Becca Parrish

Instead of curling up when her restaurant clients got creamed, Becca Parrish took a leadership role, cranking up the pro-bono work and spotlighting relief efforts from celebrity clients like Chef Daniel Humm, whose 11 Madison Park became a community kitchen at the pandemic’s start.

Parrish and crew supported the Independent Restaurant Coalition in placing forceful op-eds about the industry’s future and coordinated with advocacy group Pass the Mic to highlight experiences of Black women in hospitality. The firm even harnessed its network to encourage voter registration, with a Restaurants for Change voting initiative aimed at patrons and communities.

While parts of the business—like the hospitality industry itself—continue to lag, Parrish’s firm managed to turn the tide by diversifying, with new clients like star designers Parts & Labor, real estate giant Tishman Speyer, and Nixie, the sparkling water from a founder of Late July Organic Snacks.