Founded in 2009 by Steve Palmer and celebrating 15 years in 2024, The Indigo Road Hospitality Group (IRHG) owns, operates, and manages restaurants and boutique hotels throughout the country. Based in the Southeast, IRHG is founded upon the core principle of serving with love and creating memorable experiences for all. In 2019, IRHG marked its tenth anniversary by being named a Forbes Small Giant and appearing on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list, and in 2020 announced its new venture into lodging with a focus on food & beverage-driven boutique hotels. The Indigo Road’s dedication to excellence in food and beverage was recognized in multiple years (’18,’19,’20, and ‘24) by Palmer being named a semifinalist by the James Beard Foundation’s award for Outstanding Restaurateur. For more information on the portfolio, team, core values and services, visit the website.
Tampa's food scene continues its evolution with O-Ku's arrival at Bayshore Gardens.
The recently opened sushi concept joins sister restaurant Maru in the redeveloped South Tampa office complex, representing an over $3 million investment in a 5,000-square-foot space.
The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, based out of Charleston, South Carolina, is behind O-Ku. The hospitality group operates 40+ restaurants across the Southeast and there are more restaurants planned in Florida.
A historic #adaptivereuse project is set to introduce Jacksonville’s first true lifestyle hotel under Marriott: https://lnkd.in/gt4_FY6GGateway Jax has signed an agreement with Marriott International and The Indigo Road Hospitality Group to develop Hotel Merrydelle, a Tribute Portfolio property in downtown #Jacksonville. The 109-room boutique hotel will transform the former Ambassador Hotel as part of the broader Pearl Square mixed-use development.
The project will reposition the historic structure with updated design while preserving key architectural elements, integrating the hotel into a walkable district with direct access to surrounding public spaces and amenities. Indigo Road will manage both the hotel and its culinary program, including a signature restaurant concept.
The deal reflects how Tribute Portfolio continues to serve as a flexible vehicle for converting heritage assets into design-forward hotels within large-scale urban redevelopment projects.
If you are interested in learning about similar #hotelconversion opportunities with Marriott, please reach out to Kyle Gagne.
The newest episode of Say Grace: Food for Thought in Hospitality just dropped this morning, featuring Alyssa Smith — Charleston native, Executive Director of Charleston Wine + Food, and one of the driving forces behind the festival’s evolution as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Since stepping into the role in 2023 after serving as Interim Director, Alyssa has helped lead the Festival to record growth, welcoming more than 48,000 guests and generating nearly $44 million in economic impact across the 2025 and 2026 festival years. Under her leadership, Charleston Wine + Food has expanded free community programming, introduced industry-first initiatives supporting local talent, and continued its commitment to sustainability as a zero-waste festival.
Before becoming Executive Director, Alyssa served as Director of Marketing + Communications, where she secured national coverage in outlets including The New York Times and Food & Wine, helped bring a multi-day NBC TODAY broadcast to the Festival, and built award-winning partnerships with the College of Charleston, where she continues mentoring students today.
In this episode, Alyssa joins Steve Palmer to share stories from behind the scenes of one of the country’s most celebrated culinary festivals — including the unforgettable moment a shipment of compostable plateware was commandeered by Somali pirates just days before the event.
Recognized as one of Charleston Business Magazine’s “50 Most Influential” in 2024, Alyssa also reflects on leadership, resilience, sustainability, and what it means to build a festival rooted in community.
Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
Somewhere between anonymity and acclaim, Bill Addison built one of the most respected voices in American dining.
Before becoming the James Beard Award-winning restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times, Bill worked as a pastry chef in Atlanta, wrote for the Dallas Morning News and San Francisco Chronicle, and spent years traveling the country for Eater, documenting the people, places, and stories shaping America’s dining culture.
Now, after more than two decades behind the veil of anonymity, Bill is stepping into the spotlight in a new way. In a recent essay for the Los Angeles Times, he reflected on the changing nature of criticism in the social media era, and why “facelessness has a shelf life.”
On the next episode of Say Grace: Food for Thought in Hospitality, Bill joins Steve Palmer for a conversation about criticism, creativity, identity, and the evolving relationship between restaurants and the people who write about them.
The 2023 recipient of the James Beard Foundation’s Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award, Bill brings both deep perspective and remarkable honesty to the table for this one.
Episode is out now, on all major platforms.
What keeps planners from trying out new venues or restaurants?
Your client’s board dinner, their cocktail reception, and the executive gathering: What keeps us in our usual rotation? What I hear most is. . .”knowing what to expect” and “trust”. Sometimes you only get one shot!
When I think of the “you’re in great hands,” partner, Oak Steakhouse in Alexandria comes to mind.
The Visit Alexandria Sales Team paid longtime partner Oak Steakhouse a visit. Located in Old Town North, this fine-dining steakhouse is walking distance from two dynamic hotels, AKA Hotels+Hotel Residences and Sheraton Suites Alexandria.
What stands out isn’t just the food (truly one of the best steaks I’ve had). It’s the full experience: personalized touches (a birthday gift for my Old Town date!) a buzzing atmosphere, sustainable sourcing practices, and a flexible private event space.
A huge part of that trust comes not only from the products, but the people behind it. Jessica Rothstein brings dynamic experience from the steakhouse private dining and events, and Todd Hunt, General Manager is a recognized finalist for Manager of the Year for the upcoming 2026 RAMMY Awards produced by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington.
Each a reflection of the hospitality culture being built there.
I invite you to experience it for yourself and contact our team to host your next event here. Trust me on this one!
Final stop on the spring career fair tour brought us back home to Charleston, SC! We wrapped up an incredible season at the SC Works Hiring Event, connecting with graduating high school seniors exploring meaningful employment opportunities as well as adult job seekers pursuing career transitions, advancement, and workforce re-entry opportunities.
I was proud to attend alongside Tito, Executive Chef at Indaco Charleston, Jeffrey, Executive Chef at O-Ku Charleston, and Eilish, Innkeeper at Post House. It was a great reflection of the many paths hospitality can offer and the incredible leaders who help make that growth possible.
This career fair season has been such a rewarding one and I’m excited about the partnerships we’ve built and the connections we’ve made along the way. Grateful for every campus, event, student, job seeker, and team member who made this spring tour such a success.
And of course, we are hiring across The Indigo Road Hospitality Group and would love to connect with those looking to grow their careers in hospitality.
#TheIndigoRoad#SCWorks#CharlestonJobs#HospitalityCareers#NowHiring#CareerFair#CharlestonSC
I'm excited to be attending Hotel & Resort Design South on 9 - 10 June in Miami, and would love for you to join me!
Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/exrth7sy
Today on Say Grace: Food for Thought in Hospitality—a conversation with Rose Previte on building something meaningful, and learning when to let go.
Chef and owner of Compass Rose and Maydan, Rose has earned national recognition for her globally inspired, fire-driven cooking and deeply personal approach to hospitality. Maydan was named one of the “Best New Restaurants in America” by Bon Appétit, Eater, Food & Wine, and GQ, and became the first Middle Eastern restaurant in the U.S. to earn a Michelin Star in 2020. She’s also a James Beard Award nominee, author of Maydan: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond, and was named “Restaurateur of the Year” by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.
In this clip, Rose reflects on the moment she realized she couldn’t do it all alone—after years of pouring everything into her restaurants, even living above Compass Rose. The shift came when she learned to trust her team… even if that meant missing the night Michelle Obama walked through the door.
Because if you’re doing your job right, you’re teaching. And if you’re teaching, the restaurant doesn’t fall apart without you.
Say Grace is a podcast hosted by Steve Palmer, where we share honest conversations with the people shaping hospitality—on leadership, resilience, and the work behind the work.
Now streaming wherever you get your podcasts.
Downtown Jacksonville is getting a new boutique hotel. And a famous Atlanta restaurant is coming with it. 🌴
Marriott International and The Indigo Road Hospitality Group have signed an agreement with developer Gateway Jax to open Hotel Merrydelle — a 109-key Tribute Portfolio property set within the $50M renovation of the historic Ambassador Hotel building.
Even better: Colletta, one of Atlanta's most acclaimed Italian restaurants, is opening on-site.
Project Highlights:
🏨 109 guest rooms
🏛️ Adaptive reuse of the historic former Ambassador Hotel
🍝 Colletta — Indigo Road's acclaimed Italian-American restaurant (120 seats
🍕 Wood-fired pizzas, house-made pasta, family-style chef-curated dining
🍷 Italian wine-led beverage program
🚪 Entry reoriented to the original Church Street location
🌳 Direct access to Porter House Lawn & Garden + Klutho's Alley
📍 Pearl Square, downtown Jacksonville 💰 $50M renovation
🤝 Developer: Gateway Jax | Operator: The Indigo Road | Brand: Marriott Tribute Portfolio
🎨 Architect: Campo Architecture & Interior Design | Engineering: Skiles | Construction: Avant | Branding: The Saturday Crowd
📅 Construction starts: Spring 2026 | Opening: 2027
Leadership Perspective
Steve Palmer, Founder & Chief Vision Officer, The Indigo Road Hospitality Group: "Hotel Merrydelle will be a place where people naturally come together as Downtown Jacksonville transforms into a vibrant, community-focused neighbourhood. A welcoming destination for visitors, but also a place where locals can connect over shared meals."
💡 Why It Matters
Pairing an Atlanta F&B brand with strong local following alongside a Marriott Tribute conversion in a historic building shows how downtown revitalisation projects are using hospitality as the cultural anchor, not just the amenity.
📸 The Indigo Road Hospitality Group / Gateway Jax
The Ambassador Hotel sat vacant for decades in the heart of Downtown Jacksonville—now it’s finally being restored as part of Pearl Square by Gateway Jax.
The historic property is being transformed into Hotel Merrydelle, a Marriott International Tribute Portfolio hotel, bringing 109 boutique hotel rooms, a new coffee and pastry concept, and an Italian-inspired restaurant from The Indigo Road Hospitality Group called, Colletta.
The name Merrydelle was thoughtfully chosen to honor Merrydelle Hoyt—an artist and visionary behind what is now MOCA Jacksonville, who believed beauty belonged in the public square.
Now, that idea is being built into the core of Downtown in the City of Jacksonville.
From local artwork to open, inviting spaces, this becomes more than just a hotel—it becomes a place that brings people together, as part of the broader vision for Pearl Square by Gateway Jax.
With multiple major projects underway, Downtown Jacksonville is beginning to take shape in a new way.
See it in 360º on https://lnkd.in/eHzxG3_6
Produced by Fun To Watch#Jacksonville#RealEstateDevelopment#360Mediahttps://lnkd.in/eG_5Adh7
