Denny Lyon proudly claims the distinction of being the oldest member of the Passion Food Hospitality team -- though his energy and passion belie his chronological age. To hear him rhapsodize about Ceiba, and the fun he has creating the "atmosphere of liveliness" over which he presides as General Manager, one would expect him to be in the honeymoon phase of his restaurant career. Not so, although the path he took to get here is a circuitous one...

Raised in western Michigan and holding a degree in business from the University of Michigan, Denny calls himself an "accidental restaurant manager." He enlisted in the Navy after college and spet a four-year tour of duty on the Atlantic coast and in the Mediterranean. This led to a government desk-job in Washington. Meanwhile, his neighbor, a nightclub owner, needed help. Denny went from bar-tending and waiting tables in the evening to running the place. "I loved the energy," he remembers, "the excitement of dealing with people instead of papers was - is - so stimulating." After a while, he decided to expand his experience by trying a more mainstream operation, which he did by working for Marriott's family restaurant division, learning back-of-the-house management. Eventually, Marriott sent him to Dulles International Airport, to help transform the mom-and-pop food stands into major branded concessions - an interesting time, from a business perspective.

In 1996, Denny had heart bypass surgery. In order to decrease the stress in his life, he decided to get out of management, and became a server first at The Daily Grill in downtown Washington, then at Smith & Wollensky. His seasoned expertise came to the attention of Passion Food Hospitality, which hired him in 2001 to manage TenPenh, then had him open Ceiba in 2003.

Does he seem stressed? On the contrary; he seems to be having the time of his life. "Of all of the restaurants, I think Ceiba is inherently the most fun, the most entertaining, from the Latin atmosphere to the exotic way many of the dishes are served," says Denny. "The challenge is educating the dining public about this kind of cuisine. For example, although TenPenh serves Asian-inspired food, and Asia is half-way around the globe, people are still more familiar with it than the cuisine that comes from just south of our own border." The General Manager's favorite dish at Ceiba? He loves the ceviches, and every incarnation of tuna that comes out of the kitchen. He also raves about the wine and beverage program tailored to the restaurant's Latin-inspired menu. And when actually pinned down, he has to admit that "it's nice that the business degree has finally paid off. As General Manager, though, it's the constant interchange with people that keeps me passionate about the job - not the paperwork. Viva la Ceiba!"

CEIBA
701 14th St., NW
Washington, DC 20005
202-393-3983