New CEO starts building a team at Granite City

granite city exterior

New CEO Phil Costner has filled two positions on his executive team at Granite City Food & Brewery, hiring Famous Dave’s and Buca di Beppo alumnus Jim Macchitelli as VP of marketing and naming Dave Brantner corporate executive chef.

Macchitelli was most recently director of marketing and digital services for CMS Corp., a hotel developer and operator. He was the director of marketing innovation for Famous Dave’s, the full-service barbecue chain, at the beginning of the decade, and was VP of marketing for Buca di Beppo, the family style Italian dinnerhouse chain, from 2005 to 2010.

Brantner indicates on his LinkedIn page that he has been fulfilling the duties of corporate executive chef since May. Under Costner, Brantner will have the mission of elevating the food quality at Granite City’s namesake chain and secondary concept, Cadillac Ranch, the company said.

Costner, the former president of Mimi’s Café and Le Madeleine and franchisee of Twin Peaks, was named CEO of the dual-concept company earlier this month.
 

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