Josh Hackler is a Co-Founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Grassfed Culture Hospitality, a Miami-based hospitality group behind lauded concepts including Los Félix, Krüs Kitchen, and ZeyZey. Originally from Myrtle Beach, SC, Hackler grew up surrounded by the restaurant and hospitality industry. His entrepreneurial spirit was shaped by his family’s background: his mother’s parents were Albanian immigrants who first introduced pizza to Myrtle Beach, and his father owned several restaurants where Hackler worked on the line and learned the ins and outs of the kitchen.
At the age of 14, Hackler went on a family trip to France and Spain, where he was immersed in the world of fine dining and European culture, igniting a passion for the industry that would ultimately shape his career trajectory. Hackler went on to study at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in International Business, Global Supply Chain Operations Management, Risk Management and Insurance, with a minor in Spanish. It was also at USC where he met his now wife and fellow Co-Founder, Pili Restrepo Hackler.
Following graduation, Hackler founded and served as CEO of Spanish Vines, a global leader in importing and distributing wines from Spain, which was later sold to Old Imports in 2016. In 2018, he and his wife moved to Miami, FL, where they created Grassfed Culture Hospitality in 2020 alongside Co-Founder and Executive Chef Sebastián Vargas. In this role, Hackler leads the overall growth strategy for Grassfed Culture Hospitality, oversees the wine programs at Los Félix and Krüs Kitchen, and ensures that the company remains true to its core values of sustainability and nourishing the community.
Hackler’s interest in how food and dining shape neighborhoods and communities drives him and informs how he envisions future projects within the Grassfed Culture Hospitality brand. As CEO, he strives to blend creativity with a results-driven approach, allowing him to strategically grow the company while remaining closely integrated with its day-to-day operations.
Outside of Los Félix, Krüs Kitchen, and ZeyZey, Hackler enjoys competing in triathlons, working out, and spending time with his wife, family, and friends.