BILTMORE PARK
DOWNTOWN
ABOUT US
Posana® is a contemporary American restaurant with locations in Downtown Asheville and South Asheville. Founded in 2009 by Chef Peter and Martha Pollay. Posana was created as a place where seasonal, local ingredients and genuine hospitality come together to create a memorable dining experience.
From the beginning, Posana’s menus have reflected a commitment to sustainability and the bounty of Western North Carolina. We work closely with a trusted network of regional farmers and purveyors to craft dishes that celebrate each season. Our downtown location holds a Certified Green Restaurant® designation and has been honored with Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence for its thoughtfully-curated wine list.
Inspired by their travels, Peter and Martha believe the best food experiences are found in restaurants that are loved by their local communities. With the opening of our second location in Biltmore Park, we’re excited to continue that tradition by offering not only dinner, but also a vibrant lunch menu and the return of Posana’s beloved weekend brunch.
At our core, we are driven by a passion for quality ingredients, warm service, and meaningful connections with our guests, our staff, and the agricultural community that sustains us. Through long-standing relationships with local growers and our continued support of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), we remain committed to operating with care for our community, our environment, and each other.
FEED YOUR WELLBEING®
Meet the Team
OUR FOUNDERS
Born in New Jersey, Chef Peter Pollay graduated from Arizona State University as a Political Science major. His true passion came alive not in school, however, but in the large college house where he regularly cooked for his friends. Encouraged by family friend and well-known Chicago restaurateur Larry Levy to apply to New York’s Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Peter pursued a culinary education after a stint under Levy in Chicago. During his CIA training, Peter worked at Park Avenue Cafe and the Hudson River Club, and traveled to California to learn from industry great Wolfgang Puck, whose influence informs his hyperlocal, ingredients-first approach to this day.
Following his graduation, Peter’s culinary endeavors ranged from cooking in famed kitchens to helping open concepts in Chicago, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. By the time he and his wife, Martha, had their first child, they relocated to Asheville, North Carolina, where they opened their contemporary American concept, Posana. The restaurant is Asheville’s first and only certified gluten-free kitchen, as well as the only Certified Green Restaurant in the state. Posana has been a staple of the Asheville community since 2009, elevating sustainable ingredients from local farmers, ranchers, and producers from the beginning.
As additional Posana locations come to fruition, Peter continues to find inspiration in the relationships he holds with staff, purveyors, and neighbors, as well as the creative process in the kitchen. Beyond his hospitality projects, Peter is a lifelong traveler, and finds the most joy spending time with his family.
Martha Pollay is co-founder and chief creative officer of Mandara Hospitality Group. Under this umbrella, she co-owns the contemporary American restaurant Posana with Peter Pollay, her husband and business partner.
Martha hails from Southeastern Wisconsin, where her family has owned Jones Dairy Farm since 1889. Through college and early adulthood, she followed a passion for performing arts, later traveling the world to teach English, climb mountains, and pursue photography. After reconnecting with Peter, a longtime friend, in Chicago, the duo married and continued to travel together, finding a shared love for art and cuisine that would fuel their future projects.
Today, Martha is the creative force behind Madara Hospitality Group. With a keen eye for brand development, design, and customer experience, she is constantly refining the restaurant’s approach, developing welcoming spaces and a supportive, emotionally intelligent team. Still an avid photographer, Martha lends her skill to Posana, capturing images for the restaurant’s branding and promotional materials.
In her free time, Martha can be found relaxing with Peter and their children, Fedora and Parker, and their pride of orange cats—often with a camera in hand.
DOWNTOWN TEAM
Chef Erin brings over 16 years of culinary experience to her role as Chef de Cuisine at Posana. Her path, interwoven with culinary training at Iowa Western and studies in nursing, has always been driven by a deep passion for food and a desire for continuous growth.
Prior to Posana, Erin honed her skills at Copper Crown and embraced the creative energy of co-running “Palmita,” a pop-up highlighting Venezuelan cuisine. Recognizing her true calling within a thriving culinary environment, she found the perfect fit at Posana, nestled in downtown Asheville.
Among her favorite creations is Posana’s signature gluten-free gnocchi—a testament to simple elegance and a consistent guest favorite.
Outside the kitchen, Erin finds balance through yoga, music, painting, and hiking in the surrounding mountains. Coastal getaways with her puppy, Alphie, offer moments of peaceful reflection.
Chef Lex’s culinary journey began in high school, ignited by culinary competitions and an apprenticeship at the prestigious Biltmore Estate, where she earned a Journeyman’s Certificate. She went on to graduate from AB Tech Culinary School in 2013, specializing in Baking and Pastry. A proud Western North Carolina native, Lex has built a 14-year career, including founding her cake-decorating business, Layered by Lex, in 2016.
Outside the kitchen, Lex enjoys dance, a lifelong passion, and spending time with her partner and children. Their family’s favorite activities include hiking, mini-golf, and skate park outings, often accompanied by their pit bull and two cats.
In 2020, Lex transitioned to a gluten-free diet, facing challenges in finding safe dining options and working in gluten-heavy environments. Posana’s gluten-free kitchen has offered her the opportunity to safely expand her skills and expertise in a supportive setting.
Chef Niranjan’s culinary career began in his father’s restaurant in India. It was there that he learned to cook, developed a strong foundation in Indian cuisine, and found work he wanted to keep getting better at. Nearly 12 years later, that desire to learn still guides him. He earned a degree in Hospitality and Culinary Arts and moved to the United States in 2022 to experience new cuisines and cultures.
At Posana, Niranjan helps lead the kitchen team and takes pride in both the food they make and the experience they create for guests. He was drawn to Posana because it gave him another chance to challenge himself and learn from the people around him. Ask him for a favorite dish, and he’ll choose the vegan Lumache pasta with butternut squash sauce. He loves its flavor, and as someone who naturally prefers vegetarian food, he appreciates that it’s vegan, too.
Outside the kitchen, Niranjan loves playing cricket, fishing, and swimming. If he hadn’t become a chef, he thinks he might have pursued a career as a cricketer or another professional athlete. But cooking has given him something he values just as much: a craft he can keep practicing. He often returns to the advice, “Master the process of making anything, even if it’s something very small.” It’s reflected in the care he brings to the details and his willingness to keep learning.
Meet Lindsey, our Events Sales Manager. Originally from a western suburb of Chicago, she settled in Asheville six years ago. With over 10 years in hospitality, Lindsey started working in the industry at 18 while studying in Urbana, IL – and even assisted in curating a restaurant’s first vegan dessert menu.
Her affinity for learning led her to pursue undergraduate degrees in Earth Science and Gender & Women’s Studies and a master’s in Curriculum & Instruction. Outside the hospitality scene, Lindsey’s been a middle school English teacher in Nashville and here in Asheville as an English and Special Education teacher.
Lindsey’s attention to detail and work ethic are apparent and shine through with every guest interaction she has here at Posana. Whether it’s a family dinner or a wedding, she finds joy in those little touches that make an event memorable.
When not at work, Lindsey loves trail running, is your go-to friend for delightful party desserts, and enjoys easy strolls downtown with her husband. At home, she snuggles up with her calico cat, YoYo Meow, and a good book!
You may apply by emailing your cover letter and resume to our Director of Operations, Peer Larson.
BILTMORE PARK TEAM
Originally from Washington, D.C., Mandara Hospitality Group’s Director of Operations Peer Larson has a storied background in hospitality. As early as age 17, he worked behind the scenes at a D.C. music venue, preparing dressing rooms for the likes of Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. After moving to Los Angeles, he was bartending when the offer of a management role changed his life’s direction. In the following years, new doors opened all around the country: Larson managed several restaurants in LA, worked under high-profile Chefs Jose Andres and Brian Malarkey, and eventually served as general manager of restaurant operations for various boutique hotels in Austin, TX, and Asheville, NC. Today, he’s thrilled to have reconnected with the Mandara Hospitality Group team, whom he worked with on previous projects The Bargello and District 42.
For Larson, it’s the human connections that make a career in this industry so meaningful—not only with guests, who he loves interacting with on a daily basis, but also with the teams he’s nurtured and worked alongside. Looking back, Larson is proud to have stumbled into a role that feels like such a natural fit, in an environment that allows him to have a positive impact on the people around him. Outside of work, he’s a barbecue enthusiast who loves firing up the smoker, and a devoted husband and dad to his daughter, Coraleigh—his favorite person.
Samantha Ludman has been part of the Posana family since joining the opening team at Posana Biltmore Park as a server. Drawn to the company’s reputation for investing in its employees, she has grown alongside the restaurant, advancing to Lead Server before stepping into her current role as Assistant General Manager.
With 11 years in the restaurant industry, Samantha is passionate about fostering a welcoming atmosphere for guests while supporting and developing her team. Originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, she values hospitality that feels genuine, thoughtful, and consistent.
A longtime favorite on the menu, the Ricotta Hushpuppies are Samantha’s go-to dish for their perfectly crisp exterior, soft interior, and ever-changing seasonal accompaniments.
Outside of Posana, Samantha enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children, especially traveling, visiting local parks, and making the most of the outdoors. An avid traveler, she has explored four continents and more than 20 countries, with Switzerland, Italy, and Morocco among her favorite destinations. If she weren’t in hospitality, she’d be a full-time stay-at-home mom while pursuing her dream of writing books.
David Tabak brings nine years of hospitality experience to his role as Service Manager at Posana. Originally from Oklahoma City, David studied Advertising and Marketing at Oklahoma State University before finding his path in the restaurant industry.
Drawn to Posana’s genuine approach to hospitality, David values creating memorable guest experiences while supporting a team that shares his enthusiasm for thoughtfully sourced food, wine, and cocktails. As a leader, he finds the greatest reward in helping his team grow, pursue their goals, and thrive in their careers.
His favorite dish is the braised short rib, a nostalgic nod to the meat-and-potatoes meals of his Irish upbringing.
Outside the restaurant, David spends as much time outdoors as possible—hiking, fishing, camping, and paddleboarding—and is an avid bluegrass fan. He also keeps a tiny harmonica around his neck at all times, because you never know when the occasion might call for it.
Originally from Hickory, North Carolina, Blake brings nearly 12 years of hospitality experience to his role as Manager at Posana. He initially studied music education before pursuing a career in restaurants, where his interest in service and wine continued to grow. He has completed WSET Levels 1 and 2 and plans to pursue his first sommelier certification.
Blake finds the most rewarding part of his work in watching the dining experience come together, recognizing that every detail—from a guest’s arrival to their departure—shapes the evening. His current menu favorite is the pork belly with hoe cakes, particularly its melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Outside the restaurant, Blake enjoys the creative side of Dungeons & Dragons, writing and running games, 3D printing, and painting miniatures and dioramas. He and his wife, who moved to Hendersonville a little over a year ago, also enjoy playing video games together.
Blake’s perspective is grounded in a reminder he often returns to: people are rarely judging us as closely as we judge ourselves. It’s a philosophy that leaves room to learn, grow, and keep moving forward.
You may apply by emailing your cover letter and resume to our Director of Operations, Peer Larson.
