At Pepper Lunch, we believe exceptional dining experiences start with exceptional leadership. As we rapidly expand across North America, our success wouldn't be possible without the visionary executives who guide our brand every day. Today, we're thrilled to introduce you to the passionate leaders who are bringing the authentic Japanese DIY teppanyaki experience to communities across North America.

Leading With Hospitality Excellence & Strategic Vision

When Troy Hooper joined as CEO of Hot Palette America in February 2023, he brought more than 30 years of unparalleled hospitality expertise. Starting his career working his way through fine dining kitchens, Troy understands every aspect of restaurant operations from the ground up. His impressive track record includes achieving Platinum Clubs of America 5-Star ratings and transforming properties to AAA 4-Diamond status.

"My goal every day is to truly connect with those who look to me for leadership and assist them in exceeding their own expectations," Troy shares. This philosophy drives our entire organization. Under his leadership, we've secured nearly 100 restaurants in our development pipeline in under two years. Troy's recent recognition as a Top 25 Executive in the Fast-Casual Industry reflects the impact he's making not just at Pepper Lunch, but across the entire restaurant landscape.

Complementing Troy's strategic vision is Mark Bailey, our Chief Operating Officer, who brings four decades of franchise operations expertise. Mark's journey with us began as a consultant throughout 2023 before he joined full-time in early 2024. Having scaled iconic brands like Boston Market and managed operations for 350+ locations at Mr. Gatti's Pizza, Mark specializes in building infrastructure for emerging franchise chains.

"We support our franchisees every step of the way," Mark emphasizes. "Our onboarding program is very detailed and systematic to guide the franchisee from onboarding to fully operational." This hands-on approach ensures each new Pepper Lunch location opens with the support each franchisee needs, a staff fully trained, and ready to deliver the exceptional dining experience our guests expect.

Driving Innovation Through Technology and Creative Excellence

Our digital transformation wouldn't be possible without Jonathan Whiteside, our Creative & Technology Director. Jonathan joined Pepper Lunch in March 2023 as a contractor, initially building our website and technology stack, and has since had his role evolve into overseeing all digital operations. As a former digital agency owner, business consultant, software designer, and systems architect, Jonathan combines creative design with cutting-edge technology to enhance both customer and franchisee experiences.

Jonathan's expertise in design, marketing, and technology empowers our brand and franchise partners with sophisticated tools that streamline our business while maintaining the authentic Pepper Lunch experience. His visionary approach helps us set new benchmarks in the digital landscape of the fast-casual sector, ensuring our online platforms are both visually stunning and highly functional.

Building Brand Momentum Through Strategic Marketing

The newest addition to our executive team, Justin Bartek, joined us as Director of Marketing in 2025, bringing nearly 20 years of restaurant marketing expertise. Justin's track record speaks volumes. He helped grow The Halal Guys and JINYA Ramen Bar from a regional favorite to a national phenomenon.

"Do the work. Be open. Live limitless. Surprise & Delight." Justin believes. This philosophy aligns perfectly with our brand values. His expertise in franchise marketing, hyperlocal strategies, and creating memorable brand partnerships positions us to accelerate our growth while maintaining the authentic experience that makes Pepper Lunch special. Justin's appointment comes at a pivotal time as we prepare to double our locations annually.

Fueling Franchise Growth & Real Estate Expansion

Our franchise development success stems from the expertise of Paul T. Tran, our Director of Franchise Sales. With over 20 years in restaurant franchising and personally selling over 1,000 franchises throughout his career, Paul brings both franchisor and franchisee perspectives to our team. As the former owner of 9 Halal Guys locations generating $15 million annually, he understands what it takes to build successful restaurant operations.

Paul's passion for Pepper Lunch began during a 2016 trip to Australia, where he first experienced our concept. Now, he's not just selling franchises, he's personally invested with 12 stores under development across California. "Happy, profitable, and engaged franchisees are the small hinges that swing big doors," Paul explains. This franchisee-first mentality drives our approach to partnership and support.

Working alongside Paul is Dana Hathaitham, our Director of Real Estate & Development, who brings pioneering experience from the ghost kitchen revolution. As a founding member of Kitchen United, which raised over $150M and planned 400 locations nationwide, Dana understands how to innovate in restaurant development. Her unique background spanning biomedical sciences, construction, and hospitality gives her fresh perspectives on creating exceptional dining spaces.

Dana's expertise in design, workflow optimization, and construction management ensures each new Pepper Lunch location maximizes both operational efficiency and guest experience. Her work supporting entrepreneurs from local startups to international brands prepared her perfectly for guiding our aggressive expansion across North America.

Supporting Operational Excellence At Every Level

Our commitment to operational excellence extends throughout our organization. Justin Rono serves as our Head Store Trainer, ensuring consistent execution of the Pepper Lunch experience across all locations. While maintaining our high standards, Justin helps implement our innovative "No Prep, Low Labor Model" that requires maximum 6 employees per location with no prior culinary experience needed.

A leadership team built for explosive growth

Together, our leadership team combines over 100 years of restaurant industry experience with fresh perspectives and innovative approaches. From Troy's hospitality excellence and Mark's operational expertise, to Jonathan's digital innovation and Justin Bartek's marketing prowess, we've assembled a team uniquely qualified to guide Pepper Lunch's North American expansion.

Paul's franchise development success and Dana's real estate & construction expertise ensure we're not just opening restaurants, we're building a sustainable network of profitable locations that serve as community gathering places. With Justin Rono maintaining operational standards across our growing system, every guest enjoys the same sizzling experience whether they visit us in California, Florida, Utah, or any of our expanding markets.

Our average unit volume has grown from $1.3 million in 2022 to $1.617 million today, with 100% of our North American restaurants achieving positive same-store sales growth. These results reflect our leadership team's commitment to franchisee success and operational excellence.

Sizzling toward the future together

As we continue our journey toward 100+ North American locations by 2026, our leadership team remains focused on what matters most: supporting our franchise partners, delivering exceptional guest experiences, and staying true to our Japanese heritage while embracing American innovation.

We're reating a movement where every guest becomes the Master Chef of their own culinary journey. With our exceptional leadership team guiding our growth, we're confident that the best is yet to come for Pepper Lunch in North America.

Ready to be part of our sizzling story? Now is the perfect time to explore Pepper Lunch franchise opportunities. Get started on our Franchise Applicant Portal today!