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.
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.