Marissa Hermer

Marissa Hermer is a restaurateur, entrepreneur and author. Using her extensive experience in F&B public relations and marketing, Hermer has most recently created a fine-dining experience at the widely acclaimed Olivetta, offering a cuisine and ambiance rooted in the Mediterranean lifestyle. She is also the owner of The Draycott, a family brasserie-café and flagship restaurant of Caruso's Palisades Village that draws inspiration from London life and features classic meals made from fresh local products with British inflection. At the onset of the COVID pandemic, she launched You Give. We Cook. They Eat, a fundraiser operated by both restaurants to provide meals for first responders and frontline workers. Hermer is also the co-founder of the healthy packaged food brand Maverick Snacks, founded in response to the overwhelming childhood obesity problem and lack of wholesome grab-and-go options for kids. Her first foray into the restaurant industry was in New York City working alongside Ian Schrager to open Gramercy Park Hotel, among other successful endeavors. In London, she leveraged this experience to create locally-loved spots with Ignite Group - a UK-based international food, beverage and entertainment corporation - including Boujis, Eclipse, and Bumpkin restaurants. Hermer also launched solo project Top Dog Diner, a gourmet hot dog restaurant introducing flavor combinations from the US alongside British ingredients. Harnessing her fondness for family-friendly cooking, Hermer tapped into her California childhood to author 'An American Girl in London: 120 Nourishing Recipes for Your Family from a California Expat'. Her recipes reflect fresh takes on comforting British dishes incorporating a bit of sunshine from her SoCal roots. She also starred in the American reality television show, Bravo TV's 'Ladies of London', following the lives of six expat women living in London. Hermer earned a BA in Psychology and Sociology from Middlebury College.