CHICAGO, August 27, 2025 — The smarts that earned restaurant executives a Silver Plate have put them in demand as board of director appointees. Recent weeks have led to at least three past winners being named to the lofty advisory positions.
Former Darden Restaurants CEO and lifetime industry member Gene Lee (Gold Plate, Chain Full-service category, 2018) is now tapping his deep experience to help Chicago favorite Portillo’s become a national brand.
Another Chicago institution in growth mode, pizza specialist Home Run Inn, has recruited former Famous Dave’s CEO David Goronkin (Silver, Chain Full-service, 2006) to take a seat on its board. Goronkin is currently CEO and a director of Outback Steakhouse joint-venture partner Old West Restaurants, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Helping a restaurant operation grow from a regional upstart into an industry powerhouse is nothing new for Chris Tomasso (Gold Plate, Chain Full-service, 2024), CEO of the daytime dining chain First Watch Restaurants.
For nearly 20 years, he’s helped the brand grow into the undisputed leader of the burgeoning breakfast-and-lunch-only sub-segment, the bright spot of the midscale full-service market. Now he’s extending that expertise to Hawkers Asian Street Food as a director of the 15-unit concept, which specializes in the foods served up by streetside vendors in Singapore.
Danny Meyer (Gold Plate, Independent Restaurant/Multiconcept, 2000) has already done far more than launch two much-admired restaurant operations (Union Square Hospitality Group, Shake Shack). He’s also been a best-selling author, a force behind the Open Table reservations service, and an investor in a number of hospitality and technology upstarts.
Meyer was recently back in the news for bringing a rotating restaurant back to his home market of New York City. He’s involved in the relaunch of the View, the posh place atop the Marriott Marquis on Times Square. The restaurant, the Big Apple’s lone rotating eatery, had been shuttered for five years.
Also newly reopened, albeit on a limited basis, is Charlie Trotter’s, the influential Chicago fine-dining spot that closed after namesake Charlie Trotter (Gold Plate, Independent Restaurant/Multiconcept), 2008) died in 2013 at age 54. Now his son Dylan is firing up the kitchen again on an occasional basis for special dinners prepared by chefs like Los Angeles’ Nancy Silverton.
As Managing Editor for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, Romeo is responsible for generating the group's news and feature content. He brings more than 40 years of experience in covering restaurants to the position.