FSR February 2026

NO. 146

FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS : SETTING AMERICA’S TABLE

SHARABLE PLATES

BARTENDER TRAINING

MULTIGENERATIONAL BBQ

SEEDS OF LEADERSHIP

®

THE

PLUS HOW CHEF

DEBORAH VANTRECE

IS REIMAGINING

GLOBAL SOUL FOOD

WOMEN

LEADING OUT LOUD MEET BONCHON CEO SUZIE TSAI AND SIX OTHER LEADERS MOVING THE NEEDLE FORWARD

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NO. 146

FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS : SETTING AMERICA’S TABLE

SHARABLE PLATES

BARTENDER TRAINING

MULTIGENERATIONAL BBQ

SEEDS OF LEADERSHIP

®

THE

PLUS HOW CHEF

DEBORAH VANTRECE

IS REIMAGINING

GLOBAL SOUL FOOD

WOMEN

LEADING OUT LOUD MEET BONCHON CEO SUZIE TSAI AND SIX OTHER LEADERS MOVING THE NEEDLE FORWARD

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CONTENTS 24 IN HER SECOND YEAR AS CEO, SUZIE TSAI IS POSITIONING BONCHON TO LEAD THE GLOBAL DIALOGUE ON KOREAN FOOD.

FSR February 2026 No. 146 24 The Women Leading Out Loud Meet Bonchon CEO Suzie Tsai and six other women who are moving the needle forward in various segments of full-service restaurant leadership, from chefs and multiunit franchise owners to founders and CEOs. C HEF S & IN G R ED IEN T S

11 Revolutionizing Global Soul Food Deborah VanTrece’s unconventional journey to becoming a chef and restaurateur has taken her from the skies as a flight attendant to the forefront of Atlanta’s culinary scene, where she fuses global flavors with Southern tradition and uses her platform to uplift others and inspire change at Twisted Soul.

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16 The Rise of the Sharable Plate Tour de Tapas and Amerikas are celebrating connection, culture, and community through shareable, accessible plates.

L I Q U ID IN T EL L I G EN C E

19 Bridging the Bar Divide

ROBERT TSAI / AMERIKAS

The Bar School founder Joe Stake wants to break down the divide between mixologists and bartenders by reframing education around what actually happens on a busy shift. The goal is to make professional bartending education more accessible, practical, and less elitist.

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CONTENTS

®

FSRmagazine.com February 2026 No. 146

35

EDITORIAL VP, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: FOOD, RETAIL, & HOSPITALIT Y

37

Danny Klein

dklein@wtwhmedia.com FSR EDITOR

Callie Evergreen

cevergreen@wtwhmedia.com

IHOP / LUCILLE’S SMOKEHOUSE

QSR EDITOR

Ben Coley

bcoley@wtwhmedia.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Sam Danley

sdanley@wtwhmedia.com SENIOR EDITOR, WIRL

Satyne Doner

sdoner@wtwhmedia.com

FIR S T CO U R SE

7 Enhancing Hospitality at Scale Why Ted’s Montana Grill is winning with a back-to-basics, people-first strategy.

8 Forecasting Flavors in 2026 A new report shows this will be the year of the black currant, plus other trends to watch in 2026.

B AC K O F H O USE

35 Planting the Seeds of Leadership WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP Lisa Mendez, Claudia Rodriguez, and Ileana Hernando are cultivating the next generation of restaurant leaders at IHOP.

Southern hospitality in a nostalgic environment, expanding at a sustainable pace across the Southwest.

SVP, AUDIENCE GROW TH

Greg Sanders

gsanders@wtwhmedia.com

CO N T E N T S T U D I O

40 From Nursing to Franchising

VP, CONTENT STUDIO

BEHIND THE SCENES Clarissa

WRITER, CONTENT STUDIO

Neely shares her journey from serving as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist to becoming a franchise owner at Eggs Up Grill, the lessons in hospitality she learned along the way, and her advice for other aspiring women entrepreneurs.

Peggy Carouthers

pcarouthers@wtwhmedia.com

Drew Filipski

dfilipski@wtwhmedia.com WRITER, CONTENT STUDIO

Ya’el McLoud

ymcloud@wtwhmedia.com WRITER, CONTENT STUDIO

Abby Winterburn

awinterburn@wtwhmedia.com

DESIGN ART DIRECTOR

A L S O IN T HI S I S SU E

Erica Naftolowitz

enaftolowitz@wtwhmedia.com

ON THE RISE Lucille’s

Smokehouse Bar-B-Que is a family-led chain serving lowand-slow smoked meats and

2024 REGIONAL GOLD AWARD: PUBLICATION DESIGN 2023 NATIONAL GOLD AWARDS: FRONT COVER (PHOTO), BEST USE OF COLOR NATIONAL SILVER AWARD: BEST USE OF TYPOGRAPHY 2016 MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR TOP 10 AWARD 2015 MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR FOLIO: Eddie Awards

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Matt Waddell

312-961-6840 mwaddell@wtwhmedia.com VP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Eugene Drezner

919-945-0705 edrezner@wtwhmedia.com NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR

Amber Dobsovic

757-637-8673 adobsovic@wtwhmedia.com NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR

Edward Richards

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Tom Boyles

662-607-5249 tboyles@wtwhmedia.com CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

Tracy Doubts

919-945-0704 tdoubts@wtwhmedia.com

A D M I N I S T R AT I O N CEO

Matt Logan

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Welcome

Cultivating the Future We Want to See

Callie Evergreen EDITOR

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cevergreen@wtwhmedia.com FSRmag @FSRmagazine

On the Cover This month’s cover of Bonchon’s Suzie Tsai was shot by Robert Tsai, a Dallasbased commercial photographer focusing on architecture, food and portraiture.

Robert strives to create natural, storydriven images that balance thoughtful composition, lighting and candid authenticity to elevate spaces, food and brands. To learn more about Robert, visit robertwtsai.com and follow @robertwtsai on Instagram.

ROBERT TSAI

WELCOME TO THE SECOND YEAR of our now annual WiRL issue, where we put a special focus on the women in restaurant leadership who inspire others and are committed to WiRL’s mission to elevate, educate, and empower others. This year, in addition to featuring new voices, we also took a moment to reflect on some of the leaders we’ve highlighted over the past few years as a sort of retrospective-fusion piece.

Our cover story (PAGE 24) spotlights Suzie Tsai, CEO of Bonchon; Jessica Roy, executive chef/owner of 608 Dahlia; Mina Haque, CEO of Tony Roma’s; Jennifer Weishaupt, co-founder of Ruby Slipper Restaurant Group; Ginger Flesher Sonnier, founder/CEO of The Ginger Brands; Jessica Kim, owner of Harumi Sushi; and Adenah Bayoh, multi-unit IHOP franchisee and founder/owner of Cornbread and Brick City Vegan.

Our chef profile on PAGE 11 features Deborah VanTrece, an Atlantabased chef, bestselling author, and restaurateur. Above all, VanTrece’s influence is marked by a commitment to using her platform to uplift others and inspire meaningful change: “At the end of the day, I’ve been blessed to have a platform that I want to stand for something ... I want to know that my journey has been impactful on someone or something else,” VanTrece says. “If something happened to me tomorrow, that’s the question I’d ask myself—would your journey be something that had an effect on people, because you’ve been given the gift of a platform, and you should make sure you do some positive things with it.”

VanTrece’s spirit of being an advocate and mentoring the next generation is one we can all aspire to work toward. That’s also reflected in our standing WiRL department story on PAGE 35, showcasing how Lisa Mendez, Claudia Rodriguez, and Ileana Hernando are cultivating a culture of inclusion at IHOP franchisee Sunshine Restaurant Partners and “planting seeds” to create a pipeline of talented women leaders to shape the company’s future.

One trait all of these brilliant leaders have in common? They take action and walk the walk. While I’m a firm believer in the power of words to influence, educate, and inspire, real changes must be made to workplace HR policies, hiring and training practices, and who gets access to capital. Case in point: Seven banks turned down Adenah Bayoh before she was able to secure funding for her first IHOP franchise (PAGE 30). “We need to have funding and capital readily available for minority women entrepreneurs,” Bayoh says. “They are hyper-scrutinized, and often, these lenders are looking for a reason to say no. I think we have a great opportunity to change that by investing in people and having faith in the first steps of their journey.”

Let us all go out and cultivate the future we want to see—and take action on progressing this industry and the world forward.

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First Course

TED’S MONTANA GRILL

Ted’s narrowed its focus to the core items guests expect.

Forty-five percent of guests order bison, and Ted’s remains the only restaurant in the world that serves bison filet year-round.

Enhancing Hospitality at Scale

BY BEN COLEY

Why Ted’s Montana Grill is winning with a back-to-basics, people-first strategy.

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WHEN GEORGE McKERROW talks about Ted’s Montana Grill, the passion is unmistakable. Twenty-three years after launching the concept with entrepreneur and conservationist Ted Turner, McKerrow still speaks about the brand with the conviction of a founder in year one. But

in reality, Ted’s today is the product of decades’ worth of refinement—and most recently, a deliberate reinvention.

“We really started a journey … in the second half of 2023,” McKerrow says. “We began on an effective journey of elevating, energizing, and now

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executing what we call the Big Sky moments.” Those moments collectively represent over 14 enhancements to the brand, paired with a sharpened focus on the several “touch points that will affect a guest experience in a Ted’s Montana Grill.”

The goal wasn’t simply to make incremental improvements. It was to redefine what it means to deliver a fully scratch-made, hospitality-centered experience at scale, particularly at a time when inflation and rising operating pressures demanded price increases. “We found it necessary for us to raise prices,” McKerrow says. “So we moved up the experience to go along with the increase in prices that we were forced to take.”

The result? 2025 became the best year in the brand’s history, driven by higher guest counts, improved satisfaction scores, and reduced turnover at both the hourly and managerial levels.

Ted’s has always been a “from-

scratch” kitchen. Meat is ground twice daily. Steaks and fish are cut by hand. Brownies are baked in-house.

There’s no freezer, microwave, or

boil-in-a-bag shortcut hiding in the kitchen. And in a category increasingly pressured by labor constraints and rising costs, Ted’s is leaning in— not out.

Operational upgrades have been sweeping. Plateware was upgraded.

Vegetables and premium sides were enhanced. Recipes were refined, including a fully reworked wedge salad and gluten-free nachos and chili. The kitchen received renewed focus as well. “We added a great deal of training and development around speed of service and reading the guest experience,” McKerrow says. Every bartender went through retraining and recertification. The culinary team received intensive retraining on steak preparation, seasoning, and cooking technique.

Even with all the operational improvements, McKerrow believes Ted’s success hinges on one thing above all: people. “Our team members are the key to our success,” he says. “Financial results are nothing but stories about people.”

“We’re a small brand, but we’ve consistently delivered over 23 years,” he adds. “We are a collection of restaurants, not a chain.”

TED’S MONTANA GRILL

First Course

Forecasting Flavors in 2026 STEP ASIDE TART CHERRY—2026 IS THE YEAR OF BLACK CURRANT, according to McCormick’s annual Flavor Forecast report. The sweet, tart, and rich berry has a distinct yet balanced flavor profile. With roots in central and northern Europe and northern Asia, the next “it” berry is ripe to show up on global menus this year. Here are three other trends to watch in 2026:

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1.

Attainable Opulence: Consumers are using extravagant treats and experiences as an escape, bringing elevated flavors into everyday life, not just special occasions.

2.

Simple to Spectacular: People are finding beauty in the basics by eating with care and seeking simple, quality ingredients combined with technique and time.

3.

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CULINARY INSPIRATION AND STORIES FROM INDUSTRY TRAILBLAZERS MENTIONED IN THIS SECTION TOUR DE TAPAS TWISTED SOUL COOKHOUSE & POURS

• • •

AMERIKAS

• • •

Chefs & Ingredients

Revolutionizing Global Soul Food

TWISTED SOUL COOKHOUSE

AT TWISTED SOUL, VANTRECE REDEFINED SOUL FOOD AS BOTH A DEEPLY PERSONAL HERITAGE AND A GLOBAL CONNECTION, AND HER RESTAURANT BECAME A SPACE TO CELEBRATE THE MANY WAYS FOOD BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.

BY CALLIE EVERGREEN

Chef Deborah VanTrece is blending global flavors and Southern roots with community advocacy.

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BEFORE DEBORAH VANTRECE KICKSTARTED her culinary career more than 20 years ago, she was a full-time American Airlines flight attendant, jetsetting around the globe. Unbeknown to her, those travels throughout Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia would one day influence her culinary style, which features creative modern interpretations and global influences on traditional Southern dishes. She’s credited with coining

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CHE F S & ING RE DIE N T S CHE F PROFILE the phrase “global soul food” to describe her unique approach.

Though VanTrece always loved cooking, she never thought of making it into a career—until she found herself hating the uncertainty and turbulence that came with renegotiating contracts as a flight attendant union member.

“One day while we were on strike, there was a commercial for [getting] a cooking degree in Atlanta at the Art Institute, and I thought OK, I could do that,” she recalls. “Somewhere in the midst of [culinary school], I think I realized this is my calling. I love this. So I think that light bulb moment came while I was in school, realizing that I wanted to absorb every bit of information that I could.”

From the jump, VanTrece viewed culinary school differently from her classmates—many of whom were teenagers right out of high school. “I always felt like the underdog, because I was one of the older students then in my 30s or so,” she says. “My mentality definitely was different. I was really about the business of learning, and I worked really hard. I graduated as the valedictorian.”

Though she technically lacked professional cooking experience at that point, VanTrece had life experiences that worked in her favor. Living in different countries and experiencing diverse cultures meant she already knew how to cook certain dishes and was already familiar with global ingredients, which gave her a leg up.

“It was not lost on me that a lot of the traditional soul food I grew up with … those ingredients and techniques were being utilized in other countries,” she says.

“Putting all of that together is where we got to me doing a little bit of a twist on soul food or on Southern cuisine.”

“I wanted initially to spotlight soul food and to show it in a different way,” VanTrece continues. “I learned during school it wasn’t very respected. When it was time to teach the class regional cuisine, soul food came up and the teacher said, ‘Hey, Deborah, why don’t you tell us about soul food?’ Because they just didn’t know, and that was like a slap in the face for me. Because how can so much nonimportance be put on the food that I grew up with that kept me healthy?”

One of her bigger goals was to bring

more respect to soul food, and to show the connection it has to the ingredients and techniques with “food that was revered in other cuisines.” With that in mind, the first restaurant VanTrece opened was called Edible Art, with the intention of making Southern soul food pretty, “which no one was really doing then,” she explains. The concept was the result of combining all the knowledge she had attained from her travels and techniques she learned in school, plus her innately creative personality.

VanTrece’s inventive spirit shines in her creation of the collard green roll, a dish that has become her culinary signature. Inspired by the technique of rolling grape leaves, she envisioned a new way to present traditional soul food—giving it both elegance and novelty. Debuting the dish at a major catering event while running Edible Art, VanTrece aimed to make a memorable impression by wrapping savory fillings in tender collard greens.

The collard green roll remains a mainstay on her current restaurant menu, beloved by diners and emblematic of VanTrece’s creative legacy.

DISH YOU’RE MOST PROUD OF CREATING? Collard

Green Roll

FAVORITE SPICE/HERB AT THE MOMENT? Fennel

and lavender

Duck fat/lard

ALT CAREER? Attorney in

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FAVORITE FOODIE CITY?

ONE OF THE MENU MAINSTAYS AT TWISTED SOUL IS THE HOISIN GLAZED OXTAILS WITH VEGETABLE BASMATI FRIED RICE AND SAUTEED GINGER GARLIC BOK CHOY—A NOD TO ASIAN CULINARY INFLUENCES WITH A SOUTHERN TWIST, PERFECTLY EXEMPLIFYING GLOBAL SOUL FOOD (A TERM THAT CHEF DEBORAH VANTRECE COINED).

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CHE F S & ING RE DIE N T S CHE F PROFILE

THE MENU OFFERINGS CHANGE SEASONALLY, WITH NEW SPECIALS REGULARLY INSPIRED

BY ONGOING CONVERSATIONS, PERSONAL MEMORIES, AND THE BACKGROUNDS OF BOTH STAFF AND GUESTS.

VanTrece cut her teeth as a firstgeneration entrepreneur, learning lessons the hard way—”by losing enough money,” she quips. “I made some bad business moves, definitely.”

There even came a point when she ended up getting rid of her restaurants and focusing on catering for a while. “I’ve always thought of myself as the high achiever,” she says. “And I had to understand that for me, failure only comes if I don’t learn the lesson, pick myself back up, and keep going. That’s my philosophy at this point, that there is no such thing as failure unless you fall and stay down.”

VanTrece opened what was then called Twisted Soul Kitchen and Bar in Decatur in 2014 in a pre-existing restaurant with partners, which she describes as “probably one of the most terrifying situations I had been in ever. I jumped back in and jumped into a mess of chaos.”

She encountered significant challenges, including financial instability, lack of transparency, and poor treatment from both clientele and the landlord.

Realizing the partnership was unsustainable, she made the tough decision to leave after one year.

Following months of negotiation, she secured a new space in West Midtown

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Atlanta—marking a turning point.

“I never entertained the idea to not keep going; I still had confidence in what I wanted to do, what my culinary abilities and what my talent was,” she notes.

“My energy shifted with this particular space that we’re in now. It was a different reception from the very beginning.”

Renamed as Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, the new setting enabled VanTrece to explore her broad culinary influences, blending family traditions, travels, and guests’ stories into her evolving menu. The Hoisin Glazed Oxtails dish exemplifies her flair for global fusion and reimagining comfort food. Tender oxtails are slow-braised and lacquered in a rich, flavorful hoisin glaze—a nod to Asian culinary influences she’s embraced over the years. Served atop a bed of aromatic vegetable basmati fried rice and accompanied by sautéed ginger garlic bok choy, the dish brings together the familiar warmth of Southern cuisine with complex notes from across the world.

At Twisted Soul, the menu offerings change seasonally, with new specials

regularly inspired by ongoing conversations, personal memories, and the backgrounds of both staff and guests.

“What I continue to want to show at Twisted Soul is how close we really are,” she adds. “As people, if we just look at the food alone, the connections between one country and another, how the curry got here because it came through there, and those people went there and settled there … Those are the stories that motivate me to come up with many of the dishes that I come up with.”

As her influence continued to grow, VanTrece’s talents and leadership have garnered widespread acclaim and national recognition. In 2023, she was named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef of the Southeast, adding to a resume that also includes bestselling author and host of the acclaimed show “Global Soul Kitchen,” which is now streaming on Hulu.

But more important to her than the notoriety, VanTrece wants to use her platform to create a lasting, positive impact in her community and beyond. She is a tireless advocate for healthy eating, and supports urban gardens and local farms to help increase access to fresh food in underserved areas. As a mentor, she empowers young chefs—especially chefs of color—to find their voice and pursue their passions in the challenging restaurant industry. Her leadership extends to educational initiatives and partnerships that promote both culinary creativity and social responsibility.

Above all, VanTrece’s influence is marked by a commitment to using her platform to uplift others and inspire meaningful change. “At the end of the day, I’ve been blessed to have a platform that I want to stand for something.

I don’t want it to be as simple as, ‘She cooks good.’ I want to know that my journey has been impactful,” VanTrece says.

“If something happened to me tomorrow, that’s the question I’d ask myself— would your journey be something that had an effect on people, because you’ve been given the gift of a platform, and you should make sure you do some positive things with it.”

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CHE FS & ING RE DIE N T S NOW SE RV ING

The Rise of the Shareable Plate

BY SATYNE DONER

Tour de Tapas and Amerikas are celebrating connection, culture, and community through shareable, accessible plates.

AT AMERIKAS, A STANDOUT VEGETARIAN DISH IS CHILE RELLENO—A POBLANO PEPPER STUFFED WITH WILD MUSHROOM, BURRATA AND GOAT CHEESE, EPAZOTE, AND CASCABEL PEPPER SALSA.

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charming La Mesa Village just east of San Diego, every dish feels like a passport stamp. Founder Gerry Torres draws from both his Mexico City upbringing and his travels through Madrid, Paris, Bordeaux, Rome, and Emilia-Romagna to create a menu that reads like a love letter to European flavor.

The restaurant’s “Euro Small Plates and Sips” approach leans into Spain’s tapas culture—one built on mingling, lingering, and tasting a little of everything. Torres describes it as “going out for a drink, but in a more civilized format,” a nod to the unhurried, convivial style of eating that defines much of Europe.

With nearly the entire menu priced under $20, Tour de Tapas aims to make those experiences accessible. Torres says the shareable format allows guests to indulge without the pressure of a high bill, especially at a time when diners are more conscious of cost.

“We have to take care of our patrons and recognize that people are hurting a little bit,” he says. “The acceptance for small, shareable plates has been tremendous. People are looking for moments of connectivity. They want to mingle and enjoy each other’s company in a way that kind of got lost during the pandemic.”

Those moments are built around dishes like Pulpo con Chistorra, where Spanish octopus meets chistorra sausage in a fragrant white wine sauce; Poulet Cordon Bleu bathed in creamy antique mustard; and Costillas de Cordero, panko-crusted lamb lollipops resting on rosemary demi-glace and buttered potatoes. The flavors are bold yet comforting, sophisticated yet unfussy—per-

AMERIKAS

AT TOUR DE TAPAS, tucked into the

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NOW SE RV ING CHE FS & ING RE DIE N T S

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TOGETHER, TOUR DE TAPAS AND AMERIKAS REFLECT A GROWING MOVEMENT: A RETURN TO DINING THAT FEELS PERSONAL, PARTICIPATORY, AND ROOTED IN CONNECTION—THE KIND OF EXPERIENCE BEST ENJOYED ONE SMALL PLATE AT A TIME.

“I think we’ll see more shareable dishes on menus—they’re simple, fresher, and customers feel more confident in their orders because they can share.” fect for passing around the table.

Since opening in December 2024, the restaurant has kept things fresh with rotating “Tapas of the Month” and “Tapas of the Week,” allowing chefs to flex their creativity and respond to San Diego’s shifting moods.

“We get to give guests something fresh, and it allows our chefs to show off their unique skills,” Torres says. “If the weather is cold and rainy in San Diego, we’ll serve something warm and hearty to provide comfort.”

Its wine program is equally thoughtful. After sampling more than 300 bottles, the team curated a list of 30—almost all from Southern Europe— chosen not for flashy labels but for how beautifully they pair with the menu.

“We try wines for the quality they offer, not the big labels or price tags,” Torres says. “Pairing wines with the food F S R M AG A Z I N E .CO M

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of their region brings out the best in both. We encourage guests to bra nc h out and explore the menu with one another.”

For Torres, intentionality is everything. He gravitates toward timeless dishes rather than trend-chasing, leaning into the charm and craftsmanship that define tapas. “European cuisine offers so much variety,” he says. “There’s a lost art to cooking with intention.”

Across the country in Oak Park, Illinois, that same spirit of intentionality thrives at Amerikas. Here, communal dining is the heart of the experience— the kind of place where the energy builds the moment a dish hits the table, and everyone instinctively reaches in.

Owner and chef Armando Gonzalez brings a global sensibility shaped by

his time in the food markets of Oaxaca, Mexico, followed by years of cooking in Japanese, French, and Italian restaurants in the United States.

“I always dreamed of owning a restaurant that serves as a melting pot of all these unique flavors, seen through the lens of my Mexican heritage,” he says.

His menu celebrates that blend with dishes like Taquitos filled with chicken barbacoa, cabbage, crème fraîche, and salsa verde; Pulpo layered with fingerling potatoes, chorizo, Mexican onions, cherry tomatoes, and garbanzos; and a standout vegetarian Chile Relleno stuffed with wild mushrooms, burrata, and goat cheese, finished with smoky cascabel pepper salsa.

The vegetarian offerings aren’t afterthoughts—they’re an integral part of the experience. “Often, vegetarians aren’t offered a full dish or a full experience, so I wanted to create something that didn’t feel like a side,” Gonzalez says. “I wanted a real, shareable dish for our vegetarian guests.”

For both Gonzalez and Torres, shareable plates are more than a menu strategy—they’re a cultural invitation. Their dishes invite guests to slow down, savor, negotiate bites, try something unexpected, and return to the communal spirit that defined dining long before smartphones and single-entree dining.

“When I go to a restaurant, I want to try as many flavors as I can, so I order small plates,” Gonzalez says. “I think we’ll see more shareable dishes on menus—they’re simple, fresher, and customers feel more confident in their orders because they can share. There can be something for everyone on one table, regardless of taste and preference.”

Tour de Tapas and Amerikas reflect a growing movement: a return to dining that feels personal, participatory, and rooted in connection—best enjoyed one small plate at a time.

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TRENDS AND CREATIVE APPROACHES TO SPIRITS, WINE, AND BEER. MENTIONED IN THIS STORY THE BAR SCHOOL

• • •

VALENTINO’S

Liquid Intelligence

Bridging the

ADOBE STOCK

Bar Divide TECHNIQUES THAT LOOK IMPRESSIVE BUT DON’T REQUIRE MAJOR INVESTMENT OR SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT—THINK INFUSIONS, CREATIVE GARNISHES, AND VISUALLY STRIKING BUILDS—CAN BE POSITIONED NOT AS INDULGENCES, BUT AS TOOLS THAT CAN HELP DRIVE SALES.

BY SAM DANLEY

Less gatekeeping, more real-world skills for busy nights behind the bar.

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WHEN JOE STAKE looks at the beverage industry from a big-picture, zoomedout perspective, a clear line in the sand stands out to him. On one side sits “high-brow” beverage service—craft cocktail bars, intricate builds, and a cul-

ture that prizes technical knowledge and polish. On the other is “low-brow” service—sports bars, neighborhood pubs, and high-volume environments where speed and familiarity matter more than flair. Both worlds coexist,

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“There’s this line in the sand between bartenders and the people that call themselves mixologists.

I wanted to bridge that gap and help people get started in the industry.”

THE BAR SCHOOL IS AN ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO MAKE PROFESSIONAL BARTENDING EDUCATION MORE ACCESSIBLE, PRACTICAL, AND LESS ELITIST. THE PLATFORM HAS A CLEAR MISSION: REMOVE UNNECESSARY BARRIERS TO ENTRY.

platform launched a few years ago with a clear mission: remove unnecessary barriers to entry and give aspiring bartenders a realistic foundation for success.

A little over two years ago, Stake stepped in front of the camera at Valentino’s to film the program’s first introductory course. Rather than focusing on obscure classics or deep cocktail history, he designed the course as a no-nonsense entry point for people with little to no experience behind the bar. The emphasis is on fundamentals, like how to pour, serve, and build the most commonly ordered drinks in today’s bars and restaurants, along with the customer service skills needed to survive a busy shift.

“A lot of the training is done as if I was taking somebody that knew nothing about the world of bartending and getting them ready to work for me, so I could put them

behind the bar on a busy night,” Stake says.

The tone of the course is direct and unfiltered, reflecting Stake’s own path into the industry. After graduating from a fouryear college at just 19 through an accelerated program, he struggled to land a business job where employers took him seriously. Eventually, he turned to bartending at a small, family-connected sports club, a move that gave him firsthand insight into what beginners actually need in order to succeed.

“It’s pretty raw and straight to the point in terms of what I’m teaching,” Stake says. “These are the drinks that people are actually ordering in cocktail bars. These are the most popular drinks being served in the world today. This is what you should spend your time learning, because this is the reality of what you’re going to get in this industry.”

That reality, Stake notes, doesn’t require encyclopedic knowledge. He

THE BAR SCHOOL (3)

Stake says, but too often the industry treats them as separate tracks, with one quietly elevated above the other.

Stake has more than a dozen years of experience behind the bar, long enough to understand both sides of that divide firsthand. He cut his teeth at a handful of spots across the Northeast, initially bartending before moving into bar management and gaining a deeper understanding of how beverage programs operate from both the front and back of house.

What started as a temporary job gradually turned into something more permanent as he found himself drawn to the pace, the people, and the problemsolving that comes with running a bar.

In 2017, he opened Valentino’s, a cocktail bar in Worcester, Massachusetts, which he owns and operates with his cousin.

Over the years, Stake began to notice a recurring challenge among people interested in the beverage industry. Many are curious about bartending and see it as a potential career path, but feel unsure of how to break in. The high-end cocktail world, in particular, can feel intimidating and out of reach to newcomers.

“There’s this line in the sand between bartenders and the people that call themselves mixologists,” Stake says. “I wanted to bridge that gap and help people get started in the industry.”

Stake is adamant that there’s no shame in getting started at a local pub or sports bar. He also believes people shouldn’t be looked down on for attending a bartending school or taking an online course. In his view, some experienced bartenders—and increasingly, social media voices—have helped reinforce the idea that structured education is unnecessary or even illegitimate, suggesting that “real” bartenders must learn exclusively on the job or through informal apprenticeship.

That kind of gatekeeping, Stake argues, is outdated and counterproductive. It’s also what motivated him to launch The Bar School, an online training program designed to make professional bartending education more accessible, practical, and less elitist. The

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LIQ U ID IN T E LLIG E NCE

points out that many of the drinks he was taught early in his bartending career—often treated as must-know staples—have never once been ordered by a guest, even after more than 15 years behind the bar. “There are thousands of cocktails that exist,” Stake says, “and while there’s some interesting history behind a lot of them, depending on where you work, you’re never going to need to know a lot of those things.”

After running the introductory course for about a year, Stake was confident the concept worked. Students were responding well, and the feedback reinforced that there was demand for practical, entrylevel training. At the same time, he realized the introductory course alone wasn’t enough. Last year, he debuted a second, more advanced course focused on what bartenders should prioritize once they’ve mastered the fundamentals.

Stake describes the advanced course as three programs in one: customer service and sales, advanced mixology, and marketing and self-promotion.

The customer service and sales component centers on a reality every bartender understands: income is largely driven by tips. Stake breaks down how small changes in phrasing, confidence, and guest engagement can have a measurable impact on check averages and gratuities. The course covers upselling higher-tier spirits, steering guests toward cocktails instead of draft beer, and handling objections without confrontation, including situations where a guest complains that a drink is too weak.

“We’re working for tips,” Stake says.

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“That’s the bulk of our income, so it’s important to know how to essentially drive that bill up in terms of the product that somebody’s ordering, and then how to get the most tip out of those customers.”

From there, the course moves into advanced mixology, but always with practicality as the throughline. Stake focuses on techniques that look impressive without requiring major investment or specialized equipment. Infusions, creative garnishes, and visually striking builds are positioned not as indulgences, but as tools that can help drive sales.

“You’d be surprised at how very little investment it takes in some of the tools,” Stake says. “You can buy something on Amazon and really change the cocktail program at any bar just by doing a few simple things.”

At Valentino’s, one example is a pineapple coconut margarita made by infusing coconut tequila with fresh pineapple in a $25 glass jug with a pour spout.

Displayed on the back bar, the infusion becomes both a visual hook and a versatile product, used for margaritas, shots, or on-the-rocks pours. A small investment turns into a high-margin seller.

The final pillar of the advanced course is marketing and self-promotion, an area Stake believes is often overlooked in bartender training. Drawing parallels to industries like real estate, he argues that the most successful bartenders don’t rely solely on the bar’s brand—they build their own following. “I’m a big believer in self-promotion as a bartender,” Stake says. “It’s how you build your following.”

Students are taught how to use social media intentionally, from reminding friends and followers where they’re working to promoting specials and encouraging repeat visits. To make that easier, the course includes ready-to-use graphics for more than 35 cocktails, formatted specifically for social platforms.

“You could be the bartender that’s happy with just being employed at a bar that’s busy,” Stake says, “but if you really want to be good, you tap into the market of people that know and like you and follow you and you get them to come and visit you at work. So we talk about how

to drive your tip income up by creating regulars, about the importance of branding yourself as a bartender and how to promote yourself.”

“We set it up so that a bartender takes these courses and knows how to make all of these drinks,” he adds, “but we’re also leaving them with this toolkit to start marketing and driving people into the bar to try these cocktails.”

Looking ahead, Stake is clear that The Bar School is still in its early stages. His goal is for it to become one of the first options people consider when deciding how to enter the bartending industry, positioned as an alternative to both traditional in-person schools and the scattershot approach of YouTube tutorials.

He also recognizes that bartending isn’t one-size-fits-all. What works in Massachusetts may not translate directly to California, Texas, or New York, and regional differences in customer preferences and bar culture matter. As the business grows, Stake plans to introduce more specialized, market-specific courses tailored to different environments.

Content creation will also play a larger role moving forward. Stake recently completed a major media shoot to kick off 2026, collaborating with multiple beverage brands. The footage will support a slate of podcasts, videos, and educational content aimed at addressing industry pain points and trends.

Ultimately, Stake sees The Bar School as more than a course platform. He wants it to be a resource and a counterweight to what he views as unnecessary pretension in the industry. That philosophy extends to his broader advocacy for bartending as a legitimate career. Stake pushes back against the idea that bartending is merely a fallback option, pointing to his own experience earning more—and finding more satisfaction—than many peers who pursued traditional office jobs.

He realized hospitality offered something desk jobs never did: autonomy, income potential, and fulfillment.

“Screw what everybody else says,” he says. “You can make good money in this job, and I can show you exactly how. All you have to do is commit to it.”

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THE TOGETHER S W O M E N I N R E S TA U R A N T L E A D E R S H I P

Join the movement of women reshaping the future of the restaurant industry at the Women in Restaurant Leadership: Together Summit. This three-day event is all about bold conversations, powerful insights, and purposeful networking that fuels the growth and success of women leaders across the industry.

WHAT TO EXPECT

WHY ATTEND?

•Visionary Speakers:

•Innovative Leadership:

•Hands-On Workshops:

•Empowerment in Action:

Hear from trailblazing women who are changing the restaurant world, sharing strategies and stories that inspire action.

Gain practical tools to overcome real challenges, enhance your leadership, and drive business success.

•Next-Level Networking:

Connect with driven, like-minded women ready to collaborate and empower each other.

BADGE SPONSOR:

P L AT INUM S P O N S O RS :

Discover fresh perspectives and actionable ideas to enhance your leadership in this evolving industry.

Engage in meaningful discussions that inspire personal and professional growth.

•Collaborative Impact:

Be part of the conversations that tackle today’s challenges— diversity, equity, and work-life balance—and shape tomorrow’s solutions.

L A N YA R D S P O N S O R :

Who Should Attend?

If you’re a woman in the restaurant industry— whether you’re an owner, chef, manager, or emerging leader— this summit is for you.

MARQUEE SPONSOR:

GOLD SPONSORS:

SILV E R SP ONS ORS :

SUPPORTING SPONSORS:

WOMENLEADRESTAURANTS.COM

UMMIT

FEBRUARY 25 - 27, 2026 CHARLESTON, SC

FEBRUARY 24, 2026

FEBRUARY 26, 2026

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

6:30 am - 7:30 am

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Pre-Event Happy Hour: Sips With Satyne

WiRL Partners Toast SPONSOR THANK YOU RECEPTION

FEBRUARY 25, 2026 9:00 am - 7:00 pm

Registration & Information Desk

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP -

10:00 am - 11:00 am

Grow Viciously: Building a Career Inside a Brand on the Rise

DOINITA LEAHU | Vicious Biscuit, KATIE DEPOPPE | Vicious Biscuit, KATE BYRD | Vicious Biscuit, AMANDA PARKER | Vicious Biscuit, AMANDA KAHALEHOE |

Vicious Biscuit

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP -

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

11:30 am - 12:30 pm 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Registration & Information Desk

7:45 am - 9:00 am

Breakfast

9:00 am - 10:00 am

Opening Keynote

TONI CALDERONE | Pastanito Fresh Pasta Fast, KAYLA DILLON | Erik’s DeliCafé, LISA GUTIERREZ | Dos Hermanos, KELLI ALLDREDGE | Chicken N Pickle, JENNIFER LOPER | C3 Brand Marketing, ERIN LEVZOW | Board Member | Strategic Advisor | Advocate, HEATHER McINTYRE Senior Director of Corporate Affairs | Panera Bread

JASMINE CHIARAMONTE | DIG, ASHLEY ROBINSON | The Seaker Group, KATIE GRISSOM | Nuveen;

TONI RONAYNE | The C Society

Dinner Your Way

PRESENTED BY OLO

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY:

Ghost and Graveyard Walking Tour

Haunted Jail Walking Tour

MELISSA FRY | Twin Hospitality Group, Inc., KRISTEN CORRAL | Tacotarian, JENIFER KERN | Qu, SRISHTI HANDA | Dave’s Hot Chicken, ANNE PRITZ | Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay, ALICE CROWDER | Krispy Krunchy Chicken, LYNDSEY PATEL | Gastronauts Food Group | On Your Mark (OYM)

CHART’s Live Ask My Peers (LAMP): LAMP Returns, Vol.3

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm

Headshot Studio

Tabassum Zalotrawala SVP GLOBAL RESTAURANT DESIGN & US CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

McDONALD’S U.S.

RACHEL RICHAL | Buffalo Wild Wings, MYISHA SMITH | Pacifica Hotels

2:15 pm - 3:00 pm Habits, Boundaries, & Self-Talk: Leading When You’re at Capacity

EMILY WILLIAMS KNIGHT

TAWANDA STARMS | Din Tai Fung North America, CATARINA BILL |

6:45 pm - 9:00 pm

Southern Smoke Foundation, JENN JOHNSTON | FAT Brands, JENNIFER DODD | Main Squeeze Juice Co., ALEXIS PARRA | Nékter Juice Bar, JULIE ZUCKER | Branded Hospitality

The WiRL Innovation Playbook: Turning Vision Into Action LINDA CHADWICK | Rita’s Italian Ice, AMANDA KAHALEHOE | Vicious Biscuit, ALLIE HASKELL | NorthStar, KELLY ESTEN | Toast, LIZ SEELYE | StarryEyed Strategy, BRANDY BLACKWELL | Executive Marketing Advisor

Julie Fussner

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CULVER’S FRANCHISING SYSTEM, LLC

A Seat at the Table: How Datassential Built a High-Growth, Women-Led Leadership Team Closing Keynote

JULIE FUSSNER | Culver’s Franchising System, LLC

WiRL Awards Dinner/Closing Reception SPONSORED BY SANDY ALEXANDER

Are You Ready To Lead The Change?

CHARLESTON, SC / FEBRUARY 25 - 27, 2026

Unite. Elevate. Lead.

Leading Like a Mother: Real Talk on Balance, Boundaries & Breaking Barriers

3:30 pm - 4:15 pm

MARRIOTT

KYLA HANAWAY-QUINLAN | Feast & Fettle, LIZ DITRAPANO | ICR, SUZIE TSAI | Bonchon, AMY HOM | Barcelona Wine Bar, NICHOLE ROBILLARD | Red Lobster

Marketing with Meaning: Leading with Brand Values in a Results-Driven World

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm

CHARLESTON

Networking Break

Lunch and Learn

| Texas Restaurant Association, KRISTEN HOHL | SPB Hospitality, KATHLEEN BUSH | Red Robin, CASEY HALBACH | Intentional Talent Solutions, AVERY MEETRE | LRA PR, BROOKE HLUZA | Dazos

The Women in Restaurant Leadership event will take place at the

Fired Grill

12:15 pm - 1:15 pm

SPONSORED BY SYNERGYSUITE

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY:

Board Member | Barcelona Wine Bar,

DANA ZUKOFSKY | Franchise & Hospitality Practice, LILAH TAHA-RIPPETT | First Watch, CAREN PRINCE | Firebirds Wood

11:30 am - 12:15 pm

Welcome to WiRL

6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

JEN JAFFE | BJ’s Restaurants & Brewhouse, REBECCA BROWN | 7 Brew Coffee, JERICHO LOPEZ | J&J Marketing Studio, MARY CAMP | HR Technology, Talent, and Engagement Leader, ALAYNA SULLIVAN | Olo, RHONDA LEVENE | Ziosk, JILL WAITE | Portillo’s Hot Dogs

KATIE LOVE | Sonny’s BBQ, ALICIA MOWDER | Swensons Drive-In Restaurants,

The Gatsby Gala

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Enterprise Value: Unlocking the Financial Acumen That Grows Your Business

TENYSE WILLIAMS | Verified Consulting, DEVON CROOM | Chickfil-A Corporate, A’YSHA CALLAHAN | UofL MBA Candidate, OLIVIA ROSS | El Pollo Loco, MARIA RIVERA | RC Hospitality Group, LAUREN SELMAN | IFBTA

OPENING ADDRESS:

Pouring Into Yourself: A Morning with Jennifer Dodd Main Squeeze Juice Co.

Culture Can’t Wait: Mentorship, Inclusion & Communication That Sticks

Early Arrival Lunch

Mentorship Mixer: WiRL x GLEAM

9:00 am - 10:00 am

JENNIFER DODD

10:30 am - 11:15 am Own Your Evolution: Rewriting the Career Playbook

BREAKFAST EDUCATIONAL SESSION -

TABASSUM ZALOTRAWALA | McDonald’s U.S.

The Human Side of High Performance: Leadership That Lifts

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

7:30 am - 5:00 pm

Claiming Your Space: Speaking with Authority, Visibility & Confidence

Historic Daytime Carriage Tour

FEBRUARY 27, 2026

SPONSORED BY ZIOSK

11:15 am - 11:30 am

PRE-CONFERENCE ACTIVITY:

ELEVATE. EDUCATE. EMPOWER.

Self-Defense with Satyne

Leaders as Learning Architects: Rethinking How We Teach, Measure, and Coach LINDSEY HALSON | Bojangles, KATHRYN MURROW | Bojangles

WOMEN IN RESTAURANT LEADERSHIP

The

WOMEN Leading Out

LOUD

Meet seven women who are moving the needle forward in various segments of full-service restaurant leadership, from chefs to CEOs.

This is an ode to the women who refuse to shrink, soften, or stay silent. They lead

boldly and humbly, dominate kitchens and boardrooms, defy the odds, and rewrite the rules as they go. These are the women who open conversations, take risks, embrace their femininity, and refuse to play it safe. Together, their stories reflect the full spectrum of womanhood—proof that there is no single way to lead, only the courage to do it out loud. Together, we pay homage to the women in restaurant leadership—past, present, and future—who are shaping the industry on their own terms. BY SATYNE DONER AND CALLIE EVERGREEN

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AS THE CEO OF BONCHON, SUZIE TSAI IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE 150-UNIT KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN BRAND’S NEXT CHAPTER—ONE CENTERED ON INNOVATION, THOUGHTFUL EXPANSION, AND ELEVATED KOREAN FLAVORS WORLDWIDE.

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WiRL

Suzie Tsai is Owning the Conversation CEO OF BONCHON

ROBERT TSAI

IN HER SECOND YEAR AS CEO, Suzie Tsai is positioning Bonchon to lead the global dialogue on Korean food—anchored by full-service roots and propelled by fast-casual expansion.

Bonchon is a global phenomenon two decades in the making, and the timing couldn’t be better for the Korean fried chicken brand to take a bold sw ing. T he company surpassed 150 U.S. locations and nearly 500 restaurants worldwide last year, including a newly inked six-unit deal in Puerto Rico slated to open in late 2026.

Born in South Korea and brought to the U.S. in 2006, founder Jinduk Seo launched the first American Bonchon in New York City with one mission: to share the flavors of his hometown of Busan. His perfected double-fry method and signature sauces sparked a global following, turning Bonchon into one of the world’s most recognized Korean restaurant brands.

In 2025, the company introduced its newest full-service prototype—an elevated design that blends modern Korean aesthetics with a streamlined kitchen optimized for dinein, takeout, and delivery. The update features upgraded plating, a refreshed service model, and an atmosphere crafted to resonate with Gen Z and trendconscious diners without losing its culinary soul.

It arrives at a cultural inflection point. Korean influence is everywhere: “K-Pop Demon Hunters” became Netf lix’s F S R M AG A Z I N E .CO M

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W iRL most-watched animated film in 2025, “Squid Game” remains the platform’s most-viewed original series, and Korean food exports surged 9 percent annually between 2020 and 2024, reaching more than $7 billion. From skincare to cinema, music to food, Korean culture has become a global force—and Bonchon is positioning itself as a steward of authentic, craveable Korean flavor.

“We’re so lucky to be in this era of Korean culture becoming so mainstream,” says Tsai. “Social media has brought us to the forefront of the global marketplace, and people’s palates are ready to embrace authentic Korean flavors.”

Tsai’s parents were her first culinary influences. They immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s and worked in the foodservice industry as small-business owners. She and her brother grew up in an entrepreneurial environment, pitching in wherever needed; Tsai especially loved interacting with guests and serving tables.

She often pondered the meaning of hospitality—the “friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors and strangers.” That idea became a guiding principle in her career.

“I was fascinated by how food was never just a meal. It’s nourishment, but it also creates conversations and brings people together,” Tsai reflects. “Early in my life, I realized restaurants are about creating moments and experiences and building relationships. This connection continues to captivate me.”

In Korean culture, food is the centerpiece of any gathering—a communal experience meant to be shared. That tradition continues to shape Tsai’s belief in the connection between sharing love and sharing food. “My parents never explicitly said, ‘I love you,’ but they showed their love through cooking for us and eating together,” she says.

Tsai hit her first major break in the industry at Brinker International, where she worked her way up from senior manager of consumer insights to senior director of brand marketing for Chili’s over the course of 12 years. It was there that she began forming her leadership style— empowering, clear, and collaborative. She

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focused on learning the business from members, and guests across domestic end to end, taking on new challenges and and international markets. “We had all finding ways to add value while broaden- of these incredible insights, and the biging her experience. Along the way, she gest lesson I learned was the importance worked alongside female leaders who of creating an environment where every inspired and encouraged her, expand- voice matters,” she says. ing her sense of what was possible and In 2024, Tsai took the helm of Bongiving her the confidence to envision her- chon—and it truly felt like a homecomself in higher roles. ing. Her first move as CEO was to restore As a woman and a person of color, she the Korean letters in the logo, which sometimes felt aware of the ceiling that translate to “my hometown,” signaling could exist within an organization. In her commitment to fiercely protecting the early years, becoming a CEO wasn’t Bonchon’s Korean identity even as the a defined goal. Instead, she leaned into brand expands globally. a mindset inherited from her entrepreFrom there, she went straight to neurial parents: stay curious, work hard, work: bringing the brand’s rich history and continue to grow. “I often thought and roots back into its food, experience, about what it would be like to lead—the and culture, while simultaneously predecisions I’d make, and the team I’d paring the business for a new era of modshape,” Tsai says. “These thoughts always ernization. “There’s this brand essence crossed my mind as I navigated different that our franchise operators deeply scenarios throughout my career.” believe in, and I wanted to bring that Her time on the insights team front and center,” Tsai says. “We also became one of her most defining expe- needed to invest in technology, streamriences. She traveled around the world line operations, and ensure food consislistening to franchisees, operators, team tency to really position us for growth.

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WiRL innovate menus across Bonchon’s international locations. Under Tsai’s direction, he brought that expertise stateside, helping usher in several of last year’s fan favorites: Cheesy Bulgogi Rice, Bulgogi Tteokbokki, and Bulgogi Stir-Fry Udon.

“No matter how big or how global you become, food matters. Scaling requires the right systems and people, but it always centers around your core product,” Tsai adds.

What many people don’t know is that Bonchon was built in a full-service model. Seo’s first restaurant in New York City opened as a traditional sit-down concept, rooted in connection, service, and ambiance. Today, 75 percent of Bonchon restaurants still follow this format, anchoring and defining the brand’s cultural experience and sense of immersion.

As Bonchon scales globally, its twoformat strategy allows its fast-casual prototype to serve as its growth engine.

BONCHON (3)

BONCHON OPENED 20 NEW RESTAURANTS LAST YEAR AND IS KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING INTO 2026 WITH A STRONG FRANCHISE PIPELINE.

It’s striking a balance between honoring With a smaller footprint, faster buildwhat makes Bonchon special and build- out, and lower investment for franchiing the foundation for the future.” sees, the model offers the convenience Under Tsai’s leadership, Bonchon younger guests seek. Strategic technoldelivered its strongest franchise devel- ogy rollouts, such as kiosks, have accelopment year in 2024, expanding its foot- erated this effort. print across both new and existing marA dark-horse growth driver has been kets. A major driver of this momentum catering, which grew more than 54 perwas a renewed focus on its signature fla- cent from 2024 to 2025. Though relavors. Bonchon International R&D Chef tively new to the space, Tsai cleared the Jae Park relocated to the brand’s Dallas runway by strengthening third-party headquarters in 2025 to support the delivery partnerships, leveraging the revitalization of the U.S. menu. Park revamped menu, and enhancing packhad spent years traveling the globe to aging to go all in.

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Regardless of the format, the menu is cooked and prepared the same way.

Tsai has streamlined the kitchen to optimize it for dine-in, takeout, and delivery, ensuring speed and convenience without sacrificing quality. Technology has also revamped kitchen line builds and improved ease of operation for franchisees—a puzzle Tsai has been eager to solve.

“Starting as a traditional Korean restaurant has allowed us to win the space with our ability to deliver an authentic experience for guests, but growth through fast casual reflects where the business is headed,” Tsai says. “All of our menu items are scratch-made, and every chicken is hand-battered, handbrushed, and double-fried, so while we have an ongoing opportunity to improve our speed, we are careful not to sacrifice quality and consistency.”

She continues, pushing the envelope on what fast casual means today: “I don’t believe that today’s fast casual is about food being made faster. It’s the convenience you build into the overall experience that matters. Thinking about it this way is what allows us to keep what really defines Bonchon—when it comes to our food—as authentic as possible within our different restaurant prototypes.”

Tsai has long admired restaurant companies that can scale into the hundreds and thousands of units while remaining consistent in experience, food, and identity—regardless of franchise partners and the unique challenges they bring.

It’s the quality of training that underpins this level of success, Tsai says. It’s a continuous effort that must be intentionally integrated from the top down.

Bonchon deploys a strong group of trainers, known as field support coaches, who work to understand franchisees’ business needs, activate and cultivate relationships, and educate everyone from heads of operations to frontline team members.

Tsai’s external work—the menu, technology, and new restaurant buildouts—is matched by what she’s driving internally. She has doubled down on fostering a spirit of transparency, tying

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your role, but you have to go and see it.

Creating opportunities every day for my team to learn is how we can better support each other.”

Building a strong network of women and seeking out mentors helped Tsai through the times she felt stuck, hesitant, or alone. She notes that it can be overwhelming to open social media and feel pressure to live up to the perfect, polished lives others appear to have. Sometimes, simply having someone to talk through those feelings with is enough.

“When you’re trying to manage all of these expectation ... it’s important not to limit yourself,” Tsai says. “It is so easy to get consumed by what others think and swept up in the idea of perfection that people put out there. In the past, we didn’t talk about the pressure we feel, the truth about being a woman in this business. But the dialogue is starting to open up … and the reality is, it’s not about fitting into a mold. It’s about bringing your unique perspective and not being afraid to do it.”

With strong momentum behind her and a more connected franchise network than ever, Tsai is laying the groundwork for Bonchon’s next chapter—one centered on innovation, expansion, and elevating Korean flavors worldwide.

Despite 2025 being a challenging year for the restaurant business in general, Tsai feels more ready for Bonchon’s next growth spurt than ever.

The brand opened 20 new restaurants last year, delivering on its promise to be globally recognized while acting local, and to own the conversation of Korean food and how it’s shared.

“The new year excites me. We are very well-positioned for growth and poised to become a global leader in Korean cuisine. I want us to not only be recognized for our food, but how we share it with the world, and that’s been our mission since day one,” Tsai says. “We have a responsibility to be an ambassador for Korean food and introduce guests to the real depth and diversity of our heritage.”

Jessica Roy Dominates the Kitchen

EXECUTIVE CHEF/OWNER OF 608 DAHLIA ORANGE COUNTY CHEF JESSICA ROY channels her competitive spirit and fine-dining expertise into 608 Dahlia, a garden-to-table culinary destination that reflects both her precision and her passion. But Roy’s story can’t be told without understanding the competitive mindset that has shaped nearly every chapter of her career.

Having played competitive sports—including hockey and volleyball—for half her life, Roy developed an ethos rooted in discipline, intensity, and the relentless pursuit of improvement—traits that continue to define her approach in the kitchen today.

“It really shaped me as far as, I’m naturally a very, very competitive person. I was just made that way,” Roy explains. “Nobody needs to start my engine. I’d start at like 7:00 in the morning. That really drove a lot of my desire to cook more ambitiously and do better. My thing is, I’ve always been, how can I do better? How can I push this as far as I can take it right here and now, and then I’m always looking at, how can I make it better for the next time?”

That drive translated seamlessly into professional kitchens, where Roy learned to cook with both precision and speed for a high volume of guests. Navigating environments

608 DAHLIA (3)

back to her leadership style of being “like a clear broth of udon noodles.”

That transparency has opened new doors with franchisees, who are now more willing to engage in frequent dialogue—from asking for additional marketing support to discussing LTO launches to learning how to adapt and integrate new technologies.

A major initiative has been helping franchisees with their P&Ls, improving operational efficiencies, and lowering costs while introducing better financial management tools.

“It’s up to us as leaders to do our due diligence and keep sharing knowledge, keep relaying our message, and have these conversations in every way possible. No matter what role you play in a company, you deserve to know everything that’s happening in the business,” Tsai says. “Our franchisees are real people—real business owners, who run our company every day. Our mindset has shifted from worrying about what might happen if we open a dialogue with them to, let’s just listen and see what we can do to help.”

Reflecting on her early days—the nights she wondered if she had hit a ceiling, and the women leaders who encouraged her to leap—Tsai often reflects on what advocacy truly means, and what it looks like in practice.

She tries to integrate advocacy and support into her everyday work. It doesn’t mean flashy statements on a keynote stage or avoiding tough decisions to keep the peace. For Tsai, real support starts small but has a big impact. For example, bringing a rising star along on business travel, exposing them to how the business works, showing them how to take a measured risk, and letting them observe leadership in the field and how decisions are made in real time.

“I want to create as many opportunities as possible for everyone in the organization, especially women, to step into something outside their comfort zone,” Tsai says. “Like, let’s visit the franchise restaurants. I know you may never need to step into a restaurant in

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WiRL where she was often the only woman only sharpened her focus. “I was extremely driven and competitive, and also, a female, and there were no other women around me, so I was outnumbered in that way. But I really never thought about it too much, because I was just always looking to dominate,” Roy says.

As she looks toward the future, Roy’s ambitions extend beyond the kitchen. Her plans include exploring lifestyle branding, incorporating elements of her passions for fashion and design into her work. At the same time, her commitment to creating joyful, memorable dining experiences remains unwavering.

For Roy, being a chef is more than a profession—it’s an expression of love and community. With every dish, every celebration, and every new venture, she continues to build a legacy defined by passion, creativity, and the unyielding pursuit of excellence.

Mina Haque

Breaks Barriers

TONY ROMA’S (2)

CEO OF TONY ROMA’S

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AS THE FIRST FEMALE CEO in Tony Roma’s history, Mina Haque is reshaping what leadership can look like within a legacy restaurant brand. Her vision extends beyond the title itself, focusing on long-term impact, inclusive growth, and opening doors for others. Encouraging female franchise ownership and supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs are central to Haque’s leadership agenda.

“Being the first female CEO of this brand shouldn’t start and end with me,” Haque says. “The legacy I want to leave is having more female franchisees.

Ownership in this industry still lacks proportional representation of women, and by leading with a sustainability mindset, we hope to set a new standard for responsible business practices.”

With a background rooted in law, Haque brings a distinctive perspective to the restaurant industry—one that blends advocacy, collaboration, and hospitality. One of the most surprising aspects of her journey has been how deeply she’s connected with guests and franchise partners along the way.

“As lawyers, we often get buried in briefs, but I’ve enjoyed the communal aspect of creating something for a broader audience,” she says. “I’m still in the legal world, but now I find my zealous representation extends to my clients in the restaurant industry and

the communities we serve. I represent them by creating memorable dining experiences.”

That commitment to people— inside and outside the organization— shapes how Haque approaches leadership. She encourages women to embrace nontraditional paths, trust their strengths, and remain open to opportunities that may not look linear on paper. For Haque, true leadership is built by stepping outside comfort zones, taking risks, and being willing to put yourself out there.

“Don’t be afraid to share your authentic self,” Haque advises. “Your presence can help create a more inclusive and diverse environment. Innovation thrives on diverse ideas, so don’t be scared. I’m a firm believer in creating your own space and opening up your own opportunities. Step away from the conventional and start embracing unprecedented paths.”

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Adenah Bayoh Defies the Odds

MULTI-UNIT IHOP FRANCHISEE FOUNDER/OWNER OF CORNBREAD AND BRICK CITY VEGAN

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lost everything, found her way through restaurants, and is now growing her own brand,” she says.

“Here’s a girl who has fallen many, many times and has faced so many obstacles but refused to quit,” Bayoh continues. “I want this story to resonate with someone who feels like giving up … because anything is possible if I’m standing here today despite generational limitations and trauma. There is no substitution for hard work … but when you want something badly, understand that the universe has got you, and you will prevail.”

ADENAH BAYOH / CORNBREAD

ADENAH BAYOH’S JOURNEY is a masterclass in unconventional hospitality. From escaping civil war in Liberia as a teenager to being shut out by lenders, she has turned every barrier into momentum, building a hospitality brand that champions equity, access, and audacious ambition.

“When I opened my first IHOP, seven banks turned me down, but I didn’t give up,” Bayoh adds. “We need to have funding and capital readily available for minority women entrepreneurs. They are hyper-scrutinized, and often, these lenders are looking for a reason to say no. I think we have a great opportunity to change that by investing in people and having faith in the first steps of their journey.”

Bayoh’s goal is to continue developing her soul-food-inspired restaurant, Cornbread, into a national brand, accelerating growth through franchising in major cities before expanding nationwide. She hopes to serve as a beacon of inspiration for future entrepreneurs, encouraging them to have an “unshakable belief within themselves and the audacity to dream big.”

“Here is a girl who came to the U.S. at age 13, couldn’t read, and fought her way through the education system to get a college degree. Here’s a girl who started in real estate,

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Jennifer Weishaupt Opens Up the Conversation

RUBY SLIPPER RESTAURANT GROUP (3) / THE GINGER BRANDS

CO-FOUNDER OF RUBY SLIPPER RESTAURANT GROUP

JENNIFER WEISHAUPT has long recognized the need to elevate women’s voices in the hospitality industry—so she built a company where gender parity isn’t aspirational, but intentional. At Ruby Slipper Restaurant Group, a people-first culture means opening the table to diverse viewpoints and designing systems that support those who have historically been overlooked.

“My experience is when you’re the only female voice at the table, you aren’t heard, even though you’re putting your ideas out there … and then someone else turns the idea around, and suddenly it’s such a great idea,” Weishaupt says. “The bigger problem is that there are a lot of challenges to attract and retain women in this industry. The demands of our business can make it very difficult for women in all different positions to say yes and be successful, and that’s a big part of the conversations we should be having as restaurant owners and leaders.”

If Ruby Slipper is known for its creative, Southern-style breakfast twists, then Weishaupt has become known for her ability to foster a people-first culture. For her, it comes

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down to having deliberate and purposeful processes in place to uplift underrepresented people—individuals who might be the best candidates but haven’t been given a fair shot. Part of that is eradicating the idea of a small circle and opening conversations to welcome diverse viewpoints to the table.

The most fearful conversation in Weishaupt’s career happened nearly 20 years ago, when she was afraid to tell her boss about an upcoming pregnancy, even though she was a high performer—a culture she says is enduringly harmful and unacceptable.

“I was so afraid of being a disappointment. It feels so isolating in that moment … and it shouldn’t be.

Whether it’s a pregnancy announcement, a parent-caregiver situation, or a health issue, there are a lot of different directions in life that women can get pulled into, and we often feel as if we can’t tell anyone,” Weishaupt says. “We need to keep talking about it, to share the story ... it shouldn’t be scary, and the more we open up this conversation as a community and society, maybe we can reach some better answers for all of us.”

GINGER FLESHER SONNIER is considered a pioneer in the competitive social dining scene, from opening the first escape rooms in Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia to launching the first urban axe-throwing lodge in New York City. Her latest concept, THRōW Social, combines unique “backyard-style” games, live music and entertainment, outdoor spaces, cabanas, and chef-crafted cuisine and cocktails.

Flesher Sonnier took an unconventional path to the hospitality realm as a former high school math teacher turned entrepreneur. For 20 years, Flesher Sonnier taught algebra, calculus, and AP statistics before she was hit by a wave of changes that spurred the next era of her life: retiring from teaching, going through a divorce, meeting her new husband, then moving with him when his job took them to Europe for three months in 2014.

It was there that she discovered the concept of escape rooms—an interactive puzzle game where a team of players works together to discover clues and accomplish tasks in order to often “escape” from the room or accomplish another specific goal to win the game.

“I love puzzles, and I also happen to love interior design and marketing,” she says. “So we started to go to [escape rooms], and I fell in love with them. But I noticed that there was a feminine touch missing, and there was so much that could be improved

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Ginger Flesher Sonnier

Embraces the Feminine FOUNDER/CEO OF THE GINGER BRANDS

upon. I started thinking about how I can make this so much better, so much prettier and more immersive, and then also have space for groups to gather.”

Before she knew it, Flesher Sonnier was launching a website for an escape room in Washington, D.C. and started getting bookings—all without having an actual location locked down.

“Nobody wanted to rent to me because I was just a math teacher. I had no business plan, really. I had no business concept or experience,” she admits. Eventually, she found a woman off Craigslist who rented her a space next to a lawyer’s office and behind a Starbucks. “She loved escape rooms because she was from Russia, and they were huge in Moscow and she knew of them … it was crazy.”

Within a month and a half, Flesher Sonnier opened her first Escape Room Live, “and it exploded. We were number one (on TripAdvisor) above the White House and above the National Monument,” she recalls. “I kept creating, taking all my profits and putting it back to make sure we had a gorgeous, boutique, hotel-looking lobby, so people could host events … I just noticed the experiential part of it, and I decided to add a bar. I thought, ‘what would make this super

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THE GINGER BRANDS (4) / HARUMI SUSHI

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A cozy fireplace, plaid chairs, and leather-tufted sofas made for a much more welcoming and approachable vibe, particularly for women, and after opening in Brooklyn, Kick Axe Throwing expanded to Washington, D.C. (on the bottom floor below THRōW Social in a duel unit), and Philadelphia.

“I got a little bit braver, once we opened the axe-throwing venues. I fun, and why would people want to began to think ahead—wouldn’t it choose me over other escape rooms?’” be cool to do something even more Thus launched the beginning of The feminine that is not focused on just Ginger Brands, which has since grown axe throwing or escape rooms or one to encompass Kick Axe Throwing—the activity? And that’s when I thought of first urban axe-throwing lodge to open THRōW Social,” Fresher Sonnier says. in New York City in 2017—and, of “I really felt like I hit a niche,” she concourse, THRōW Social, which opened tinues. “There were people looking for its first location in Washington, D.C., unique places visually to spend time in its second unit in Delray Beach, Flor- and unique activities, but they didn’t ida; and is set to open a third spot in want to sacrifice on the food and bevMiami early this year. erage either. So it was a hit.”

The idea of Kick Axe Throwing came THRōW Social’s upcoming third from Flesher Sonnier’s desire to com- location in Miami’s Wynwood displetely revamp the typical axe-throw- trict will feature 35,000+ square feet ing venues: “It’s in warehouses with of indoor-outdoor space with five bars, plywood walls and a chain link fence. VIP cabanas, games, live music, and I could make it super cute, I could make all-day dining. Flesher Sonnier’s team it look like a Canadian lodge … we were is also looking at expanding into citbooked out for months in advance; you ies like Nashville, Tennessee; Orlando, couldn’t get a spot.”

Florida; Las Vegas; and Los Angeles.

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FIRST-GENERATION Japanese-American Jessica Kim has grown Harumi Sushi from a five-employee family operation into a Phoenix powerhouse generating $10 million in net revenue—without ever losing sight of where it all began.

Kim describes her family’s first sushi restaurant as a “bento box corner lot”—a 1,200-square-foot space in downtown Phoenix with just one working freezer. Opened more than a decade ago, Harumi Sushi was born out of necessity, created to support Kim’s family after they arrived from Japan with nothing. In those early days, Kim recalls being responsible for everything from front-of-house work to cleaning the restrooms. “Sushi restaurants in Phoenix were nonexistent at the time, and although the location wasn’t ideal, we went in because the rent was affordable, and we wanted to cater to the office crowd,” Kim says.

Her upbringing in the Japanese culinary industry shaped both her work ethic and her leadership style. “My entire family has been in the Japanese culinary industry for as long as I can remember, and they started from the ground up,” she says. “I was there alongside them, doing all the grunt work and being

the janitor—basically, being part of the operations from the beginning.”

That hands-on approach remains central to Kim’s philosophy today.

Training her team, working shoulder to shoulder with them, and leading with humility have been among the most rewarding parts of her

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Jessica Kim

Leads with Humility

decade-long journey. She still puts on an apron regularly—sometimes joking that she looks more like a maintenance worker than an owner. “Demonstrating in person what I expect my employees to do is an invaluable experience for them to witness. What-

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ever they need, they know I’m there to help,” Kim says. “Being humble and learning from your challenges is the only way to stay sane and open new restaurants. You have to be passionate and forget about walking in as some sort of flashy owner.”

Kim takes particular pride in watching her people grow. Several team members who started as dishwashers are now among her top chefs, a testament to the culture she’s built and the organic, sustainable way Harumi has expanded. She credits her team with helping the brand stay deeply connected to its community.

“It’s an incredible responsibility on my shoulders to make sure my team is taken care of and inspired. At the same time, it’s also important for everyone to understand the local community,”

Kim says. “We just want to be a very approachable space for our regulars to enjoy super-fresh fish at an affordable price. Seeing people come in on date nights or in pajamas with their family without getting surprised by the bill keeps me motivated to keep going.”

Looking ahead, Kim plans to continue expanding Harumi Sushi throughout the Phoenix area, with a growing focus on the Japanese cocktail scene. Inspired by the hospitality standards of American steakhouses, she envisions the same level of excellence—delivered with warmth, accessibility, and authenticity. Along the way, she remains committed to reinvesting in her community, supporting women- and minority-owned businesses, and opening doors for the next generation of leaders.

HARUMI SUSHI (2)

OWNER OF HARUMI SUSHI

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Women in Leadership BY SATYNE DONER

Planting the Seeds of Leadership

IHOP / SUNSHINE RESTAURANT PARTNERS (3)

Lisa Mendez, Claudia Rodriguez, and Ileana Hernando are cultivating the next generation of restaurant leaders at IHOP. LISA MENDEZ DESCRIBES herself in the early days of her career as “a little girl from Hialeah, Miami, with no education, no direction.” At the time, she didn’t view her job as a hostess and server at her local IHOP as a career. She was a young, single mother just trying to earn a paycheck, pay the bills, and juggle parenting. She didn’t yet have the perspective to think about the big picture; she was in survival mode. That is, until someone planted a seed.

“One day, somebody said to me, ‘You’d be a great district manager,’” Mendez recalls. “And my immediate reaction was, no, I would not. But then a few days later, I remember thinking, ‘Huh, I wonder if I could actually do it.’ It just kind of snowballed over the years. I remember six or seven months in, standing inside an IHOP and thinking, this place is the best kept secret—in terms of the financial opportunity, the quality of our people, the tenure of our employees, and the ability for growth.”

And so began Mendez’s journey through the ranks of Sunshine Restaurant Partners (srp), an IHOP franchisee with more than 150 locations in Florida and three locations in southern Georgia.

Today, she serves as regional director of operations for South Florida, overseeing the day-to-day operations of nearly 50 locations.

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, CLAUDIA RODRIGUEZ—VP OF HR; ILEANA HERNANDO—AREA DIRECTOR; AND LISA MENDEZ—REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR SUNSHINE RESTAURANT PARTNERS, AN IHOP FRANCHISEE WITH MORE THAN 150 LOCATIONS.

Mendez worked her way up without and bring more of her authentic self to much female leadership to model her- work. self after. As she advanced beyond shift “I can confidently say that I’m leadlead and head server, she often found ing with my whole self right now as a herself asking questions such as: What’s woman in restaurant leadership,” Menappropriate attire? How should I con- dez says. “But in those days, I didn’t even duct myself in a meeting? For guidance, realize I was holding my emotional self she looked outside the industry, often in—that I wasn’t being as passionate as turning to her older sister, who worked I could be, that I was stifling myself and in banking. worrying about being too loud. It’s freeShe also found herself emulating the ing to finally be able to say, ‘This is what male leaders around her—both the good works for me and what’s true to myself.’” and the bad. In retrospect, she says that With roughly 50 percent of SRP’s as her confidence and knowledge grew, workforce made up of women, Mendez she slowly began to see herself as a leader saw an opportunity to formalize men-

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Women in Restaurant Leadership

IHOP

ROUGHLY 50 PERCENT OF SUNSHINE RESTAURANT PARTNERS’ WORKFORCE IS MADE UP OF WOMEN.

torship and support by creating Elevat- confidence and leadership development ing Women, an internal resource group at every level. focused on education and empowerment.

Supporting Mendez in this effort The initiative is designed to plant the is Claudia Rodriguez, vice president of same seeds once planted in her, increase human resources. Rodriguez joined SRP visibility and, most importantly, create and IHOP in 2008 as director of human a pipeline of talented women leaders to resources and has served as vice presishape the company’s future. The kickoff dent since 2016. event took place last November, drawFor Rodriguez, the pandemic marked ing more than 90 women along with the a pivotal shift in how SRP approached entirety of SRP’s executive leadership leadership development. The foundateam—an intentional show of solidar- tion was already strong, with many team ity and support across the organization. members boasting decades-long tenures.

“It’s about passing the baton and inspir- But the instability of the industry during ing others to pull someone else up,” Men- the global crisis underscored the need dez says. “Our leaders walked out of the to build a deeper bench, reaching furfirst Elevating Women meeting, pound- ther within the organization to identify, ing their chests. That energy goes back to develop, and grow talent. our employees, to their families, to our Elevating Women became one aveguests. It’s about more than operations. nue for building that pipeline. Rodriguez There was a woman in that room who recalls standing in the back of a general walked away more confident, more pow- manager meeting with Mendez and realerful—and that will have a domino effect izing women made up the majority of the in her personal and professional life.” room. In that moment, they knew it was As Mendez continues to build out the time to take action. framework for Elevating Women, she is “You must have leadership support for expanding mentorship opportunities initiatives like Elevating Women to create and working through the system to cre- a culture where everyone feels embraced ate a ripple effect—from salaried leaders and valued,” Rodriguez says. “Culture is a to shift leaders and beyond—fostering nice word, but you have to live it through

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your actions. Embracing our values and diversity is critical to us. We don’t take our eye off the prize when it comes to ensuring everyone has a responsibility to contribute to the culture—creating ownership and confidence from the very start of employment.”

Ileana Hernando is one of those leaders contributing to the culture from the front lines. An area director who rose through the ranks of SRP, Hernando was interviewed by Mendez 22 years ago. Over the past two decades, she has participated in the brand’s development programs and now supports the Elevating Women initiative while serving as a mentor to emerging talent.

“Younger leaders need confidence, training, and support,” Hernando says.

“They’re tech-savvy and deep thinkers, but they also need the basics, like personal accountability. Teaching those core values is critical, but so is open dialogue.

It opens the door for people to be vulnerable, to meet them on a personal and professional level, and to show that we’re not just faceless leaders in this organization.”

Growing up in the industry without many Hispanic women leaders to look up to, Hernando says she wishes she had learned earlier to use her voice as a tool for growth. She was taught to put her head down, do the job, and stay quiet. Today, she actively challenges that mindset.

Together with Mendez, Rodriguez, and SRP’s broader leadership team, Hernando uses her voice to elevate, educate, and empower others.

“I am a Hispanic immigrant woman in a leadership position today, so I want to say something to women in my language: ‘Sí puedes,’ or yes, you can,” Hernando says. “Your dreams are attainable, and your support system can help nurture them. I want women in this industry to understand they are our future. Just as I was the future 22 years ago, they will now carry the torch and the tradition.”

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On the Rise BY EMMA SCHMALZ

Building a Multigenerational BBQ Legacy

LUCILLE’S SMOKEHOUSE

Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que is a family-led chain serving low-andslow smoked meats and Southern hospitality in a nostalgic environment, expanding at a sustainable pace across the Southwest.

ACCORDING TO BRAD HOFMAN, Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que was born from a road trip and a simple question: What makes truly FOUNDER: great barbecue? Hofman’s father, Craig Hofman Craig, set out to answer that HQ: Signal Hill, question in the late ‘90s by travCalifornia IN-HOUSE SMOKED MEATS, ROADHOUSE DÉCOR, AND GENEROUS eling around the Southern U.S., YEAR STARTED: PORTIONS ARE ALL INTENTIONAL AT LUCILLE’S—CREATING A “SENSE OF having in-depth conversations OCCASION” THAT STILL FEELS FAMILY-FRIENDLY. 1999 with pitmasters and studying TOTAL UNITS: 19 smoke profiles. In 1999, the first very selectively and restaurants in Southern California, and Lucille’s opened in Long Beach, prioritize integrity. the decades of experience is what justiCalifornia. Since then, the brand has “Being part of a multi-generation fam- fies the brand’s business decisions and grown to 19 locations across California, ily hospitality group gives us the free- growth strategy in today’s world, HofArizona, and Nevada, thanks to Craig’s dom to be patient and very clear about man explains. barbeque journey. who we are. We do not grow just for the “If you grow too quickly, you risk gaps “What he kept seeing was that the sake of adding new units. We are very in training and a dilution of culture. If best barbecue always came with two selective about new locations and new you grow too slowly, you can miss opporthings: low and slow cooking and gen- concepts, and we are comfortable saying tunities and lose momentum. We have uine friendliness,” says Hofman, now ‘not yet’ if the real estate, labor market or tried to find a cadence that allows us to president of Hofman Hospitality Group. community fit is not right,” Hofman says. open new restaurants while still men“That is where Lucille’s core philosophy The Hofman Hospitality Group toring new leaders and protecting qualcame from, ‘Serving the Best Bar-B-Que avoids small, ultra-efficient restaurant ity,” he says. with the Finest Southern Hospitality,’” formats and instead favors destinationThe brand’s culture is based heavily Lucille’s locations have scratch kitch- style, full-service restaurants, which has on Southern hospitality, and that means ens and a menu made up of smokehouse, worked for them for many years. extending warmth and support to both Southern, and Cajun-style comfort foods.

The Hofman family has been involved guests and employees. “You feel that What makes the regional chain unique in the restaurant industry since the in the little things, like pre-shift famfrom competitors is that it’s family- 1940s. Hofman Hospitality Group grew ily meals, shout-outs for great service, owned, which allows the brand to grow from Hof’s Hut, a successful string of and celebrating tenure and growth stoF S R M AG A Z I N E .CO M

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LUCILLE’S SMOKEHOUSE (2)

On the Rise

BUILT ON SCRATCH KITCHENS, NOSTALGIA, AND A WARM WELCOME, LUCILLE’S IS DESIGNED FOR EVERYTHING FROM WEEKNIGHT DINNERS TO BIG CELEBRATIONS. AS IT EXPANDS, THE TEAM STAYS FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND COMMUNITY FIT.

ries,” Hofman says. Being family-led also ties into the hospitality strategy, since the Hofman’s want people to stay and grow careers at their restaurants, not just clock in for a shift.

This translates into Lucille’s menu as well, with something for everyone at the table. In-house smoked meat, roadhouse decor, and generous portions are very intentional, he explains. The sights and smells are meant to create both a “sense of occasion” and family-friendly environment.

The homemade biscuits with apple butter is a staple at every Lucille’s location that customers expect and love.

Larger barbeque offerings like the Family Feast for parties of six or more and the Lucille’s Super Feast for 15 or more people can feed the whole family.

There is also a Southern Specialties section of Lucille’s menu, featuring classic dishes like Southern Fried Chicken and New Orleans Gumbo that live up to the promise of a Southern and Cajun fusion menu.

“You can come in for a casual weeknight meal, a team celebration or a big family gathering, and it feels right in all of those scenarios. That kind of flexibility is a real advantage in today’s casualdining market,” says Hofman.

Tapping into nostalgia is also something the brand works hard to do, which

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is a trend other casual dining brands like Steak & Ale and Friendly’s are doing.

Through evolving its marketing tactics, the brand can tell more of its story, the smoking process, and anniversary menu items. These small updates still keep longtime guests happy but increase comfort, he explains.

There is a strict regimen in place for both the culinary and service sides, with genuine interactions and ingredients at the forefront. The atmosphere of their restaurants is just as important as the menu to the Hofmans. Every detail about Lucille’s is carefully thought through.

“Low and slow smoking and Southern-style dishes are the foundation. Even when we experiment or add something new, we make sure it fits within that framework,” Hofman says. “Authenticity and consistency builds trust, and over time, guests come to understand exactly what Lucille’s stands for.”

When updating the Lucille’s locations, a lot of thought and consideration goes into whether or not the brand will benefit from it. Lighting, acoustics, and “flow” are design updates that Hofman says are functional and improve the space in a small but important way.

Online ordering, loyalty, and digital marketing are modernizations that Lucille’s has invested in so that guests can discover the brand easier, but there

are still precautions taken when considering certain advances.

“The simple test we use is whether a change makes the experience easier or more enjoyable without taking away that ‘step into the South’ feeling. If it does not pass that test, we do not do it,” he says.

Any new idea or innovation has to fit in with the Lucille’s that already exists.

Most innovations come from the guests and customer feedback, he explains. Any new thing introduced, whether that is a digital tool or menu item, is watched closely. If it performs well and is popular among guests, then it’s adopted into the Lucille’s brand, like the new non-alcoholic “Free Spirit” beverages.

“We watch feedback, sales patterns, and regional preferences closely. If we see guests asking for new flavor profiles, different formats, or more flexible offpremises options, we listen. Then we look for ways to answer those needs that still feel distinctly like Lucille’s,” Hofman says.

The bar area of Lucille’s, dubbed The Flying Pig Lounge, also serves Southern libations. The creative name and fun atmosphere are all a part of setting the mood and giving guests a sense of place and history.

Yet, no matter how much the brand grows, Lucille’s number one priority is “staying true to who we are,” Hofman adds.

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Behind the Scenes

CLARISSA NEELY

ROLE: Franchise Owner BRAND: Eggs Up Gril LOCATION: Evans, GA

BY CALLIE EVERGREEN

From Nursing to Franchising How does your experience in nursing influence your approach to restaurant leadership?

With nearly 12 years as a CRNA and 18 years in nursing, I’ve learned how to lead, follow, and—most importantly—collaborate with people from all walks of life. Healthcare taught me the value of teamwork and empathy, and those lessons translate beautifully into the restaurant world.

What do you think is driving more women toward entrepreneurship today?

It’s about the freedom to create something meaningful on our own terms. Women want to innovate, to bring fresh ideas to the table, and to make a positive impact in their communities. There’s a real drive to build businesses that reflect our values and vision.

How did you navigate early challenges in opening your first restaurant?

The learning curve was real! I had to start thinking outside the box—how to maximize my investment, how to hire the right people,

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and how to build a team that truly shares my vision. My approach? Invest in my people, share my vision openly, and support their growth. I’ve found that when you genuinely support your team, they become your biggest champions.

How has the franchising model supported your journey?

As a first-time operator, knowing I can reach out to the CEO or anyone on the corporate team for guidance has made all the difference. Their support has been unwavering— whether I’m facing challenges or celebrating wins, I know they’re rooting for my success.

What’s your advice for women stepping into franchising?

Do your homework—research your franchise, understand what makes them successful, and go in with your eyes open. And remember, not every day will be sunny, but even the tough days are opportunities to learn and grow. Stick with it, and you’ll be amazed by what you can achieve.

EGGS UP GRILL (4)

Clarissa Neely took an untraditional path to becoming a franchise owner. Her journey to restaurant ownership began with a conversation with a franchisee, who “knew how much building generational wealth and leaving a legacy for my family meant to me,” Neely recalls. That spark of inspiration and alignment with her long-term goals drove the big career jump, and her background in healthcare translated perfectly to hospitality and taking care of customers. With one franchise location in Georgia and plans to expand, Neely shares lessons in becoming a first-time franchisee, leaving her mark, and advice for other aspiring women entrepreneurs.

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