Who We Are

Josh Harmeyer - Area Director

Josh Harmeyer is a New Orleans culinary and hospitality professional whose career has been shaped by food, wine, travel, and the culture of the dining room. He grew up in kitchens, surrounded by the rhythm, warmth, and generosity of his mother's never-ending cooking, which gave him an early connection to food as both craft and hospitality. A defining part of his background was his six years as Director of Food and Beverage at Maison Dupuy Hotel, where he developed extensive experience in logistics, catering operations, banquet execution, event planning, and large-scale hospitality management. During his time there, Maison Dupuy was named one of The Knot's Best Wedding Venues in New Orleans for three years in a row, reflecting the level of service, organization, and event execution Josh helped lead.

Josh's culinary perspective has been deeply influenced by his travels through St. Lucia, Montreal, and Italy, along with a strong background in Asian cuisine. St. Lucian cuisine remains one of his strongest inspirations, bringing together fresh seafood, tropical ingredients, bold spices, grilled flavors, peppers, herbs, and soulful Caribbean warmth. His love for wine also plays a defining role in his life and cuisine, shaping how he builds menus, balances flavors, creates pairings, and delivers memorable guest experiences. Through his work with Seawitch Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Josh blends Louisiana seafood, St. Lucian soul, Asian technique, Italian inspiration, and wine-driven hospitality into a style that feels coastal, global, and distinctly New Orleans.

Briana “Brie” Gradney - General Manager

Born and raised in Opelousas, Louisiana, Briana “Brie” Gradney grew up surrounded by the food, culture, hospitality, and unmistakable personality of South Louisiana. That upbringing shaped the way she approaches hospitality today—warm, genuine, confident, and deeply rooted in Louisiana tradition.

As General Manager of Seawitch Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Brie brings that foundation to every part of the operation. She is a hands-on leader with a sharp eye for service, atmosphere, and the details that turn a busy restaurant into an experience.

But the bar is where Brie’s creativity truly comes alive.

With a masterful understanding of spirits, balance, technique, and presentation, Brie has developed a reputation for crafting cocktails that are as thoughtful as they are memorable. She understands how acidity, sweetness, bitterness, aromatics, texture, and proof work together, allowing her to build drinks that complement Seawitch’s oysters, Gulf seafood, and bold Louisiana flavors rather than compete with them.

Her approach behind the bar blends classic cocktail technique with modern creativity and unmistakable Louisiana soul. Whether she is refining a timeless cocktail, developing an original creation, curating the bar program, or teaching her team the finer points of hospitality and execution, Brie treats the bar as an extension of the kitchen—every ingredient matters, every detail has a purpose, and every drink should tell a story.

From Opelousas to New Orleans, Brie Gradney represents the next generation of Louisiana hospitality: rooted in tradition, driven by craft, and never afraid to put a little personality in the glass.

Michael Spaulding - Service Manager

As Service Manager of Seawitch Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Michael Spaulding is the steady hand behind the rhythm of the dining room.

Michael has a natural command of the floor—the kind that comes from understanding not only service, but timing, energy, people, and atmosphere. He knows when to step in, when to let the team work, when a table needs attention, and when the entire room needs to shift gears.

From the first guest walking through the door to the final table of the night, Michael is constantly reading the restaurant. He manages the flow of service, keeps communication moving between the front and back of house, supports the service team, and makes sure the room feels organized even when Seawitch is operating at full speed.

What sets Michael apart is his ability to manage the environment, not simply the floor. Lighting, music, pacing, table touches, guest expectations, staff energy—he understands that every detail contributes to how a restaurant feels.

His leadership style is calm, present, and precise. When the room gets busy, Michael brings control. When the energy needs to rise, he knows how to create it. When something goes wrong, he handles it quickly and professionally without allowing the problem to become the guest’s experience.

At Seawitch, the dining room is meant to feel alive—polished but never stiff, energetic without becoming chaotic, and unmistakably New Orleans. Michael Spaulding is the person making sure that balance holds together night after night.

He doesn’t just manage service.

He conducts the room.

Mason Volpi - Maître d’

As Maître d’ of Seawitch Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Mason Volpi is the first impression, the final touch, and the person helping control the pulse of the dining room from the moment the doors open.

Mason understands that great hospitality begins before a guest ever reaches the table. He manages the front door with confidence and precision—balancing reservations, walk-ins, table timing, special requests, and the constant movement of a busy New Orleans restaurant while making every guest feel personally welcomed.

His strength is in reading the room. Mason knows when to move quickly, when to slow things down, when a table needs attention, and how to keep the dining room flowing without making the experience ever feel rushed. He works closely with the service team and management to keep seating smooth, communication sharp, and the energy of the restaurant exactly where it needs to be.

At Seawitch, the maître d’ is more than a host. The position sets the tone for the entire experience. Mason brings composure, personality, professionalism, and an instinctive sense of hospitality to that responsibility.

In a restaurant built around bold seafood, cocktails, music, and unmistakable New Orleans energy, Mason is the man at the door making sure it all begins the right way.

He doesn’t simply seat the room. He sets the stage.

Jacob Runyon - Supervisor

Raised in the hills of Virginia, Jacob Runyon brings a grounded, hardworking kind of hospitality to Seawitch Restaurant & Oyster Bar—the kind built on showing up, taking care of people, and never being afraid to get your hands dirty.

As a Supervisor, Jacob is one of the people who keeps the operation moving when the restaurant is at full throttle. He supports the service team, watches the floor, handles problems before they become problems, and steps wherever he is needed to keep the guest experience sharp.

His Virginia upbringing shows in the way he works: straightforward, dependable, humble, and relentless. Jacob understands that leadership on the floor is not about standing back and giving orders. It is about being present, helping the team through the rush, protecting the standards of the restaurant, and making sure every guest feels taken care of.

At Seawitch, where the room can move from laid-back oysters and cocktails to a packed New Orleans dinner service in minutes, Jacob brings steadiness to the chaos. He works closely with management, servers, bartenders, and the kitchen to keep communication moving and the entire restaurant operating as one team.

From the Virginia hills to St. Charles Avenue, Jacob brings a little mountain grit to Gulf Coast hospitality.

Quiet confidence. Hard work. No drama. Just get it done.