About
The Story Behind Craft & Counsel
Our story begins like many in this industry - from the bottom up. Angela started serving tables while Vaughan was washing dishes, both of us learning the business from the ground floor. Fast forward through decades of experience, and we've built something pretty special together.
That journey took some interesting turns. Angela went from server to designing backstage experiences at Disney's Animal Kingdom, then creating digital training solutions for LVMH's luxury cruise line division. When she applied for a corporate trainer position at Vaughan's rapidly growing Pizza Fusion concept in 2006, neither of us knew we'd end up building not just restaurants, but a life together.
What We've Built
Together, we've created concepts that don't just succeed - they break molds. Pizza Fusion grew to 50 units across 13 states and 3 countries, pioneering organic ingredients when "farm-to-table" was barely a thing. Kapow Noodle Bar turned into a $23M operation across three South Florida locations. Penelope, our French-meets-Southern charm brasserie, is crushing it with $4.5M from just 1,500 square feet. Add in El Segundo Taqueria, our SoCal-inspired concept in West Palm Beach, and Shaker & Pie (currently under construction), and you've got a pretty good idea of what we can do.
The Team Dynamic
Angela's the systems guru. She takes big ideas and makes them actually work, creating training programs, HR frameworks, and operational tools that turn chaos into clockwork. Oh, and she crafted award-winning beverage programs and even launched Dugan & Dame, a successful craft cocktail brand, because apparently sleep is optional.
Vaughan brings the creative vision and operational know-how. As a certified Sake Sommelier with a stack of certifications from MATE, Google, HubSpot, and LinkedIn, he bridges the gap between artistic vision and business reality. From concept creation to lease negotiations, menu design to marketing strategy, he makes sure all the pieces fit together.
Why We're Here
In 2024, life threw us a curveball with Vaughan's health scare. After 30+ years in operations, we packed up with our 9-year-old son Bassil and moved to Asheville, NC. While Angela started Sacred Hill Farm with her mom (because apparently we can't sit still), we realized we weren't ready to leave the industry we love.
That's how Craft & Counsel was born. We know exactly what keeps restaurant owners up at night because we've had those same sleepless nights. Whether you need a quick call for advice or hands-on help turning things around, we've got your back. Because at the end of the day, this industry isn't just what we do - it's who we are.