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<p>DALLAS &#8212; Metz Culinary Management, an award-winning, family-owned and operated food service management company based in Dallas, is celebrating 25 years of service in the food industry this month.</p><p>And the key word there is &#8220;family.&#8221;</p><p>Since the founding of Metz Culinary Management, Inc. in 1994, the family-driven food service management company has grown to operate in 19 states from Maine to Florida with more than 8,000 employees, of which 1,500 are in Luzerne County.</p><p>John Metz and his son, Jeff, and daughter, Maureen, head the company, which has grown to be the 13th-ranked food service country in the U.S.</p><p>&#8220;We started small,&#8221; said John Metz. &#8220;We never expected to be as big as we are.&#8221;</p><p>Metz said the company has gone toe-to-toe against the large conglomerate companies and had succeeded.</p><p>&#8220;Our name is on our business,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We will never do anything to embarrass our family name.&#8221;</p><p>Metz said he and/or Jeff will often jump on an airplane to fly to a location to solve a problem. He said that hands-on approach has proven to be a key to the company&#8217;s success.</p><p>Jeff Metz said the company philosophy is to make sure all partners are happy &#8212;and partners include employees.</p><p>&#8220;It goes way beyond me, my father and my sister,&#8221; Jeff said. &#8220;We have many employees that have been with us for years and years. We have that family vibe that people thrive in.&#8221;</p><p>His father added, &#8220;We recognize people and we reward them.&#8221;</p><p>To celebrate the 25th anniversary, the Metz family took 400 employees, mostly managers, to Disney World in recognition of their work.</p><p>&#8220;Basically, we treat people the way like you would want to be treated,&#8221; Jeff said. &#8220;When we take over an operation, we do an orientation. We show them that we care about our people and that is extended to our customers.&#8221;</p><p>Jeff said if employees are treated right with respect and caring, then they will treat customers and guests the same.</p><p>&#8220;We demonstrate the real commitment we have to customer service,&#8221; John said. &#8220;People want to come work for us and we give back into the community we grew up in.&#8221;</p><p>John Metz began his career in the food service management industry by establishing Custom Management Corp., where he served as president and chief executive officer from 1967 to 1987. By the time Metz sold the company in 1987, it was the largest privately held food services company in the country.</p><p>Metz Culinary Management has followed the same path of success under the leadership of current President &amp; CEO, Jeff Metz, providing dining services for clients in a variety of settings, including K-12 schools, colleges and universities, healthcare organizations, corporate offices and manufacturing facilities.</p><p>Metz also owns numerous franchise restaurants including a Ruth&#8217;s Chris Steak House, eleven T.G.I. Fridays, three Lucky&#8217;s Craft Food and Drink and eleven Marlow&#8217;s Tavern locations.</p><p>Metz aims to continue providing quality hospitality across their healthcare, corporate, higher education, and independent and public school markets.</p><p><strong>Community involvement</strong></p><p>The Metz family believes in giving back to the community. There are many examples of the company and its employees pitching in to give significant help to charities in need.</p><p>One is the Dinner for Kids program that helps families battling childhood hunger by providing healthy meals.</p><p>Maureen Metz said the company donated $38,727.18 last year for dinner for kids by hosting a golf tournament. Over $60,000 has been raised over two years for the charity. The golf tournament will be held Oct. 7.</p><p>In 2017, 340 associates of Metz Culinary Management packaged 75,000 meals for needy children and families in the Wilkes Barre/Scranton area. The event was part of a two-day management conference, attended by managers and general managers from Metz restaurants and food operations across the country.</p><p>The meals were to be distributed by the Commission on Economic Opportunity to needy families in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.</p><p>The company also raised more than $5,000 for Red Cross relief efforts to help victims of Hurricane Irma.</p><p>And more than $2,000 was donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Kitchen &#8212; proceeds from a sports memorabilia auction held at Lucky&#8217;s Sporthouse.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Maureen Metz </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Metz-2c-Maureen.jpg</photo0><caption0>Maureen Metz </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_METZ-JEFF.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Jeff Metz </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_METZ-JEFF.jpg</photo1><caption1>Jeff Metz </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_METZ-JOHN.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">John Metz </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_METZ-JOHN.jpg</photo2><caption2>John Metz </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Metz family celebrating 25 years of growth in food service industry</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>