Management Team
Marie Banis
As managing principal, Marie brings her meticulous attention to detail and love of Gluten Free and Organic cooking to the Certified Kitchens team. Her experience with the Gluten Free and Organic certification process is an invaluable asset for start-up food companies.
Prior to Certified Kitchens, In 2011, Marie co-founded Thoughtful Food, an Organic & Gluten Free Certified granola company that produces Giddy Up & Go Granola.. Marie made sure the Giddy up & Go Granola was Gluten Free Certified & 100% Organic Certified.
Marie also had a long and successful career in the banking industry. In her last position with Bank of America, she was an Assistant Vice President, Commercial Client Manager, where she personally managed the portfolios of the CEO’s & Executives of the commercial bank for about ten years.
Marie grew up in Glendale, CA, attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, CA, where she played volleyball & softball and then attended the University of La Verne in La Verne, CA where she studied Business Management. Marie’s father is still the co-owner of a 35 year old eating establishment: Conrad’s Family Restaurants in Glendale and Pasadena, CA where she grew up taste testing all the wonderful fresh cooked meals.
Marie currently lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and young son and has a deep passion for cooking local and sustainable foods daily.
Thomas A. Banis
Tom brings over 35 years commercial kitchen design and equipment experience to Certified Kitchen’s table. With a technical understanding of the entire process, he has delivered food processing solutions to a wide range of food service clients. Tom has brought his vast industry knowledge to bear in building Certified Kitchens–no detail was left to chance in the pursuit of creating an environment that helps chefs be more productive.
Thomas Banis is also principal of Banis Restaurant Design, Inc. established in 1977. There he is Director of Design and has created the interiors for many successful restaurants. church halls, kitchens and golf clubhouses. Banis Restaurant Design, Inc. was awarded best new top 20 restaurants nationwide by Esquire Magazine.
Focusing on the finest materials that are cutting edge design and functional for service and use, the firm also specializes in Foodservice Consulting that enhances their design for function and ease of service.
Mr. Banis is a graduate of University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Arts in Business and University of California at Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Design with an emphasis in Interior Architecture. Banis Restaurant Design, Inc. is approved by the Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco/Oakland and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco representing the Western States for foodservice consultation and construction.