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Ed Culleeney is a partner with Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. (LEYE), and the Vice President and Supervising Partner of Ben Pao Chinese Restaurant & Satay Bar, a restaurant specializing in traditional and innovative Chinese cuisine.
As a member of the LEYE team since 1985, Ed has been an important part of the development and management of several LEYE concepts including Gino's East, Original A-1, Hat Dance, Ben Pao and Nacional 27.
Prior to joining LEYE, Ed began his career by serving with the 6917th Security Squadron at San Vito Air Base, Italy, in European Intelligence for the United States Air Force, where he developed an interest in international cuisine as a result of his extensive travels in Europe. Ed returned to Chicago in 1985 to begin a successful career in the restaurant industry. He attended the College of Dupage where he took an active interest in their Hospitality Management Program in which he currently serves on the Executive Advisory Committee. Then he joined LEYE as a management trainee at Gino's East Chicago. Within a year and a half, Ed was promoted to general manager and continued to work there until the restaurant was sold to Eduardo's in 1988.
Ed was approached by LEYE, with a challenging project in 1996; to be a part of the team that develops the companies' first Chinese restaurant. To gain the proper knowledge and experience needed, Ed traveled to Los Angeles and worked with top Asian Chefs. Then Ed was given the intense experience of traveling to the Far East to places such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to gain more insight and knowledge about traditional Chinese cuisine. He then returned to Chicago and with his new experiences and worked intensely to open Ben Pao. After Ben Pao had been open for a few months, Ed knew right away that this was an evolving concept. He paid close attention to the feedback he was receiving from his customers and brought in several design and food consultants. Ben Pao today is a result of all the research, hard work and dedication from all its team members. It has become one of LEYE most successful restaurants.
In 1998, Ed was given another challenge, the opening of a brand new concept called Nacional 27. He was involved in all levels of pre-opening planning at Nacional 27 and has continued to operate the restaurant with great success. He is responsible for the overall restaurant operations, new menu development, marketing and staff management. Nacional 27 has been a ambitious experience for Ed because it is not only a full-service fine dining restaurant it also transforms into a hip salsa night club on Friday and Saturday Evenings. Ed then had to learn the ins and outs of running a nightclub.
Ed says, "Ben Pao and Nacional 27 have been enormous undertakings and remarkable learning experiences for me, and each have been very rewarding." | 