Urban Plates

Our #WomenBehindThePlates series is moving along with the Support Center edition! Spotlighting the ladies in Catering ??? : Nicole Weiner: "Hi, I’m Nicole and I’ve been a Catering Sales Manager at Urban Plates for the past 3.5 years. As a born and raised San Diegan, I find joy in beach days and discovering new restaurants to share with the people I love. What truly drives me in my work is the opportunity to be part of life’s special moments. Helping guests with their important events and seeing their gratitude reminds me why I love what I do—it’s about creating meaningful experiences and making a positive impact, one celebration at a time. My advice to women in the industry—If you’re passionate and have a goal, keep pushing forward—you’ll get there!" Laura Jones: "Hey there! I’m Laura and I’m a Catering Sales Manager and have been with Urban Plates for nine amazing years. When I’m not busy with catering events or being a mom, you’ll probably find me deep into a word puzzle, shuffling up a card game, or testing my luck at the slot machines. What keeps me motivated? Helping others grow—there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone gain confidence and succeed. My advice to women in the industry? Be curious, be bold, and don’t fear failure—it’s just a stepping stone to something great!"

Continuing the #WomenBehindThePlates series with our Support Center edition! Spotlighting the ladies of Accounting: June Margiotta: "Hi, I’m June, UP’s Accounting Manager! I’ve been with Urban Plates for 6.5 years and outside of work, I love hot yoga, cooking and traveling. UP’s great leadership empowers me to grow and mentor others. My advice to women in the industry: Be confident, creative and proactive. Plan ahead, be kind and always lend a helping hand!" - Emily Ramirez: “Hey everyone, I’m Emily and I’ve been part of Urban Plates for 6 years as a Payroll Accountant! One of my favorite parts of my job is that no day is the same. When I’m not at work, you can usually find me at a baseball game or Disneyland. Being able to assist Team Members encourages me to do my best at work. My advice to women in the industry is that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.” - Vickie Beers: "Hi everyone, I’m Vickie, an Accounts Payable Coordinator at Urban Plates for over 3 years! I love traveling with my husband—especially for great wine. UP is the best place I’ve worked, thanks to the amazing people who live our promises daily. My advice to women in the industry: Find a job you love with people you enjoy. You’ll spend a lot of time with them!"

It's time to meet ???? Chef Chayo from Del Mar in our next #WomenBehindThePlates spotlight ?: "Hello, I'm Chayo González and I've been part of Urban plates for 10 years. I started in the kitchen doing prep and through lots of hard work and dedication I became the Chef at Del Mar. My favorite part of the job is organizing and problem-solving with the team. I like my team to feel happy and feel like they are a part of a family when they come to work. When I'm not working, I like to watch mystery movies and enjoy nature. What encourages me to do my best at work is that every day is a new opportunity to do things better. My advice to women in the industry is if you want something, you can get it, don't limit yourself... Leadership is not about titles, it's about inspiring others."

Next up in our ?? #WomenBehindThePlates series is Chef Sara from Thousand Oaks ????: "Hi everybody, my name is Sara Almanza, I am the Executive Chef here at the Thousand Oaks location. I've been part of the Urban Plates family since 2016. I've been in my current role for 2 years now and it has been such a blessing to have reached this position. I love working with my team every day! When I'm not at work I'm usually relaxing and enjoying the moments I can have with family and friends. Being a woman in this industry is a balance. And just like everyone else, never let the rough days get you down. It's only for a moment because right after that moment you create better ones. Have a beautiful day and Happy International Women's Day!"

Next up in our #WomenBehindThePlates series is Chef Katie from Pleasant Hill ??????: "Hello, I'm Katie Budano, and I've been a part of Urban Plates for 9 years. I started off in the salad station and worked my way up. Now, I am the Chef of Urban Plates Pleasant Hill! When I'm not at work you can usually find me at a concert, reading manga, or playing video games. My advice to women in the industry is to be proud of your journey and always remember to embrace your power with confidence ?? Happy International Women's Day!"

Our #WomenBehindThePlates series continues! ? ???? Meet Chef Hannah from Playa Vista: "Hi! My name is Hannah Rivera, I've been with Urban Plates for 8 years and the Chef at Urban Plates Playa Vista for almost 3 years. I started at the Thousand Oaks location on the pizza station.... working my way up through the ranks. One of the things I love so much about Urban Plates is the community, we spend so much time at work and UP truly feels like my second family. I've been taught so much and feel inspired every day to show up and give it my all because I work along so many hard-working people; it's truly a gift!"

This International Women's Day, we’re proud to celebrate the incredible women on our Team who earned promotions in 2024—stepping into leadership roles as Chefs, Sous Chefs, Jr. Sous Chefs and Hospitality Leads. Their passion, skill and dedication help shape our restaurants, our guest experiences and our culture. We believe that elevating women is about more than recognition—it’s about action. At Urban Plates we take action by delivering on our promises to all Team Members providing clarity, preparation, belonging, support, development and opportunity. By growing and moving forward as a Team, we #AccelerateAction toward a future where more women thrive in leadership. Today and every day, we celebrate the invaluable impact of women in the workplace. ??? #InternationalWomensDay #UrbanPlates #IWD2025

Today, we're celebrating the people who bring our mission to life: Our incredible team ?? Your passion, dedication, and hard work fuel everything we do. Thank you for living Our Promise & unlocking the power that comes from working as a team. Happy Employee Appreciation Day! - #EmployeeAppreciationDay

Over the next few weeks, we're shining the light on some of the incredible #WomenBehindThePlates in honor of Women's History Month — starting with Carina, General Manager in Carlsbad ?????: "Hey everyone, I'm Carina Valdovinos and I've been part of Urban Plates Since 2012 when we opened the first location in Del Mar. Currently, I'm the General Manager at our Carlsbad location. But let's take it back, way back. I started on the line with no experience in the kitchen other than my pastry certificate from culinary school. A couple of years later I became part of the New Restaurant Opening Team for our Carlsbad and Dublin locations. In between I was promoted to Jr Sous then Sous Chef for our La Jolla location. Four years later I was back at Del Mar as Chef and eventually General Manager, which felt like a full circle moment. One of my favorite parts of my job is the team. Urban Plates is my second home, and it makes work that much more fun to have an amazing team behind you. When I'm not at work, you can usually find me enjoying time with my daughters at Disneyland or dining out. I was one of the first Women to be promoted to Chef at Urban Plates and that always encouraged me to do my best at work to encourage other Women. If I can do it, you can too! Happy International Women's Day! Si se puede! Feliz Dia De Las Mujeres!"

We're kicking off Women's History Month and International Women's Day (March 8th) by celebrating the #WomenBehindThePlates! ????? All month long, we'll be highlighting the incredible women of Urban Plates and sharing their stories. Here's to the women who make Urban Plates shine! From the kitchen, to the front of the house, to our Support Center, our team is powered by incredible women who bring passion, skill, and heart to everything they do. This Women's History Month, we celebrate them and the countless ways they're helping change the way the world eats one plate at a time. #WomensHistoryMonth #AccelerateAction