Delaware North has selected company veteran Scott Socha to lead its Travel division which manages food and retail services at 22 airports across the United States, also appointing John Kolaski as president of its Patina Restaurant Group subsidiary and former incumbent Jamie Obletz to the position of group president with responsibility for Patina Restaurant Group.
Socha, who has served as a group president since 2017 and also oversees the Parks & Resorts business and Delaware North's operations in Australia, previously led the Travel division from 2019 to 2021.
During that time, he oversaw the acquisition of Creative Food Group, which expanded the company’s Travel portfolio by 35 restaurants across five airports.
In his role overseeing the parks and resorts division, Socha provides strategic direction and ensures that short- and long-term plans are in place to drive business and enhance the company’s destination properties.
The parks and resorts subsidiary provides hospitality services in seven national parks, three state parks, operates Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for NASA, owns and operates lodging in five national park gateway communities, such as Tenaya at Yosemite, a full-service resort, and owns and operates several other hotels and resorts, including The Westin Buffalo – Buffalo’s only AAA Four-Diamond-rated hotel.
Socha has overseen the expansion of the company’s lodging portfolio with the addition of 50 two-bedroom cabins at Tenaya in 2019, the development of a hotel that opened in 2022 near Kennedy Space Center and the acquisition of hotels near Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Mont., in 2019 and near Grand Canyon National Park in 2023.
Socha has also overseen Delaware North becoming the largest winter adventure tour operator through acquisitions near Yellowstone and Vail, Colorado.
Before assuming his role as a group president, Socha spent six years as a vice president and Delaware North’s treasurer – overseeing financial planning and analysis, treasury and risk management across all divisions.
John Kolaski joins Delaware North as president of Patina Restaurant Group,, a portfolio of boutique restaurants, catering and food service operations in the premium segment of the hospitality industry with locations in New York, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Florida. The group's portfolio includes Patina Catering, Kitchen for Exploring Foods, Nick + Stef's Steakhouse, Lincoln Ristorante, and 15 combined locations across Disney Springs, Walt Disney World and Downtown Disney.
“There are some inherent synergies between our Travel and Parks businesses, including the need for a keen understanding of partnership with various divisions of government.
This is an area where Scott has excelled in leading our Parks business.”
John Kolaski joins Delaware North as president of Patina Restaurant Group,, a portfolio of boutique restaurants, catering and food service operations in the premium segment of the hospitality industry with locations in New York, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Florida.
The group's portfolio includes Patina Catering, Kitchen for Exploring Foods, Nick + Stef’s Steakhouse, Lincoln Ristorante, and 15 combined locations across Disney Springs, Walt Disney World and Downtown Disney.
A hospitality leader with over 30 years of experience building culinary brands and leading restaurant operations, Kolaski will report to Jamie Obletz who has been promoted to the role of group president with responsibility for Patina Restaurant Group.
John Kolaski is an invaluable addition to Patina Restaurant Group, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a well-established track record of success ...
Obletz, who has been a Delaware North operating company president since 2020, currently serves as group president of Sportservice, Patina Restaurant Group and Delaware North UK.
In addition to Patina Restaurant Group, he is responsible for providing oversight and strategic direction for the company’s sports portfolio which provides concessions, premium dining, catering and retail services to more than 50 sports and entertainment venues in the United States.
He also oversees the company’s hospitality operations in the United Kingdom at locations such as Wembley Stadium, London Stadium and Emirates Stadium.
“John Kolaski is an invaluable addition to Patina Restaurant Group, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a well-established track record of success,” says Obletz, who joined the company in 2016 as a senior vice president of corporate development and has also served as president of the company’s Travel division. “His leadership and expertise in building culinary brands align perfectly with our commitment to delivering exceptional hospitality experiences.
We are thrilled to welcome him to the team as president of Patina Restaurant Group.”
Kolaski joins Delaware North from K2 Restaurants, a Los Angeles-based hospitality group and restaurant incubator that he founded and served as CEO for the past six years.
Under his leadership, K2 Restaurants cultivated 20 company-owned brands poised for expansion through various channels, including brick and mortar, management, licensing and franchising.
Before establishing K2, Kolaski served in successive leadership roles with SBE Entertainment, a global lifestyle hospitality and nightlife company based in Los Angeles.
His roles at SBE included chief operating officer for restaurants and president of SBE’s Disruptive Restaurant Group.
Prior to that, Kolaski held key food and beverage leadership positions at Montage Hotels and Resorts and The Four Seasons.
Kolaski gained a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management at Florida International University.
He also holds an associate’s degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University in Miami, Florida.
