. Mr. Bakhshandehpour also runs José Andrés Media (JAM), which produces food-related cultural content across scripted and unscripted media channels – film and television, books, podcasts, and digital content, including the Emmy-award winning series José Andrés and Family In Spain and The New York Times bestselling Zaytinya cookbook. JAG also houses numerous global partnerships as well as a consumer products platform offering best-in-class products from around Spain.

Through his hospitality investment platform, The Silverstone Companies, Mr. Bakhshandehpour has made numerous investments including The Electric Jane (private membership club and live music lounge / restaurant), Cultivate Hospitality (F&B programming), Bazaar by José Andrés, and select other hotel, restaurant and lifestyle properties.

Named one of the “Most Important People in Hospitality” on the Observer’s 2023 Dining and Nightlife Power List, Mr. Bakhshandehpour previously served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of sbe Entertainment, a private-equity backed hotel, restaurant and nightlife company with over 80 properties globally.

Mr. Bakhshandehpour started his career on Wall Street with J.P. Morgan Securities running the Global Casino and West Coast Real Estate & Lodging Investment Banking practice focused on mergers & acquisitions and capital raising.

Mr. Bakhshandehpour holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. He serves on the board of Shift4 (NYSE: FOUR) as an Independent Director and member of the Audit and Compensation Committees. Sam also serves on the Restaurant Advisory Boards for both Fiserv Inc (NYSE: Fl) and Bilt Technologies, Inc. Previously, Mr. Bakhshandehpour served on the boards of The New Home Company (NYSE: NWHM), including the Audit and Compensation Committees, and Georgetown University McDonough School of Business’ Board of Advisors. He is a trustee of Federal City Council (FC2) and a founding member of the Georgetown Wall Street Alliance West. Mr. Bakhshandehpour is also an active member and former Chair of the Bel Air Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization.

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John C. Wang Chairman & Founding Member

John C. Wang currently serves as Chairman & founding member of Cultivate. A visionary and entrepreneur, he has been instrumental in the formation, development and direct investment of 30 companies since 1988 on behalf of his family office. Additionally, Mr. Wang is Chairman and Managing Partner of Silverstone Companies, a vertically integrated hospitality and lifestyle investment firm.

Mr. Wang was a former board member of General Bank, a Los Angeles based financial institution with over $3 billion in assets. He was actively involved in the formation and growth of General Bank’s venture capital division. He also served as the principal strategist in the successful merger of General Bancorp with Cathay Bank in 2003.

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Jeremy Shartar Vice President

Jeremy Shartar is a Vice President at Cultivate Hospitality Group. Jeremy has been in the retail and hospitality business for the past 13 years. At Cultivate he oversees business development and assists with the strategic operation of the company.


Prior to joining Cultivate Jeremy was at Locate, a technology-enabled brokerage platform where he worked as a master broker and assisted clients with strategic roll out across the country. Some of the clients included, Parachute Home, Allbirds, MassageLuXe, By Chloe and Kittenish.

Jeremy is also well versed in the lodging sector having worked at both LaSalle Hotel Properties and Fulcrum Lodging Advisors.

Jeremy received a Bachelor of Science at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. 

LIC # 02223697

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Jessica Wasser Assistant Vice President

Jessica Wasser is an Assistant Vice President at Cultivate Hospitality Group. In this role, she is responsible for project management, preparing investor materials, marketing collateral, accounting and new business development.

Prior to joining Cultivate, Jessica was a Project Coordinator at Haute Chefs Los Angeles, a boutique private chef services company specializing in hospitality. Her experience includes accounting, client relationships, event management and human resources.

Jessica received a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Economics and Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and was enrolled in the James Scholar Honors Program. She spent a semester abroad in Rome, Italy where she completed the Food Systems and Sustainability Program at Gustolab International Institute.

LIC # 02223683

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Alexa Skjodt Director

Alexa is a Director at Cultivate Hospitality Group where she is intimately involved landlord and tenant representation as well as new business development. A few of Alexa’s projects include leasing of Century Plaza, Jamie Oliver’s entrance into the U.S. and Scale Hospitality’s U.S. growth and expansion.

Alexa started her career in real estate with one of the largest shopping center developers in the U.S., General Growth Properties (GGP) which is now part of Brookfield. At GGP, she led a pilot program in San Francisco to infuse the mall with fresh, new and atypical retailers from notable online retailers to formidable local and regional players. After successfully launching the pilot project in San Francisco, Alexa went on to lease GGP’s premier assets in Las Vegas.

Alexa received a Bachelor of Science at Indiana University.

Lic # 02164496

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Services.

OUR EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE ALLOWS US TO HELP DEVELOPERS
NAVIGATE THE WORLD OF
FOOD & BEVERAGE

MASTER PLANNING

Our core competency is drawing on our years of experience in both food & beverage operations and real estate development to provide design teams with the guidance required to create active public spaces anchored by food & beverage. We have engaged in creative placemaking with some of the best development teams to bring real estate projects to life.

DESIGN OVERSIGHT
PEER REVIEW OF MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
PROGRAMMING

UNDERWRITING SUPPORT

Our experience in the world of institutional real estate ownership and food & beverage asset management gives us a unique perspective in the underwriting of new restaurant opportunities. We conduct a thorough survey of the existing F&B landscape, finding support for various detailed operating metrics including cover counts, turns, average checks, food costs, labor costs, rents, tenant improvement allowances, and other figures to analyze the viability of each new operation.

REAL ESTATE PRO FORMAS
OPERATOR PRO FORMAS
MARKET RESEARCH

OPERATOR SEARCH

Whether it’s a single signature restaurant space or a collection of spaces in a major mixed use development, we find the right concepts and operating teams that fit your project. Our deep involvement in the food & beverage operator community gives us the insight and ability to court the best operators in the market and structure creative operating agreements.

CONCEPTING

Occasionally, a unique restaurant space will require a custom crafted concept.
We oversee the concepting process and select the right design teams and operating teams to execute on ownership’s vision for the project.

OTHER SERVICES

Cultivate offers a full spectrum of other food & beverage services which can be catered to each owner’s unique needs.

ASSET MANAGEMENT
MARKETING & PR
TENANT COORDINATION
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Case Studies.
  • Century Plazaview more
    San Francisco
    Flower Martview more
    The Grandview more
    The Trust Restaurantview more
    Ritz-Carlton NoMad New York view more
    Autograph Collection Hotel view more
    8899 Beverly Blvdview more
    Hudson Yardsview more
    The Cosmopolitanview more
    Hinoki And The Birdview more
    The Galleria U.A.E.view more
    Porter House
    Bar and Grillview more
  • Century Plaza

    Master Planning the Retail Collection for a Mixed Use Project

    Cultivate has been engaged by Woodridge Capital Partners to curate the food & beverage collection together at the $2.5 billion Century Plaza project located in Century City across from the Westfield Century City.

    The Century Plaza project will include two new luxury residential towers designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, with 363 luxury residences, a 400-room Fairmont hotel, and 93,000 SF of retail space.

    Developer: Woodridge Capital Partners
    Location: Century City, Los Angeles
    Project Class: Mixed-use
    Retail Area: 93,000 SF

    Cultivate is providing the following services for this project:
    Master Planning
    Underwriting Support
    Operator Search
    Concepting

  • San Francisco
    Flower Mart

    Master Planning the Retail Collection for a Mixed Use Project

    Kilroy Realty Corp’s redevelopment of the
    San Francisco Flower Mart is the largest development project in SF since the development of Embarcadero Center. Located in Central SoMa, the development plan calls for the preservation of the existing 115,000 square feet wholesale flower market space while also adding over 2 million square feet of office space, 130,000 square feet of food & beverage-focused retail, and 40,000 square feet of public open space.

    Developer: Kilroy Realty
    Location: San Francisco
    Project Class: Mixed-use
    Retail Area: 130,000 SF

    Cultivate has been engaged by Kilroy Realty to provide the following services:
    Master Planning
    Underwriting Support
    Operator Search
    Concepting
    Tenant Coordination

  • The Grand

    Master Planning the Retail Collection for a Mixed Use Project

    Cultivate has been engaged by Related to provide operator search services and guidance in master planning the food and beverage programming for the Frank Gehry-designed Grand Ave project. Located across the street from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the project will bring a 314 room Equinox Hotel, 436 residences, and 172,000 SF of retail which include eight restaurants and a 430 seat cinema to the Bunker Hill neighborhood of Downtown Los Angeles in 2021.

    Developer: Related Urban
    Location: Downtown Los Angeles
    Project Class: Mixed-use
    Retail Area: 176,000 SF

    Cultivate is providing the following services for this project:
    Master Planning
    Underwriting Support
    Operator Search
    Concepting
    Tenant Coordination

  • The Trust Restaurant

    Restaurant Management

    Thrilled to announce that we are partnering with Chef Curtis Stone and brother Luke Stone, alongside Rising Realty Partners, to open a new restaurant concept together at Rising’s newly renovated The Trust Bldg in the Historic Core of DTLA. Details forthcoming.

    Developer: Rising Realty Partners
    Operator: Curtis Stone
    Location: Downtown Los Angeles
    Project Class: Mixed-use

  • Ritz-Carlton NoMad New York

    Operator Search for a 5-Star Hotel

    Flag Luxury Group has engaged Cultivate Hospitality Group to find an operator for the entire food & beverage program at the Ritz Carlton NoMad New York, a 40-story Rafael Vinoly-designed project with 250 guestrooms and 16 luxury condos. Announcement coming soon.

    Developer: Flag Luxury Partners
    Operator: José Andrés
    Location: New York City, New York
    Project Class: Hotel

  • Autograph Collection Hotel

    Hotel Restaurant Operator Search

    SOMA Hotel LLC is developing the 250-room Autograph Collection Hotel in the Mission Bay just steps from AT&T Park and the Chase Center, the new home of the Golden State Warriors. It will be the first hotel to open in San Francisco’s burgeoning Mission Bay neighborhood, which include UCSF’s Mission Bay Campus, Dropbox, Uber, Gap, and over 6,000 new residences.

    Developer: SOMA Hotel LLC
    Operator: To be Announced
    Location: San Francisco
    Project Class: Hotel

    Cultivate has been engaged by SOMA Hotel LLC to provide the following services:
    Underwriting Support
    Operator Search
    Concepting

  • 8899 Beverly Blvd

    F&B Operator Search for an Ultra-Luxury Residential Project

    Cultivate Hospitality Group has been tasked with finding a food & beverage operator to complement the 77 ultra-luxury residential condominiums at Townscape Partners’ 8899 Beverly Blvd project. Located at the border of
    Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, the units are expected to break record
    pricing for residential sales.

    Developer: Townscape Partners
    Location: West Hollywood, Los Angeles
    Project Class: Mixed-use

    Cultivate has been engaged by Townscape Partners to provide
    the following services:
    Underwriting Support
    Operator Search
    Concepting
    Tenant Coordination

  • Hudson Yards

    Mixed Use Master Planning
    and Curation

    Hudson Yards is the largest private real estate development project in the history of the United States as well as the largest development project in New York City since the development of the Rockefeller Center.

    A “city within a city,” Hudson Yards will include more than 17 million square feet of commercial and residential space, with a development program including five office towers, more than 100 retail outlets, 20 restaurants, approximately 5,000 residences, an Equinox hotel, a 750-seat public school, a cultural space, and over 14 acres of public open space. Hudson Yards is anticipated to draw over 24 million visitors every year.

    The food & beverage program at Hudson Yards is to include approximately a dozen signature restaurant spaces as well as a 40,000 square foot market hall.

    Developer: Related Urban
    Location: New York City, New York
    Project Class: Mixed-use
    Retail Area: 720,000 SF

    During his time as Vice President at the Related Companies, Peter Peterson was responsible for spearheading all food & beverage-related activities at the project, including:
    Master Planning
    Underwriting Support
    Operator Search
    Concepting

  • The Cosmopolitan

    Master Planning a Resort Hotel Restaurant Collection

    Following the foreclosure of the stalled Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino development in Las Vegas in 2008, the lender of the property was faced with the decision of forcing a sale of the property or finishing the project’s development. The Related Companies was hired by the lender as a fee developer to complete the project. One of the new ownership group’s primary goals was to redefine the standard of food & beverage in Las Vegas.

    The opening restaurant collection, which would ultimately come to be the paragon of destination dining on the Las Vegas Strip, included world class concepts such as Jaleo by Jose Andres, STK, Estiatorio Milos by Costas Spiliadis, Comme Ca by David Myers, Blue Ribbon Grill, and Scarpetta by Scott Conant.

    As Vice President at Related, Peter was brought into the development team to spearhead the food & beverage efforts, which included a full reprogramming of the existing F&B master plan. Peter implemented a pioneering F&B deal structure which was unprecedented in the history of Las Vegas.

    Developer: Related Urban
    Location: Las Vegas
    Project Class: Hotel

    Peter’s responsibilities included:
    Master Planning
    Underwriting Support
    Operator Search
    Concepting
    Tenant Coordination
    Marketing & PR

  • Hinoki And The Bird

    Crafting a Bespoke Amenity for a Residential Development

    At the peak of the last cycle, Related embarked on an ambitious project to redefine vertical luxury living in Los Angeles with the Century, a residential condominium project in Century City. The project opened just as the recession hit, resulting in a sales slump. The building was in desperate need of a PR lift. Related felt that developing an on-site destination restaurant could refocus attention to the building.

    Peter was tasked with finding an LA-based celebrity chef to craft a signature restaurant concept for the building. After an exhaustive search, Peter identified David Myers, and ultimately created Hinoki & the Bird. The result was an award-winning concept that became a hit with both residents and locals.The building went on the completely sell out and set record sales prices for residential condominiums in Los Angeles.

    Developer: Related Urban
    Operator: Hinoki And The Bird
    Location: Century City, Los Angeles
    Project Class: Residential

    Peter’s responsibilities included:
    Master Planning
    Operator Search
    Concepting
    Tenant Coordination
    Marketing & PR

  • The Galleria U.A.E.

    Master Planning an International Retail and Dining Destination

    The Galleria on Al Maryah Island is the ultimate fashion, luxury retail and dining destination in the Middle East. The Galleria combines the latest trends in fashion and dining in a modern, vibrant and striking waterfront environment.

    Two floors of boutiques and entertainment present visitors with endless choices. The Galleria features the highest concentration of luxury retailers in one location in the region. It is home to 130 outlets, anchored by some of the most iconic names in fashion including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Cartier, Prada, Gucci, Van Cleef & Arpels, Mulberry and Bulgari.

    The Food & Beverage offerings for The Galleria, include two contemporary café terraces and multiple waterfront dining options overlooking the Abu Dhabi skyline. From fast casual eateries to fine dining restaurants headed by signature chefs, The Galleria offers a diverse culinary experience through its 25 venues including Zuma, La Petite Maison, Café Milano, Coya, Almaz by Momo, and Emporio Armani Caffè.

    Developer: Related Urban
    Location: Al Maryah Island, Dubai
    Project Class: Mixed-use

    In his role as Vice President at Related, Peter Peterson was responsible for:
    Master Planning
    Operator Search
    Concepting
    Tenant Coordination
    Marketing & PR

  • Porter House
    Bar and Grill

    Analysis and Refresh of a Food & Beverage Concept

    Porter House New York opened in 2006 as a New York-style steakhouse within the Time Warner Center Restaurant Collection. As it approached its 10-year anniversary, ownership decided that the concept was ready for a refresh.

    After a redesign and renovation of the space, the rebranded Porter House Bar and Grill had an immediate increase in both cover counts and check average, resulting in a 20% increase to revenues and bottom line. In Feb. 2017, New York Magazine bestowed on the new Porter House with the designation as “The Absolute Best Steakhouse in New York City”.

    Developer: Related Urban
    Operator: Porter House Bar and Grill
    Location: New York City, New York
    Project Class: Mixed-use

    In his role as Vice President at Related, Peter Peterson was responsible for:
    Concepting
    Marketing & PR
    Asset Management

Clients.

ARDEN GROUP
CONNELL REAL ESTATE
CYPRESS EQUITY INVESTMENTS
DLJ REAL ESTATE CAPITAL PARTNERS
FLAG LUXURY GROUP
JAMIE OLIVER GROUP
JOSÉ ANDRÉS GROUP
KILROY REALTY
MILLENIUM PARTNERS
RABINA PROPERTIES
RAY HARLEM
RELATED
RETHINK DEVELOPMENT
RISING REALTY
SCALE HOSPITALITY
SERITAGE GROWTH PROPERTIES
SHASHI GROUP
SIMON PROPERTY GROUP
SIXTY HOTELS
SUN HILL PROPERTIES
STANFORD HOTELS GROUP
TAUBMAN
TISHMAN SPEYER
THE ELECTRIC JANE
TOWNSCAPE PARTNERS
WINTHROP CAPITAL PARTNERS
WOODRIDGE CAPITAL PARTNERS
YOUNG WOO & ASSOCIATES

Press.

ThinkFoodGroup Business Development - The Bazaar Chicago
The Ten Most Anticipated Restaurants of 2021 in Chicago ThinkFoodGroup Business Development - The Bazaar Chicago | January 13, 2021
The Trust Bldg.
2020’s Most Anticipated American Restaurant Openings The Trust Bldg. | January 2, 2020
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Contact.

OPPORTUNITIES
info@cultivate-hospitality.com
630.551.5258

BASED IN LOS ANGELES

 
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