Andrew Shortell is a Washington, D.C.–based entrepreneur, creative director, and storyteller whose career spans world-class events, lifestyle design, and elevated hospitality experiences. Trained in culinary arts in England before building his career in the United States, Andrew brings a filmmaker’s eye and a host’s intuition to everything he creates—crafting not just events and products, but immersive moments designed to connect, delight, and endure.

Andrew began his career in high-end catering and event production, producing high-profile experiences across Washington, Los Angeles, New York, Rome, Barcelona, London, and Paris. As a senior sales executive at Washington’s premier catering and events company, Design Cuisine, he oversaw landmark occasions including multiple Presidential Inaugurations, the Republican Senate–House Dinner, the Legg Mason Tennis Classic (now the Citi Open), and Bloomberg’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner after-party—experiences where storytelling, choreography, and emotional impact were as critical as flawless logistics.

He later served as Vice President of Global Events at Discovery Communications, where he produced major brand moments including Discovery’s Upfront and U.S. Hispanic Upfront, the Velocity Network launch, the Bear Grylls London premiere, and international hospitality programs at the French Open. Through Discovery’s Eurosport network, Andrew led production for global sporting events including FIS World Cup skiing, the Tour de France, and Grand Slam tennis tournaments—directing large-scale, broadcast-level experiences that demanded narrative clarity, visual drama, and precision execution.

These experiences shaped Andrew’s belief that the most powerful brands behave like great films: they have a point of view, a sense of place, and a story audiences want to step into. That philosophy now defines his entrepreneurial ventures.

Andrew is the Founder and Creative Director of Soleil & Sel, an elevated gifting and experiential brand built around cinematic storytelling and European-inspired design. Soleil & Sel creates bespoke corporate gifting campaigns and luxury mailers for media, entertainment, sports, and corporate clients—each conceived as a complete narrative moment, not simply a product delivery. From concept and creative direction to packaging, content, and experiential details, Andrew treats every gift as a scene in a larger brand story, designed to spark emotion, conversation, and lasting connection.

Across all of his work, Andrew blends the instincts of a director with the discipline of an operator—building brands that are visually distinctive, emotionally resonant, and operationally scalable. Whether crafting a global event, a luxury gift experience, or a dinner table designed to bring people together, his mission remains the same: to turn moments into memories, and experiences into stories worth sharing.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & FOUNDER - andrew shortell

"Found at the intersection of European style and inspired modern living, Soleil & Sel embodies the Craft of Gifting"