Memphis Restaurant Association

Alex Boggs, Huey’s Restaurants

Alex Boggs is Marketing Director and Area Director for Huey's, the family-owned Memphis institution whose World Famous Huey Burger has been voted Best Burger every year since 1984, and he currently serves as Vice President of the Memphis Restaurant Association. As part of the Boggs family ownership group, Alex helps guide one of the city's most beloved restaurant brands, balancing more than 50 years of tradition with a steady eye toward what keeps Huey's relevant for the next generation of guests.

Leadership in Memphis hospitality runs in Alex's family. His father, the late Thomas Boggs, started at Huey's as a bartender in 1975, became a partner, and grew it from a single Midtown bar into a chain of neighborhood favorites. Thomas was also a past president of the MRA and a tireless civic leader, and his legacy lives on through the association's annual Thomas Boggs Memorial Golf Tournament. Alex carries that same commitment forward, both in the family business and in his service to the industry.

As MRA Vice President, Alex brings an operator's practical perspective and a deep respect for the people who make Memphis restaurants work. He is invested in strengthening the local hospitality community, supporting independent operators, and helping ensure that the city's restaurant scene continues to thrive for years to come.

Jessica Henssler, Amelia Gene’s

Jessica Henssler is the General Manager of Amelia Gene's, part of the Carlisle Restaurant Group, where she leads a team dedicated to elevating Memphis's dining scene. Set in the heart of a city that welcomes more than 13 million visitors each year, Amelia Gene's pairs menus that balance innovation and tradition with service rooted in genuine hospitality, with the goal of making every guest's visit memorable.

Jessica brings a diverse hospitality background spanning sales, business growth, leadership, and relationship building. At Amelia Gene's, she focuses on growing revenue, empowering her team, and refining operations to deliver exceptional service every day. Her strengths include strategic sales and operations, guest experience, process improvement, partner and guest relationships, team development, and data-driven decision making.

Energized by the potential of Memphis, Jessica is proud to be part of the city's continued growth and welcomes the chance to connect with others who share a passion for hospitality.

Joe Clarke, Villa Castrioti

Joe Clarke is co-owner of Villa Castrioti and a current member of the Memphis Restaurant Association Board of Directors. With more than 20 years in the restaurant business, Joe has built a strong legacy in Memphis hospitality, and he continues to build on it every day as a hands-on owner and operator.

Known for his quick wit, intentional leadership, and genuine passion for the industry, Joe brings both energy and perspective to the MRA board. He believes strongly in making Memphis a more tight-knit community for restaurant owners and operators, where people share knowledge, support one another, and work together to strengthen the industry as a whole. His commitment to that vision makes him a valued voice for Memphis restaurants and the people who run them.

Ryan Trimm, Across the Board/Sunrise

Ryan Trimm is a chef, restaurateur, and co-founder of Across the Board Restaurant Group, the team behind Sunrise Memphis. Trained at Johnson & Wales in Charleston, Ryan built his reputation with Sweet Grass in Cooper-Young, earning Best New Restaurant honors and a nomination for Food & Wine's People's Best New Chef before going on to open several of the city's most beloved concepts. In 2023, the Memphis Restaurant Association named him Restaurateur of the Year.

What sets Ryan apart, though, is the kind of operator and person he is. He is known throughout the Memphis restaurant community as a man of his word: when he commits to something, he follows through. He leads with integrity, makes decisions with his people in mind, and has consistently looked out for his employees, including making sure his team had a place to land when Sweet Grass closed its doors. Colleagues describe him as genuinely kind, humble about his success, and always focused on doing the right thing, even when it is not the easy thing.

Arturo Azcarate, Curry N Jerk

Arturo Azcarate is the owner of Curry N Jerk and serves as Communications Officer on the Memphis Restaurant Association Executive Committee. His downtown Memphis restaurant brings together the flavors of the Caribbean and Latin America under one roof. Rooted in his Panamanian heritage and built on cherished family recipes, Curry N Jerk introduced Memphis to a fusion of Jamaican and Panamanian cuisine that was rarely found in the region, along with the 507 Lux Lounge, where guests can enjoy live entertainment and an island-inspired atmosphere.

For Arturo, the restaurant is deeply personal. Curry N Jerk was created to honor his late mother, Sharon Rose Bynoe, a professional cook whose food brought people together. His first job was working alongside her, and he dreamed of one day giving her a restaurant of her own. Today, every plate carries her legacy forward.

That same heart shows up in the way Arturo leads. He is known for personally welcoming guests and making sure every table feels cared for, bringing genuine Caribbean hospitality to the South. Beyond his own four walls, Arturo is a committed advocate for downtown Memphis, speaking up on the issues that affect his neighbors and fellow operators and working to make the city center a stronger, safer place to live, work, and dine.

Chip Dunham, Magnolia & May

Chip Dunham is chef and co-owner of Magnolia & May, the East Memphis country brasserie he runs alongside his wife, Amanda. A second-generation Memphis restaurateur, Chip grew up in the kitchen at The Grove Grill, the beloved restaurant founded by his father, chef Jeff Dunham. He started cooking there as a teenager, trained at The Culinary Institute of America, and sharpened his skills in some of Charleston's most respected kitchens before returning home to lead The Grove Grill's kitchen.

In May 2020, in the earliest and most uncertain days of the pandemic, Chip and Amanda opened Magnolia & May in a building with deep Dunham family history. The restaurant quickly became a neighborhood favorite and was named one of Memphis Magazine's Top 10 New Restaurants. Its menu reflects Chip's style: Southern at heart, grounded in classic French technique, and open to global influences, with dishes that change often and a few family classics that guests simply will not let go.

At his core, Chip believes great food should be for everyone. He is committed to proving that chef-driven, high-quality cooking can also be affordable, creating a place where neighbors can gather more than once a week without breaking the bank. Creative, approachable, and proud to carry his family's legacy forward while making it his own, Chip represents the next generation of Memphis hospitality.

Marco Puerto, Cocina Mexicana

Marco Puerto is the owner of Cocina Mexicana Bar & Grill and a sitting member of the Memphis Restaurant Association Executive Committee. Under his leadership, Cocina has grown into one of the area's most popular Mexican restaurant groups, with multiple locations serving Memphis families authentic, made-from-scratch fare in a warm and welcoming setting.

Marco's success is built on consistency and care. Guests return to Cocina because they know what to expect: generous plates, genuine hospitality, and a team that treats every visit like it matters. That commitment earned Cocina recognition from the Memphis Restaurant Association in 2024, and it continues to drive the company's growth, including its newest location in Lakeland.

As a member of the MRA Executive Committee, Marco brings an owner-operator's perspective to the table and a strong commitment to strengthening the Memphis hospitality community. He is a steady, hardworking leader who believes in building something lasting for his guests, his employees, and the city he serves.

Neely Draughon, Off The Square Catering

Neely Draughon is the owner of Off the Square Catering, a Memphis-based full-service catering and event company known for exceptional food, beautiful presentation, and seamless service. From weddings and showers to corporate gatherings and large-scale celebrations, Off the Square handles every detail, offering custom menus, professional bar service, artfully arranged charcuterie and desserts, and a polished event staff.

Neely's reputation has been built one event at a time, and it shows in how her clients talk about her. Hosts return to her again and again because she makes the experience effortless: her team arrives on time, sets up quickly, and elevates every event with minimal direction, leaving clients free to enjoy their own celebrations. Her attention to detail and pride in presentation turn every spread into something guests remember.

Beyond the events she produces, Neely is generous with her time and talents in the community, supporting local causes and organizations that make Memphis stronger. Warm, dependable, and deeply committed to her craft, she represents the very best of Memphis hospitality.

Hayley Heard, BB Kings & Itta Bena

Hayley Heard is the Marketing and Events Manager for Beale Street Blues Company, the hospitality group behind B.B. King's Blues Club, Itta Bena, and BSBC Catering in Memphis and Montgomery, Alabama, and a sitting member of the Memphis Restaurant Association Board of Directors. In her role, she helps carry forward the legacy of one of Beale Street's most iconic venues, connecting locals and visitors alike with the music, food, and spirit that define Memphis.

Before joining Beale Street Blues Company, Hayley built a strong foundation in membership, events, and relationship management, serving as Membership and Events Manager at The Memphis Hunt and Polo Club and supporting regional leadership at the Ducks Unlimited national headquarters. That experience shows in her work today: she is organized, people-focused, and skilled at creating experiences that bring the community together.

A lifelong Memphian and graduate of Briarcrest and Ole Miss, Hayley is deeply invested in the city she calls home and in the hospitality community that helps it thrive. She brings energy, warmth, and a genuine love for Memphis to everything she does, both at Beale Street Blues Company and around the MRA board table.