Sacramento Hospitality Leaders Convene for What Now Accelerate Event

The gathering at Felicità Wine Company provided a space to connect, share ideas, and build relationships.

Katie Porter
Written By Katie Porter
News Writer
Felicità Wine Company Hosts Sacramento Hospitality Leaders for What Now Accelerate Event (Image credit: What Now)

Sacramento’s restaurant and hospitality community came together on Wednesday, July 22, for a What Now Accelerate networking event held at Felicità Wine Company, at 1015 2nd St. Moderated by Marian Ebhamen, What Now’s Event Host, the afternoon gave attendees a valuable chance to connect over the restaurant industry and resources.

43 attendees, including 34 restaurant and hospitality business representatives and nine industry partner representatives, were present at the Accelerate event. The afternoon featured leaders from a wide range of concepts, including restaurants, wineries, cafés, entertainment venues, and hospitality businesses throughout the Sacramento region.

Hospitality Attendees

Felicità Wine Company — 1015 2nd St, Sacramento, CA 95814

Felicità Wine Company was represented by Owner Feli Ortega and Partner Kevin Pressey. The Sacramento wine company focuses on creating a destination centered around wine experiences and community gatherings while expanding its footprint in the local hospitality scene.

Jae’s Inspiration / Sum’ Mo Bar & Cafe Venue Space — 8363 Folsom Blvd, Suite 8383, Sacramento, CA 95826

Owner Jae Dudley attended representing the upcoming Sum’ Mo Bar & Cafe Venue Space. The concept is focused on bringing a new dining and gathering destination to Sacramento with a hospitality-driven atmosphere.

Teneral Cellars — 1050 20th St, Suite 110, Sacramento, CA 95811

Co-Owner Jill Osur represented Teneral Cellars, a wine company exploring expansion into Midtown Sacramento. The brand focuses on wines created around community, connection, and a mission-driven approach to the wine industry.

Skorch’d Pizza — Sacramento, CA

Co-Owners Steven Clifford and Patrick Clifford attended on behalf of Skorch’d Pizza. The brothers are working to bring their pizza concept to a dedicated Sacramento storefront after building support for the new location.

Lecavalier Cellars — 2381 Fair Oaks Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95825

Co-Founder Michael Domer and Creative Digital Marketer Jason Miller represented Lecavalier Cellars. Formerly known as Lecavalier Winery and Kitchen, the concept is planned for the former Roxy space and combines wine, food, and hospitality experiences.

Hidden Dumpling House — 3305 Freeport Blvd, Suite B, Sacramento, CA 95818

Owner Danni Kan, Marketing Manager Keanu Garcia, and Partner Mihail Belciug attended. Hidden Dumpling House is a growing Sacramento dumpling concept known for handmade offerings and is expanding with additional locations in the region.

Cà Phê Diễm — 1102 Q St, Suite 110, Sacramento, CA 95811

Owner Diễm Le attended, representing the Vietnamese coffee concept. Cà Phê Diễm is preparing to open a brick-and-mortar shop in downtown Sacramento focused on traditional Vietnamese coffee culture.

Chick-fil-A — 2436 Watt Ave, Sacramento, CA 95825

Owner-Operator Jeremy Youngers attended representing his franchise operations for Chick-fil-A. Youngers continues to grow his presence in the Sacramento market through new restaurant development.

Pizza House — 5050 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95820

Owner Mikhail Chernioglo and Manager Dharina Kapakly represented Pizza House. The South Sacramento pizzeria is relocating into an upgraded nearby space as it continues serving the local community.

Ramona Music Hall — 3250 Ramona Ave, Sacramento, CA 95826

Project Principal Pete Glikshtern attended, representing the planned Ramona Music Hall. The upcoming venue is expected to bring a large-scale entertainment and hospitality destination to Sacramento.

Tai Pan — 4400 Freeport Blvd, Suite 160, Sacramento, CA 95822

Managing Director Steve Chiu attended for Tai Pan. The dim sum bakery concept is expanding from its roots in San Jose into the Sacramento metro area, introducing its offerings to a new market.

Ever After Wine Company — 9639 E Stockton Blvd, Elk Grove, CA 95624

CEO Nadia Mincy represented Elk Grove’s Ever After Wine Company. The wine brand continues developing its presence through unique wine experiences and community-focused events.

Local Flights Brews and Bites — 6900 Airport Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95837

Co-Owner Edwin Balli attended representing Local Flights Brews and Bites. The concept is bringing an exciting new food and beverage option to travelers at Sacramento International Airport.

Aviator’s Restaurant & Catering — 6151 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95822

Owner Cheung Chik attended representing Aviator’s Restaurant & Catering. The concept is expected to reopen in 2027 at Sacramento Executive Airport, after ongoing remodeling and repair work.

LoveTwo Vines & Venue — 12401 Folsom Blvd, Suite 108, Rancho Cordova, CA 95742

Co-Owners of LoveTwo Vines & Venue, Nora Myagmar and Rob Stark, attended. The winery venue within Nimbus Winery offers a hospitality experience combining wine, events, and community gatherings.

Chason’s Crab Stadium — 2700 E Bidwell St, Suite 100, Folsom, CA 95630

Owners Ronnie Lim and Peter Phong, along with Partner Robert Do, attended to represent Chason’s Crab Stadium. The seafood restaurant is expanding with plans for a new Folsom location.

Balance Coffee Shop — 1004 24th St, Sacramento, CA 95816

Owners Nancy Guzman and Nicole Perez attended representing Balance Coffee Shop. The upcoming café is planned for the former Drip Coffee location and aims to add another neighborhood coffee destination.

Pancho Villa BBQ & Catering — 6716 Madison Ave, Suite 127, Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Co-Owner Tammy Chavez attended representing Pancho Villa BBQ & Catering. The barbecue concept recently opened its first brick-and-mortar location after operating through catering and mobile service.

The Folsom Cafe — 727 B Sutter St, Folsom, CA 95630

Owner Suzie Pierce of The Folsom Cafe attended to represent her restaurant. Pierce’s family purchased the business last year and reopened it, keeping a local staple serving classic dishes to the Folsom community.

CharQterie — 4112 E Commerce Way #110, Sacramento, CA 95834

Co-Owners of CharQterie, Lydia Belaski and Jeffery Belaski, attended. The boutique concept opened in 2024 in Natomas and specializes in curated charcuterie experiences for gatherings and events.

Kindred Estate Vineyards — 9586 Sunflower Rd, Wilton, CA 95693, USA

Partner Tresla Gilbreath attended representing Kindred Estate Vineyards, a new winery project planned for Wilton. It will be debuting to the public later this fall, just in time for the holidays.

Parlour on 10th — 2112 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95818

Co-Owners Joanne Samuels and Stephen Samuels attended. Parlour on 10th is bringing a modern high-tea experience to Sacramento with a unique hospitality concept and is nearing opening.

Partner Attendees

Auris

Mike Mix (SPA) and Pete Daley (PDM) represented Auris, which provides payroll and human resources solutions designed to help businesses manage employees and operations.

Global Payments – Genius Point of Sale

Collin Spittler (SRM) and George Yudell (SRM) represented Global Payments’ Genius Point of Sale platform, providing payment technology and point-of-sale solutions for hospitality businesses.

OpenTable

Account Executive Alex Enteen represented OpenTable, a platform helping restaurants manage reservations, guest relationships, and customer experiences.

Restaurant Technologies, Inc.

Senior Sales Executive Jason Yager represented Restaurant Technologies, which helps restaurants improve kitchen efficiency through automated cooking oil solutions.

SpotOn

Hospitality Specialists Dani Dodge and Jordan Springs represented SpotOn, which provides point-of-sale systems and operational tools for restaurants.

Tagrisk LLC

CEO Larry Anaya represented Tagrisk LLC, which provides insurance services designed to support hospitality businesses.

What Now Media Group shares restaurant opening news in 33 cities across North America, breaking news, and provides timely insight into yet-to-open brick-and-mortar businesses. The platform shares news of thousands of openings across all 33 cities annually.

Stay tuned for future Accelerate events from What Now Media Group in 2026. For more details, see the Accelerate page here.

Click here for a complete list of our partners. To learn more about becoming a preferred partner, click here.

Felicità Wine Company Hosts Sacramento Hospitality Leaders for What Now Accelerate Event
Felicità Wine Company Hosts Sacramento Hospitality Leaders for What Now Accelerate Event (Image Credit: What Now)
Felicità Wine Company Hosts Sacramento Hospitality Leaders for What Now Accelerate Event
Felicità Wine Company Hosts Sacramento Hospitality Leaders for What Now Accelerate Event (Image Credit: What Now)
Felicità Wine Company Hosts Sacramento Hospitality Leaders for What Now Accelerate Event
Felicità Wine Company Hosts Sacramento Hospitality Leaders for What Now Accelerate Event (Image Credit: What Now)

 

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Katie Porter is a freelance journalist and copywriter located in the Mile High City of Denver, covering the Colorado and SoCal restaurant scenes. She has always been a news junkie, keen to stay informed about what's going on in her community and the world, constantly on the lookout for interesting nuggets. Her articles have appeared in a variety of other publications, including 1851 Franchise, Estatenvy, Boulder Weekly, ThisSongisSick, el Don News, TheThings, Stache Cow, and more.
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