Alternating between titles of C.F.O. (Chief Foodie Officer) and C.E.O. (Chief Eating Officer), Denise is as creative with titles as she is in coming up with unique culinary tours and experiences for her clients.
Denise is probably most recognized for her popular Foodie Events which started in 2009 while working for the largest property owner in Downtown Boca Raton. It was during her tenure there that Denise garnered recognition as a local food authority and resource for folks wanting to know where to go and what to do in the Downtown area in which she has lived and worked for 20+ years. An Influencer in the culinary space, Denise is sought after as a judge at various local food competitions and attends many restaurant openings, food & wine festivals and charity galas which she attends and writes about in her food & lifestyle blog, Savor Our City and shares in her monthly e-newsletter that goes out to 5K+ foodies and wine enthusiasts.
Denise is a long time resident of Boca Raton and is active in the communities in which she serves and aligns herself and her company with several charitable organizations by donating both her time and providing gift certificates to be used in their silent auctions. Denise’s love language is food.
David is passionate about Business, Sports, Binging captivating Series and is now becoming more and more of a Foodie. Until the last 10 years of his career, David had spent the majority of his Business Life as an Entrepreneur founding and operating several companies. Two such companies never got off the ground due to lack of funding but showed his unique ability to spot market trends. David conceptualized a company he intended to call Our Company Club which was an electronic payment system with automatic loyalty rewards distributed each time a payment was made to a merchant on the network. The electronic payment system doubled as a peer to peer payment system before Paypal and Zelle were around. Another company that was in development before private funding ran out was the first daily and weekly fantasy sports platform. This was before Draftkings and Fanduel revolutionized the industry. It was to be called FSPPA short for Fantasy Sports Professional Players Association. It was to combine a platform for fantasy sports enthusiasts to compete in live drafts for a single game or to set a duration in time to cover multiple games or weeks. It also was going to have a sophisticated algorithm to rate players on all aspects of being the best Fantasy Sports Professional. Furthermore, the software allowed for like minded community members to host videocasts and share the live and archived streams to other community members. The plan was to share in advertising revenue to the digital creators. This was before influencers were even a thing.
Early in David’s entrepreneurial career he created a company called Sound Investment which was a database driven software program affiliates can use to share lead capture pages and co registration forms to their audience and share in the revenue generated from selling leads. For many years, Sound Investment was generating and paying out on thousands of leads per week on its platform.
Other companies David owned and operated were floor installs, floor and bath. Floor kitchen bath and Enscripted. During his 8 years owning remodeling companies, David partnered with handpicked and vetted contractors to create outstanding results and many happy customers. Here he continued to develop his operational prowess and ability to handle all other aspects of business from an owner’s perspective. Enscripted was David putting his Software Architecture and Interface Design hats on again, and was born out of trying to ensure that Pain Management clinics run legitimately without Drug Diversion and doctor shopping. David was contacted by a friend familiar with Sound Investment’s software and asked him to create a Medical Records software custom to a legitimate pain management clinic. The software was built while the clinic was in operation adding features such as a national database tracking each specific location’s patients checking in to ensure they haven’t been to another location in the database within 30 days. Other crucial features were random pill counts where the software would randomly select a percentage of each of the clinic’s patients each month and provide a patient list to contact for them to come in and then compare the amount of pills they should have with the amount of pills they have left in the bottle. This prevented patients who were abusing or selling the medication from continuing to be seen.
After Enscripted, David spent 6 months in the Philippines vacationing while considering his next move. In 2013 while in the Philippines, David received a call from a friend who was the GM of a Structured Settlement company that paid people up front cash in return for some or all of their annuities. David returned home and started Rightway Funding when there were only 10 people but with his processes and operational skills, the company quickly grew the sales office to over 70 people. The business thrived for over 9 years until a few years after the Pandemic. Due to some differences in opinions between the owners on whether to utilyze David to deploy some advanced analytical tools to help create a blueprint of what the successful sales people were doing as far a work ethic and strategy by using data from our dialer and pbx, David left when the owners didn’t want to take a proactive approach to deal with the challenges to the industry brought on by the Pandemic.
In 2023 David joined Savor Our City as Director Of Operations to streamline operations and help scale the business to its full potential. David really enjoys working in such a “fun” industry with Denise and the rest of the growing team and anticipates this will be the last stop in his professional career.
Jennifer represents a unique combination of being a Southern gal with down-home charm, and that of a sophisticated Bon Vivant with an exquisite palate for French and International cuisine along with a long-standing career as an independent marketing consultant for small to mid-size companies.
Having grown up in the Deep South, Jennifer’s longing for adventure and thirst for diversity inspired her to move to Paris, France where she lived and worked for 8 years. Having returned to the United States in 2001 with her young daughter, Jennifer settled in Boca Raton where her Bachelor’s Degrees in Communications and Psychology, combined with her world experiences and pure love for people allowed her to manage and develop organic marketing campaigns, spearhead strategic alliance initiatives and orchestrate large scale events for a variety of businesses throughout South Florida.
After attending one of Savor Our City’s unique networking events, Jennifer fell in love with the concept of bringing people together over shared culinary experiences. “Breaking bread, sharing a meal and discovering culinary delights with someone helps create more meaningful conversations, develop deeper bonding and inspire future collaboration. We all love food and Savor Our City is the doorway to discovering more about each other as we explore the many exciting cuisines from restaurants in our area.”
With an entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm for big marketing ideas, Jennifer can’t wait to help take Savor Our City to the next level. Her plans include positioning Savor Our City as the go-to resource for cultural and culinary happenings not only in South Florida but across the United States and in several countries in Europe. She will implement strategic alliances and sales initiatives locally and then duplicate them in targeted areas on a three-year growth plan. Ramping up social media presence, developing a network of “influencers” and promoting Denise Righetti as the Foodie Guru everyone wants to know, is an integral part of her marketing strategy.
Luci brings her vibrant Guatemalan spirit to Savor Our City. With a deep passion for exploring the tourist attractions of her beautiful country, Luci infuses her creative talents into her work, crafting extraordinary material for our customers.
Luci’s journey has been anything but ordinary. She spent four years in medical school before realizing it wasn’t the right path for her. This turning point led her to various jobs that shaped her character and creativity. Her first job at a succulent greenhouse taught her about nature, colors, and delicacy. At a zero-waste store,she gained valuable insights into maintaining a clean work environment, promoting healthy living, and developing strong business skills. A stint at a call center helped her understand what she didn’t want in life.
Driven by curiosity and a desire for personal growth, Luci delved into design and virtual assistance. This path eventually led her to Savor Our City, where she thrives on working remotely and creating captivating visuals that promote our amazing food tours and delightful experiences.
A true foodie at heart, Luci loves sharing content that highlights the incredible adventures we curate for you and your team. Her goal is to elevate our brand to new heights, visually showcasing the unique experiences and unforgettable journeys we provide. Her dedication and love for what she does shine through in every project.
Hamza joined Savor Our City early in 2023 as lead Webmaster and the team at Savor Our City couldn’t be more pleased. Hamza brings a can do attitude and a significant amount of experience in producing effective web applications particularly in a WordPress environment. He is quick to deploy numerous innovations available to him through his available resources, including extensive knowledge within his field as well as the ability to learn on the fly with other resources such as AI, plugin search and vetting as well as utilizing Savor Our Cities other members of the programming team. Hamza also coordinates all updates with the team as he is in charge of a deployment system consisting of working on a staging site before going live on savorourcity.com and making backups before and after every major update.. Hamza welcomes the chance to work with Savor Our City partners on implementing mutually strategic alliance solutions through the wonderful world of web application development.
Stella Crismanich was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina to multi cultural parents from Croatia and Paraguay. She grew up in four different countries which exposed her to many different cultures and cuisines and afforded her the opportunity to become multi lingual. Stella studied hospitality and worked as a hotel manager for 28 years. Stella’s love of people and travel led her to taking a job as a tour guide, conducting tours in China, Europe, Israel and South America as well as in the US . In addition to her love for languages, Stella is passionate about traveling, music, food, and gardening. She enjoys cooking Italian, Thai and Lebanese cuisines, as well as Brazilian, Paraguayan and Argentinean bbq dishes known as “asados”.
Stella has called South Miami home for the past 30 yeas, and has acquired a large art collection from contemporary Latin American painters.
Debbie was born and raised in the Boston area and attended college studying Computer Engineering and Computer Science at Boston University. She worked as an engineer for many years before transitioning to Project Management and moving to South Florida in 2004. She continued to work as a project manager and in 2015 decided to utilize these skills in the travel industry and obtained her tour director certification from International Guide Academy.
Debbie has travel extensively around the world and has been to 6 of the 7 continents, all but Antarctica. One of her favorite things to do while away is to visit local markets, wineries, take in cooking classes and other food related activities to get a taste of the local cuisine. She has taken weeklong food and cooking tours in Italy where she went truffle hunting with dogs, pick and prepared saffron from the flowers, visited wineries, olive oil farms, and balsamic wineries as well as cooking pasta 5 ways, 10 seafood dishes, pizza, risotto and so much more. On a most recent trip, she went to the local market in Phuket Thailand with Chef Sasha from the cruise ship to get a first hand look at the local ingredients. Once back on the ship, the group had a delicious chef’s table dinner using the local ingredients – amazing. Visiting the Wonder Food Museum in Penang was also an interesting experience to see food in different colors, and larger than life. After a recent trip to Morocco and enjoying tajine, she cooked up a chicken tajine for a dinner party with friends that was a big hit.
Debbie is super excited to be a part of Savor Our City and connecting with other foodies.
Tara is an adventurous, educated and passionate foodie which she claims stems from her early upbringing. Born in Paris, France. Tara grew up in New York where she was surrounded by culture, art.
Growing up in such a vibrant city and with a culturally diverse family, Tara became inspired at an early age to try cuisines from around the world. Spending hours in the kitchen with her Lebanese and Italian grandparents is one of her fondest of childhood memories. All the shopping, watching, smelling, tasting and time spent in the kitchen helping prepare family feasts, using a wide variety of spices and Ingredients is how Tara learned instinctively to create delicious meals. Eating out and experiencing new restaurants and foods is one of her favorite pastimes, as it combines her love of decor, travel, food, and community. She is an artist living in Delray Beach and loves guiding foodie, art and historical tours of our great cities. Manja Manja.
Meridith has been teaching Yoga and Meditation for almost 20 years. She is an avid healthy food eater and has adopted a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. Meridith enjoys fresh pressed green drinks.
Meridith has worked with students of all ages and levels of experience. Her yoga classes include conscious breathing, mindful movements, traditional yoga poses, relaxation, and meditation techniques. She is a certified Jivamukti Yoga teacher as well as a Prenatal Yoga specialist. She is affiliated with Boca Regional Hospital and Broward Health Hospital and teaches group and private classes in both Palm Beach and Broward County. Her students love her gentle soothing voice, well-designed sequences, supportive hands-on assists, and uplifting messages she brings to each class.
Meridith has been a tour guide with Savor Our City since December of 2016 and leads our “Savor Downtown Boca” & “Yoga & Healthy Foodie” tours and helps out at other events in the area as needed.
Introducing Chef Jeffrey Schlissel, affectionately known as Cheffrey or the notorious Kingpin of the Bacon Cartel! With over 30 years in the culinary arena, Chef Schlissel’s journey began innocently enough, cooking alongside his mother, only to evolve into a lifelong odyssey of gastronomic adventures.
Renowned for his prowess in crafting delectable dishes that blend Pan Asian Floribbean influences—a fusion he fondly dubs “Floribbeanasian”—the Kingpin thrives on infusing locally sourced and sustainable ingredients into his culinary creations. Notably, he’s even delved into the realm of modern cuisine, mastering the art of smoking and, believe it or not, conjuring up the most tantalizing VEGAN bone marrow!
Hailing from the vibrant culinary landscape of South Florida, Chef Schlissel’s palate was shaped by the bold, fiery flavors of Latin cuisine and the sweet, tropical symphonies of the region. The result? A harmonious dance of flavors that promises a Zen-like experience for your taste buds.
With a diverse background spanning corporate restaurants, independent eateries, hotels, and country clubs, the Kingpin has left his mark on the culinary world. A seasoned presenter at the National Convention of the American Culinary Federation, he advocates for sustainable practices and collaborates with local farmers to elevate the quality of ingredients while minimizing waste.
For Chef Schlissel, smoking food isn’t just a cooking technique—it’s a primal ritual that brings people together around the flames, sparking conversations and kindling connections to simpler times. Achieving that perfect balance in the smoker to produce culinary perfection is his ultimate quest!
Among his accolades, the Kingpin has reigned as the Palm Beach Chefs Association President and earned prestigious titles such as Best Asian Fusion Restaurant in 2012 and Cutting Edge Chef in 2016. His culinary prowess was further recognized with the Chef of the Year Award 2017 for the Palm Beach chapter and the prestigious 2021 Presidential Medallion from the National President of the American Culinary Federation. Chef Schlissel published his first book (08/09/2024), the first of its kind to merge mental health and a cookbook. Look for Craveable Obsessed Journals of a Food Addicted Chef on Amazon.
When he’s not ruling the kitchen, you can catch Chef Schlissel co-hosting the number one food podcast Apple, “The Walk-in Talk,” serving up a delicious blend of culinary insights, humor, and perhaps a dash of bacon-infused mischief. So, if you’re craving a culinary experience that transcends the ordinary, join the Kingpin on his flavorful escapade—!
Andy first moved to the Orlando area in 1987 and obtained a certification as a Tour Director from International Tour Management Institute in San Francisco in 2008.
Ryan is a culinary arts expert and local celebrity in Central FL; his Instagram handle is @OrlandoFoodCritic. He prides himself on being a Spirit Connoisseur, a Cocktail Aficionado, an Online Cooking Personality. Born in the UK, raised in Colombia and living in Orlando, it’s no wonder Ryan is a lover of all cultures and cuisines. We are happy to have Ryan as one of our tour guides and mixologists.
Bonnie delights in building communities. We can agree food has the power to unite us all. Growing up in Denver, Colorado, Bonnie’s tastebuds lit up for Mexican and Native American cuisine. Living in London ignited a love for Middle Eastern and South Asian food, but calling New York City her home since 2007 sent the possibilities off the charts. With over 20 years in leadership, Bonnie has strengthened communities through live events and workshops on team building and professional development training. Her clients include corporate, humanitarian, educational, and theatrical organizations. Projects include symposiums, experiential learning, team building, artistic events, cultural immersion, and more. She has an insatiable appetite to support goal-oriented adaptation while customizing an elevated, turn-key experience from start to finish. Savor Our City rolls all of her joys into one. Bonnie looks forward to taking a bite out of life with you.
Hello, I’m Lisa Cree, a passionate foodie and experienced team-building facilitator working with Savor Our City. For over two decades, I’ve been following in the footsteps of icons like Anthony Bourdain, traversing the globe in search of extraordinary dining experiences. My culinary adventures have taken me from savoring seafood at Le Dôme in Paris to indulging in traditional Italian fare at Osteria Dal 1931 in Rome, and exploring the unique flavors of the Azores Wine Company on Portugal’s Pico Island.
This passion for food and wine, combined with my 20+ years of experience in team building and Outward Bound programs, enhances the experiences I share with our clients. As a guide, I lead groups on exciting food tours, wine tastings, and other culinary adventures carefully designed by Savor Our City. My role is to bring these experiences to life, ensuring that each outing is not just a meal or a tasting, but a true adventure in flavor and culture.
Working with Savor Our City, I guide diverse groups – from corporate teams to birthday celebrations – through our carefully selected food and drink destinations. I love sharing my knowledge of local cuisines and cultures, helping to create an atmosphere of discovery and camaraderie. Join me as we explore the world through its kitchens, markets, and vineyards, creating unforgettable memories with every step and every bite!
Badari Ambatti is a leader in the field of Team Building and Professional Development Training. He has demonstrated a history of working in the education and corporate industry. He’s skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Team building, Coaching, Leadership Development, Service Learning, Conflict Resolution, and Instructional Design Techniques. These skills help him successfully manage the unexpected and work/life balance. He is also a strong business development professional with a background in Senior Leaders Programming For Nonprofit Professionals focused in Executive Education from Columbia University – Columbia Business School.
His work powerfully impacts critical areas such as team dynamics, task management, member’s roles, leadership styles, communication, and clear goal-setting, which increase team efficiency in the workplace. His program design and work also impacts each participant in the areas of personal and professional growth, while highlighting trust and respect as the cornerstones to individual and team success.
Badari’s background includes 22+ years of employment with Outward Bound and other experience based training and development organizations.
Tara Taft loves to explore new foods and new places. She is a food writer and frequent contributor to Edible Boston magazine and author of a travel memoir, The Tucker – Tyler Adventure. When she’s not writing, you can find her at a farmers market or baking something gluten free.
Jennifer Heimlich is a Boston local whose family roots in the city date back to the 1630s. She’s led her own running tours in Boston since 2019, and is excited to join Savor Our City. In addition to giving tours, she’s a freelance writer who covers health, fitness, and all kinds of wellness for publications like Self, Shape, GQ, Time, and Glamour, among other outlets. In her free time, she is almost always training for her next marathon—and eating plenty of tasty food to fuel her miles.
Roberta is an Associate Professor of Hospitality Management at MassBay Community College. Prior to teaching at MassBay she taught at Newbury College in Brookline where many of her students were culinary arts majors. She loves visiting the restaurants of her graduates. Roberta and her business partner have a small mystery shopping business. They specialize in evaluating hospitality operations. She gained experience working for Legal Seafood and loves Boston seafood and cooking.
Larry was born and raised in New York and graduated from George Washington University with a B.A. in marketing. He started managing restaurants in Manhattan, such as the legendary Tavern on the Green. However, in 1993, after being held up at gunpoint, Larry decided to pack his bags and move to Denver, CO.
Larry opened his first restaurant in Denver at 27 years old, the legendary family-style Italian restaurant Carmine’s on Penn. After selling it, he opened several more restaurants: Uncle Sam’s, A-Bar Union Station, Indigo, Go Fish Grill, and 730 South.
In 2017, after 29 years in the restaurant business, Larry decided to pursue his second career at OCN Eats. Today, Larry is the face of feature shows such as Restaurant Tours, What’s For Lunch, and Local Biz Buzz. He is also part of a foodie influencers group called DINE (Denver Influencers Networking Experience). Needless to say, Larry knows how to fight hunger and look good while doing it.