Scott Crawford has spent two decades shaping the Southeast’s dining landscape with an unwavering commitment to hospitality, mentorship, and community. As founder of Crawford Hospitality, he leads a family of acclaimed restaurants & cocktail bars—Crawford & Son, Jolie, Brodeto, Sous Terre, Crawford’s Genuine, and Crawford Brothers Steakhouse—each reflecting his dedication to craft and genuine connection.

Crawford broke out on his own in 2016 with Crawford & Son, which immediately captured Raleigh’s imagination and earned “Restaurant of the Year.” His French bistro Jolie, named for his daughter, followed in 2019 to widespread acclaim as the region’s “Best New Restaurant.” In 2023, he unveiled Brodeto—the year’s most anticipated opening—which has since become a perennial “Best Restaurant” honoree. The momentum continued the debut of the sophisticated cocktail bar Sous Terre in 2023, followed by Crawford’s Genuine at RDU Airport and Crawford Brothers Steakhouse in 2024.

In 2025, Crawford received the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Restaurateur” nomination, a career-defining honor that recognizes not just culinary excellence, but national leadership that elevates an entire industry. This milestone follows five “Best Chef: Southeast” nominations and his flagship restaurant’s 2024 distinction as a James Beard Foundation Finalist for “Outstanding Hospitality.”

Before establishing his own restaurant group, Crawford distinguished himself at some of the nation’s finest properties. He earned the Forbes Five-Star award at Herons in The Umstead Hotel and Spa, received Esquire’s coveted Best New Restaurant recognition at the Cloister at Sea Island, and was the winning chef for Bravo TV’s “Recipe for Deception” in 2016. His business acumen has been recognized with “CEO of the Year” honors from Triangle Business Journal and “Restaurateur of the Year” from the NC Restaurant & Lodging Association.

Beyond the kitchen, Crawford’s deepest legacy may be his commitment to service and recovery. A mentor who champions community impact and industry advocacy, he has been a devoted supporter of Green Chair’s Sweeter Dreams Beds program and Now Serving‘s fight against food insecurity. In 2018, his Sunday Supper initiative raised $400,000 for Hurricane Florence victims. His personal journey of recovery has fueled his passionate advocacy work: he founded and led the Raleigh Chapter of Ben’s Friends, a support network for food and beverage professionals facing substance abuse challenges, and now serves on the Board of Directors of Healing Transitions, where he helped secure $23 million for their 2022 Capital Campaign. In 2024, celebrating 20 years of sobriety, Crawford established the annual “Freedom Harvest” fundraiser, creating a lasting platform for hope and healing.

Crawford’s influence extends beyond North Carolina. He has shared his perspective on the Full Comp and No Proof podcasts, and luxury apparel company Peter Millar featured him in their prestigious “Artisans of Craft” series, recognizing the intersection of culinary artistry and timeless craftsmanship.

At the heart of everything, Crawford remains devoted to his wife and two children, ensuring that family—the inspiration behind his work—always comes first.

Stephens leads with a personal mission to not only to ensure exceptional hospitality through food and service, but to create spaces where people feel genuinely cared for. Raised in a North Carolina hospitality family, this Johnson & Wales University graduate brought a wealth of hospitality experience from premier restaurant groups in New York City and Texas. After six years as Service Manager at renowned Chef Andrew Carmellini’s famed Lafayette Grand Café & Bakery and The Dutch, Stephens polished his service and personnel skills in Dallas at Vandelay Hospitality. Upon returning to North Carolina, Scott Crawford tapped him as General Manager for Jolie in 2021 where he spearheaded rooftop events and launched Jolie’s now-iconic Champagne Window. By 2023, Crawford entrusted Stephens with opening Brodeto as General Manager, as well as playing a supporting role in the opening of Crawford’s first cocktail bar, Sous Terre.

In 2024, Crawford recognized Stephens as Director of Operations in time to oversee his most extensive restaurant opening yet, Crawford Brothers Steakhouse. “My goal is to craft a true hospitality bubble — a place where guests can escape the ordinary, connect over unforgettable experiences, and leave feeling even better than when they arrived.”

Joseph was a four-year veteran of Crawford & Son when he earned Crawford Hospitality’s first Beverage Director position in 2024. As the area’s leading craft cocktail bartender who cut his teeth (and ice!) at The Crunkleton in Chapel Hill a decade prior, Joseph is a seasoned hospitality professional who originally began in the hospitality industry at age 14.

Under his direction, Joseph curates unique craft cocktail programs at every Crawford Hospitality restaurant, including the new cocktail bar, Sous Terre, where the elevated cocktail program is the focus. Additionally, he oversees the wine programs at all restaurants, including Brodeto’s Italian-influenced selection and Crawford Brothers Steakhouse’s 700-bottle cellar and antique spirit collection. Joseph’s cocktails and expertise have been featured in VinePair, Wine Enthusiast and Food & Wine.

Conor Delaney serves as Culinary Director for Crawford Hospitality, the acclaimed restaurant group led by James Beard Foundation “Outstanding Restaurateur” nominee Scott Crawford. In this role, Delaney orchestrates culinary vision, menu innovation, and chef development across the entire portfolio—including the JBF “Outstanding Hospitality” Finalist Crawford & Son, along with Jolie, Brodeto, and Crawford Brothers Steakhouse.

Crawford first tapped Delaney in 2020 as Chef de Cuisine of the flagship Crawford & Son, recognizing a culinary philosophy aligned with his own commitment to excellence. By 2022, Delaney’s impact had grown undeniable, prompting his elevation to the group’s inaugural Culinary Director—a testament to his leadership and creative vision.

A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Delaney honed his craft within the exacting kitchens of the legendary Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. He served as Chef de Partie at New York City’s three-MICHELIN-starred Per Se, consistently ranked among the world’s finest dining destinations, and played a pivotal role as opening Sous Chef for Keller’s TAK Room. His tenure also included a position at The Modern, Union Square Hospitality Group’s two-MICHELIN-starred restaurant nestled within MoMA, where precision and artistry defined every plate.

This foundation in culinary rigor and creativity now infuses every aspect of Crawford Hospitality’s dining experience. Read more about Conor’s distinguished culinary journey here.

Delaney, a Union Square Hospitality and Culinary Institute of America alum who was recruited in 2020 to be General Manager of Crawford & Son, earned the role of Director of Operations for Crawford Hospitality in 2022. Years of front-of-house service training with the country’s most renowned customer-service driven team at Danny Meyer’s Untitled and Studio Café in New York City’s Whitney Museum, and as the Dining Room Manager at The Restaurant at CIA Copia in Napa, prepared her to oversee the polished front-of-house service, recruitment, training and dining room management at Crawford & Son and Jolie.

In 2024, Crawford & Son was awarded the “Outstanding Hospitality” Finalist award by the James Beard Foundation. Aften proving herself in this capacity, Crawford established a new role for her as Director of Culture in an effort to prioritize relations, retain high quality staff and offer an in-house Human Resources contact for the teams.

Scott Jernigan has spent more than 30 years building and leading businesses at the intersection of entertainment and hospitality, most recently leading the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Super Bowl & FIFA World Cup™ hospitality programs. Earlier in his career, he founded and scaled one of the first online sports travel companies before driving partnerships with the NFL, PGA, and Fortune 100 brands.

He has also played a key role in mergers, acquisitions, and growth strategies that scaled multiple businesses into industry leaders. Today, alongside Chef Scott Crawford, he channels a shared love of food, travel, and unforgettable experiences into Crawford Hospitality’s growing family of restaurants.