American Express and Resy Launch Restaurant Academy, a Free Leadership Program for Restaurant Workers

American Express and Resy want to ensure that the leaders of the next generation of restaurants are set up for success.

On Monday, the two brands announced the launch of the Restaurant Academy, a new leadership development initiative created in partnership with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). The academy is a free pilot program designed by and for restaurant leaders, such as managers and owners, to provide easier access to a scarce opportunity: leadership training.

“Great restaurants are built by great leaders. That’s why we developed Restaurant Academy with Resy, in partnership with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation," Jennifer Skyler, the chief corporate affairs officer at American Express, shared in an exclusive statement to Food & Wine. “The program equips restaurant owners and operators with the knowledge, confidence, and connections they need to strengthen their businesses, support long-term growth, and create lasting opportunities for their teams.”

According to American Express and Resy, the Restaurant Academy will focus on preparing hospitality staff for "workforce leadership." The brands detailed in a press release that while many restaurant owners and managers reach their positions through hands-on experience in the industry, they're often still seeking formal business training to bolster their expertise — a gap that the academy hopes to fill. Overall, the program aims to cultivate leadership skills that help participants thrive in three areas: managing a restaurant team, improving the hospitality experience for guests, and navigating finances adeptly.

“Restaurants are one of the most powerful leadership incubators in America,” Michelle Korsmo, the chief executive officer of the NRAEF, detailed in a statement. “At the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, we are committed to expanding access to the training and education that unlock leadership potential and grow it into lasting careers and a better future. This program creates new opportunities to strengthen leadership at every level, equipping today’s managers and owners and powering the next generation of restaurant leaders.”

Participants will get the chance to learn from industry leaders, including Mashama Bailey, the James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of The Grey in Savannah, Georgia; Gregory Gourdet, the Top Chef finalist, author, chef, and restaurateur behind Kann in Portland, Oregon; Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon, one of Time's 100 most influential people of 2025 and the chef and owner of Kalaya in Philadelphia, which is among the Top 10 U.S. Restaurants in our 2026 F&W Global Tastemakers awards; and Victoria James, beverage director, sommelier, and the co-founder of Cote Korean Steakhouse in New York City.

"I became the youngest sommelier in the country at 21, largely without a roadmap, mentor, or anyone willing to show me the way," James shared with Food & Wine. "Fifteen years later, I'm a partner in a restaurant and beverage empire, helping build and shape programs across multiple concepts. That arc — from a kid teaching herself wine on the floor to someone with equity and a seat at the table — didn't happen because the industry made it easy. It happened despite that. So when a program comes along trying to give people the tools I had to scavenge for, I want to be in the room."

James' experience — and the lessons she's learned from it — sheds light on the kind of information that the Restaurant Academy hopes to impart to its participants. The sommelier and restaurateur emphasizes the importance of drinks for a restaurant's bottom line, noting that "your beverage program is your highest-margin asset and your clearest opportunity to communicate your identity. Most restaurants treat it as an afterthought."

James recommends that burgeoning restaurateurs "learn to make [your drinks program] profitable, learn to make it yours, and learn to talk about it in a way that brings the right guests through the door. The story you tell about what's in the glass is marketing, margin, and identity all at once — and succeeding at that is what moves you from employee to owner." 

Applications for American Express and Resy's Restaurant Academy are open today through July 29, and the program will accept an inaugural cohort of 30 small restaurant leaders nationwide. Once chosen, participants will attend facilitated sessions guided by top industry leaders from September 2026 through March 2027. The academy includes an in-person event this fall featuring leaders from the NRAEF, American Express, Resy, and the wider restaurant industry. Those interested in the program can find more information and apply here.