The LEE Initiative is an acronym for Let’s Empower Employment. Our mission is simple. Wherever we identify a need for more diversity and more equality in the restaurant industry, we will try to find creative and forward thinking solutions. We will help our community and we hope to inspire others to get involved, get active and give back. We want to create small but impactful programs that make a real difference in the lives of the next generation of industry professionals.

The LEE Initiative started as an idea in 2015. We saw a need for more diversity, more training, and more equality in our restaurants here in Louisville. We want to redefine what it means to give back to our local community based on our research, our experiences and most of all, our instincts. We are in the business of hospitality. We are in the business of solving problems. We put the needs of our customers first. So why should it be any different when we approach the complex issues that arise in today’s restaurant industry?

Please browse through our initiatives and start a conversation with us. Our programs exist because of the tremendous support of people in the community who share our vision of giving back for a better world. We need your support. Without you, our programs cannot flourish.