Benjamin Nasberg is a Winnipeg-based entrepreneur who has built his career around creating and scaling restaurant businesses. He is the President and CEO of Carbone Restaurant Group, a company known for developing modern dining concepts designed for growth and efficiency.
Nasberg started working in restaurants at the age of sixteen. Those early years gave him hands-on experience with operations, people, and the pace of the industry. In 2011, two partners offered him the chance to become managing partner of Carbone, which at the time had one location. He took the risk. Within four years, the business grew to four locations.
While expanding Carbone, Nasberg also helped launch a nightclub, a sports bar, and an events company. These projects gave him a wider view of hospitality, customer behavior, and business systems. In July 2012, he became CEO of Carbone Restaurant Group and began shaping it into a scalable, multi-brand organization.
Today, Carbone Restaurant Group focuses on quick-service concepts, ghost kitchens, and technology-driven restaurant models. The company emphasizes data, sustainability, and partnerships to support long-term growth.
Nasberg is also active in community efforts. He created the Restaurant Emergency Support Fund, which buys food from local restaurants and supplies it to food banks. The program has served tens of thousands of meals. He also helped establish a culinary arts scholarship for Winnipeg students and supports programs like KidSport Manitoba and Coats for Kids.
Nasberg earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Zoology from the University of Manitoba. He was recognized as a Business Elite Awards Top 40 Under 40 entrepreneur. His work reflects a focus on steady growth, practical leadership, and giving back where it counts.
Q&A: Benjamin Nasberg on Success
When you look back, what do you think set the foundation for your success?
Success for me started early, and it was not glamorous. I began working in restaurants when I was sixteen. I learned how shifts actually run, how mistakes ripple through a team, and how small operational choices affect customers. That experience shaped how I think. Before I ever thought about scale, I understood execution. When I later became managing partner of Carbone in 2011, that groundwork mattered more than any title.
How did taking over Carbone change your definition of success?
At the time, Carbone was a single location. Success was not growth for its own sake. It was stability. It was proving the model worked. Success to me then meant being able to travel the world and be able to see our brand all over. We grew to four locations, but the real success was learning how to repeat results without losing control. That period taught me that growth exposes weaknesses fast. If systems are not solid, expansion makes problems louder.
You launched other ventures alongside Carbone. Why take on more risk?
While scaling Carbone, I was also involved in a nightclub, a sports bar, and an events company. That was not about spreading attention. It was about learning different parts of hospitality. Nightlife, food service, and events all operate under pressure, but in different ways. Those lessons fed back into Carbone. Success, for me, came from stacking experiences, not just stacking locations.
How do you approach success as CEO today?
As CEO, I focus less on day-to-day wins and more on structure. Carbone Restaurant Group shifted into quick-service brands, ghost kitchens, and robotic concepts because those formats reward discipline. Data matters. Consistency matters. Success now looks like building concepts that partners can scale without constant intervention. If something only works because I am personally involved, it is not built well enough.
What role has education played in your path?
I earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Zoology. I do not work in science, but the mindset stayed with me. You test ideas. You observe results. You adjust. That approach shows up in how we develop restaurant concepts. We research before launching. We track performance. We refine instead of forcing outcomes. That scientific way of thinking helped me separate emotion from decision-making.
How do you define success beyond business results?
Business success feels incomplete if it does not support people. During difficult periods for the restaurant industry, I created the Restaurant Emergency Support Fund. We partnered with charities to buy food from local restaurants and deliver it to food banks. That meant restaurants earned revenue while communities received meals.
Why focus on scholarships and youth programs?
The restaurant industry depends on people who often do not have many early opportunities. Partnering with the Westland Foundation to create a culinary arts scholarship felt practical. It helped students attend Red River College and build real careers. Supporting KidSport Manitoba and Coats for Kids came from the same place. Success should widen access, not narrow it.
What does recognition mean to you, like being named Top 40 Under 40?
Recognition is a checkpoint, not a finish line. Being named a Business Elite Awards Top 40 Under 40 was validating, but it did not change how I work. It reminded me that visibility comes with responsibility. If people are paying attention, the work needs to hold up.
What personal habits support your idea of success?
I stay active, especially with my 4 year old. Hockey, snowboarding, skateboarding, time at the lake with my significant other and son. Those things reset my thinking. They help me step away from decisions and come back clearer. Success is easier to sustain when life is not only about work.
What advice would you give someone defining success for themselves?
Start closer to the work than you think you need to. Build systems before chasing scale. Learn from adjacent experiences. Measure what actually matters. And remember that success lasts longer when it supports more than just the business itself.