A fresh perspective Is breezing into town.
We’re building something to R.A.V.E. about.
Powering up 10.1.26
R.A.V.E. HR is reimagining WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A Hospitality + HR Partner.
Because in our ever-evolving, A.i. powered world, one constant remains:
Hospitality and hr are still all about people.
r.a.v.e. HR helps hospitality and Service businesses elevate their TEAM, brand + Guest Experiences.
WELCOme to the R.A.V.E. PREVIEW. discover who + What we are below.
WELCOME.
HOSpitality is all about people. THESE PEOPLE:
The GUESTS who choose you for their stay, their meal, their self-indulgence, or their special occasioN, and…
the EMPLOYEES who will ultimately shape + define the perception of who + what you are.
And here’s the thing: perception is reality.
Our approach is rooted in a simple truth: People universally want and deserve RESPECT, to be APPRECIATED, and to feel VALUED. If these fundamental “People Needs” are met, just imagine what your business could achieve. If not, low staff engagement and low service scores impede success and dilute your brand promises. Your guests will see and experience everything your employees are feeling.
These human needs are at the core of who we are, defining OUR BRAND and OUR APPROACH to Hospitality and HR. We view all Hospitality and HR elements and any recommendations we make through this lens, staying true to our guiding principle of R.A.V.E.: Respect, Appreciate, and Value EVERYONE.
We appreciate the power in understanding there’s a direct connection between the employee experience and the guest experience, as it will shape (positively or negatively) your business and brand perception and reputation. RAVE helps businesses to enhance the guest + brand experiences by enhancing the EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE.
If you take care of your TEAM, they will take care of your GUESTS. It’s an ecosystem. It’s symbiotic. And it’s crucial for legendary guest service.
There’s a natural and practical ebb and flow, of course, but it is always an ever-connected relational circle. To keep these concepts top of mind, we designed our tagline to prominently emphasize practicality and chose to feature it in the shape of….a CIRCLE.
R.A.V.E. HR services add value to businesses by Educating, Enhancing, or Evolving their People, Performance, and Brand Promises. This is our Goal, our Mission, and our Origin Story, combined and defined by just one word: ELEVATE. When you elevate, you create tangible value - heightened experiences your guests can feel when they visit, and revisit, your business.
It’s a delicate balance, and the need for adjustments will always arise, but when Hospitality proprietors view guests and employees as rivals or line-item budget competitors as opposed to inextricably connected elements..…everyone loses.
R.A.V.E. HR provides practical solutions for today’s unique Hospitality Workforce in Workplaces FROM THE DESERT SUN TO EVERYONE.
PALM SPRINGS Heat. Coast-to-Coast Reach.
OUR STYLE AND SERVICES
People Power Hospitality. RAVE Empowers People + Elevates Workplaces.
How does RAVE “elevate?” With “E’s.”
3 E’s Actually.
FOUNDATIONAL
KNOWLEDGE, COMPLIANCE, EXPECTATIONS + ALIGNMENT.
SAMPLE SCOPE OFFERINGS:
Harassment Prevention Training
Guest Service Classes + Workshops
Disciplinary and Executive Coaching
Leadership Training - I, II, and III
AND MANY MORE…
REFINEMENT
OPERATIONS MAXIMIZATION + BRAND PROMISE EXCELLENCE.
SAMPLE SCOPE OFFERINGS:
Auditing HR Processes + Systems
Policy Creation + Oversight
Onboarding + Training: Culture Alignment
Refining Operational Workflows
AND MANY MORE…
TRANSFORM
STRATEGIC GROWTH + BRAND or CULTURE REFRESH.
SAMPLE SCOPE OFFERINGS:
Fractional HR Leadership
Multi-Property Scaling Strategies
New Ownership/Leadership or Culture Shift Transitions
Executive Talent Strategy
AND MANY MORE…
WITH “E’s” we establish a clear scope and understanding of expectations + Direction.
The 3 E’s provide RAVE with an understanding of the purpose, motivation, goals - and Desired OUTCOMEs - OF each client’s Particular engagement.
OUR CORE SERVICES
Through our three Core Services, R.A.V.E. HR elevates HOSPITALITY Businesses by Educating, Enhancing, and Evolving its PEOPLE, PERFORMANCE, and Brand Promises.
Training Classes + Learning & Development
From engaging Respect in the Workplace training (CA compliant, of course) to a customizable template for your New Hire Orientation to Leadership 101, 201, + 301, RAVE University has reimagined the “basics,” and elevated continuing development for what’s next.
Besides one-off training course selections, RAVE University also offers 3 curated Learning + Development Training Collections, featuring concentrations in Compliance, Leadership Development, and Team Member Development.
Whether wanting to ensure your managers Lead with Integrity (labor law awareness) or simply desiring to dive deeper into Team Development to sharpen strengths or learn new skills, we got you covered. And if not, RAVE will work with you to create what you need - we call it the Designer Collection…starring you as the co-designer!
R.U. ready for RAVE University? Classes begin October 2026.
RAVE Culture + Engagement will help transform your culture from “words on a page” to “words we live by.” We build modern people strategies that keep your teams motivated and your workplace culture alive. From smooth onboarding to leave of absence guidance, we help you manage the entire lifecycle of your team, one employee at a time.
RAVE HR is your as-needed Employee Relations, your on-call HR Helpline, and - sometimes - your conflict mediators and dispute resolution department. We take conflict resolution seriously…but, as you probably noticed…we don’t take our ourselves too seriously. We’re a mixture of office antics referee, 3rd floor diplomat, and "the drama whisperer.”
If people issues are taking all your time - Chef Pat served guests Chow Mein with a plastic bag in the noodles (last week - a wrapper in the Gumbo) and Joey is telling his “jokes” again - RAVE can help get you back on track.
And this is why we can’t have nice things…
Operations, Brand Promise + Guest Service Solutions
People & Culture + HR Services Solutions
Aligning schedules to your covers and occupancy? Check! RAVE can help you evolve from good Labor Management to great Labor Strategy, using department-specific drivers + productivity metrics to create Labor Standards. Efficiency is awesome, but not to the detriment of Guest Service.
Speaking of, RAVE's Guest Service Basics training standardizes service expectations, memorably! Once the basics become routine, our Elevated Service Training course will help take the guest experience from Routine to Remarkable.
Unfortunately, there's no complete instruction manual on how to manage Operations. But RAVE's Operational Assessments, Coaching + Development, and custom Operations Consulting options will help light the path for managers so they can more safely navigate each shift, each employee concern, and each unreasonable guest.
Let’s talk about how RAVE can help Supervisors and Managers evolve into confident LEADERS.
NOT SURE IF R.A.V.E. HR performs the specific services you need?
DROP US A LINE.
A Preview Site cannot really tell R.A.V.E. HR’s entire story, and we certainly couldn’t list every conceivable reason for engaging RAVE…well, we could try, but you’d probably be scrolling until next week.
That’s why we’ve captured the essence of what RAVE is all about in our CORE SERVICES. And within each core service is list (not an actual list, of course) of endless possibilities!
But essence rarely means everything. So, contact us below, and let’s explore how R.A.V.E. HR can best help you achieve your Hospitality + HR goals.
Our preview website may have boundaries, but we like to think our Solutions don’t.
Darren S. Chiappetta
Founder + CEO
M: 760.276.3123 darren@ravehr.com
Darren Chiappetta grew up in Boston but spent most of his life calling Hilton Head Island, SC and Orlando, FL “home.” With that geography, there’s no doubt as to why the Hospitality “Force” is strong with this one.
For over a decade, Darren was humbled to be one of a select few HR professionals that worked on Hollywood soundstages and sets in response to #MeToo, tasked with creating and maintaining respectful set environments. He served as the Head of Film and/or TV Production HR at NBC Entertainment, Netflix, CBS Television Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Roku and served as the first Head of Employee Relations for Universal Music Group.
Countless days on remote sets around the world, teaching Anti-Harassment classes to artists, actors and crew and mediating conflicts (mostly borne out of intercultural misunderstandings), ever-reinforced the importance of R.A.V.E..
Darren also had the honor to serve as the inaugural Head of HR for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Prior to Hollywood, Darren spent 20 years at Disney Parks & Resorts + Disney Store and held a variety of roles, including: Jungle Cruise skipper (his first Disney role), Operations Manager at Disney-MGM Studios, Operations + Entertainment Manager at Disney’s Animal Kingdom , College Recruiter, Marketing + Media Relations Manager, and his final Disney bow as Head of Employee Relations for the Disneyland Resort. Darren also was an Opening Team Cast Member at The Disney Store in Columbia, SC. In 1996, Darren was honored to be selected as Walt Disney World Ambassador, serving as goodwill emissary to the world for the Resort’s 25th Anniversary Celebration.
Two decades at Disney shaped not only Darren’s leadership style but his commitment to quality and integrity. He instructed Disney Traditions, teaching new hires Disney’s famous culture + service standards. Coupled with being a Guest Relations Host, VIP Tour Guide, and Guest Relations Manager, Darren innately understands the importance of delivering on a Brand Promise AND the equal importance of Service Recovery when things occasionally fall short.
Darren was an Adjunct Professor at University of Central Florida, teaching Hospitality Communications, a course combining instruction in verbal, written, and leadership communication from 3 perspectives - the business, the guest, and the employee - preparing students to be first-time Hospitality Managers. As Adjunct Instructor for California Institute of Applied Technology, he taught Navigating the Modern Workforce: strategies for effective communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution to navigate the complexities of a global workforce, elevating cooperation through understanding.
Darren holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from University of South Carolina, a Master of Arts in Corporate Communication & Technology from Rollins College (Florida), and a Juris Doctor from University of Florida.
Darren enjoys working out and relaxing by the pool at his home in Palm Springs, where lives with his partner Mel. (Mel? like -YES, THAT MEL), and golden retriever, Bodie.
Mel J. Landuyt
COO + CFO
mel@ravehr.com
Mel Landuyt has spent twenty years running high-volume, multi-unit food and beverage operations across California and beyond. Most recently, as Senior Vice President of Operations at One Table Restaurant Brands, Mel led a 22-unit, $66M portfolio spanning Southern California and Arizona, reporting directly to the CEO and President on annual planning and budget administration.
Mel took over a portfolio with no consistent operating systems and unit-level execution that varied by shift, then rebuilt it from the ground up: standardized daily and weekly operations, reorganized the team, and moved 4-wall EBITDA from negative to positive. Mel also led 15 new location openings, brought theoretical food cost variance from -7.5% to -1.25% in five months through a full CTUIT rollout, and built a 10-person senior leadership team with a 75% internal promotion rate.
Before One Table, Mel served as Director of Restaurant Operations at Lemonade Restaurant Group, overseeing eight locations doing $25M in annual revenue.
Prior to that, Mel spent 18 years at BJ's Restaurants, rising from General Manager to Vice President of Operations across a multi-state footprint covering CA, AZ, CO, TX, TN, and AL. Mel's career actually began at Rusty Pelican, where 11 years of steady growth took Mel from hourly team member all the way to Executive General Manager — the foundation for everything that followed.
Beyond the P&L, Mel finds real fulfillment in developing people, an approach that earned recognition as a 2024 Prosper Accelerator, a selective year-long program run by Prosper Forum that unites foodservice and hospitality leaders to advance diverse talent in the industry. That same commitment to mentorship carries into Mel's personal life: Mel completed a 545-mile ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles in support of AIDS/LifeCycle, and outside of work enjoys concerts and hiking with partner Darren.
Mel holds an Associate of Arts in Business Administration from West Valley College and is based in Southern California.
BODIE
RAVE AMBASSADOR
In his bio, Darren shared he holds a J.D. from University of Florida. He's a licensed attorney with The Florida Bar. He practiced at a major law firm + was in-house Labor & Employment Counsel at Darden Restaurants.
RAVE HR LLC is taking a proactive stance and informing all potential Consulting Clients that Darren is an attorney.
HOWEVER, Darren is NOT serving in a legal capacity for or with RAVE HR. His role with RAVE is solely as Founder, CEO and HR + Hospitality consultant. Darren is not a lawyer for RAVE HR or for any RAVE HR clients.. RAVE HR shares this information, and the disclaimer below, with all prospective RAVE clients to manage expectations upfront and to be as fair as possible to our RAVE HR clients as well as Darren, himself.
All materials, templates, analysis, and recommendations provided by RAVE HR LLC are delivered solely in its capacity as a Human Resources and Hospitality consulting firm. RAVE HR LLC does not provide legal services or formal legal opinions. No communication or work product should be construed as legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is formed by any engagement with RAVE HR LLC or with Darren Chiappetta in his RAVE HR LLC capacities, either personally, or through any RAVE HR LLC engagement or pre-engagement discussions or submissions. All RAVE HR LLC Clients are advised to consult with appropriate, local legal counsel for issues, questions, or concerns related to specific legal liabilities or regulatory/statutory compliance.
Thank you. RAVE HR LLC
Let’s elevate the guest + Employee experiences…together.
ContacT R.A.V.E. HR today.
Thanks for spending time R.A.V.E.ing with us!
