Meet Torry Cray of Cray Hospitality

Today we’d like to introduce you to Torry Cray.

Torry, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Although I have become accustomed to living like a local in Dallas, I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada where the hospitality industry reigns king. I grew up in the kitchens of some of the world’s best restaurants with my mom, and backstage at some of the biggest festivals and concerts watching my dad run AV production.

Inspired by my parents work ethic, I began my journey in the same industry at 16 as a cashier at In and Out Burger. In a rush to get into the real world, I graduated high school a year early and studied at UNLV while working at the hotels on the strip in Las Vegas. I graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management in 2014 while managing VIP services at a club in MGM Grand. After graduating, I quickly moved to LA and worked closely with Jeff Beacher of Beacher’s Madhouse with celebrity events and nightclub operations. Unfortunately, Los Angeles was not the target market for my skillset or personality, so I moved to Dallas!

Within 48 hours of moving to Dallas, I began my first of many management roles as an Assistant General Manager at a night club. That led me to managing at Americano at the Joule, STIRR in Deep Ellum and finally the Corporate Manager at The Statler Hotel.”
I was quickly promoted past this position and became the Food and Beverage Manager for the property and spearheaded all administration needs with hiring, training, and onboarding staff for the seven concepts of the hotel. I loved this job, but after the concepts were open, I felt an itch for something more. I resigned from the Statler and started my own consulting company, Cray Hospitality.

Cray Hospitality focuses on assisting restaurant owners with better business practices, understanding financials, staff training, restaurant operations and hospitality standards.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My age has always been something I have struggled with, especially since I am typically managing a team that is much older than me. Pure passion and drive have brought me to where I am today and I never let anyone’s opinion of me bring me down, but it wasn’t always easy starting out so young. Respect is always earned and while being a young woman in this male-dominated industry has set me apart, it has also set me back in some situations where I have had to fight harder for that same respect. Always staying true to my values and working hard has kept me from being negatively affected by any of these setbacks.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Cray Hospitality story. Tell us more about the business.
While Cray Hospitality is in its infancy and still evolving, we are a Hospitality Consulting services firm with a focus on financials and restaurant operations. I have found my passion in creating in-depth programs that help business owners keep a closer eye on their financials without having to purchase any additional apps or use software they are unfamiliar with. A big focus of my business is training managers to better understand restaurant operations and WHY we are doing something a certain way instead of just how to do it. What sets Cray Hospitality apart is that we focus on training people to be successful for years to come, instead of our competition who merely provide a food or drink menu or a simple handbook.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I truly don’t believe in luck! But I do believe that “Dreams don’t work unless you do.” and “Everything happens for a reason!”

Contact Info:

• Website: www.crayhospitality.com
• Email: vyctoria@crayhospitality.com
• Instagram: @CrayHospitality
• Facebook: facebook.com/crayhospitality

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