Rich Melman

Rich Melman (born 1942) is an American businessman, and the founder and chairman of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, a privately held restaurant company with more than 100 venues.[2][3]

Rich Melman
Born1942 (age 80–81)[1]
United States
OccupationChairman of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
SpouseMartha Melman
Websitewww.leye.com/company/rich.htm

In 1971, Melman and Jerry A. Orzoff founded R.J. Grunts in Lincoln Park in Chicago. Melman and Orzoff continued their partnership, developing a number of restaurants, until Orzoff died in 1981. Melman continued his philosophy of "partnership" and now has 37 working partners.

Early life

Melman grew up in a Jewish family[4] in Chicago. As a child, he sold ice cream and peanuts at Chicago beaches and even sold eggs door to door. He unsuccessfully attended three different colleges.[1] At 14, he started working for the family restaurant business. After his father rebuffed his inquiries to buy into the partnership, he struck out on his own. Persistence led him to Orzoff, who was the first businessperson to take him seriously.[5]

Lettuce Entertain You

By 1988, Lettuce Entertain You encompassed 27 restaurants and yielded approximately $90 million.[1] Some of their best-known restaurants include Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak, & Stone Crab, Ed Debevic's, Wildfire Grill, Mon Ami Gabi, Beatrix and RPM Italian. On January 1, 2000, he passed the title and duties of chief executive to Steve Ottmann.[3] In 2003, Kevin Brown assumed the CEO role.[6] The separate consulting business has served McDonald's Corp., Chart House and Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits. In fact, it was instrumental in the development of Popeyes Cajun Kitchen.

Family

He is the father of two sons and a daughter – R.J., Jerrod, and Molly, who all work in the company. His wife is Martha.[6]

References
  1. Larson, Erik (October 1, 1988). "The Man With the Golden Touch". Inc. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  2. "Let Us Now Praise R.J. Grunts: How Rich Melman and his Lettuce Entertain You empire set the scene for Chicago's culinary revolution," Chicago Reader, April 14, 2006
  3. Cebrzynski, Gregg (January 2000). "Richard Melman - chief executive officer of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc". Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
  4. Jeff Borden (June 3, 1995). "JUST DESSERTS". Crain's Chicago Business.
  5. Sheridan, Margaret (2000). "Richard Melman on Savoring Peace of Mind". Restaurant & Institutions Magazine. Archived from the original on April 28, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2007.
  6. Carpenter, Dave (July 20, 2006). "Restaurateur sees salad days ahead". NBC News (Associated Press story also published on CBSNews.com). Retrieved February 2, 2007.


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