SOCIAL IMPACT

The Light House Bistro gives people with employment barriers the opportunity to learn while developing a resume and earning a living wage.  We are a social enterprise created by The Light House Homeless Prevention Support Center to further train culinary students that have graduated from our workforce development and other partnering programs. Light House Bistro serves our community by creating a warm, fun atmosphere where people can gather to eat, drink and give back to the community.

Social enterprises create revenue from selling goods and services in the open market. All profits are reinvested back into the mission of the organization benefiting people in need and the communities in which they live. The bottom line for The Light House Social Enterprise is employment for people experiencing homelessness. 

ASHLEIGH PLASTERER

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DIRECTOR

Ashleigh is a veteran restaurant operator, mixologist, business consultant, sommelier, and James Beard Award-winning GM.  She cut her teeth in the restaurant industry during an 18-year stint in San Francisco and has worked with well-known Michelin and Bib Gourmand San Francisco restaurants such as  Lazy Bear, Chambers at The Phoenix, Wildseed, Music City Hall of Fame, The District Group, M.Y. China and A16 (where she won a JBA for Outstanding Wine Service in 2015).    She also worked as a Distiller and Blender for Wright & Brown Distilling in Oakland, as well as a Cocktail Consultant for SABE Beverages.    After Ashleigh moved home to be closer to family in 2023,  she took the position of Director of Operations of The Bluebird, The Green Room & The Whiskey Pub in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore, where she won the Baltimore Cocktail Competition Ryes Up (2023). We are happy she has joined the Light House Bistro team!

DAVID MONTANEZ

EXECUTIVE CHEF

JOHNATHAN MATIAS

ASSISTANT RESTAURANT MANAGER

Johnny started with the Bistro in September of 2018.  Beginning as a dishwasher, he has since worked his way up through almost all of the positions in the kitchen, then through the front of the house where he was recently promoted from Server to Assistant Manager.  Johnny is very dedicated to our team and our mission and it is obvious in how he shows up for work every day. We wouldn't be surprised if, in time, Johnny was running the whole show.  

TYLER NELSON

EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF

Tyler graduated from our B.E.S.T. program in 2019 and came to work at The Bistro immediately following his graduation. His passion for the culinary arts and his previous restaurant experience helped him to rise to the top of his class. Tyler started as a Line Cook at The Bistro and quickly moved to Lead Line Cook and then to Sous Chef and now Executive Chef. We are thrilled to have Tyler on our team!

DEON DAY

EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF

Deon is a born and raised Annapolis native.  He fell in love with food at his first cooking job at the Annapolis Smokehouse and Tavern 11 yrs ago. Like most of our team, Deon has worked his way up through the kitchen and gained all of his knowledge through experience. He is a big fan of working in 'From Scratch' kitchens, which is what initially attracted him to the Bistro. Previously he was an Executive Chef at Gordon Biersh.  We are so lucky to have so much management talent in our kitchens to help teach others the skills they need to work in a kitchen and further our mission.