The candidate brings more than 30 years of experience and leadership in the restaurant industry to his position as President and Chief Executive Officer of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. “Lettuce” is one of the most highly regarded multi-concept restaurant companies with more than 100 restaurants compromised of 51 individual concepts. The candidate’s emphasis is on continuing the trend of innovation and creating new concepts while strategically growing existing successful concepts. He works with Chairman and Founder, Richard Melman, and other key members of the Lettuce senior management team, to continue to grow and develop the company. In his early years at Lettuce, the candidate held management positions at The Pump Room and Un Grand Café, where in 1981 he was awarded his first partnership opportunity. He later developed some of Lettuce’s most popular concepts including Shaw’s Crab House, Mity Nice Bar & Grill and the highly successful Big Bowl, which opened in May 1992, and was followed by several additional stores in Chicago as well as locations in Minnesota and Virginia. The candidate was made President of Lettuce in 2001 and in 2003, he was officially named President and Chief Executive Officer of Lettuce. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the hospitality school at Michigan State.

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (LEYE) operates more than 80 upscale and casual-dining restaurants encompassing more than 35 concepts. At the high end, LEYE operates the sophisticated Everest (located in the Chicago Stock Exchange building), one of the top-rated dining rooms in Chicago. At the lower end, the company offers quick bites from foodlife and Wow Bao. Richard Melman started the company in 1971.

Candidate ID: 124923