WHAT WE DO
GSD is a consultancy that fills critical gaps in hotel and F&B operations — so owners and operators can stay focused on the big picture.
Openings move fast. When you're juggling deadlines, decisions, and a dozen competing priorities, the details can pile up—hiring, training, onboarding, even building communications systems. That’s where we come in.
We provide agile, hands-on support where it matters most— staffing and training new teams, building pre-opening systems, and crafting creative tools to elevate the guest experience and team culture.
LESS STRESS. MORE CLARITY. BETTER OPENINGS.
Founder and Principal
Ellie Burkey brings 20+ years of hospitality experience, leading every GSD project.
“I love the process—every business is different, and there’s no single formula. Location, market, and the thousands of details all bring unique challenges. Our role is part support system, part hospitality therapist, guiding teams through the decisions that matter most.”
Ellie’s goal is clear:
help every project find its rhythm and thrive.
With a rare blend of frontline grit and corporate discipline GSD's ethos can be distilled into a simple equation:
HOSPITALITY ROOTS
+
CORPORATE DISCIPLINE
=
DYNAMIC APPROACH
→
BETTER GUEST EXPERIENCE
→
BETTER RETURN
HOW WE GOT HERE
TEN LIFESTYLE MANAGEMENT
Director of Restaurants, Americas & Global Director, Communications
2015–2022
Ellie drove U.S. operations through explosive growth at this leading global concierge service—streamlining processes, scaling systems, and unlocking major efficiencies.
She launched the company’s first restaurants program in the Americas, secured marquee partnerships, and led expansion into Latin America and Brazil.
In her final role, she redefined global communications, introducing bold tools and storytelling that elevated Ten’s brand worldwide.
CHILTERN FIREHOUSE
Consulting Project Manager
2015
Ellie was recruited for the pivotal pre-opening of André Balazs’ (Standard Hotels founder) iconic Chiltern Firehouse in London. She led taskforce efforts and helped to fine tune the back-of-house systems that laid the groundwork for a world-class operation.
Ellie also developed guest room collateral and partnered with executive leadership to ensure every operational detail aligned flawlessly with the property’s bold creative vision.
THE STANDARD, EAST VILLAGE
Operations Lead & Marketing Manager
2012–2015
Ellie joined the core team behind the hotel’s rebrand and soft reopening — bridging operations and community relations while supporting the launch of new F&B venues.
As Marketing Manager, she led digital strategy, guest engagement, and signature events that amplified The Standard’s brand presence.
VARIOUS F&B OUTLETS — CALIFORNIA & NEW YORK
Server, Bartender, Trainer, Manager
1995–2015
Ellie got her start in a family-run Bay Area restaurant, quickly embracing the pace and responsibility of service. Spent over a decade in New York’s neighborhood staples and West Village institutions, building range, resilience, and a sharp instinct for memorable guest experiences—a foundation of hustle and heart that shaped everything to come.