The Leadership
Damien Perez
Partner
Perez is a Chicago-based restaurateur with more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality and nightlife industry. Perez became known for pioneering the restaurant–lounge hybrid concept in the late 1990s.
Perez’s most celebrated venture is Dragonfly, a multi-storey Chinese restaurant, lounge, and nightclub located in Chicago’s vibrant Fulton Market district. Spanning an impressive 12,000 square feet, Dragonfly stood as a landmark destination for 15 years, earning a reputation for its dynamic atmosphere, and ability to seamlessly transition from dining to nightlife.
Riding the success of Dragonfly, Perez went on to expand his portfolio to include 5 additional restaurant concepts across Chicago. His ventures span a range of cuisines, including Mexican and Caribbean, reflecting both his creative versatility and his commitment to delivering distinctive, experience-driven concepts.
Xiao Jiang
Marketing Director, Partner
Jiang is a British-Chinese marketing professional overseeing the curation, design, and marketing of restaurant and nightlife concepts at NUTRA.
Prior to co-founding NUTRA, she worked in investment management at QEV Capital, a Spanish venture capital firm, where she played a key role in fundraising initiatives for the Formula E Championship.
Her background spanning both finance and marketing equips her with a holistic perspective on growth and brand strategy, enabling her to drive NUTRA Hospitality Group toward continued success.