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About US

Michael has been in the hospitality business for over 30 years. He started in fast food at fifteen, and quickly worked his way up the ladder. Most consultants would typically list all of their accomplishments, but here at Five Monkeys we focus on wins and losses. Success in the independent restaurant business happens, and should be revered, but we have found that our mistakes have taught us the most.

 

Mike's first full service General Management position was operating an upscale re-design of an existing restaurant within a hotel. Within two years he and his staff had increased annual revenue from $900K to $2 Million… And then he got cocky.

 

At 25 years old, Michael found investors to purchase a 27,000 Sq. Ft. building, to be a completely remodeled restaurant and bar, as well as an entire floor of office suites at a total cost of $2.25 Million. Even with all the knowledge he had acquired, history would better have been served if he had taken those millions, piled them up, and set them on fire.

 

We tell the story of this failure, because we believe things would have been much better if Michael would have had someone like himself today, filled with the lessons of success and failure, to talk him through the project as well as be there until the restaurant and bar was on its feet and starting to walk.

 

Let us put our experience to work for you, and allow Five Monkeys to find real-world solutions, so that you can focus on the culture, food, and drinks you’ve envisioned for your restaurant.

 

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Michael C. Durso

President and Founder


Brett broke both of his hands when he was a teenager, thereby eliminating the possibility of professional sports. He took a job washing dishes at a local family-owned restaurant. He worked his way up to kitchen manager in his 20’s, and then he decided to go to culinary school. After graduating from culinary school, Brett and his wife moved to Saint John, in the US Virgin Islands, where Brett would take the position of Sous Chef, at the prestigious ZoZo’s at the Sugarmill.

Hurricanes Erma and Maria first took out the restaurant, and then his home. He came back to the Midwest and became the Executive Chef at The Hop Southern Eatery. Brett is an imaginative chef and he is a sixth monkey.

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Brett Davis

Lead Culinary Advisor


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