Bob Spivak is co-founder and co-chairman, president and chief executive officer, for Grill Concepts, Inc., a company that was originally formed in 1988 and became publicly held in 1995. Grill Concepts, Inc. currently operates 20 Daily Grill restaurants throughout Southern and Northern California, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Texas, Oregon, and Washington. In addition, there are 7 The Grill on the Alley restaurants, which are located in Beverly Hills CA, Hollywood CA, San Jose CA, Westlake Village CA, Chicago IL, Dallas TX, and Aventura FL. Bob, who is a 45-year veteran of the restaurant and food industry, comes from a family that ran restaurants in Los Angeles from 1946 to 1972. Bob began his career working in the family-owned chain of Smokey Joe’s barbecue restaurants. After school, he managed several of the family’s operations, including the landmark Redwood House in the Los Angeles Civic Center. Bob left the family business to manage the food operations at the Fedco discount department stores and, along with the owners of Fedco Foods, he developed the much-copied Soup N’ Such restaurant chain. In the early 1980s, Bob formed a partnership with Michael Weinstock and Dick Shapiro to open the highly successful Beverly Hills restaurant, The Grill on the Alley, a traditional American grill with the by-words, “Quality Without Compromise.” The Grill was inducted into the Fine Dining Hall of Fame by Nation’s Restaurant News in 1995. Considered one of Los Angeles’ “power spots,” The Grill is the upscale model for the Daily Grill, a concept based on high-quality food and service at a price point that reaches a far wider audience. In 1965, Bob was appointed to the California delegation to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. He served on the commission for 3 years. Bob is a director for the California Restaurant Association and is also a director and past chairman of the Board of Advisors for The Collins College of Hospitality Management. Bob is also past chairman of the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (CRAEF) and has served on the Board of Directors for the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. In September 2000, Bob received the Spirit of Life Award, which is the most prestigious award given by the City of Hope. In 2004, Bob was awarded the California Restaurant Association’s Elizabeth Burns Lifetime Achievement Award. Bob was also selected by the California Restaurant Association as their 2006/2007 California Restaurateur of the Year. Bob and his wife Leslie are recipients of the 2006 Robert Mondavi Wine & Food Award. Bob is a co-founder of the restaurant development firm, Spivak and Frank. They assist people in developing and opening restaurant concepts. They have worked with Dunkin Donuts, Baskin’ Robbins, Take A Bao, Kichi Grill, and Lucky Robata Grill. Take this maiden voyage episode of Mr. Restaurant with Bob Spivak, restaurant icon, Food God! www.dailygrill.com www.thegrillonthealley.com/westlake-village/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wknox.substack.com
