To find who holds the true power and influence, Observer dug beyond just bold-faced names and also profiled gatekeepers, innovators and disruptors who are altering the industry for the better, whether it be through philanthropy, advocacy or inclusion, plus those who are forever evolving the way our restaurants look and sound, and entrepreneurs doing everything they can to shake up the food system as a whole.

“Our method of hospitality is simple: We deliver moments of joy to people who come to our restaurants,” says Martha Hoover, whose company Patachou, Inc. operates 14 restaurants in Indianapolis, all spun off from her elegant bistro Cafe Patachou, which she opened in 1989 to serve the type of simple French food she couldn’t find elsewhere. Her empire now includes three locations of the pizzeria Napolese, as well as the Champagne bar Petite Chou.

Despite the fact that she “never set out to open multiple restaurants,” Hoover’s star continues to rise in Indiana and beyond: At the end of 2017, Eater named her the restaurateur of the year. This year has seen the openings of her refined fried chicken restaurant Crispy Bird and a second location of her “cafeteria” Public Greens, which dedicates 100% of its profits to The Patachou Foundation, her organization that feeds at-risk and food insecure children in the Indianapolis community.

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