About

Meet The Team

Chris Feeney
General Manager

Chris Feeney, born and raised on Long Island, spent his childhood traveling with his family and found a love and passion for the hospitality industry. He graduated from Johnson & Wales with a B.S. in Hotel Management and a Concentration in Food & Beverage. Chris has worked in the restaurant industry since he was 16 years old, working his way from a dishwasher, to a General Manager. He spent time working as a manager at the Acela Club at Citi Field, at The Old Homestead and Tamarind as Manager. He also worked at Patina Restaurant Group’s Rock Center Cafe as an AGM and went on to become the Operations Manager at The Lambs Club and then a GM at Rosemary's East. During his time at The Lambs Club and Rosemary's, he was mentored by restaurateurs Steve Hanson and Alex Gaudelet who taught him valuable lessons to progress in the hospitality industry. Chris joined the Nerai team in March 2022.

Aaron Fitterman
Executive Chef

Aaron Fitterman is a native New Yorker with over 20 years experience cooking at top NYC restaurants as a line cook, sous chef and Executive Chef. He has worked at some of New York’s hottest Michelin-rated restaurants including Tabla, The Biltmore Room, Five Points and Public. For the past eight years, he was the Executive Chef of the iconic Aretsky’s Patroon, where his creative takes on American classics have been highly praised. Now, as the Executive Chef at Nerai, Fitterman expertly curates sophisticated Greek cuisine.

Dimitrios Karagiannis
Wine Director

For Dimitrios Karagiannis, it was love at first sight. Born and raised in Grevena, Greece, Dimitrios’s passion for wine dates back to when his grandfather would carry him in the harvest basket through the vineyards. Dimitrios studied journalism in Athens, where he worked for several media outlets and became a member of the Journalists' Union. When it was time for a new challenge, Dimitrios moved to New York and began working in the hospitality business. He returned to his roots, only this time serving the wine from the vineyards he once crawled through as a child. Dimitros is always tasting and studying and looking for new ways to innovate. He has been a valuable member of the team since 2018, carrying Nerai’s wine culture to the future.

Carolyn Peña
Events Coordinator

Carolyn Peña, a graduate of Brooklyn College in Communication and Marketing has been a part of the Nerai Team since 2019. With six plus years of experience in the hospitality industry, she is a connector who enjoys bringing people together. In and out of her professional life, she is always finding herself in the middle of planning fun and memorable events for the people around her. From planning weddings and corporate events to birthdays and intimate celebrations, Carolyn has found her place at Nerai where she is able to do it all.

Spiro Menegatos
Owner/Operator

Spiro Menegatos, a graduate of NYU's Stern Business School, started out as a derivatives trader before investing in Nerai. Shortly after, he realized the restaurant needed his full attention. Born and raised in Fort Lee, New Jersey, he grew up in a Greek family passionate about food. Over the years, his mother's cooking allowed his love for food to evolve. Nerai conveys a specific vision of his ancestral home in Kefalonia, Greece. His inspiration is to present Greek flavors in a modern way and instill the age old Greek tradition of Philoxenia within all the member of the team at Nerai.

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