MAJC LAUNCHES IN MIAMI WITH ALL-STAR CHEF CULINARY COUNCIL LED BY ANDREW ZIMMERN

Tech Entrepreneurs and Chefs Partner to Create New Workforce Engine to Engage and Support the Hospitality Industry

MIAMI, Feb. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MAJC – a new workforce engine designed by and for hospitality professionals to support the restaurant, bar and hotel industry to hire better, train smarter and retain talent – has officially launched in Miami with the formation of the MAJC Culinary Council, a collection of acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs supporting the MAJC platform with their institutional knowledge and expert insights.

James Beard Award-winning chef, author and TV personality Andrew Zimmern and Sarah King, Chief People Officer of Darden Restaurants, the world’s largest full-service restaurant company, are leading the council as national ambassadors and advisors, with top chefs in other regional markets being tapped to build awareness and work closely with Zimmern and King to ensure MAJC provides local and national intel and direction.

The Miami-based council includes chef Eileen Andrade of Finka Table & Tap, and Amelia’s 1931; Alex Meyer and Luciana Giangrandi of Michelin Star-awarded Boia De; Caroline Strauss, hospitality veteran and co-owner of Magie; Scott Linquist of Coyo Taco and Xico Asheville; and Michelle Bernstein of Café La Trova, La Cañita and Sra Martinez. Together, the MAJC Culinary Council joined MAJC co-founders, chef Matt Jennings and technology entrepreneur Andy Coughlin, whose background includes executive roles at META and Microsoft, in Miami for the brand’s official kickoff, with the full suite of mobile-first services launched during South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

“MAJC is transforming the hospitality industry by empowering leaders with the tools, mentorship, and community they need to thrive,” says Zimmern, “It’s a game-changer for operators who want to build sustainable businesses and stronger teams, and MAJC provides vital operational support to an industry that is often underresourced.”

“Hospitality has always been about people, and MAJC understands that technology should support – not replace – that reality,” adds King. “By combining AI with the power of an expert community and learning academy, MAJC is democratizing access to software and systems that help operators attract, develop, and retain great talent, improving their bottom line and strengthening the entire industry.”

With more than 350,000 hospitality workers in South Florida alone, the demand for flexible, tech-driven workforce solutions is growing. Studies show that workforce inefficiencies cost hospitality operators billions annually. Industry analyses drawing on Cornell’s Center for Hospitality Research puts the cost of replacing a single front‑line hospitality worker at around $6,000 per employee, once recruiting, onboarding, and lost productivity are factored in. Furthermore, replacing several key roles a year costs operators tens of thousands per year. Meanwhile, small operators are struggling to compete with highly resourced peers, having to fill many roles – from marketing to HR to accounting – and hourly employees often lack clear tracks to enhance and advance their careers. MAJC aims to close these gaps with a multi-faceted approach designed to attract,  develop and support the workforce.

The Culinary Council was created to help bring MAJC to life with in-person connectivity through exclusive curated events, online support, advice, access for the community, and day-to-day accountability to help ensure the MAJC team has line of sight into issues that really matter for operators. 

“The restaurant industry is a challenging business—we developed MAJC to serve as a real-time workforce engine to help our peers navigate the ongoing challenges of hiring, training and retaining staff,” says chef Matt Jennings.  “There are a select few operators that have found massive success, but the majority of the industry is looking for a trusted community and somewhere to turn when the going gets tough. Whether that’s for expert legal counsel or HR advice or how to streamline hiring, MAJC works for the people putting in the work. We’re honored to have the additional strength and experience of the Culinary Council members to offer their peer-to-peer perspectives and augment what this team has built.”

Under the direction of Jennings and Coughlin, MAJC (pronounced like “magic”) was designed as a solution for restaurants to attract, support and retain talent.  With $2 million in funding, the MAJC platform has three pillars: MAJC Jobs, MAJC Academy, and MAJC Community, each with a unique purpose and design:

MAJC Jobs: is a mobile-first, AI-powered, first of its kind matching platform for the hospitality industry. It’s a modern solution designed to replace job boards. The platform helps operators move past endless, unqualified resumes by streamlining the hiring process, enabling teams to match with qualified candidates more efficiently and reducing time-to-hire and recruiting costs.

For the workforce, the platform replaces ghosted applications and burnout gigs with roles that align with experience, schedules, and workplace preferences, offering clear pay, faster responses, and direct communication with employers. You choose your employer.

MAJC Academy: Turn “figure it out on the floor” into real training that sticks. MAJC Academy gives teams plug-and-play courses led by top chefs and operators. With courses like a P&L 101, real on-demand leadership development, insights to service standards and the necessary skills, the academy is designed to help restaurant operators onboard faster, reduce mistakes, and grow leaders from within. One platform, a few clicks, real-world results.

MAJC Community: Hospitality can be isolating; MAJC Community makes sure it isn’t. From dish pit to C-suite, hospitality professionals are invited to plug into a network for expert advice, and real talk—plus offline meetups led by MAJC Ambassadors. Ready-to-use templates include everything from P&L management to mental health and wellness resources. The result: stronger culture, better retention, and teams that feel like they belong to something bigger than one shift. Thousands of chefs, owners and operators have already joined the community to date, solving problems together, making better business decisions, and supporting one another.

As of Feb. 20, 2026, MAJC has opened for business. The platform is available for workforce and operators. Users can sign up for the full suite of services including unlimited access to the proprietary job-matching platform, academy and community.

To learn more or join the community please visit MAJC.ai., or keep up-to-date by connecting on social media:

Instagram: @majc.ai
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majc.ai
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/majc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564424880800

For investor opportunities, please e-mail [email protected].

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SOURCE MAJC