“Spanish for “oyster,” chef/owner Jamie Mammano’s fish-focused Mediterranean restaurant in Park Square is an enthusiastic nod to the bounty of the sea. Top quality branzino, sea bream, Spanish octopus and monkfish—some flown in from the Mediterranean—are smartly prepared, while the paella “Valenciana Style” is a playground for all sorts of underwater creatures. Its extensive raw bar, crudo and caviar service is a highlight.” – Edited by JQ Louise Written by Cheryl Fenton
With over 25 years of expertise in the hospitality industry, Trevor LaMotte brings an unmatched passion and depth of experience to his role as General Manager at Ostra. His career has encompassed a range of key positions, from management to bartending and serving, at some of the country’s most celebrated establishments, including the White Barn Inn and Ostra. Trevor’s exceptional knowledge of wine and cuisine, combined with his genuine, people-first leadership style, has earned him great respect among both colleagues and guests. When not at Ostra, Trevor enjoys cycling, embracing a lifestyle of balance and wellness. Trevor is married with two children and values professionalism in every aspect of his career.
Born and raised in Paris, France, Julia Marsal grew up immersed in the world of fashion, with her French father and American mother both working as photographers. Her passion for the culinary arts led her to pursue a degree in pastry at Alain Ducasse’s culinary school in central France, launching her career at the Michelin-starred restaurant Apicius.
In 2014, Julia moved to Boston, where she began as a host at the acclaimed Mistral. Her talent and dedication quickly earned her a promotion to dining room manager, first at Mistral and later at Teatro. At just 28, she became the opening General Manager of Bar Lyon in Boston’s South End, which soon became a local favorite for its authentic French cuisine and vibrant atmosphere.
After leaving Bar Lyon in 2021 to travel and expand her experience, Julia spent time at the iconic Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris, gaining further insight into the global hospitality scene.
Returning to Boston in April 2023, Julia now brings her international expertise and passion for hospitality to Ostra, where she leads the team as General Manager, ensuring a refined dining experience that reflects her unique global perspective.
Personality and passion are the twin hallmarks of Mark’s hospitality style. The details of attentive and individualized service are key, he says, to successful interaction with every guest. And as for passion, there is no substitute for an employee’s true attitude of ownership and responsibility. Mark exhorts his staff to assume a top-to-bottom approach to guest service so as to make a lasting impression each and every time.
These dual principles of personality and passion were imbedded early in Mark’s career. A succession of ‘name brand’ learning experiences molded his professional development. Mark got his first taste of the epicurean world at Cardoos International Foods, a gourmet food shop in Boston (MA). Selling exotic foods, spices and coffees from around the world was a superb training ground for later employment with such established businesses as Legal Sea Foods, Sheraton Hotels, Skipjack’s, and Caffe Lampara. The 1980s were spent working in both Florida and Massachusetts, and the heady experience of opening new locations added to his broad knowledge and management skills. The depth and breadth of his background moved Mistral to hire Mark in 1996, and he quickly advanced from Assistant General Manager to General Manager, then in 2006 to Director of Operations for not only Mistral but all of the properties in the Columbus Hospitality Group [Sorellina, Mooo, L’Andana and Ostra].
Mark believes in building strong and long-term relationships with guests. He enjoys meeting people, and has a knack for remembering each guest and putting him or her at ease. He strives to instill this trait in all 175 front-of-house employees under his supervision. Among the training highlights, Mark stresses consistency of execution, continual growth, and boundless commitment to guest service. He bookends each guest experience with a strong opening – “a real sincere welcome right at the door” – and a memorable finish – “that appreciative acknowledgement and farewell is crucial to guest retention.”
Those basic tenets of a good time at the dinner table were introduced at Mark’s own family gatherings in his childhood. His Irish-Italian upbringing in Dedham (MA) offered ample opportunity to enjoy good cooking, celebratory feasts, and shared laughter. Today, he brings those early lessons of warm hospitality to a new level of sophistication. Whether it’s having a regular guest’s habitual cocktail ready and waiting, or calling a customer at home to reveal that Mistral’s famous truffle macaroni is back on the menu, he makes every guest feel special and singled out for personal attention. That is the essence of true hospitality.
As one of Boston’s most acclaimed real estate developers, and known for pursuing projects that the real estate “establishment” has often deemed too daring, Paul possesses a drive and vision for urban architectural splendor that has led to the renaissance of some of Boston’s most treasured communities. Paul, who has been working in the field of real estate since the age of 18, originally planned to pursue a career in music, but found himself being drawn towards a love for urban architecture.
Throughout his career, Paul, who earned a baccalaureate and MBA from Boston University, and a JD degree from Suffolk Law School, has worked on the acquisition and renovation of Boston real estate in such diverse areas as historic rehabilitation, mill restorations, HUD projects, the development of hundreds of residential lofts in Boston’s Leather district and the development of a luxury 28-acre beachfront cabana club in Florida.
In 1997, together with partners Jamie Mammano and Seth Greenberg, Paul built and became a co-owner of Mistral, a French/Mediterranean bistro located in one of his most successful developments, Boston’s Albert A. Pope Building. Quickly after the opening, Mistral was named one of the “Top 25 New Restaurants in America” by Esquire Magazine, “Sexiest Bar” by Food & Wine, and earned four “Best of Boston” awards from Boston Magazine.
His first foray into the luxury hotel world, Paul renovated a 1903 Beaux Arts building to create XV Beacon in January of 2000. In developing the hotel, Roiff adhered to the vision of a classic and elegant environment combined with modern style that would provide an unforgettable service experience for travelers, as well as a culinary destination, The Federalist, with an atmosphere reminiscent of the world’s most prestigious private clubs.
Paul followed up the success of Mistral and The Federalist, which is now Mooo, with three other restaurants: Teatro in January 2003, Sorellina in January 2006, and L’Andana in 2007, which he owns in conjunction with Jamie and The Columbus Hospitality Group. The latest additions to CHG are The Inn at St. Botolph, a limited service boutique hotel & the sister property of XV Beacon, and Ostra, a contemporary Mediterranean seafood restaurant. Serving as president of Heath Properties, a real estate development and finance company, Paul has also served on the board of directors of a professional software company, and as a director of Capitol Bancorp in Boston.
Lisa joined the Columbus Hospitality Group in 2001, after traveling from her native state of Texas, and completing her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Boston University. After impressing General Manager Mark D’Alessandro and Chef/Owner Jamie Mammano, Lisa was quickly promoted from being a hostess to the Reservations Manager. In 2004, she was elevated again, to Special Events Manager for Mistral’s private dining room, le Salon du Mistral. As the Events Manager, Lisa planned and executed all private events for the restaurant, including full restaurant buyouts. Her commitment to establishing relationships with guests and bringing visions of celebrations to life, has created long-lasting, successful partnerships, spanning two decades.
In 2008, Lisa was promoted to Director of Sales and Marketing, and began spearheading campaigns for the opening of each new restaurant and venue. Today, this includes Mistral, Sorellina, Mooo Beacon Hill, Ostra, and our newest restaurants, Mooo Seaport and Mooo Burlington, as well as two hotel properties: XV Beacon Hotel and the Inn at St. Botolph
Recognizing the need for a more formal network of event planners within the restaurant industry, Lisa founded the Society for Event Planners: Restaurant Venues (SERV), in 2016. SERV aims to establish connections for people in the industry, so they can learn from one another and enhance their businesses. Meeting quarterly, members discuss topics such as the value of private events to a restaurant’s bottom line, marketing and public relations, and various challenges. SERV quickly caught the attention of dozens of top restauranteurs and planners in the area, increasing membership and gaining accolades from
Beyond Lisa’s dedication to the event and hospitality industry, she has devoted her personal time to supporting causes that connect her to the community and inspire others. For more than a decade, Lisa volunteered and fundraised for Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled, a national non-profit, serving quadriplegics and people with mobility impairment, where she helped raise close to one million dollars. Her commitment to serving others has also driven her involvement in The Women’s Lunch Place and other local Boston charities. Gaining further attention for her impressive style, Lisa was featured in Boston Common Magazine’s Women of Style issue, and in the spring of 2019, Lisa joined the Board of Advisors for the Boston Ballet and took on the role of Auction Chair for the Boston Ballet Gala in 2021 and 2022.
Today, Lisa is returning to her hospitality roots as an adjunct professor for Boston University’s School of Administration, teaching the Introduction to Food and Beverage Management Course. She hopes her experience and expertise will continue to inspire and encourage the next generation of industry professionals during this increasingly challenging time. Additionally, Lisa continues to assist in the expansion of the Columbus Hospitality Group. From concept and design to flawless project management, every experience Lisa creates is a true marriage of CHG’s promise and the guests’ vision of excellence.
In 2006, if one asked Hoshang Dadrass what he thought of restaurant business and hospitality, he would shrug it off as a thankless and uninspiring career choice. Little did he realize that his acquired love to value a guest’s absolute satisfaction would entice him to make a drastic decision to accept a duty as central as the General Manager of L’Andana Grill, and then Ostra.
Born and raised in the north of Afghanistan, Hoshang’s teenage dreams were to follow in his father’s footsteps of practicing medicine. After graduating high school, Hoshang chose to attend pre-medicine at Boston University, where he quickly realized that his passion for medicine was merely a reflection of his father’s dreams and not his own. He, thus, majored in Chemistry in the hopes of one day becoming a teacher.
While attending school, he also accepted a back-server/food runner position at Teatro. Because this industry had nothing to do with his career goals, it took Hoshang almost a year to begin to admire the hospitality business, where he realized the considerable feeling of gratification when a hard night’s work would be equally appreciated by his colleagues as well as the guests.
His punctuality, eagerness to learn, willingness to assist at any time, and growing love for making the guests feel at home were being recognized by the management at Teatro. He was quickly promoted to a server and then a bartender. After almost seven years in the restaurant, when opportunity arose, the Columbus Hospitality Group took an immense chance and offered the responsibility to Hoshang as the General Manager of Teatro.
With full support from the upper management, Hoshang soon proved that the company could have complete reliance on his leadership qualities. As soon as six months later, Hoshang was given another opportunity to run L’Andana. At L’Andana is where Hoshang truly fell in love with the hospitality business. His passion to ensure that his guests feel as if they are dining in their own home, being served from their own kitchen by one of their own, has been an integral part of building and maintaining an exceptional relationship with the local businesses as well as families.
After serving over four years as the General Manager of L’Andana in Burlington, Hoshang once again found his way back to the city, taking over the managerial responsibilities at our sister restaurant, Ostra. Ostra’s chic decor and Mediterranean influenced cuisine suit Hoshang’s personality and his approach to hospitality. His evolution in this industry—from a skeptic to a genuine ambassador—has been the only constant in Hoshang’s career with the Columbus Hospitality Group.
Executive Chef Mitchell Randall discovered his passion for the culinary arts during his childhood years, assisting his mother in the kitchen of his Scarborough, Maine home. At age 14, Chef Randall began working as a line cook and dishwasher, soon realizing his ultimate career goal would be Executive Chef.
Learning the fundamental skills at such a young age created a unique culinary foundation that was formally developed at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Following graduation, he returned to Maine and became Sous Chef at the Tides Inn at Goose Rock Beach.
In 2005, Chef Randall joined Mistral as Sous Chef and spent four years learning and mastering French-Mediterranean cuisine under Chef/Owner Jamie Mammano. At the age of 25, Chef Randall became the youngest Executive Chef in the Columbus Hospitality Group. Chef Randall left Mistral in October 2013 to open Ostra Restaurant with Chef Jamie Mammano. Growing up by the sea, Chef Randall was excited to take on this new culinary endeavor. Showcasing the finest seafood available locally and globally, Chef Randall’s light preparation of seafood highlights the natural and fresh flavors of each dish.
Chef Randall believes the key element to running a successful kitchen is always improving himself and his staff. He maintains a hardworking atmosphere in the kitchen by setting an example with his staff. Chef Randall’s ambitious perspective, complimented with unparallel experience and training have enabled him to consistently develop award winning cuisine.
When Chef Randall is not busy preparing impressive dishes at Ostra, he is hunting, fishing, and visiting family in Maine.
From the day that Chef Jamie Mammano opened the doors to Mistral in 1997, his biggest culinary venture yet was destined to become a legend of the Boston dining scene. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Jamie established a reputation for himself amongst the country’s most highly-regarded chefs during stints at The Jockey Club and Le Pavillion Restaurant in Washington DC, as the chef for the United States Ambassador to Spain, and 10 years spent in the kitchens of the Four Seasons Hotel Company, where he honed his culinary skills at the company’s Washington DC, Seattle, Chicago and Boston properties. While serving as Executive Chef for the Four Seasons Hotel Boston, Jamie single-handedly catapulted its dining room, Aujourd’hui, to the #1 ranking in the Zagat Survey of Boston Restaurants in 1995, and soon after readers of Boston Magazine chose Aujourd’hui as the #1 restaurant in Boston and Condé Nast Traveler named it the #4 restaurant in the country.
Seeking the next big challenge, Jamie left the Four Seasons, and along with partners Paul Roiff and Seth Greenberg, created the concept for Mistral, a French/Mediterranean bistro in Boston’s South End. Through crafting the menu, hiring the staff, handpicking the tableware, choosing the décor and designing the kitchen, Jamie was able to give life to the restaurant he had always dreamed of and that Boston diners could not wait to frequent. Since 1997, Jamie and Mistral have consistently delivered excellent food, exceptional service, and garnered numerous accolades including “Top 25 New Restaurants in America” by Esquire Magazine, “Sexiest Bar” by Food & Wine, and four “Best of Boston” awards from Boston Magazine. Jamie has appeared on NBC’s “Today Show” as well as CNN’s “On the Menu.” In June 1999, Nation’s Restaurant News named Mistral as one of “5 Hottest Restaurants in Boston” and in July of the same year, Jamie was invited to be a guest chef at the famed James Beard House.
In November 2005, Jamie and Paul followed up their success when Paul made Jamie a partner in The Federalist. The team then opened Sorellina in January 2006, offering regional Italian-Mediterranean cuisine with a modern twist, a unique wine list focusing on hidden Italian gems, upbeat and sophisticated service, and a warm-modern design. In August 2007, The Federalist was transformed to Mooo, a modern steakhouse inside the XV Beacon Hotel. L’Andana in Burlington, MA, opened in October 2007, focusing on Tuscan Wood-Grilled cuisine. In 2013, Mammano and Roiff opened Ostra, a contemporary Mediterranean seafood restaurant. Ostra provides a sophisticated and inviting dining room with an elegant bar and piano lounge, as well as an exclusive private dining space. Following the immense popularity and success of Mooo…Beacon Hill as Boston’s premium steakhouse, in February of 2022 Jamie and Paul decided to open another restaurant with the same name in Seaport on Melcher Street. Additionally, in July of 2022, L’Andana was also transformed into a third Mooo… to offer the city experience in Burlington, MA.
