16 2021 LONG ISLAND TOP WORKPLACES – LITOPWORKPLACES.COM
TOP LI WORKPLACES
SPONSORED
ROOTED HOSPITALITY REIMAGINES FOOD SERVICE WORK
The Rooted Hospitality team gathered at an employee event at Palmer Vineyards in Riverhead.
Working in the food service industry
typically means putting in long hours
and receiving few benefits — but not
for the employees at Rooted Hospitality
Group, where owner David Hersh says
the company is leading the hospitality
workforce into a new generation.
On average in the United States, leisure
and hospitality turnover was about 79
percent in 2019 and jumped to 130 percent
in 2020, according to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics. Rooted Hospitality
Group, however, has a turnover rate of
about 25 percent, Hersh says. So what
makes workers want to stay at one of
the company’s five restaurants on Long
Island?
“It’s because of how we treat our employees,”
Hersh says. “We're trying to
be at the forefront of how teams are
appreciated, rewarded, and feel like
valued contributors.”
First, the company values work-life
balance for its employees. Staff members
do not have to work unreasonably
long shifts. In fact, leadership is flexible
about hours and takes into consideration
whatever may be going on in the
employee’s life.
Second, the company offers good benefits
to its full-time employees, including
a matching 401(k) plan and generous
vacation time. Workers are rewarded
generously as well. Each year, there is
a companywide party the day after Labor
Day. All the restaurants close, and
employees come together to celebrate
and recognize the best-performing employees
in different categories. There
are cash prizes and other gifts given out,
including a trip for the winner of the
best manager category.
In the winter, each restaurant hosts a
back of the house (BOH) appreciation
Rooted Hospitality Group
Making Life More Delicious
dinner where the
servers cook for
the chefs as a big
thank you for all their hard work and
support throughout the year. The chefs
also receive custom-embroidered chef
coats from the company honoring their
start year.
And third, the team participates in
many other company activities yearround.
In the past, these have included
yoga, martial arts, adventure park
and other fitness classes, field trips to
vendor facilities, stewardship outings
and more.
“All of these things are what make us
who we are,” Hersh says. “We get the
most reward from watching not only
our restaurants grow but the people
inside our restaurants grow.”
Rooted Hospitality Group owns RUMBA
and COWFISH, both in Hampton Bays;
FLORA, in Westhampton Beach; RHUM,
in Patchogue; and AVO TACO, in New
Hyde Park. The company employs between
300 and 350 people, and Hersh
plans to expand and open more restaurants
in the future.
Working for Rooted Hospitality Group is different
from any other job. We create genuine moments
of connection with our guests, making a
difference in their day.
We offer flexible schedules, great benefits, and an
environment that is truly welcoming. And what we
do together inside our stores, continues outside our
walls as well. We do good things in the community,
give back to the neighborhoods we call home, as well
as enjoy fun activities together such as yoga,
group fitness classes, paddle boarding, wine tours,
and so much more!
Come love your job and join our journey:
RootedHG.com/hire
RumbaHamptonBays.com CowfishRestaurant.com RhumPatchogue.com FloraWHB.com
/CowfishRestaurant.com
/hire
/RumbaHamptonBays.com
/LITOPWORKPLACES.COM
/RhumPatchogue.com
/FloraWHB.com
