Philip J. Romano is an investor, entrepreneur, artist and a nationally-renowned restaurateur. Involved in the restaurant business for forty years, in the course of his career, he has created over twenty-five concepts.

He is the only person in the restaurant industry that has created more than two national concepts. He has created six to date: Fuddruckers, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Spageddies, Cozymel's, Rudy's Country Store and BBQ and eatZi's Market & Bakery. Fuddruckers has opened units in more than 150 locations worldwide. Romano's Macaroni Grill now operates in more than 190 locations in the United States and Canada. The restaurant concepts created by Mr. Romano produce over $1 billion in sales each year. To date, his concepts have generated more than $10 billion in revenue.

Nation's Restaurant News named Mr. Romano as one of the top 20 restaurateurs in the year 2000. Nation's Restaurant News also awarded Mr. Romano the "1995 Innovator of the Year" award. In addition, they also awarded him the "1995 Hot Concept of the Year" award for Cozymel's. In 1996, he received the NRN "Hot Concept of the Year" award for eatZi's and the Foodservice Consultants Society International Trend Setter Award.

In 2002, Mr. Romano received the Industry Leader of the Year Tastemaker A ward by the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association. He was awarded the Civic/Community Service Tastemaker Award for his work with Hunger Busters in 2001. In 2003, the University of North Texas awarded him the North Texas Humanitarian Award, which recognizes community leaders who embody a public spirit to better the community and whose selfless acts inspire students.

He has been featured in numerous newspapers and periodicals including the Wall Street Journal, the London Financial Times, INC Magazine, Restaurant Business, Forbes Magazine, and TIME Magazine.

From 1989 through 2002, Mr. Romano has also served as a consultant to and joint venture partner of Brinker International, Inc. as national operator, developer and franchisor of numerous restaurant concepts, including Chili's Grill & Bar and Romano's Macaroni Grill.

Mr. Romano currently owns and operates the following restaurant concepts: eatZi's Market & Bakery, Nick & Sam's Steakhouse, Medici, Who's Who Burgers and he is bringing II Mulino New York to Dallas, Texas.

Mr. Romano and his family established a charitable foundation, The Food Foundation, which operates the initiative as Hunger Busters. This 501(c) (3) organization provides food to the homeless and has a mission of serving those homeless that do not have access to existing services, facilities, or shelters.

Currently, he serves on the Board of the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the Dallas Homeless Coalition. He lectures frequently at universities, national business seminars, civic organizations and special interest group meetings.

A native of New York State, he attended Florida Atlantic University. He presently resides in Dallas, Texas with his wife, Lillie, and seven-year old son, Sam, who Mr. Romano considers his greatest award yet.


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