TZURIT OR
Founder & Chief Creative Officer
Tzurit Or, founder, pastry chef, and the creative force behind Tatte, started Tatte Bakery sixteen years ago in her home kitchen, selling her creations at the Copley Square farmers market in Boston. For Tzurit, building a bakery of her own was about more than just cultivating a thriving business; it was a way to create a sense of home and community while starting a new life as an immigrant to the United States. Her vision for Tatte was humble in origin- grounded in a simple mission to bring people together around great food and pastries while providing a deep sense of comfort and belonging.
Tzurit is a former film producer who left a 12-year film career to start life in the US. She is a self-taught pastry chef, cook, and designer of spaces and experiences. Today, her main focus at Tatte is to grow the brand while protecting the smallest of details. She leads food and bakery innovation, café design and experience, as well as Tatte development.
Tzurit’s work has been featured in the NY Times, Food & Wine Magazine, O Magazine, Bon Appetit, Boston Globe and more.
Shawn Utke
Chief Executive Officer
Shawn’s journey began in Connecticut, surrounded by the warmth of family alongside his two brothers, one of whom shared his birth date. As twins, they turned every mealtime into a friendly battleground, vying for the coveted larger slice of their mother’s desserts.
His culinary adventure commenced early, as he jumped into food service at fifteen, hustling at the local grocery store. His passion for food grew as he pursued higher education, simultaneously carving out a path in the restaurant industry, all while proudly serving his nation in the United States Air Force.
Driven by a relentless curiosity for understanding the essence of things, Shawn delved into research and consultancy post-college, leaving his mark on global brands like New Balance, Bayer, and Campbell’s Soup Company.
In his most recent chapter, Shawn spent the past twelve years at Panera Bread, where he held various leadership positions driving innovation. From revolutionizing research methodologies to orchestrating groundbreaking customer insights, he spearheaded the MyPanera loyalty program, setting a new benchmark in the restaurant industry. He also steered the ship through initiatives driving digital transformation and pioneering next-gen urban and suburban cafes.
Beyond the boardroom, Shawn finds solace in the embrace of his family – his wife, daughter, and son – in Holliston, MA. Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, he finds joy in tackling home projects, tinkering with timeless automobiles, and perfecting his swing on the golf course. Shawn holds a BS in Business from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from Babson College.
AME HULL
Chief Operating Officer
Growing up in Southern California, food was how love was expressed in Ame’s house from amazing celebrations to not-so-amazing days and all the regular days in between. The more people at the table, the better. She found that same love working side by side with the founders of BJ’s Restaurants as they opened their first full-service restaurant with a brewery in Brea, CA. From the adrenaline of busy shifts to discovering a talent for making things run smoother for the guests and the team while having a great time along the way, Ame found her calling. Her contagious energy and passion for the business, talent for bringing out the very best in people, and relentless pursuit of continuous improvement have propelled her career for over three decades in this ever-changing, competitive industry. From full-service to fast-casual, start-ups to iconic brands, Ame worked her way up in operations with many stops along the way in talent development, training, new restaurant openings, off-premise, and beverage operations to name a few.
Prior to joining Tatte, Ame spent the bulk of her career with BJ’s Restaurants helping to grow the brand from restaurant six to 176, wearing any and all hats necessary, with her last role as part of the Executive Team as the Senior Vice President of Operations Services and Talent. After two decades with BJ’s, Ame wanted to try her hand in the fast-casual spectrum joining Pei Wei as a Regional Vice President and Vice President of Operations Services. From there, she got the opportunity to work with an incredible founder and chef while learning how to run scratch kitchens as the Chief Operating Officer at Lemonade Restaurant Group. Ame spent a couple of years with Cracker Barrel in Operations and Off Premise roles, bringing an entrepreneurial spirit and nimble thinking to an iconic brand. Ame is thrilled to join a spectacular group of people and lead operations at Tatte helping to protect and grow this very special, one-of-a-kind brand.
When she takes off her non-slip shoes, Ame can be found building Legos with her son Ryan or hiking, trying new restaurants, and getting new stamps in her passport with Ryan and her husband, Jason. She loves to read, spend time with family and friends, and is currently trying her hand at gardening in a place with four seasons.
SERGEY ZINGER
Chief Financial Officer
Growing up in Rochester, New York, Sergey has always had a passion for finance and math. He brings 10 years of financial and leadership experience across multiple industries, leading debt restructurings, supporting strategic growth initiatives, and M&A opportunities. Sergey holds a B.A in Economics from SUNY Geneseo and an MBA in Finance from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester.
Sergey joined the Tatte team in September 2019 and is excited for the challenge and opportunity of helping Tatte continue to positively influence all of its customers, employees, and stakeholders.
Outside of work, Sergey spends most of his time with his wife and three kids. When not spending time with family, he can usually be found playing board games with friends.
BRENDAN BOYLE
VP, Development & Construction
Brendan Boyle is a real estate and construction executive who brings a passion for developing the beautiful spaces that Tatte’s guests and staff experience every day. Growing up on the south shore of Massachusetts, Brendan learned at an early age that building was in his DNA. With both his father and grandfather in the real estate and construction industry, it was quite often topic of conversation around the dinner table. This fostered Brendan’s passion for building and eventually led him to study construction management and spend his early career as a project manager in general contracting.
Brendan joined Tatte team in 2019. He previously held a position Vice President of Construction with a premier Boston based restaurant builder where he spent several years managing the construction of multiple Tatte venues. It was through this relationship that Brendan fell in love with Tatte and decided to join the team, lead and support Tatte’s growth.
Brendan lives with his wife, son, and daughter in Nahant, MA. When he’s not busy being a Dad he enjoys cooking, playing golf, and restoring his mid 17th century historic home. Brendan holds a BS in Construction Management from Wentworth Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Babson College.
CHARLOTTE PETILLA
VP, People
Charlotte spent the better part of her childhood zigzagging across her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania tracking down ingredients for elaborate family meals. From those family meals, she learned that to share food is to build bridges, deepen connections, and, above all, show love. Not as disciplined in the kitchen as her mother, and inspired by time spent volunteering for the ACLU and her father’s own experience as an immigrant, Charlotte became a lawyer. She clerked for several judges and spent over 8 year in private practice, focusing on employment law and an array of pro bono matters.
Charlotte joined Tatte in 2021. She is continuously excited that work means bringing her love for people and food together, and helping team members thrive and share everything that is special about Tatte with guests.
Charlotte lives with her partner and two children in Roxbury. If Charlotte can steal away a few minutes to herself, she is most likely to be found reading a book that she never planned to buy from her local bookstore. Charlotte is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Boston College Law School.
ELISSE CIOLLO
Director, Sales Growth Initiatives
Elisse Ciollo is a consumer insights, engagement, and growth strategy professional. She is passionate about understanding what makes consumers tick and exploring how brands build authentic, long-term relationships with their customers. For over a decade, she has had the opportunity to focus her energy and efforts on forging cultures of customer-centricity and driving sustainable growth for a range of industries. Prior to joining Tatte she held roles at Panera Bread, CVS Health, and Tripadvisor.
As a long-time customer and admirer of Tatte, she has spent years enjoying the extraordinarily special food, café atmospheres, and people that make it a one-of-a-kind experience. As a member of the Tatte team, she is focused on initiatives that span research, category management, customer engagement, and eCommerce, and is thrilled to play a role in continuing to bring Tatte’s wonderful experience to more and more people and communities.
Elisse lives in the greater Boston area with her wife, Julie and their daughter, Olivia. Outside of work, she loves cooking, traveling, and hiking with her family. Elisse holds an MSIS and MBA dual degree from Boston University and a BA and BE from Dartmouth College.
ERIC TRANFAGLIA
VP, Culinary Services & Operations
Eric grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts and has fond memories of big family dinners and his Italian grandmother’s cooking. At 14 years old he took his first job in the restaurant industry and knew from a young age he was designed to work in the culinary field.
He began his education at the Culinary Institute of America and was a 2001 graduate of Newbury College in Brookline MA. Eric has experience in both restaurants and hotels, including The Ritz Carlton. In 2007 he was hired by Not Your Average Joes as a sous chef. He quickly worked his way up the ranks while thriving on the challenges the job presented. He was promoted to Regional Director of the Mid-Atlantic and enjoyed the challenges of opening new locations. Eric is the epitome of a team player who finds joy in seeing his coworkers succeed and flourish.
Eric joined Tatte in February 2017 as the Culinary Director, responsible for the operations across the café kitchens. With his hard work and ability to put strong systems in place, Eric was able to make positive change throughout our cafe savory operations, leading to his role as Tatte Director of Food & Beverage. He is happy to be able to continue to share his passion and knowledge and lead the Tatte team.
Gregg Godfrey
VP, Bakery & Special Projects
Gregg grew up in eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, where he first worked at his parents’ donut shop at the age of 11. With a passion for restaurant operations firmly implanted, he joined the Papa Gino’s & D’Angelo Restaurant Group upon graduation from Champlain College. Gregg worked his way up through many different roles at PG & DA, finishing his decade and a half at the company as an Operations Partner.
Gregg spent the next chapter of his career at Panera Bread, starting out as an Operations Partner for a franchise group before joining the company side. As Regional Director of Operations, Gregg oversaw the expansion of 30 cafes over five years and partnered with leadership on strategic initiatives, including the company’s international expansion efforts. Promoted to Director of Development and then to Vice President of Design, Gregg topped off his 15-year career at Panera by completing over 400 designs and leading design teams in St. Louis and Boston.
In 2019, Gregg joined Tatte as Vice President. Today he continues to support Sourcing, Food Safety and Crisis Management efforts while also overseeing Bakery Operations in both the Boston and DC markets. Gregg brings a positive energy combined with a determination to deliver for the brand.
Outside of Tatte, Gregg enjoys traveling with his family—his wife, Candice, and two daughters, Alexandra and Ashley. He also enjoys running half marathons with his daughters and training for his annual 75-mile bike ride to raise money to defeat ALS.
JENNIFER SALAMONE
Regional VP, Operations
Jennifer, a native Bostonian, grew up in a family where food was always the center piece for all family gatherings. Always surrounded by laughter and delicious meals, she learned early on that she was meant to work with people and food.
Studying Culinary Arts, Jennifer graduated from Johnson & Wales in 2000 and began her journey in the food industry. She worked as a line cook at a few restaurants in Boston, during this same time she joined Starbucks Coffee Company as a Barista not knowing that she would grow with them for the next 16 years running several of their larger stores in the city of Boston. Taking a break from Starbucks, Jenn joined the BL Gruppo taking a role that brought her two passions together, people and food, at Sportello where she ran the bakery part of their business.
On her first visit to Tatte, Jenn knew as she looked around the beautiful café filled with delicious pastries and food, that she had to be part of this team. She joined Tatte in August 2015 as the Assistant Director of Operation for Retail & Bakery. She then took the role as Director of Operations where she led operations through all Tatte locations. Jenn is excited to transition to her new role where she will lead and support projects to help the brand move forward.
KAT RYDER
VP, Operation Services & IT
Born & raised in Dayton, Ohio, Kat has always had a passion for team-building and leadership. She graduated at the top of her class from Xavier University’s Philosophy, Politics, & the Public Honors Program. Kat earned an accelerated M.B.A, while directing the University’s Center for the Study of the American Dream.
With 10+ years in strategic project management, Kat has always thrived in positions that require her to adapt and achieve in demanding environments. In January of 2019, Kat joined the Tatte team as the Director of Operation Services & IT. In other words, if there is a system or tool involved, so is she. Kat is thrilled to be a part of Tatte’s exciting future.
Outside of work, you’ll find Kat lakeside in Chicago walking her dog, traveling with her husband, or spending time with her family.
LYH-RHEN LAM
VP, Concept, Creative, Brand Services
Lyh-Rhen grew up in Boston in a multi-generational household where gracious hospitality and his mom’s home cooking were central to family life. Early on, Lyh was fascinated by food– often hogging the television on Saturday mornings to watch PBS cooking shows to his siblings’ dismay. His culinary aspirations would take a back seat when he fell in love with visual art in high school, leading him to earn a degree in sculpture from Dartmouth College.
Returning home to Boston after school, Lyh’s interest in food and design led him to roles at several local businesses– baking bread at Hi-Rise Bread Company, designing windows at Winston Flowers, and managing staff at Sofra Bakery. This period of formative exploration left a lasting impression on him. Day in and day out, Lyh learned from owners and colleagues who passionately pursued excellence in their craft while creating impactful retail spaces to inspire their guests.
In 2012, trading city life for the country, Lyh partnered with his four siblings to launch Fivefork Farms in Upton, MA, a flower farm committed to organic and sustainable practices. As the creative on the farm, Lyh managed projects from branding and marketing to event design and production. He also found time to get dirty everyday– joining the morning cut flower harvest, assembling mixed bouquets, and raising his flock of chickens.
Lyh joined Tatte in 2017, returning to the hospitality industry leading visual & merchandising at Tatte. He is looking forward to the creative challenges that lie ahead and the opportunity to grow with such a talented team.