Haven Hot Chicken, which brings Nashville Hot Chicken and “Not Chicken” to the area as one of the first fully dedicated Nashville Hot Chicken concepts in New England, announced its appointment of Gretchen Bartkus as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. In this role, she will be overseeing corporate and store day-to-day operations, implementing new processes and working closely with the brand’s founders to continue to develop and grow the brand.
“With more than 25 years of [quick-service] experience, the entire Haven Hot Chicken family is excited to have Gretchen on board as we continue to quickly grow,” says Etkin Tekin, CEO and co-founder, Haven Hot Chicken. “Her operational and leadership experience at household names including Starbucks and Amazon, coupled with her culinary and food service background, provide our team with the perfect skillset at our young, but rapidly expanding brand.”
Bartkus’ career rapidly skyrocketed during her tenure at Starbucks Coffee Co., moving from a Store Manager to Regional Food Specialist, to Category Management focusing on food programs, then to Director of Food Implementation and then back to operational management positions. In her numerous roles at Starbucks Coffee Co., she led teams of up to 2,000 employees across multiple time zones and managed a portfolio of up to 100 business units. After departing Starbucks, Bartkus served as Vice President of Operations leading a Connecticut-based startup, Green & Tonic, enhancing their business model, standardizing operational procedures, elevating guest experience, developing of marketing content, creating menu ideation processes and timelines and streamlining vendor relationships, Most recently, she moved into logistics with Amazon, leading her team to deliver a whopping 92,000 packages in a single day during the 2022 holiday season. Bartkus holds a B.S. in Food Service Management, A.O.S in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University, has Serv Safe Certification and completed the WBDC Entrepreneurial Program at the University of New Haven.
“I am excited to join company of enthusiastic, dedicated and hardworking team members,” says Bartkus. “This role offers me the opportunity to come ‘full circle’ and apply so many pieces of my previous experience to the current operations of its three – almost four! – locations, as well as future openings throughout the region. I’ve been inspired by the culture and community I’ve already observed within this company as a whole and cannot wait to dive in and be a part of it!”
Haven Hot Chicken was founded in 2020 by local restaurateurs Rob LaTronica, Craig Sklar, Jason Sobocinski, Tom Sobocinski and Etkin Tekin. Serving chicken and its “not chicken” vegetarian option ranging from not spicy to very spicy, the menu is rounded out by traditional southern sides and seasonal limited-time offerings. With three locations (New Haven, Orange and Norwalk, Connecticut), the brand’s fourth location will be opening this Spring in North Haven (146 Washington Avenue).
The restaurant’s signature item was voted “Best Chicken Sandwich” in Connecticut Magazine’s annual Readers Poll in 2021.
