Tulay Lawton Named New General Manager of The Savory Grape

The Savory Grape, a top Rhode Island wine business, recently promoted Tulay Lawton as the new general manager of the business.

Lawton is from Istanbul, Turkey, and has been in the United States for more than 13 years, some of which spent as a personal chef focused on Mediterranean cuisine. A gourmet chef, wine aficionado and “lover of life,” Lawton graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a degree in culinary arts.

Lawton will be responsible for overseeing daily operations, managing The Savory Grape team, and continuing to grow the business, which has seen a 400% growth rate since opening in 2006.

Her passion for food started with her roots in Istanbul, a place that has blended and refined Central Asian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Balkan cuisines.

“From an early age, Tulay dedicated herself to mastering unique techniques of blending flavors with an emphasis on marrying the perfect food and wine pair,” said Jessica Granatiero, proprietor of The Savory Grape. “Aside from being business savvy, Lawton has an innate ability to pick out the varied flavors in wine - and impressively, bourbon.”

Lawton has traveled extensively, including a recent trip to Napa Valley with Granatiero to choose unique varietals and blends to add to The Savory Grape offerings.

“Her passion for food, wine and culture is infectious, and unknown to many, she makes the best tabbouleh and baklava, loves photography, is learning yet another language (French), and yes, can belly dance,” Granatiero said.

“I am excited to join this amazing team at The Savory Grape and share my passion with our customers,” Lawton said. “I hope I can continue the tradition of bringing outstanding personalized service to every person that comes through our doors.”