R.J. Melman was named CEO of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, the company said on Tuesday.
Kevin Brown, who had been CEO of the Chicago-based independent restaurant operator since 2003, will become executive chairman. Brown will focus on providing leadership guidance and expertise as well as Lettuce Consulting.
Melman had been president of Lettuce since 2017 and guided the company’s expansion into new markets like Austin, Texas, Miami and Orlando. Nashville and Dallas are both coming soon. Melman and his partners founded a four-day barbecue and music festival, the Windy City Smokeout.
“When I look at R.J., it solidifies my belief in Lettuce’s future,” Richard Melman, Lettuce’s co-founder and R.J.’s father, said in a statement.
The younger Melman will take the helm of one of the biggest and best-known restaurant groups in the country.
Lettuce Entertain You was founded in 1971 and the company has expanded to feature more than 100 restaurants in more than 60 different concepts, from fast casual to fine dining. The company’s brands include Mon Ami Gabi, RPM Italian, RPM Steak, Big Bowl and Ema, among many others.
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