Title: Owner
Company: The Hedge Bistro
Location: Albany, New York, United States
Donavan S. Kenney, owner at The Hedge Bistro, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Business Owners for dedication, achievements, and leadership in culinary arts and business ownership.
With over three decades of experience to his credit, Mr. Donavan currently excels as the owner of The Hedge Bistro in Guilderland, New York, a role he has held since 2023, while also working as a regional chef for ShopRite in New York since 2021. The Hedge Bistro operates as a fully functional restaurant and bar, offering a menu of classic pub-style food, including street tacos, appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, and salads. His previous experience includes serving as executive chef at Martel’s Bistro in the Colonie Country Club from 2021 to 2023 and working as a self-employed financial representative in Albany from 2020 to 2021. Prior to that, he was a food service specialist, corporate chef, and research and development chef for Price Chopper Supermarkets, Market 32 in Schenectady, New York, from 2011 to 2020, where he also led the Market Bistro restaurant team from 2012 to 2015 and served as a food service manager from 2011 to 2012 with Compass Group North America. He gained further culinary experience as an executive chef with Aramark at the Louisville Zoo.
Mr. Donavan’s career began with his service in the United States Air Force from 1990 to 1994. He is an active member of the American Culinary Federation and the Guilderland Chamber of Commerce. Laying a solid educational foundation, he earned an associate of arts and sciences degree in mathematics from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 1996 and an associate of applied sciences degree in culinary arts from the same institution in 1996. He has also completed financial services certifications with Northwestern Mutual and the New York State Department of Financial Services from 2020 to 2022.
Reflecting on his path, Mr. Donavan has been managing operations at The Hedge Bistro for over two seasons under a five-year contract. His journey toward ownership was driven by a lifelong passion for the culinary arts, first sparked through formal training at culinary school. Though he envisioned this path since his 30s, familial obligations and a stable, lucrative career initially delayed its pursuit. During his college years, he overcame various challenges by redirecting his path and serving in the United States Air Force from 1990 to 1994 before pursuing culinary education at the University of Alaska. His culinary career began with diverse kitchen roles across locations like Alaska, Reno, Louisville, and Syracuse, eventually advancing to an executive chef position. After settling in Albany, New York, he managed dining facilities at SUNY Albany, building the expertise that now supports his success with The Hedge Bistro.
Mr. Donavan attributes his success to the strong support of his family and close-knit community, who play an essential role in his professional journey. At The Hedge Bistro, his family and the staff are deeply involved because they are genuinely invested in his success. In the coming years, he is on a spirited mission to lead The Hedge Bistro into a profitable future. Although the business has made significant progress this year, achieving profitability is the next exciting challenge on its horizon. Looking to the future, he is determined to broaden The Hedge Bistro’s impact through online sales and merchandise.
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