Practical Experience. Real Results. Trusted Partnership.

Fellowship Restaurant Advisors was founded by Martin and Laurie Butera with a clear purpose: to help restaurant owners build stronger, more profitable, and more sustainable businesses through real-world experience and hands-on guidance.

With more than 35 years of combined ownership, culinary, financial, and operational expertise, Fellowship delivers practical solutions grounded in lived experience — not theory. We work alongside our clients, identifying opportunities, implementing change, and helping operators create systems that last.

Our Story

Fellowship Restaurant Advisors was built from decades of firsthand experience owning and operating restaurants — managing everything from kitchen execution and staffing to financial performance and multi-unit oversight.

Throughout their careers, Martin and Laurie navigated the same challenges their clients face today:

  • Rising food and labor costs

  • Maintaining consistency across locations

  • Hiring, training, and retaining staff

  • Balancing creativity with operational discipline

  • Scaling while preserving identity and quality

After successfully transitioning their restaurant portfolio, they founded Fellowship to bring that experience to other operators — helping them avoid common pitfalls, improve profitability, and build businesses that are less dependent on ownership’s daily presence.

About the Founders

Martin Butera

Martin’s background blends analytical discipline, structured thinking, and culinary leadership, allowing him to approach restaurant operations from both a strategic and execution-focused perspective.

  • Degree in Business Management Information Systems

  • Master’s Degree in History

  • Early career in corporate finance, with responsibilities including statistical analysis and database administration

  • Executive Chef and menu creator for Butera’s Restaurants

  • Oversaw multi-unit operations, menu development, production systems, and kitchen standards

Martin’s academic background in history contributes to his ability to:

  • Analyze systems and patterns over time

  • Approach operational challenges with structure and context

  • Build thoughtful, well-reasoned strategies grounded in real-world conditions

Combined with his finance and culinary experience, this allows him to:

  • Break down cost structures and inefficiencies

  • Design systems that are financially sound and operationally practical

  • Translate data and analysis into actionable kitchen and business solutions

Laurie Butera

Laurie’s expertise is rooted in operational leadership, team development, and guest experience, all shaped by years of active restaurant ownership.

  • Extensive experience managing front-of-house operations

  • Leadership in staffing, hiring, and team development

  • Oversight of service standards and guest experience across multiple locations

  • Key role in maintaining organizational structure, accountability, and consistency

Laurie ensures that:

  • Systems are practical for real teams to execute

  • Guest experience remains central to operational decisions

  • Staff are supported, trained, and aligned with the business

Combined Ownership Experience

Together, Martin and Laurie have:

  • Owned and operated multiple successful restaurant locations

  • Managed large teams across kitchen and front-of-house operations

  • Developed scalable systems for consistency and profitability

  • Navigated the full lifecycle of restaurant ownership — including growth, stabilization, and sale

Their combined experience allows Fellowship to deliver a balanced consulting approach that integrates:

  • Financial discipline

  • Culinary integrity

  • Operational efficiency

  • Team-focused execution

This depth of experience directly enhances their effectiveness as consultants — providing guidance that is practical, proven, and immediately applicable.