Doug Blankrot | Partner | doug@kmchospitality.com

Doug began his commercial real estate career in investment sales at Cushman & Wakefield (formerly Massey Knakal Realty Services) where he evaluated and sold various asset classes focusing in the Midtown South territory.  Doug has underwritten more than 300 buildings, completed in excess of 60 transactions totaling nearly $500 million in aggregate consideration. Doug’s passion for hospitality drove a switch to Hospitality House where he sourced and closed various transaction types for Developers and Landlords here in Manhattan and nationwide.  With love for the Food and Beverage world combined with vast knowledge of the real estate industry, Doug provides a unique approach to deals that will have an impact on the culinary landscape of the city.

Kiwon Standen | Partner | kiwon@kmchospitality.com

Kiwon began her professional life as a corporate lawyer and first became involved in hospitality during the aftermath of 9/11 when she met renowned Chef David Bouley while volunteering at Ground Zero.  After providing pro bono legal services to assist Bouley with post 9/11 relief, she joined his team full time, eventually becoming Director of Operations.  At Bouley, she oversaw his expansion with the openings of Bouley Bakery, the relaunch of Bouley, Bouley Test Kitchen, Evolution in South Beach and Brushstroke.  She then left to open Bar Blanc in the West Village.  While continuing as managing partner of Bar Blanc, Kiwon joined Hospitality House, providing food & beverage advisory services for hotel clients such as Sofitel, Hilton, 1 Hotel and Baccarat.  She then joined Starwood Capital Group, as Director of Development & Strategy for their restaurant company, BR Guest Hospitality, working on concepts such as Dos Caminos, Bill’s Bar & Burger and Blue Water Grill.  She then worked with Starwood’s hotel group, developing food and beverage concepts for the 1 Hotel and Baccarat brands.  

In 2018, Kiwon co-founded Four Bridges Hospitality, a hospitality consultancy advising real estate owners and hotel brands on food and beverage development.  Notable projects included F&B strategy for The Collective, a co-living brand with over 9000 units in development in the UK, US and Germany, and Vornado Realty, a premier commercial real property owner with over $16 billion in assets.  Kiwon has also advised on F&B concept development for brands such as Hyatt, Virgin, and The Venetian. 

Kiwon is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Columbia Law School.  

Monte Leonard | Director | monte@kmchospitality.com

Born to nomadic parents in Argentina, Monte was raised in Latin America, India, Japan, and Europe.  His global upbringing endowed him with an enviable cultural education, savoir-faire, fundamental understanding of people from nearly all walks of life, and a wanderlust that has led him to over 50 countries on the planet. A passion for the hospitality industry was kindled in his youth as he experienced the welcome and generosity that each society offered its visitors, the warmth and traditions of the locals, and cuisine of each exotic country that was his host.   Monte began his Bachelor of Economics degree at the University of California, San Diego and completed it at the Luigi Bocconi University of Commerce, in Milan.  It was in the afternoon Apperitivo beloved by the Italians, the nightclubs, the lounges, and restaurants of Italy’s fashion capital that he began his practical hospitality education.  Upon moving to New York in the early aughts, Monte continued honing his craft in the most sought-after hotels, nightclubs, restaurants, and private event banquet spaces that Gotham has to offer. This wealth of hospitality experience made for an organic pivot into Food & Beverage Retail Leasing and Sales.  He leverages his unique operational background, global experience, and economics training to assist F&B operators and landlords alike navigate the real estate waterways of the greatest city in the world!

Laura Altimari | Director | laura@kmchospitality.com

Laura began her tenures within the hospitality industry in sales, marketing, and events roles with Laurance Rockefeller’s luxury resorts, the Rockresorts, world- wide hospitality leader Marriott International, and the London-based Millennium Copthorne working with luxury brands from Estee Lauder, Calvin Klein, Hermes Paris and top Big Six firms Ernst & Young and McKenzie and Company.

A lifelong Queensian and local culinary advocate, Laura was instrumental in launching the long-running celebrity chef enriched NYCWFF with the Food Network and is now broadening her professional reach with KMc Hospitality as a Director of F + B leasing and sales for hotels and restaurants in Queens, Long Island, and the East End. Her initial deal with KMc Hospitality included the El Verano restaurant in Southampton, NY with acclaimed chef Julian Medina, and the Gem + Rose Spa in Queens, NY.

Laura is a graduate from Nassau Community College and the City University of New York and has also honed her culinary skills from the French Culinary Institute earning a Grande Diplome Culinaire in Global Food Studies. In 2012, Laura attended New York University, where she earned certification in New Media Marketing and has also lectured for the Hotel Industry Departments at LaGuardia Community College, St. John’s University and ICE Culinary.

Stephan Fisher | Director | stephan@kmchospitality.com

Stephan’s hospitality experience started at a young age helping his mom at the family’s local wine and spirits retail shop. After graduating from the University of Miami, Stephan expanded the family business through introducing new selections and the launch of the e-commerce business. 

Fascinated by oenology, Stephan dived deeper into the world of wine creating Privatus Wine with his father, a California based wine business with distribution across (12) states. Through his work with Privatus Wines, Stephan has crafted meaningful relationships with restauranteurs, hoteliers, and other tastemakers in the F&B community. Stephan’s extensive wine sales background brings a unique perspective to the real estate world helping understand client’s visions for bringing their brands to life.