Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill, a premium fast-casual restaurant company, featuring a menu rooted in innovative Mexican recipes that support contemporary, active lifestyles, today announced that Steven Goldstein has joined the company as its first chief marketing officer. At Sharky’s, Goldstein will oversee brand and menu evolution as the concept expands outside of its Southern California roots into new markets, including Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, and Northern California.
“Steven’s commitment to execution and brand strategy is a welcome addition to a growing Sharky’s brand,” said Steven Paperno, founder and CEO. “David Goldstein, COO, and I believe that Steven will help establish and grow Sharky’s as a brand that offers current and future guests ways to eat deliciously, providing quality nutrition and satisfaction in equal measure, or in the ratio each person seeks at each meal occasion. Above all, Steven is committed to our vision to offer guests the opportunity to ‘Feel Good About Eating’ realized in our distinctive menu and premium fast casual dining experience.”
Recognized as a leader in the food industry, Goldstein specializes in connecting brands and consumers through development and implementation of meaningful food and beverage experiences. He has worked as a chef, a corporate change agent and a leader in the consulting field for food and beverage companies for 35 years. Goldstein comes to Sharky’s from San Francisco-based The Culinary Edge, where he spent nine years leading the firm’s business development and client management team in helping restaurant and food clients create the brand, menu and operational strategies and tactics that deliver on their business goals. A graduate of the Hilton College at The University of Houston, Texas, and of The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, Goldstein is a recognized industry speaker on consumer trends and the strategies that food companies can leverage to enhance their positions in the evolving marketplace.
According to Aaron Noveshen, founder The Culinary Edge, “The entire team at The Culinary Edge is so excited for Steven’s new role at Sharky’s. His deep knowledge and experience in helping global restaurant companies to deliver on their brand promise via relevant food and enhanced guest experiences will help Sharky’s continue its leadership position in the marketplace.”
Sharky’s was founded in 1992 by Chief Executive Officer Steven Paperno. Always leading an active lifestyle, Paperno sought to create a restaurant, which combined his passion for healthy living with the exciting and bold flavors of Mexico. Built on Paperno’s vision to change the way the world eats, one plate at a time, today Sharky’s has 25 locations in Southern California, and recently opened its first restaurant outside of California in Tualatin, Oregon. More restaurants are planned for the Portland and Southern California areas, including Marina del Rey, Goleta and Oxnard, California, in 2017. In addition, Sharky’s expansion plans, led by Chief Operating Officer David Goldstein, include opening three restaurants in the Las Vegas, Nevada, market in 2017. For more information please visit Sharkys.com.
