Restaurateurs Margarita Kallas-Lee and Phillip Frankland Lee Target Growth and Michelin Stars
Husband-and-wife restaurateurs Margarita Kallas-Lee and Phillip Frankland Lee oversee a nationwide portfolio of more than 30 dining establishments, including 14 Sushi by Scratch locations and 15 NADC Burger outlets. Recognized as 2026 Nightlife & Dining Power List honorees, the co-owners project at least 25 percent revenue growth across their enterprise in 2026.
The culinary pair opened three new concepts in 2026: Big Slick, a boutique steakhouse; Shokunin, a sushi bar; and Frank and Margie’s, an Italian-American neighborhood restaurant. Their operational footprint also features an A-list clientele, with guests including Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad Falchuk, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Joe Rogan.
Over the coming year, the duo plans to launch 10 additional restaurants. Expansion plans include new Sushi by Scratch locations in La Jolla, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, and Nashville, alongside NADC Burger openings in Philadelphia and San Marcos. NADC Burger is co-owned with professional skateboarder Neen Williams, whom Frankland Lee describes as a close friend with whom he cooked and skateboarded years before the concept became a formal business.
Looking toward 2027, the couple is scheduled to open The Inn at Crumley Road Ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas. Developed over the past four years, the four-acre farm will feature a seven-bedroom bed-and-breakfast and a fine-dining restaurant, with the co-owners open about their ambitions to secure three Michelin stars.
Operating multiple 10-seat omakase counters across 13 cities requires balancing replication with local identity. According to Frankland Lee, while cuisine, spirit, hospitality, and interior ambiance can be duplicated, physical venues and local sensibilities remain unique to each location. The group adapts to regional character by incorporating local terroir, contrasting coastal glass windows in Montecito with an underground setting inside an old Prohibition-era speakeasy beneath an NADC Burger in Chicago.
Having married nearly 15 years ago and launched their first concept together in 2012, the co-owners maintain clear operational boundaries. Kallas-Lee holds final authority within her department, while Frankland Lee manages his own division. Kallas-Lee noted that pastry chefs and female co-owners often struggle to receive adequate recognition within major restaurant groups, pointing out that her equal co-ownership is frequently omitted despite their shared founding role.
Reflecting on financial growth without outside backing, Frankland Lee discussed the lessons learned from selling a restaurant to private equity in 2021, an experience complicated by subsequent staff retention challenges from the buyer. While acknowledging that external capital could accelerate expansion significantly, he emphasized that retaining independence prevents conflicts with investors unfamiliar with their culinary vision.
