Our Leadership

Frank Hennessey serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Recipe Restaurant Group, bringing over 40 years of leadership experience across the restaurant, food manufacturing, and grocery retail sectors. As CEO, Frank is dedicated to driving strategic growth, strengthening the company’s diverse portfolio of iconic brands, and continually evolving the business to better serve guests, teammates, and franchise partners.

Before leading Recipe Restaurant Group, Frank served as President and CEO of Imvescor Restaurant Group for four years. During his tenure, he led a dramatic corporate turnaround, expanding sales, maximizing shareholder returns, and ultimately guiding the business to a successful sale. Prior to his role at Imvescor, he served as President and CEO of Bento Sushi, where he played a pivotal role in expanding the brand’s footprint across North America.

Frank holds a bachelor’s degree from Western University and a Master of Business Administration from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

Qi Tang is Chief Financial Officer of Recipe Restaurant Group, bringing broad financial leadership experience across public and private sector companies. She oversees the company’s financial strategy, operational planning, legal, real estate, design and construction, and central operations, partnering closely with brand leaders to accelerate franchise growth.

Prior to joining Recipe, Qi served as CFO of RioCan REIT and CFO of Skyservice Investments. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Choice Properties REIT, Adentra Inc., and Dream Office REIT.

Qi is a CPA, CA, CFA charterholder, and certified corporate director (ICD.D). She holds a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Saskatchewan and a Bachelor of Economics from the Central University of Finance and Economics.

Todd Barclay oversees the strategic growth and operations of Recipe’s casual dining portfolio, including Swiss Chalet, Olive Garden, Montana’s, East Side Mario’s, Kelseys, The Landing Group, Fresh and Bier Markt.

Todd brings a broad leadership background across technology, food manufacturing, grocery retail, and foodservice. He originally joined the organization in 2007 (then Cara Operations), holding senior executive roles across sourcing, menu development, restaurant development, and brand leadership for Swiss Chalet. Prior to rejoining Recipe in 2022, he served as President and CEO of Restaurants Canada. He began his career at Lexmark International, holding various sales, marketing, and operational leadership roles in Canada and the U.S., eventually serving as President of Lexmark Canada.

Todd serves on the Board of Directors for Restaurants Canada. He holds a bachelor’s degree from McMaster University and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

David oversees the growth and strategic development of Recipe’s limited-service portfolio, leading Harvey’s, New York Fries, and emerging brands including Fresh and The Burger’s Priest.

David joined Recipe in 2012 and has held progressive executive leadership roles across Marketing, Digital & E-commerce, and Brand Operations. Prior to joining the organization, he built a strong consumer brand background in marketing and product development roles at Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, and Spin Master.

David holds an Executive MBA from the Kellogg-Schulich School of Business.

Derek Doke drives brand expansion and operational vision for Original Joe’s Franchise Group, leading a multi-concept portfolio that includes Original Joe’s, State & Main, Elephant & Castle, Blanco Cantina, and Añejo.

A lifelong entrepreneur, Derek founded Franworks Franchise Corp. in 2000, launching and scaling eight distinct restaurant concepts across the full-service and limited-service sectors. He and his Calgary-based team joined Recipe Restaurant Group in 2016. Prior to founding Franworks, Derek spent the 1990s building Ruckers Fun Centres, expanding the family amusement chain to 27 locations.

Richard Scofield oversees both the restaurant and retail divisions of St-Hubert, guiding strategic operations while preserving the 70-year legacy of Québec’s most iconic restaurant brand.

Richard joined St-Hubert in 2004 and held progressive leadership positions, including President of the Restaurant Division, before stepping into his current role leading the entire brand in 2020. Deeply committed to community impact, he also serves as Chairman of the Board for the St-Hubert Foundation.

Richard holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Western University and completed advanced studies in Restaurant Administration at McGill University.

Having been with Recipe for nearly 15 years, David brings extensive legal expertise to the organization. David oversees all legal operations for Recipe Restaurant Group including managing corporate risk and directing the legal framework for major financings, debt restructurings, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and corporate reorganizations.

David holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Paulo leads Recipe’s capital development initiatives, overseeing Design, Construction, Corporate Facilities, Building Sustainability, and Equipment Vendor Management across the company’s brand network.

With six years at Recipe, Paulo brings extensive industry expertise in retail development and store expansion. Prior to joining the organization, he spent over a decade leading multi-unit restaurant and retail construction projects, including key construction management roles at Tim Hortons.

Paulo holds a degree in Architectural Technology from Mohawk College.

Faroek leads Recipe’s core financial architecture, overseeing financial reporting, treasury, tax, accounts payable, and brand accounting to support long-term enterprise value.

He brings over 30 years of finance leadership experience to the role, including 18 years as Chief Financial Officer for The Clorox Company of Canada.

Faroek is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). He holds a Master of Business Administration and completed executive leadership training at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

As Vice-President of Franchising at Recipe, Winnie drives national network expansion across all full-service and limited-service brands. Since joining Recipe in 2020, she has led key commercial strategies, including the Ultimate Dining Card program and national partnerships like Scene+ and CAA, following earlier leadership roles in external reporting and finance.

Prior to Recipe, Winnie spent over a decade in corporate reporting and financial management at Rogers Communications, BlackBerry, and PwC. She holds a Master of Accounting and a BA in Chartered Accountancy from the University of Waterloo and is a CPA.

Luis leads the Restaurant Performance team, driving financial planning, budgeting, unit economic modeling, portfolio management, and marketing analytics across the business. He also oversees key back-office operations, including restaurant software, point-of-sale menu maintenance, and accounts receivable.

Throughout his 50-year career with Recipe, Luis has served in a variety of key operational and corporate leadership roles, including brand management and Central Operations.

Peter oversees Recipe Restaurant Group’s supply chain operations, procurement strategy and vendor management, while also leading the Beverage and Food Safety teams.

With 19 years at Recipe, Peter brings extensive operational and industry expertise to the company’s central management team. His experience spans supply chain, procurement and supplier relationships, supporting the organization’s brands and restaurants across Canada.

Peter is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and holds a Bachelor of Administration from Lakehead University. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC).

Sharda directs Recipe’s corporate real estate operations, managing new store site selection, portfolio preservation, and strategic market expansion across national and international markets.

Sharda joined Recipe in 2024, bringing 34 years of commercial retail real estate expertise and a proven track record of progressive leadership roles at major Canadian retailers, including Walmart, TJX, PetSmart and Giant Tiger. Deeply engaged in industry and community leadership, she is active in Recipe’s Women’s ERG and serves on the ICSC Research Committee.

Sharda holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and a Master of Business Administration from Edinburgh Business School.

Craig leads overall brand operations and international growth for New York Fries, driving performance and expansion across global markets.

Over a 33-year career with the brand, Craig has held progressive leadership roles across nearly every facet of the business, including marketing, corporate training, construction, procurement, and international expansion—spearheading brand growth into the Middle East, India, Australia, and Asia. He originally joined New York Fries as a corporate General Manager before advancing to lead the brand.

Craig’s broad operational expertise and long-standing continue to drive strong financial results for franchise partners and business stakeholders alike.

Nathan Cameron serves as Chief Operating Officer of East Side Mario’s, bringing over two decades of hospitality leadership and operational expertise to the brand. His career with parent company Recipe Unlimited (formerly Prime Restaurants) began in 2002 on the East Side Mario’s operations team, where he spearheaded the opening and operational onboarding of more than 25 locations across Canada.

Throughout his tenure, Nathan has held progressive executive roles, most recently as Senior Director of Beverage. In this capacity, he oversaw beverage strategy across Recipe’s entire brand portfolio, driving category innovation by developing signature proprietary, consignment, and private-label programs, as well as retail ready-to-drink (RTD) lines. Appointed COO in 2023, Nathan continues to lead East Side Mario’s growth, brand transformation, and operational excellence across the country.

Paolo’s career at Recipe spans over two decades, beginning in 1999. Combining a background in Economics from York University with formal culinary training, he has leveraged his dual expertise across progressive leadership roles in operations, training, marketing, and procurement.

As Chief Operating Officer, Paolo directs the strategic growth, menu execution, and operational performance for The Burger’s Priest across Canada.

Deeply committed to industry advocacy, Paolo served on the Board of Directors for the Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) representing Restaurants Canada, and is currently on the Board of Friends of We Care, a charitable organization that unites the foodservice and hospitality industries to support children living with disabilities.

Julie Dionne serves as Senior Vice-President, Restaurants Chief Operating Officer at Groupe St-Hubert, overseeing operations, guest experience, training and brand strategy for the restaurant division. Since joining St-Hubert in 2019, she has held progressive executive roles, previously serving as Vice-President of Marketing and Innovation and Director of Marketing. She also serves on the St-Hubert Foundation's Board of Directors.

Yianni joined Recipe Unlimited in 2015, leading projects across brand strategy, business insights and operations. He helped launch the Ultimate Kitchens concept, expand Recipe’s insights capabilities and negotiate third-party delivery agreements that strengthened profitability and brand presence.

As Vice President of Marketing for Montana’s BBQ & Bar, Yianni used data-driven strategies to deliver record sales and traffic growth, secure high-profile national partnerships and acquire title rights for the Montana’s Brier and Canadian Olympic Curling Trials.

As Chief Operating Officer, Yianni leads Olive Garden in Canada, spearheading an ambitious growth plan to expand the brand’s national footprint and build long-term market leadership. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business.

Richard’s career with the organization began in 2011 as an Area Manager in Alberta with FranWorks Group, where he quickly advanced into leadership as Director of Quality Assurance and later Director of Operations. He was subsequently appointed Vice-President of State & Main.

In his current role, Richard leads the brand’s strategic vision, overseeing menu development, long-term planning, talent acquisition, franchisee support, and overall performance.

Richard has spent his career in hospitality, beginning while attending the University of Calgary, and has completed specialized hospitality and restaurant operations training through Disney University.

Shannon leads brand operations, strategic growth, and guest experience for Kelseys Original Roadhouse, bringing over 24 years of marketing and executive leadership experience to the role.

Shannon joined Recipe in 2017 as Marketing Director for Kelseys and later oversaw marketing for the company’s Social Division brands. Prior to joining Recipe, she spent over a decade in consumer packaged goods and health sectors, leading brand marketing for Nestlé Purina PetCare and Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, as well as serving as Creative Agency Lead at Cancer Care Ontario. She began her career in account management at top advertising agencies, including Leo Burnett and FCB.

Shannon holds a degree from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University.

Jay’s passion for hospitality spans over 25 years, driving success across prominent private and public restaurant organizations. A co-developer of both concepts, he helped launch Añejo Restaurant in 2012 and Blanco Cantina in 2015, subsequently scaling the portfolio to 10 high-performing locations across Canada.

As brand leader, Jay directs the strategic growth, concept innovation, and daily operations for both concepts, leveraging his deep entrepreneurial and operational expertise.

Michael leads operational strategy and restaurant execution for Harvey’s across Canada, serving as a key driver of the brand’s long-term growth and market expansion.

With 25 years at Recipe, Michael brings an end-to-end understanding of restaurant operations to his executive leadership. His career in foodservice began managing his family’s Harvey’s franchise in Hull, Québec, before joining Recipe’s corporate Restaurant Opening Team in 1997. Over his tenure, he has held virtually every position within the Harvey’s organization, progressing from team cook and general manager to HR Business Partner, Director of Operations, and Senior Director of Operations before being appointed Chief Operating Officer.

Adam’s career with Original Joe’s spans over 25 years, starting in 1998. Having worked across every front-of-house and back-of-house position, he advanced through multi-unit restaurant management before holding leadership roles in Human Resources, Training, and Operations. He was appointed Vice-President of Original Joe’s in 2017.

In his current role, Adam guides the overall brand vision and operational strategy for Original Joe’s, while overseeing brand-level training, facilities, POS management, and off-premise initiatives. His deep operational roots and extensive tenure bring invaluable leadership to the brand and its restaurant network.

Mark leads brand operations and strategy for Montana’s BBQ & Bar, bringing over 30 years of industry experience and a track record as a dedicated brand champion and relationship builder.

Mark joined Recipe as Vice-President of Operations overseeing both Swiss Chalet and Harvey’s before stepping into brand leadership for Montana’s, which he has guided for the past nine years. Prior to joining Recipe, he held executive operational roles in casual dining, serving as brand leader for Moxies and Director of Operations for Red Lobster.

Franco leads operational excellence and growth for Swiss Chalet, one of Canada's most iconic restaurant brands.

With over 31 years of foodservice industry experience, Franco began his career with McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada before joining Recipe 21 years ago. Throughout his tenure with the organization, he has held progressive operational and brand leadership roles across major concepts, including Harvey’s and Montana’s. Prior to stepping into his current role with Swiss Chalet in October 2022, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Recipe’s Social Division, where he led operations across Kelseys, Prime Pubs, The Landing Group, and Bier Markt.

Marla’s career with Elephant & Castle began in Washington, D.C. as Event Sales Manager, advancing through key operational roles including General Manager in Chicago. In 2017, she was named U.S. Area Manager, directing restaurant operations across four major metropolitan markets, before taking the helm to lead the Elephant & Castle brand in 2019.

In her current role, Marla guides the strategic direction, daily operations, and performance of the brand, leveraging her strong background in sales, multi-unit management, and hospitality execution.

Marla holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Alabama.

Jesse’s career with Recipe began in 2015 following the acquisition of The Landing Group, where he was one of the founding partners. Bringing over 22 years of industry experience across diverse hospitality concepts, he advanced to Senior Director of Operations in 2022 before being promoted to Vice-President in 2023, expanding his portfolio to oversee The Landing Group, Bier Markt, Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar, and The Pickle Barrel brands.

In his current role, Jesse directs the strategic vision and brand performance across his portfolio, leveraging his deep operational foundation to drive guest experience and business growth.

Hadley joined Franworks Group of Companies in 2012, holding progressive leadership roles across the group’s full brand portfolio in key markets throughout Western Canada. Having served as a core leader with Blanco Cantina since 2020, he stepped into overall brand leadership in 2026 to drive operations, team culture, and strategic expansion across Canada, most recently spearheading the brand's growth into Toronto with its flagship Annex location.