BUFFALO, NY, August 07, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Amanda Wieszala has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Amanda Wieszala, the driving force behind Buffalo's acclaimed Beacon Grille Restaurant, has more than two decades of experience in the hospitality industry. Over this period, she has become more than a restaurant owner; she is a change-maker, a community builder, and a beacon of inclusive, purpose-driven leadership. Her bold approach to hospitality and her unwavering commitment to the people she comes into contact with have redefined what it means to lead in a modern culinary landscape.

Under Amanda's leadership, Beacon Grille has quickly become a cornerstone of Buffalo's dining scene. Named Best New Restaurant of 2025 by Buffalo Spree Magazine, the restaurant is now garnering national attention with an upcoming feature on America's Best Restaurants. But for Amanda, success is not just measured in accolades, it's measured in impact.

Armed with a Master's Degree in Career and Technical Education and a Bachelor's of Science in Hospitality from Buffalo State University, as well as an associate degree from SUNY Erie Community College and international study experience in Italy, Amanda brings a wealth of knowledge and a global perspective to her work. Yet it is her vision, empathy, and tireless drive that sets her apart.

At 34, Amanda made a daring decision: she invested her life savings into a long-abandoned building in Buffalo's historic Allentown art district, a space that others had written off as unredeemable. Where others saw decay, Amanda saw possibility. Her extraordinary effort not only brought the building back to life, but gave it back to the neighborhood in which it resides. It's this kind of vision, bold, hopeful, and deeply passionate that defines Amanda Wieszala.

At Beacon Grille, Amanda has built a workplace culture rooted in empowerment and the idea that personal achievement positively impacts the whole:

Cooks are encouraged to design their own specials

Hosts become artists, painting canvas for the walls they welcome guests into

Bartenders spotlight as DJs, spinning records during after-hours gatherings

Team-led yoga and sound baths bring balance and wellness on off days

Barbacks explore marketing and digital strategy, gaining skills far beyond their job descriptions

Beacon Grille is not simply a restaurant. It is a living, breathing space of opportunity and growth thanks to Amanda's unshakable belief in the untapped potential of every individual that walks through the door.

Amanda's leadership extends well beyond the walls of her restaurant. She serves on the board of Shop Allen, a nonprofit championing the vibrancy and safety of Allentown, and actively partners with Journey's End Refugee Services, helping refugees gain employment, skills, and dignity as they begin new lives in Buffalo; also working to support Family Meal Hospitality which supports mental health and suicide prevention initiatives in Buffalo's restaurant community. Her support of local farms through day-to-day business operations and summer farm dinner series, her civic initiatives from Allentown's first Winter Market to a massive Party for Pride, and her outreach to youth through local Girl Scout troops all speak to a mission far greater than hospitality. Amanda is investing in the soul of her restaurant and her city.

She is known around the industry for quiet acts of compassion, offering paid leave and personal support during times of crisis, cooking meals for grieving families, and personally donating thousands of dollars to assist employees facing hardship, illness, or difficult life transition.

As Amanda looks ahead, her vision includes forging partnerships with local colleges, creating internships for young people, expanding Beacon Grille into a restaurant group of diverse concepts, and continuing her lifelong work of uplifting marginalized communities through employment, events, and education.

Amanda Wieszala embodies everything Marquis Who's Who seeks to recognize: bold vision, compassionate leadership, and a deep, enduring commitment to building a better future for all. Her legacy is not just in the meals she serves but in the lives she transforms, the communities she restores, and the hope she inspires.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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