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Jeff Zalaznick
World's 50 Best
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Jeff Zalaznick’s work sits in the lane where dining room rhythm, service polish, and social energy meet. The through-line is not spectacle for its own sake, but rooms built to hold a crowd, keep conversation moving, and make a meal feel like an occasion. From early food content and booking technology to a first restaurant job and then Major Food Group in New York, the career tracks with the city’s appetite for pace, scale, and repeat business.
The Climb
A banking start at J. P. Morgan put Jeff Zalaznick in finance before hospitality took hold, a first chapter that sits far from the dining rooms he would later help define. Experience at Mandarin Oriental Hotel and later as a restaurant employee added practical knowledge of service cadence and front-of-house timing. Since 2011, he has been co-founder and partner of Major Food Group, shaping its New York base into a company with broader reach.
Today
He is the co-founder of Major Food Group. From Torrisi Italian Specialties in downtown Manhattan, the company expanded into a global hospitality brand, and Jeff Zalaznick’s name is attached to several of its best-known rooms. The work lands in a modern hospitality register: immersive, tightly styled, and organized around the idea that the room, the company, and the plate all carry equal weight. ZZ’s Clam Bar added a raw bar, cocktail, and seafood bar to the portfolio, giving the group another clear expression of its point of view. It widens the lineup without breaking from the celebratory, social mode that runs through Zalaznick’s work.
Signature
Jeff's signature dishes include Carbone, ZZ’s Clam Bar, Sadelle’s, and Torrisi Italian Specialties. Together, these names sketch the culinary field most closely associated with him: a set of rooms that helped define Major Food Group’s identity and extend its audience. Each one speaks to a hospitality model centered on memorable meals, polished service, and dining experiences that stay in circulation after service ends.
Recognition
His name is linked with Major Food Group’s expansion from Torrisi Italian Specialties into a global hospitality brand, and with the venues that made the business widely known. The recognition comes from a steady ability to translate New York sensibility into rooms with a clear sense of occasion. Jeff Zalaznick’s profile remains tied to those spaces: lively, refined, and built for gathering well.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Jeff
What is Jeff Zalaznick's current role?
As of 2026, Jeff Zalaznick is Co-founder.
Where did Jeff Zalaznick work before?
Jeff Zalaznick's earlier career included J. P. Morgan and Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
What is Jeff Zalaznick known for?
Celebratory dining and socializing with friends and family.
