• Home
  • Who We Are
  • Contact
  • More
    • Home
    • Who We Are
    • Contact
  • Home
  • Who We Are
  • Contact

Backbone Hospitality

Backbone HospitalityBackbone HospitalityBackbone Hospitality

made in detroit

made in detroitmade in detroit

We Are...

A women-led team operating a distinctive portfolio of food and beverage brands in Detroit. We bring the best-in-class knowledge in our field, as well as a commitment to excellence, equity, sustainability and positive culture. 

Meet the Team

Ping Ho

Chief Executive Officer / Founder

Marrow, The Royce & Mink


Ping Ho grew up in Singapore, where she had fond memories of going with her grandmother to the “wet market" and where the direct connection between buyers and butchers left a lasting impression. Those producers' unparalleled knowledge of meat origin and quality, as well as their strong bond to the local community, were inspirations for launching Marrow. Ping is also the owner of wine bar and shop, The Royce, a co-owner in restaurant Mink and founder of the soon-to-launch Marrow Detroit Provisions at Eastern Market. Ping received a James Beard Foundation Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership fellowship in 2018. Before moving to Detroit, Ping was Vice President of Digital Strategy and Business Development at Warner Music  Group, specializing in innovation and new business models. Ping graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi  Beta Kappa from Brown University and holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.

LinkedIn


Amanda Franke

Vice President of Operations

Partner at Marrow


Amanda Franke has worked the Front of House in restaurants from the age of 15. A farm-raised graduate of the University of Michigan, Amanda started her career in operational and administrative management in the luxury property industry. A strong passion for hospitality led her back to the Food and Beverage industry, which eventually helped her to find her way to working with Chef Sarah Welch at Republic and Parks & Recreation. Since 2018, Amanda has been on the  opening teams of Marrow and Mink,  leading all aspects of service and  operations. Though a long-time vegetarian, Amanda is committed to  building and supporting sustainable,  ethical carnivorous businesses. 

Sarah Welch

Chief Culinary Officer

Partner at Marrow; Co-Owner of Mink


Chef Sarah was raised between Jamaica and Michigan surrounded with culture, cooking, and eating. After graduating from Michigan State in hospitality administration, she trained in the culinary arts at New York’s French Culinary Institute. Today, Sarah is the Executive Chef, founding  member and equity partner at Marrow. She is  also the co-owner of seafood-centric  restaurant Mink.  Marrow was voted a semi-finalist for Best  New Restaurant in the country by the James  Beard Foundation (JBF) in 2019, and in that same  year, was named one of the top new restaurants by Eater. Sarah has been nominated thrice by the JBF as one of the best chefs in the Great Lakes region, most recently in 2023. She was last seen on Top Chef's Season 19's final round as one of the last 3 chefs standing (ok, didn't win but she did MI proud!). Sarah's time in Detroit has yielded close connections with the local farming community, which now serves as the muse for the food you can find at Marrow's restaurant. 

MaryBeth Beaudry

Group Events Director


Having spent 19 years in the industry, MaryBeth has cultivated a thorough understanding of hospitality. While her formative years were spent managing her favorite dive bars, the majority of her time has been spent managing front of house operations for acclaimed restaurants, including Republic & Castle Hall, where she met colleagues Sarah Welch & Amanda Franke. There she developed a passion for creating memorable experiences and solidified her career transition into events. As a native Detroiter, she has keen insights into the needs and tastes of local clientele. When not planning events for Backbone, you'll find MaryBeth pursuing her love of music and fostering relationships with local artists to help curate and promote unique events in her community. 

Copyright © 2023 Backbone Hospitality Group - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by GoDaddy

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept