Our Team

 
 
 
 

ALON SHAYA, Founder

Alon Shaya is Chef-Partner of Pomegranate Hospitality, which includes Saba in New Orleans, Safta in Denver, and both Miss River and Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans. Born in Israel, raised in Philadelphia, and a proud New Orleanian, Alon has always had a deep love and appreciation for food and the singular way restaurants anchor their communities.

In 2017, Alon and his wife Emily founded Pomegranate Hospitality with a mission to create a space where meaningful, lasting relationships are created, community engagement prospers, cultural differences are celebrated, and personal and professional growth of the team are weighed with equal measure.

He is the author of Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel. Part memoir and part cookbook, Shaya shares Alon’s deeply personal journey of survival and discovery, exploring the evolution of a cuisine and the transformative power and magic of food and cooking. 

Alon, a multiple James Beard Foundation award-winner, was named "Best Chef, South" in 2015, and his restaurant won "Best New Restaurant" the following year. He was named one of the "50 People Who Are Changing the South" by Southern Living and one of the "50 Most Influential Jews in America" by The Forward.

When not working, Alon loves to spend time with his wife Emily, daughter Ruth, and their dog, Ceci. He enjoys traveling for new food experiences around the world, playing tennis, and fly fishing.

MATTHEW RIDGWAY, Director of Operations - Culinary

Matthew Ridgway joins the Pomegranate Hospitality team as the Culinary Development Manager with decades of formidable hospitality experience under his belt. A Doylestown, PA native, Matthew has spent most of his life interested in food and graduated from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, where he attained an AOS in Culinary Arts. Continuing his hospitality education, he received a B.S. in Hospitality Management at Widener University, all the while learning and cooking in kitchens across Philadelphia. 

Further honing his culinary craft, Matthew has served in a number of award-winning kitchens, learning under the tutelage of many revered chefs, including Chef Jean-Marie Lacroix and Chef Joël Atunes. Rising through the ranks, Matthew has held the roles of Chef de Partie, Chef de Cuisine, and eventually Executive Chef and Owner at restaurants from Atlanta, GA to Philadelphia, PA; New York to Paris, and beyond. During his years in the hospitality industry, Matthew has helped restaurants achieve business goals, grow and develop into streamlined operations, and secure awards and international notoriety. Notably, Matthew spent many years working at Lacroix at the Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia; JOËL Restaurant in Atlanta; Oak Room Restaurant in New York; Cooks and Soldiers in Atlanta; and Hotel Saint Vincent in New Orleans. 

Finding a particular interest in Charcuterie, Matthew attained a dry and demi-dry sausages certification from Iowa State University in 2010, and opened his own Charcuterie operation, Porcsalt, in Bucks County, PA. Matthew incorporated this knowledge into his own restaurant, The Pass, which he owned and operated in Rosemont, NJ. Most recently, Matthew made his way back down South and from 2015 until now has worked as Executive Chef in many exceptional restaurants. 

In 2022, Matthew joined the Pomegranate Hospitality team as the Culinary Development Director, where he works alongside Chef-Partner Alon Shaya to develop systems and recipes, and nurture Pomegranate’s strong hospitality values across the group’s restaurants, Saba, Safta, and Miss River.

When Matthew is not working, you can find him at CrossFit, in the garden teaching his daughter how to plant anything from tomatoes to Birds of Paradise and quizzing his family on culinary trivia.

EMILY SHAYA, Founder & Director of New Projects

Emily Shaya is the Co-Founder and Director of New Projects for Pomegranate Hospitality, an award-winning group with critically acclaimed restaurants in New Orleans and Denver. Emily brings her background in entrepreneurship, real estate development, and finance to the restaurant group, where she oversees strategic growth. As Director of New Projects, Emily manages expansion opportunities and works alongside the team to develop new projects from inception through opening.

In 2018, Emily opened Saba in New Orleans and Safta in Denver with her partner and husband, Chef Alon Shaya. In 2020, Pomegranate Hospitality partnered with Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans to introduce Miss River and Chandelier Bar. Miss River was named a “Best New Restaurant in America” by Esquire the same year.

Like Alon, Emily also enjoys time in the kitchen and is known for her iconic red beans and rice which have been featured in Southern Living, Food & Wine, Eater, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate, Atlanta Journal Constitution, among many others.

Emily is a native of Calhoun, Georgia and a graduate of Tulane University, where she earned both her BA and MBA with a specialization in entrepreneurship. She currently lives in New Orleans with Alon, their daughter Ruth, and dog, Ceci.

JAZMIN FORBES, Director of People and Culture

Jazmin Forbes joins Pomegranate Hospitality as the Director of People and Culture, overseeing team development, employee advocacy, and business operation needs for Saba, Safta, Miss River, Chandelier Bar, Silan, and the forthcoming Safta 1964. She works in tandem with Pomegranate Hospitality’s leadership, including restaurateur Emily Shaya and James Beard Award winning Chef Alon Shaya. Jazmin began her career with Emeril Lagasse serving in front of house and administrative roles as she pursued her Human Resources Management bachelor’s degree at Southeastern Louisiana University. She further developed her expertise with an HR Generalist role at the Ace Hotel, and as a Human Resources Business Partner for the Fair Grounds. 

With a passion for team development and growth, she thrives on intentionality, mutual respect, and empowerment–exemplified throughout Pomegranate Hospitality’s culture. When not at the restaurant, Jazmin enjoys exploring new restaurants and spending time with her daughter.