Formerly a traditional meeting area, this reimagined space now sits at the heart of the elite|studio e office, right outside the executive suite. But this isn’t just another conference room refresh. It’s a deliberate shift toward creating an environment where ideas can flourish, teams can thrive, and our workplace culture can evolve.

In the latest installment of this series, Raquel Weiss Fusco participated in a lively conversation with industry professionals about blending residential look and feel with traditional commercial performance. This trend, known as resimercial design, continues to gain traction in workplace design.⁠
 

Corporate dining remains a hub of activity, as companies, building owners and managers struggle to accommodate workers' hybrid schedules, fluctuating populations, evolving consumer preferences and new operational changes. Hot trends mentioned include coffee and cocktail bar; carts, pods and pop-ups; and micromarkets.

An open-to-the-public convenience store with a beverage bar, sandwich spot and bakery counter is planned for the ground floor of Northwestern Mutual‘s Tower and Commons building on its downtown Milwaukee headquarters campus. elite|studio e is proud to partner with the company and its foodservice operator on this new office amenity.

Our Vice President of Operations & Client
Relations, Raquel Weiss Fusco, is the 2023-2024 President of the Society for Hospitality & Foodservice Management. She's received much press in regard to this accomplishment from interviews to blog posts focusing on her goals for SHFM and why she's passionate about the organization. ⁠

elite | studio e announced the recipients of its
2022 annual awards, including the company’s highest honor, Team Member of the Year. The award winners, which are named at the annual holiday party, represent individuals who have gone above and beyond in their role, leadership, dedication, and willingness to succeed.​

Designing a foodservice space is so much more than addressing the aesthetics, it’s also about designing for functionality. Raquel Weiss Fusco, our Managing Director of Project Operations visits The Feed, Vollrath's podcast. Fusco gave tips for designing for COVID, keeping up with the latest trends, and more.

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G2 —short for Grains & Greens —is the 2020 winner of the Foodservice Pioneering Concept competition presented by HX: The Hotel Experience. The winning G2 concept touches on many elements that connect with current trends, including creating a touchless experience and offering locally sourced ingredients. G2 is the brainchild of elite|studio e and 3.14 DC.

Our team is proud to be part of the continuous transformation at Hudson Yards in Manhattan, New York. This brief spotlights a retail project we were part of -- William Greenberg Desserts. The iconic bakery was founded in 1946.

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British Airways’ $64 million renovation of Terminal 7 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) represents a premium upgrade — and not just for premium passengers. elite | studio e's role was to collaborate with the airline, Corgan architecture and VRH Construction to create a new Galleries First Lounge experience.

Eric D. Weiss, founder, President & CEO, will be presented with the AJC’s National Corporate Innovator Award at its 2019 Food Service & Hospitality Division Dinner next month. "We pride ourselves on being ahead of the curve in talent, creativity, and knowledge, to best serve the needs of our clients,“ he said.

There are many factors that influence an awesome dining atmosphere. And, these details should be aligned with your brand story so that the overall impression, and vibe you create work together and make sense. Members of our team shared some insight on creating ambiance and project examples, including Red Rooster Harlem and AON Chicago.

The use of design/build firms is becoming increasingly popular in commercial construction.
The reality is having a single source handle a
project is often a better experience than the classic design-bid-build method. This also applies when renovating your corporate café, university dining hall, hotel, restaurant and other dining locations.

elite | studio e is proud to have been part of the design/build team for Marketplace 600, a food hall located in the west wing of Bank of America Plaza.
From concept to completion, our team collaborated with the operator, interior designers and architects to create a state-of-the art facility located in the largest skyscraper in Atlanta, GA. 

This year, elite | studio e had the opportunity to partner with Sodexo to create a flexible and functional café concept called Chef's Palette.
The concept rotates its core offering and the ambiance to coordinate too. The Wake Forest
Baptist Medical Center is the first location to implement Chef's Palette.   

With an increase in the size of our team, a higher level of coordination across departments was
needed to become more efficient. Once a project management system called Wrike was put into place our on-time project completion rate increased. As a result of our success with this software over time, our Ivan Weiss was interviewed for Wrike's blog.

When digital agency R/GA chose to move its offices to Hudson Yards, elite|studio e was hired to provide foodservice design and construction management for the cafe, kitchen, cold food service area, floor pantries and the lobby grab & go/coffee/juice bar concept. R/GA's office features many ways to create casual collisions.

When our NY headquarters gained an additional 2,500 square feet, we decided to renovate the space to create a work, play and live space.Our Executive Vice President & COO speaks to the process from conception to completion, which mimics the way our company's projects are handled. 

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Our Assistant Vice President, Aaron M. Weiss, was interviewed on becoming a new member of the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management monthly e-newsletter. Involved with the organization, he has attended its national conference in New Orleans and serves on its Membership Committee.

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In Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management's Consultants Corner, our Assistant Vice President Seth Prager addresses his experience designing and building a catering commissary for a client in the tri-state area. The budget was tight and through value engineering exercises, we met the budget and were awarded the project. 

On January 1, 2025, elite | studio e proudly celebrates 25 years in business, marking a journey of remarkable growth, innovation, and industry leadership. From its humble beginnings with a
three-person team, the company has evolved into a nationally recognized design/build firm with early
50 dedicated professionals.

Located at base of a Milwaukee, WI, company’s 32-story Tower and Commons building, the market was designed and built by elite|studio e. The market, which has a street and an employee entrance, features a barista bar, juice and smoothie offerings, a bakery, convenience store and more. It has been featured in several location print and digital media.

Imagine a dining experience where joy meets purpose. elite | studio e was among the consultants that  collaborated on the efforts to bring Café Joyeux from France to NYC, creating job opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

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elite|studio e announced the recipients of its
2023 annual awards, including the company’s highest honor, Team Member of the Year. The award winners, which are named at the annual holiday party, represent individuals who have gone above and beyond in their role, leadership, dedication, and willingness to succeed.

We're excited to have been part of the team that completed the first phase of the renovation for the Slifka Center For Jewish Life at Yale University.
A primary component of the renovation was the complete remodel of the lower-level dining hall
and kosher kitchens, which elite | studio e had the opportunity to design and build.

elite | studio e is pleased to announce that
Ivan J. Weiss, CFSP, has been promoted to
President & Chief Operating Officer. He brings an energetic entrepreneurial spirit to the position and nearly 25 years of industry experience. 

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From concept to completion, our team was part of providing a safe and convenient dining experience for American Express employees returning to its Manhattan office. Its micromarket, 38 Express, was renovated and increased its offering as it is the only foodservice operation open to date.

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elite | studio e team members, Josh Mass and Jim Collins, are excited to see their winning concept, G2, come to life. From start to finish G2 provides a touchless experience creating a safe, user-friendly foodservice concept during COVID-19 pandemic.

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Known for designing and building creative foodservice project solutions, elite|studio e was recently published in Boss Magazine. The piece focuses on our work with a client and an operator elevating the workplace dining experience.

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Long time design/build guru executive Eric Weiss 
of Long Island’s elite | studio e was honored by
the AJC Food Service and Hospitality Division.
He was surrounded by family, friends and several members of the elite | studio e team, including the firm’s next generation. ​

Several members of the elite | studio e team are featured in this piece about the 2019 Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management's Critical Issues Conference in New York City. Industry experts addressed leveraging the changes redefining hospitality and world-class service; and enhancing techniques for measuring customer satisfaction.

elite | studio e was recently recognized by PSEG Long Island for doing its part to go green. Since the company renovated its headquarters in 2015, it has taken several steps to decrease its carbon footprint.

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British Airways is investing heavily in new lounges and passenger amenities, and Galleries First at
John F. Kennedy International Airport is among 
the first spaces to undergo a drastic makeover. The
elite | studio e team is proud to have been part of
this transformation which provides a sleek and sophisticated experience for fliers.

elite | studio e is excited to be part of the redevelopment of the former Boston Globe building. The BEAT will become a hub for innovative business involving robotics, 3D printing and other futuristic endeavors. It will also feature a food hall, collaborative experiences and a beer garden. Rendered image provided by Stantec.

Total Food Service recently covered the Manufacturers' Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry
Region 3 Dealer of the Year Award. elite | studio e's
CEO & President Eric D. Weiss was among the award recipients and he was proud to share it with every member of the company's team. Weiss spoke about his career and the growth of the company since 2000.​

There are many different ways products, presentations and services can be innovative.
This article challenges you not necessarily to find what is new, but to use things in a different way.  
Ivan J. Weiss, our Executive Vice President & COO,
is a frequent contributor the monthly
Consultant's Corner.

Virtual Reality is at the forefront of our industry. 
It is revolutionizing the way we present and visualize design of projects. We had the opportunity to
speak with Forbes about this technology and how
we became one of the first companies to bring it to our clients.

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Our work with virtual reality experiences was highlighted in a Newsday article focusing on how local companies are utilizing this innovative technology for marketing. Assistant Vice
President Chad S. Weiss, who is often looking for new presentation methods for our foodservice presentations, was interviewed.

At the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and
elite | studio e design a space that would achieve these needs, including fitting room for double strollers, incorporating children's activities into the design and allowing flexibility for evening adult-only events. Our Associate Director of Marketing, Marcy Weiss, takes you through some of this process.

A total overhaul of the fifth floor cafe of Horizon Healthcare Services, Inc., (HHSI) headquarters might seem like a foodservice designer's dream. But there's always a catch. In this case, it was two long walls of panoramic windows, opening out onto the vista of downtown Newark, N.J. Read about our design/build process.

elite|studio e proudly honored its outstanding team members at the annual holiday party, celebrating a year of remarkable achievements and growth. The event was a perfect occasion to reflect on the dedication, innovation, and collaboration that define elite’s culture, as well as present awards to the most deserving team members.

Our team has just returned from the SHFM National Conference, where we were honored with the People's Choice Award for Most Innovative Service. During the event, Raquel Weiss Fusco concluded her term as SHFM President and presented the President's Mentor Award to her father and the company's founder, Eric Weiss.

Garin Wong, Vice President of Consulting Services, weighs in on the rapid evolution of foodservice kitchens, equipment and technologies as the industry aims to meet radically different consumer demands and economic imperatives. 

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elite|studio e is proud to have been the foodservice consultant on the Slifka Center For Jewish Life at Yale University. This award-winning project, lead by Landow & Landow Architects, was honored with Outstanding Design - Interior Renovation from American School & University Magazine's Educational Interiors Showcase.

elite|studio e is pleased to announce that Garin Wong has been promoted to Vice President, Consulting Services. In this role, Garin will continue to lead and train our foodservice consulting team, collaborate with architects and other project stakeholders, and develop strategies to further increase this division of the company.

Tony Moore interviews our Executive Vice President & COO about his superpowers: organization, planning, leadership, and a calm sense during a crisis. These and many more great insights into the food trends shaping our industry await you in Winning at Work, which features leaders and go-getters in the industry.

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The mechanics of offering onsite dining services in a post-pandemic world involve balancing a number of issues. elite|studio e is proud to have provided design/build solutions at One Seneca Tower in Buffalo, NY. The space provides a safe environment that is open to the public.

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Designers, architects, and creatives recently submitted relevant, revenue-generating ideas for the HX Foodservice Pioneering Concept (FPC) competition. Several members of the elite|studio e team collaborated with 314 DC on the winning entry, "G2". Learn about why it earned top marks from the judging panel.

Last week Raquel Weiss Fusco was named to the Society for Hospitality & Foodservice Management's Board of Directors. The organization is geared towards the needs and interests of executives in the corporate foodservice and workplace hospitality industries, and its annual conference attracts nearly 400 individuals from across the country. 

elite | studio e has crossed a major threshold
with our 50th team member joining the company 
this month. Our Executive Vice President & COO
Ivan J. Weiss shares his thoughts on this milestone and discusses how the team is dedicated to remaining agile and innovative.

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If you own or operate a restaurant, corporate café or other foodservice concept, you may be looking for a way to transform the experience. If you’re on a tight budget or you can’t cease your operation for months, your dining location might be a candidate for a refresh. Ivan J. Weiss shares the most common reasons we see this method of renovation happen.

Raquel Weiss Fusco, Director of Client Relations at elite|studio e, was recently written about in Total Foodservice. She is the proud recipient of the
Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management's first Rising Young Professional
Award, which was presented at its National Conference in Texas last month.

Marcy Weiss, our Associate Director of Marketing, was given the opportunity to share how the process works when a client desires the incorportion of its brand into the design or a station features a national or local brand. Photos feature the end result of a few successful projects.

Our Director of Client Relations, Raquel Weiss Fusco, was interviewed by the Society of Hospitality
and Foodservice Management's newsletter 
Food & Hospitality At Work. The article focuses on Raquel's role in the organization over the past two years as Chair of the Rising Stars Committee.

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With almost the entire team present, Eric D. Weiss, President & CEO of elite | studio e, accepted the MAFSI Region 3 Dealer of the Year Award in Lake Success, NY. Acknowledged for its differentiation in the industry, family values and innovation in technology, Lynne Schultz of Tri-State Marketing proudly presented the award.

elite | studio e spearheaded the renovation of the University of Maine in Farmington's Beaver Lodge. From concept to completion our team was onsite to ensure the success of the project. Since February 2017, the students have an updated space to hang out in and dine in. 

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"We keep customers happy by providing foodservice designs that are inventive and fresh, while functional and operator-friendly. When our clients have comments and concerns, we listen and deliver,"
said Assistant Vice President Chad S. Weiss.
He was interviewed in the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management monthly e-newsletter.

BOXX Technologies Blog took America's obsession with food one step further and delved into who creates the environments that transform the idea of foodservice into a practical and pleasant experience. Members of our team spoke about our collaborative, creative process that allows us to design, develop, and deliver solutions.

Assistant Vice President Seth Prager said the conference focus was on consulting and space planning related to new spaces for the front of the house, dining room, and work spaces but what caught Seth's attention was the amount of lost opportunity clients miss out on when they keep their dining room only a dining room. 

The difference between buying kitchen equipment from an internet dealer versus a company like elite is the customer service. A dealer like us will work with you to choose the product that’s right for your space and population, measure the location, ensure it fits through doorways, check electric and plumbing needs, arrange delivery, and more.