OUR TEAM
CHAD SPARROW
Managing Partner & Executive Chef
Mr. Sparrow graduated from Johnson & Wales University with an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts. He worked in every department of the restaurant industry and learned all of the day to day operations. He is in charge of culinary creative and menu design at all restaurants. Mr. Sparrow oversees the operations and growth of Common Plate Hospitality. This includes brand creation, design, construction, numbers and budgets. Mr. Sparrow has a strong belief in team building and support driven management. As a visionary in the restaurant field, the general growth and success of Commonplate Hospitality are near to his heart. He was born, raised and currently resides in the City of Alexandria and is a TC Williams High School Alum. He shares his love for boating and passion for cooking with his wife, son, daughter and two dogs.
LARRY WALSTON
Partner
Larry’s culinary interest and skills were noticed at a regional cooking competition when he was 12 years old and was offered a full scholarship to Johnson and Wales culinary school in Norfolk, VA. Considering his age, he decided not to accept the offer and his athletic and academic prowess landed him at Virginia Tech where he excelled in the classroom and on the baseball field. Larry settled in Arlington after graduating in 2005 with a degree in economics. While working in the real estate industry and attending Georgetown University for his Master’s degree, Larry met Chad Sparrow and they founded Advanced Construction Group. Larry oversees all real estate acquisitions and construction procurement for Common Plate Hospitality. He resides in Arlington with his wife Megan and their daughter Sloane.
MARGARET D. HAYEK
Chief Financial Officer
Margaret joined Common Plate Hospitality in November 2019 after serving as Chief Financial Officer at a local non-profit organization. Margaret enjoys being back in the small business arena which offers a faster pace and the ability to contribute to small business growth. She grew up in Potomac, Maryland and earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Marymount University. She has a diverse professional background with vast experience in both retail and service industries. Outside of work, Margaret loves to ride local bicycle trails and to participate in group riding events with her family.
JEAN RITTER
HR & Payroll Manager
Jean has been with Common Plate Hospitality for over three years as Human Resources and Payroll Manager. She comes with over 27 years of Corporate experience. While at Sprint she received many awards including the annual Ambassador Award and the Employee Retention Award. In her current position, she oversees all aspects of human resource management for more than 250 employees, ensures EEO compliance, recruiting, staffing, Classification and Compensation, Benefit Administration and Change Management. Jean also processes payroll and acts as an escalation point for all aspects of payroll.
DAGO ROMERO
Chef, Augie's & Mason Social
At the age of 17, Dago moved to the United States from Honduras. He started cooking in 2012 at a Mexican restaurant and then worked for Clyde's prepping and cooking. After joining CPH and learning more professional cooking techniques, he's worked in each kitchen for the group and is the chef for the Augie's and Mason Social restaurant concepts. Dago is married with 2 sons and 1 daughter and is grateful when he's able to spend time with his family.
ALDO GARCIA
Chef, Urbano
Aldo is Common Plate Hospitality's chef for the Urbano concept and spends his time at both locations. Moving to the United States from El Salvador in 2007, Aldo immediately started working in kitchens of restaurants. He started out as a dishwasher in the kitchen and worked his way up to cooking for Chevy's. Aldo is married with three children and when he's not in the kitchen, you can find him spending time with his family, fishing or eating seafood.