After years as a hands-on manager, executive and consultant,
David Shinney has created DCS Associates, Hospitality and
Restaurant Consultants.
As a consultant, line manager and executive in restaurants,
hotels, and gourmet shops across the country and internationally,
David Shinney conceptualized, launched, operated and improved
the quality of food, beverage, decor, and bottom line for
a list of clients that includes the Ocean Cliff Hotel
and six affiliated businesses in Newport, RI, the Westin
Hotel in Providence, RI, The Colony, Palm Beach, FL,
a boutique British Colonial Hotel, and the urban Lenox
Hotel in Boston. He also launched and managed several
top tier restaurants, among them Stephanie's on Newbury
in Boston, Grill 23 & Bar, a world class
steak and seafood house in Boston, and the Ruth
Chris’ Steak House flagship in Boston. He
re-orchestrated operations at Davio’s Restaurant Group and The Bay Tower, in Boston,
MA and recently, he developed and managed six restaurants
for an Irish restaurant group, The Briar Group, Boston,
helping them transition into a major factor in the ethnic
theme business and fine dining segment in Boston, opening
Azure / City Bar (The Lenox Hotel), one of Boston’s
fine dining, bar scene institutions.
He was also sought out and secured a retail gourmet concept
expansion opportunity, Carmine’s, then in Boca
Raton FL. for the national Cracker Barrel Old Country
Store, Nashville, TN, He opened, operated several retail
concepts including for Sutton Place Gourmet (now Balducci’s
and Hay Day) in the Washington, DC, VA and MD
area.
Internationally, Shinney developed, completed business planning
for four concepts, in Prague, the Czech Republic,
including Parnas / Cafe Slavia and Otto's Bar and
Grill, a fine dining restaurant and a European "Cafe
Society" bistro, both historical institutions; and an
American specialty food restaurant with signature bar. DCS
Associates’ clients currently include KNR Restaurant
Group in Miami Beach, FL assisting their launch
of Quattro Gastronomia Italiana and Mokai, a
nightclub and restaurant. He also works with a stable of Boston
and environs clients.
Shinney’s education reinforces his consultancy expertise:
Boston College, BA, Economics, the MBA program,
Boston College Graduate School of Business (concentration
in Marketing); Johnson and Wales, culinary studies;
NRA, MRA, industry seminars; Wine Spectator / Court
of Master Sommelier beverage courses.
He is frequently quoted in the press as a respected restaurant
professional and teaches in the graduate program at Boston
University School of Culinary Arts. He is a Founder
and a member of the Board of Trustees, the Anthony Spinazzola
Foundation and served on the Board of Directors, Massachusetts
Restaurant Association and the Boston chapter of the American
Institute of Wine & Food.
