Leadership

Eureka names Eric Berman president

Former CEO and director Justin Nedelman has departed the regional casual-dining chain.
Eureka president

The 24-unit Eureka gastropub chain has promoted Eric Berman, its chief restaurant operations officer for the last four years, to president.

The appointment came simultaneous with the departure of CEO and co-founder Justin Nedelman. No reason was given for the departure of Nedelman, who also held a seat on Eureka’s board.

Prior to joining the chain, Berman spent nine years with BJ’s Restaurants, where he oversaw 45 restaurants as senior regional VP. His group was generating annual sales of $225 million at the time he left to join Eureka, according to his current employer.

Previously, Berman spent 15 years with The Cheesecake factory, which he joined when the polished-casual concept had only five restaurants. It now has about 200-plus branches.

“Eric’s passion and leadership are contagious; his ability to motivate, inspire and maximize the performance of every restaurant is best in class,” said Eureka co-founder and Chief Development Officer Paul Frederick.  

Eureka is known for its wide selection of beer and whiskey, all sourced domestically, as well as its cocktails.

Its restaurants are located in California, Texas, Washington, Idaho and Nevada.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

Companies shift to cost-cutting mode amid post-pandemic challenges

The Bottom Line: Recent moves by Krispy Kreme and Jack in the Box highlight the profit challenges some restaurant chains are having and suggest boards and investors are losing patience.

Beverage

Hilton's new 'apertivo hour' offers an Italian-style rooftop bar experience that spans the seasons

Behind the Menu: The hotel’s food and beverage team transformed the former summertime bar atop the Conrad New York Downtown into Leonessa, turning the space into a three-season destination with a cocktail list filled with spritzes, bitters, martinis and spirit-free drinks.

Operations

Traditional taco concepts crumble, while unconventional Mexican fast casuals find the secret sauce

Burrito-and-bowl chains Chipotle and Qdoba have long led the fast-casual category. Here are the rising taco-focused brands that saw growth last year.

Trending

More from our partners