Dan Simpson, Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe
Dan Simpson has served as CEO of Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe since 2018, after serving as the Chief Innovation Officer starting in 2016. Previously, he was a Taziki’s franchisee and managing partner at Fresh Hospitality. Mr. Simpson was the co-founder...Patrick Shaheen, Ballard Brands
With more than 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry—including 30 years in franchising and over two decades in executive leadership—I bring deep operational and strategic expertise to the food and beverage space. Over the course of my career, I’ve...Jacob Ortiz
Jacob Ortiz is an experienced operations and workplace services leader with more than 13 years of experience across hospitality, hotel operations, and corporate workplace environments. He currently serves as a Metro Workplace Lead for Accenture, bringing a strong...Brian Henry Jr., Walk On’s Sports Bistreaux
Brian Henry Jr. is Director of Operations Services at Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, where he leads the design of scalable systems, modern training platforms, and execution models that drive performance across both corporate and franchise restaurants. As the brand’s...Shaz Khan, Tono’s Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks
Shaz Khan, born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, is the co-founder of a people-centric, data-driven hospitality group with soon-to-be 16 locations across four brands by the end of the year. With a background in electrical engineering, he first gained recognition...
Outstanding Operators
Food On Demand Outstanding Operators features restaurant brands with innovative operations that are taking creative paths to success with delivery and all things off-premises.