New position: Chief operating officer, Columbia Restaurant Group, Tampa. Previous position: Director of operations Columbia Restaurant Group, Tampa
By FRED W. WRIGHT JR.
Published June 30, 2003
Shuttling between the six Columbia Restaurants in Florida is just one of the duties facing the company's new chief operating officer, Curt Gaither.
Gaither, who joined the Columbia Restaurant Group in 1995, has responsibility for day-to-day operations, hiring, training of management staff and implementing operational changes.
He comes to the position as the original Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City approaches its 100th anniversary in 2005. The other five restaurants are at the Pier in St. Petersburg, Sand Key in Clearwater Beach, St. Armand's Circle in Sarasota, the historic district in St. Augustine and the newest Columbia, which opened in 1997, in Celebration.
Gaither, who has been in the hospitality business for 30 years, grew up in New York's Long Island, where he began work as a part-time cook. Soon, he was full time, he said, and gradually assumed more and more responsibility. College wasn't part of Gaither's education in the industry. "I went to the school of hard knocks," he said.
"Along the way, I worked for some good companies, some very good chefs, some good management people at very good levels and had good mentors in the business. I consider that my education in the business," he said.
The restaurant business proved to be a good fit for Gaither.
"I found I was pretty good at cooking and pretty good at working with people and training," he said, "which led to training and opening restaurants. At some point, I went into management."
Gaither began his career with Marriott restaurants. Prior to joining the Columbia Restaurant Group, he held management positions with Ruth's Chris Steak House and was director of operations for various concepts with the Restaurant Association where he was director of operations for the noted, but now closed, Mamma Leone's in New York City.
He compares Mamma Leone's with the Columbia, which is able to serve 1,600 people. Both became tourist destinations in and of themselves, he said.
"The Columbia is a place people will go when they're in Florida," he said. "It has the flavor of Florida, certainly the flavor of Tampa."
The restaurant industry is "definitely challenging," Gaither said. "Something different every day. At any level, there's a challenge in making sure the guests are happy, the employees are happy. You enjoy the interaction. The toughest thing is finding and training and maintaining a good staff."
One asset for Gaither is working for a family restaurant group, he said. The Gonzmarts have owned and operated the Columbia Restaurants since their inception. A fifth generation is in management, and the sixth generation - now preschool age - occasionally visits the Ybor City restaurant, he said.
"I think I really enjoy working for a family organization vs. a large company," Gaither said. "I've done both. Working with an institution like the Columbia, there's a lot of tradition to maintain. There's an expectation that people have."
Gaither said plans were still being formulated to mark Columbia's 100th anniversary. Traditionally, all six Columbia Restaurants turn back the menu to 1905 prices, offering some entrees for $2.76 and drinks such as Coke or coffee at a nickel each.
A resident of Palm Harbor, Gaither, 47, has three grown children.
In his spare time, he likes to try other area restaurants - the competition. "It's a hazard of the job," he said, laughing.
