About Ray Shafazand
Throughout his entire life, Ray Shafazand has been passionate about business and has had an entrepreneurial mindset. Over the course of his accomplished career, Ray has achieved success in the hospitality and restaurant industries. Before becoming a restaurant owner and a businessman, Ray began working at a hotel where he developed essential skills, gained extensive experience, and became an expert in staff training and development, inventory management, and process improvement.
In 1996, Ray Shafazand began working at Pacific Hotels & Resorts Inc., where he took on the role of Director of Food and Beverage. Based in the greater Los Angeles area, Ray was responsible for the food for the hotels as well as corporate housing. While working in this role, Ray gained some leadership experience and an understanding of what it takes to manage a food business over his seven years there.
As a graduate of the business and hospitality program at San Jose State University, Ray Shafazand took on leadership as owner and president of Renzo’s Bar and Grill in San Jose, California. He took over the Renzo Restaurant Group, which was made up of bars and restaurants. Within his first 30 months of ownership, Ray Shafazand drove the struggling five-location chain from annual sales of $131,500 to $175 million. Ray created and implemented a formalized process of operations, including an official employee handbook. He continued to lead the restaurant’s services for the next decade, during which time he gathered a number of industry awards.
After moving on from the Renzo Restaurant Group, Ray Shafazand became the General Manager of Bell Tower Bistro, where he conducted profit and loss management, managed 12 employees, and successfully improve customer loyalty by 15 percent. Throughout his time as General Manager, Ray implemented various improvements that led to $1.5M in annual revenues. Aside from running the restaurant, Ray also oversaw large parties and special events at the 5000 square foot facility. His ability to identify inefficiencies and provide solutions created an environment for productivity and reducing waste.
Since 2015, Ray Shafazand has been consulting with many restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. He spent some time working at Vaam Corp as a Director of Food and Beverage, where he continued to help improve operations and margins. Ray also opened a second location of Bell Tower Cafe in Los Altos under his son’s name. With the success of the first location, Ray replicated and implemented established procedures that had already been proven efficient and effective.
Ray Shafazand has helped a failing restaurant previously known as Best Bite Cafe in Mountain View to a super-profitable restaurant, now called Kolbeh Restaurant. He has been able to provide his expertise in the restaurant industry and assist others in achieving their own success. Ray has also helped a few restaurant owners as a consultant. He assisted with the extension of their lease and lowered their labor and food costs. Working as a consultant, Ray has been able to travel and provide his knowledge to restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and hotels around the world.
Be sure to read Ray Shafazand’s blogs and check out the links to his social profiles!