JR Hickman

Director

Seasoned restaurateur. A taste for analytics. Hospitality and digital marketing professional. A 20+ year hospitality career throughout the United States and Singapore, JR draws on his extensive experience to deliver vital expertise and support for the F&B and hospitality industry. Adept at creating detailed process plans, analyzing business trends, and developing business cases, he is humbled to get to work with global companies such as The Walt Disney Company, Fairmont Group, and Marina Bay Sands. His experience across the United States and Asia has motivated him to garner a demeanor of empathetic leadership in an international environment.

“Outstanding service in hospitality should transcend classification. The only difference between a coffee shop and a fine dining establishment is the amount of time a professional has to interact with their guest. Both should be friendly, able to build a rapport with their guest, knowledgeable of their offering, instantly provide recommendations, upsell to enhance revenue, and create memorable moments. These are the hallmarks of outstanding service.” - JR Hickman, Digital Plate

Background:

Originally hailing from Southern California and having spent time living in several Asian countries. JR began his F&B career with the Walt Disney Company in 1999. Quickly he mastered all aspects of fast-casual and quick-service dining and was placed into Disney's elite Emerging Leader program which vaulted him to a management role in the newly opened Disney's California Adventure park. JR transited into the luxury hotel scene with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts in Newport Beach, California helming the In-Room Dining department, reinvigorating the service standards and streamlining procedures. Selected to be part of the rebranding team for the Fairmont Singapore, JR relocated to Singapore to support the brand alignment of the In-Room Dining team and operations of fine dining Japanese restaurant Inagiku. His pre-opening experience was further expanded when he opened the mega integrated resort and casino Marina Bay Sands with 2500 rooms. With deep knowledge in F&B service, JR transitioned to the finance side of the business as the analyst for 23 outlets and celebrity chef restaurants, guiding restaurant managers and contributing to large scale projects with numbers.

JR is now the director of the F&B consultancy company Digital Plate Consulting.