Marsha Brown is the Owner and Chief Executive Officer of three Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Philadelphia, PA, King of Prussia, PA and Garden City, Long Island, NY along with her creole concept, Marsha Brown in New Hope, PA.
Marsha was born and raised in New Orleans with a career in the banking industry when in 1987, she wrote a note on a napkin to Ruth Fertel, the founder of Ruth’s Chris Steak House, to then find herself resigning as the Manager of the Lending Division of a major bank to become the Executive Assistant to Ruth. Marsha had been Ruth's banker and soon thereafter Ruth mentored her into the hospitality industry. Years of having worked for Ruth in the New Orleans corporate office, Marsha eventually gained the developmental rights for Ruth’s Chris Steak Houses in the Greater Philadelphia, PA; Nassau/Suffolk Counties, NY and Southern NJ markets.
Ruth recognized in Marsha her critical qualities for success in the restaurant business… perseverance and commitment to hard work and the deep-rooted walk-the-talk philosophy that both Marsha and Ruth intimately shared to treat others as you would want to be treated. Ruth constantly pushed the pencil for her restaurant numbers, and knew that was an area Marsha excelled in to be at Ruth’s side, a special relationship until Ruth’s passing.
Marsha moved from New Orleans to open her first Ruth's Chris in Philadelphia 27 years ago. Back in 1988, Marsha was a pioneer and visionary in the restaurant market in downtown Philadelphia. Investing in an underdeveloped Broad Street, Ruth’s Chris was one of the first fine dining restaurants/steak houses to open in Center City. Marsha was the first restauranteur to offer valet parking in Center City. Plans are underway to move that Ruth’s Chris location to 1800 Market Street, Sonesta Hotel with an opening date in 2016.
In 1995, Marsha opened her second Ruth's Chris Steak House in Garden City, NY on one of the highest volume traffic roads in the U.S. at the entrance to Roosevelt Field shopping mall. This property constantly hails as one of the top grossing in the Ruth's Chris franchised restaurants. Then in 2001, Marsha opened her third Ruth's Chris in King of Prussia, PA across from the King of Prussia shopping mall (corner of Gulph Road and Mall Boulevard).
Marsha has served as President of the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Restaurant Association and on Boards of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau and Advisory Board of St. Mary's Medical Center. Most notably she was honored by the Restaurant Association as the restauranteur of the Year and received the Panache Award recognizing Performance And Notable Achievement Cultivating Hospitality Excellence.
Marsha has been a member of Les Chaines des Rotisseurs; Les Dames d'escoffier and Caterina de medici. In 1986, the Union League had its first female member. Marsha became a member shortly thereafter.
Her charitable works includes: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; The Philadelphia Heart Institute; St. Mary's Medical Center; AMFAR for the benefit of Aids; and Big Hearts for the Big Easy for victims of Hurricane Katrina. She is an advocate for the Disabled having both a sister and nephew wheelchair bound.
Marsha’s main residence is in Bucks County, Pa, a central location which enables her to spend quality time in all four of her restaurants. She keeps a home in New Orleans for frequent travels to manage the care of her sister and nephew.
Also See..
- Ruth's Chris Steak House Philadelphia
- Ruth’s Chris Steak House & Aqimero Restaurants Coming to Philly
