There comes a time when every great legend needs to pass the torch. After 30 years of leading his restaurant business and opening 40 different eateries, the time has come for celebrated chef and humanitarian José Andrés to step down from his role as CEO of his restaurant group. This group began with a single restaurant, Jaleo, in Washington D.C. and was among the first to introduce the Spanish tradition of tapas, or small plates, to the United States.
Sam Bakhshandehpour, who previously held the position of president, has been promoted to global chief executive. In his new role, Sam will manage the day-to-day operations with the help of Ron Parker, the president and chief operating officer, and Nestor Nova, the chief financial officer. These leadership changes follow the group securing a substantial investment from RockCreek, a global investment company that manages over $17 billion.
José Andrés, who is now 55 years old, shared that he has been incredibly busy for many years, especially the last 15, and now he feels the need to take a step back and breathe. Though he is stepping down from his role as CEO, Andrés is not leaving the business. He will continue to hold the roles of founder and executive chairman of the José Andrés Group. In addition, he will still offer creative ideas to the group.
The José Andrés Group includes a variety of restaurants, such as high-end eateries like Bazaar by José Andrés and the 2-Michelin-starred Barmini. It also features more casual dining spots like Beefsteak and Butterfly Tacos. The group plans continue to open more locations across the world including Dubai as well as ongoing growth in Washington D.C.
In addition to his restaurants, José Andrés has been passionate about his global humanitarian work through his nonprofit organization, World Central Kitchen. This organization is committed to providing meals to those affected by humanitarian crises around the world. This includes recent events in Ukraine and Gaza. As a result of his humanitarian efforts, Andrés has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twice, first in 2019 and again this year.
Sam Bakhshandehpour, the newly appointed CEO, shared his admiration for José Andrés, attributing the success of the company to Andrés’s spirit and leadership. “José is everything to this company, and his spirit is what makes this company work,” he said. He playfully added that while everyone has 24 hours in a day, José Andrés seems to operate as if he has 25.
Other promotions include Rick Billings who has been named chief culinary officer, and chef Carles Tejedor who has been promoted to chief creative officer. There are also several new upcoming projects, including restaurant openings with Simon Property Group in Las Vegas and Palo Alto, and a new partnership with Hyatt in Miami Beach.
As José Andrés steps back to breathe and possibly create more room for his humanitarian efforts, the torch gets passed to Bakhshandehpour and the new executive team. The new group will not only continue Andrés’ legacy, but are encouraged to redefine the future of the José Andrés Group. However, what will remain constant is the core of José Andrés’s vision—to feed, to innovate, and to inspire.
