Denise Prykanowski
National Beverage Director
Denise Prykanowski has over 25 years of food, beverage, and hospitality experience within Marriott International. Denise began to broaden her horizons through extensive study and certification which led her to become the Beverage Director for Celtic Developers Restaurant Group (Papillon, Lillie’s, Oscar Wildes) as well as spearheading the beverage program for the National Geographic Encounter in Times Square. Born and raised in New Jersey she holds a degree from Rutgers University in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Currently, Denise can be found as the Beverage Director for City Winery Pier 57.
Hayden Kwast
Vice President of Ecommerce and Digital Marketing
Hayden grew up in Reston, Virginia, near AOL's headquarters during it’s 1990s heyday. Being around the dawn of the online frontier instilled in him a love for ecommerce and websites. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Penn State, Hayden first worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador and then as an analyst for the U.S. military. He applied his work experience in business school where he founded an online specialty coffee trading platform called Koffeelink, which he sold to the second largest coffee trader globally and then built and scaled their coffee ecommerce. Looking for a new challenge, Hayden made the parallel jump from coffee to wine and became the head of ecommerce at City Winery. His lifelong love for live music, one of Hayden's first memories is an outdoor John Denver concert, made City Winery an even more ideal fit.
Email: hayden(at)citywinery.com
Jenna Kelleher
National Events
Jenna launched her hospitality career at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas working across beverage, restaurants, hotel openings and finally the banquet department where she fell in love with the event world. Her East Coast roots took a hold and she moved to New York and joined the Sales Team at Patina Restaurant Group overseeing all event sales at iconic locations such as the Metlife Building, The Empire State Building and Macy’s Herald Square. Jenna joined the City Winery team in early 2020. She enjoys traveling and recently attended a 3 month culinary immersion program in Sicily to continue her food and beverage education.
Email: jkelleher(at)citywinery.com
Chris Graziose
Executive Chef
Chris Graziose came to City Winery in 2021. Chris was drawn to the concept for sharing the same passions in food, music, and wine. Everything he loves was found to be under one roof. Joining the company he launched the Pier 57 location coming out of the pandemic. Previously his career had him working on Long Island, where he calls home. He has spent time with the Del Friscos Restaurant Group, Bohlsen Restaurant Group, Whalers in Bay Shore, Rooted Hospitality In the Hamptons, and The Briad Group based out of New Jersey. Food has always been a paramount in his life, and enjoys many fond memories that were established around his grandparents dinner table growing up.
Email: cgraziose(at)citywinery.com
Jared Gullekson
National Director of Guest Services
Joined us having worked in the luxury hospitality industry in NYC for the previous 15 years. Most recently overseeing the transition of the London NYC to the Conrad New York Midtown. Lives in New Jersey with his wife,and two sons. Prior to moving to the East Coast, lived and trained at the US Olympic Training Center as an athlete for USA Taekwondo (2X US Nationals Champion) where he met his future wife who was a US Olympic Weightlifting team member (recently inducted in the Hall of Fame). Lifelong sports fan with a deep passion for live music, wine and travel.
Email: jgullekson(at)citywinery.com
Marc Colletti
National Production & Technical Director
Marc Colletti has worked with City Winery since its inception in 2008. Colletti plays an integral role cultivating the world class concert experience City Winery has come to be known for. He not only masterplans the total technical production systems in each venue across the country – design + build – but also conducts the production teams, driving the highest caliber of experience, at each location. Throughout his City Winery career, Colletti has worked closely with, and mixed sound for, artists including Prince, Ed Sheeran, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Mumford & Sons, Blondie and countless others. What he loves most about his role at City Winery is conjuring unique experiences for concert goers, artists, and crew the moment the lights drop and the show starts.
Email: marc(at)citywinery.com
Raul Mesias
National Director of Wine Sales
Raul Mesias, National Director of Wine Sales, is a wine and hospitality lover and expert / brand strategist. He has been a crucial voice in developing the City Winery brand for the past 12 years. When he's not sipping wine, he's teaching or thinking about it ; from intimate wine tastings to global music festivals. His love for nature has had a major influence on making every City Winery event as sustainable as possible. Based in New York, he loves spending time with his kids and developing his creativity in the good he does for others. Raul's vast experience allows him to pursue many exciting opportunities around him and continue to develop them further. Raul business experience goes from the Streets in Red Hook in a Mr Softee truck he owned in Brooklyn to Founding a worldwide import -export company of fruit and vegetables.
Email: raul(at)citywinery.com
