Harris Damashek Makes Strategic Career Pivot, Launching Kitchen Guard Franchise Serving Fairfield County and Westchester

Damashek’s transition into business ownership reflects a growing movement among seasoned professionals seeking trades and service industries that are resilient to AI and economic volatility.

Kitchen Guard, part of the B2B family of franchises at EverSmith Brands, offers comprehensive kitchen exhaust cleaning services to commercial kitchens nationwide.

Kitchen Guard specializes in providing high quality, professional entire-system hood cleaning as well as hassle-free filter exchange and fan maintenance programs in its mission for cleaner, safer kitchens nationwide.

After signing his franchise agreement in March, Damashek executed a successful soft launch in June and has now expanded full operations across all of Connecticut and Westchester County.

Former brand marketing executive embraces an AI-proof business model built on human craftsmanship, compliance, and community safety

STAMFORD, CT, UNITED STATES, December 9, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- After a three-decade career building startups and advising global brands, long-time Greenwich resident Harris Damashek has made a decisive pivot by launching Kitchen Guard of Fairfield & Westchester, a commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning and fire-prevention business that represents both a personal reinvention and a reflection of broader economic shifts reshaping the American workforce.

“I spent 30 years in branding and tech watching AI and automation change everything,” said Damashek. “Kitchen Guard offered something refreshingly different, a business that algorithms cannot disrupt. It is physical, compliance-driven, and directly protects people and property.”

Damashek’s transition into business ownership reflects a growing movement among seasoned professionals seeking trades and service industries that are resilient to AI and economic volatility. He chose Kitchen Guard for its recurring, legally required, and premium service model, a combination that scales efficiently without heavy staffing or inventory.

As he expands the brand across Connecticut, Damashek says the move is about more than business growth.

“Starting this business in the communities where I grew up and my wife and I have raised our family means so much to me. To provide a real tangible service in this area to keep our businesses and communities safe by providing a great service means the world to us.”

After signing his franchise agreement in March, Damashek executed a successful soft launch in June and has now expanded full operations across all of Connecticut and Westchester County. Early client adoption has been strong, with positive feedback from both high-end kitchens and quick-service operators.

“Our customers range from Michelin-rated establishments to some of the region’s busiest chicken chains,” said Damashek. “The word is spreading fast because once operators see the difference in professionalism and quality, they want Kitchen Guard on their schedule.”

His five-person team includes one full-time sales lead and three field technicians, two of whom are semi-pro football players. Together, they cover Connecticut and Westchester County, New York, serving a territory with more than 10,000 commercial kitchens ranging from mom-and-pop restaurants to Michelin-starred dining establishments.

“Landing our first Michelin-starred client early on validated our approach,” Damashek said. “Professionalism and reliability are rare in this industry, and that is exactly where we are building our advantage.”

Unlike industries now grappling with automation and AI displacement, Kitchen Guard represents a human-proof, hands-on business model that depends on craftsmanship, safety compliance, and personal accountability. These are skills that no algorithm can replicate.

“AI can generate content or analyze data, but it cannot climb a ladder, remove grease, or ensure a restaurant will not catch fire,” said Damashek. “This work will always need people, and that makes it a safe, sustainable business for the long term.”

The local commercial hood and exhaust cleaning market remains dominated by small operators who are often under-equipped, uninsured, and inconsistent. Damashek sees this as a key differentiator for Kitchen Guard’s high-end positioning.

“Many of our competitors offer the bare minimum, which leaves restaurants exposed,” he said. “We are bringing a new level of professionalism with certified technicians, full insurance, digital reporting, and transparency.”

Jason Sobocinski, president & co-founder at Haven Hot Chicken agrees saying, “Harris and his crew made our hood truly sparkle. But it was the personal touch, the extra care to be sure we had communication from start to finish that really stood out. In the past our hood cleaning was a bit of a hassle. Kitchen Guard knocked it out of the park making it simple, easy, seamless and actually fun!”

Recent private equity rollups in fire suppression companies have left gaps in related cleaning services as those firms move away from labor-intensive work. Kitchen Guard, by contrast, embraces the meticulous, hands-on process of hood and exhaust cleaning, setting the stage for growth in an underserved market.

Damashek also emphasized the value of community among Kitchen Guard franchise owners, citing daily peer communication, shared problem-solving, and moral support as essential to his early success.

“It is rare to find a group of entrepreneurs who root for one another,” he said. “The franchise network keeps you motivated, accountable, and connected.”

About Kitchen Guard
Kitchen Guard, part of the B2B family of franchises at EverSmith Brands, offers comprehensive kitchen exhaust cleaning services to commercial kitchens nationwide. The company specializes in providing high quality, professional entire-system hood cleaning as well as hassle-free filter exchange and fan maintenance programs in its mission for cleaner, safer kitchens nationwide. The franchise eclipsed 110 franchised territories awarded since April 2024. For more information about the Kitchen Guard franchise, please visit KitchenGuard.com.

B. Quick Chadwick
EverSmith Brands
+1 678-637-5552
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.