To his closest friends and colleagues Samuel Pinion, based in New York City, is known as the Human Yelp. Do you need to find the perfect restaurant to take your date to or meet up with work friends? Are you visiting the city and want to have dinner at one of the city’s finest establishments? If so, then Samuel, and his ever-growing Excel sheet of restaurants, is the person to ask. 

Food has always played a vital role in Samuel’s life. His grandfather, an engineer, looked at food like he would have a problem at work. He dissected recipes, changing measurements and ingredients, often writing to the author and publisher suggesting his changes—which they often included in second editions. Like his grandfather, food provides Samuel an escape from the busy, and often impersonal, nature of New York City. He is an avid cook and appreciates the way a home-cooked meal brings people together and back to basics. 

When Samuel Pinion moved to the city after graduating from the University of Virginia, he made it a goal to try a new restaurant every week or at any chance afforded to him. After all, New York is one of the best food cities in the world—and Samuel hates repetition. 

In addition to his love for food, Samuel is passionate about philanthropy, especially causes that help to improve and provide education to those in need. Though he was born in New York, he was raised in West Virginia where the dichotomy between education and class divide is vast in scope and magnitude. Unlike many of his neighbors, Samuel was fortunate enough to attend a boarding school. He received an education that would open doors for him and help propel him into a successful career. 

Samuel Pinion recognizes the privilege his education afforded him—and how it diverges from academic experiences of many children in the United States and around the world. Now, as a Vice President for the largest non-bank commercial mortgage lender in the US, he has worked diligently with causes that help to bridge the gap between education and social mobility. 

Samuel is currently on the board of Pencils of Promise and Friends of Will, as well as a volunteer at iMentor New York. In all his roles, he works to provide positive academic experiences to children. On top of Samuel’s work with educational nonprofits, he is a volunteer at many local organizations, including St. Joe’s Soup Kitchen, and is a Friend of the Hudson River Park. 

Professionally, Samuel is the Vice President of Originations and Trading at Rialto Mortgage Finance. His past roles include helping grow his family’s real estate business, Pinion Realty, in West Virginia. He has also recently become involved in venture capital investments. To date, he has invested in Doji and Loyal Assistant, one of which helps it’s users earn money by analyzing stocks based on recent financial events and the other helps healthcare professionals find per diem opportunities, respectively.

To access Samuel Pinion’s wealth of knowledge on all things food and the New York City restaurant scene, be sure to check out his blog!