Every partnership is intentional.
Every outcome, enduring.
Powerhouse Hospitality is a boutique, woman-owned advisory firm dedicated exclusively to chefs and culinary talent, helping our partners transform vision into enduring brands.
We also connect elite hosts and institutions with world-class chefs for moments that matter—curating talent that signals exceptional taste and judgment.
Founded and led by mother-daughter team Catherine and Micheline Mendelsohn, the firm takes on a select number of projects by referral, offering discreet, strategic guidance that transforms vision into enduring brands.
Powerhouse Hospitality is built on trust, reputation, and word-of-mouth. Catherine and Micheline bring legacy knowledge, creative insight, and a deeply personal approach to every collaboration, ensuring that each client’s unique story is elevated into a lasting brand.
Chefs & Culinary Entrepreneurs
Partner with us to transform your vision into an enduring brand.
Elite Hosts & Institutions
Access our curated network of world-class chefs for your most important moments.
Advisory Services
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We partner with chefs, restaurateurs, and culinary entrepreneurs to transform vision into lasting success.
Concept Development
We bring ideas to life. From menu creation to guest experience, we shape concepts from the ground up. Every detail is designed for long-term relevance and resonance.
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Brand Positioning & Marketing
We craft distinct, enduring brands that cut through a crowded marketplace. Our approach blends culinary storytelling with market insight, ensuring visibility and trust.
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Franchise Growth & Strategy
From scaling a single restaurant to an international franchise strategy, we guide growth without compromising authenticity. Our strategies are built for sustainable, integrity-driven success.
Every engagement is by referral, ensuring discretion, selectivity,
and focus.
About us.
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Catherine Mendelsohn brings over 35 years of experience in the food service industry, spanning fine dining, retail, and international events. The daughter of renowned Montreal restaurateur Sunny Nakis, she has worked as a chef and restaurateur around the world, opening restaurants in Montreal, Seville, and St. Petersburg, Florida, before settling in Washington, D.C.
Catherine has opened and operated three successful fast-casual concepts—We, The Pizza, Good Stuff Eatery, and Santa Rosa Taqueria—two of which have grown into multi-unit franchises across the U.S. and internationally. She also collaborates with Micheline Mendelsohn on new concepts that include The Butcher’s Sandwich, Big Top Ice Cream Bar, and bumblebirds.
In addition to her restaurant work, Catherine consults worldwide on culinary operations, concept development, and growth strategies.
Catherine trained at the prestigious Institut Château Beau-Cèdre in Montreux, Switzerland.
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Micheline Mendelsohn Luhn brings unmatched marketing and communications expertise, beginning her career in Washington, D.C. politics before turning her focus to the culinary world. As Deputy CEO of Sunnyside Restaurant Group, she oversees four fast-casual restaurant brands across the U.S. and internationally, combining operational insight with a strategic approach to multi-unit growth.
Micheline helped launch Good Stuff Eatery, a chef-driven restaurant that quickly gained national attention, followed by We, The Pizza and Santa Rosa Taqueria—fast-casual brands that have grown to 14 franchise locations and counting. From concept to opening day, she leads each brand’s development, franchise relations, and marketing strategy, driving their expansion and long-term success.
In addition to her work with Sunnyside, Micheline collaborates with a variety of industry and community organizations that champion innovation, leadership, and growth, including groups dedicated to advancing women in hospitality and entrepreneurship.
Micheline holds a degree in Journalism from Indiana University and a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Chicago.
Community. Impact.
The Culinary Diplomacy Project
Micheline serves as Partnership Advisor for this chef-driven nonprofit, which sends prominent chefs abroad as cultural ambassadors of American cuisine, fostering connection through food.
DC Central Kitchen
Micheline serves as a Board Member of this pioneering nonprofit, which combats hunger and creates opportunity by training aspiring chefs, expanding access to healthy food, and building a more equitable food system in Washington, DC.
Les Dames d’Escoffier
Catherine and Micheline are members of the Washington, DC chapter of this esteemed international organization of women leaders in food, beverage, and hospitality, committed to mentorship and community impact.
RE:Her
Micheline is a Founding Member and Board Member of the DC Chapter of Regarding Her (RE:Her) — a national nonprofit led by women restaurateurs, dedicated to empowering and advancing women in food and drink.
MAPP
Micheline is a board member of MAPP (Mentorship, Advocacy, Purpose, and the Power of community), a nonprofit founded by filmmaker Joanna James that is dedicated to building a sustainable culinary and hospitality industry through workforce development. Through her involvement with MAPP, Micheline supports the organization’s mission to empower women to lead and thrive in the industry.
James Beard Foundation
Micheline Mendelsohn participated in the James Beard Foundation’s Women in Leadership course, where she engaged with an elite cohort of culinary professionals to deepen her leadership skills, explore strategies for advancing equity in the industry, and build a network of mentors and peers committed to empowering women across all facets of the culinary world.
Contact
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