Qdoba, Auntie Anne's parent among restaurants making executive moves

Jeremy Vitaro has been named chief development officer and head of international for Qdoba. He is the former chief development officer for Little Caesars Pizza, and, before that, worked with Dunkin’ Brands for 18 years, ending that run as vice president of international development there, where he opened more than 4,000 Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins units.

GoTo Foods, formerly known as Focus Brands, has named Bobby Morena SVP of franchise development. Morena, who joined GoTo Foods in 2021 as vice president of portfolio management, will work on franchisee growth in the U.S. and Canada for the platform’s brands, which include Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Schlotzsky’s. He served previously as director of franchise development at Inspire Brands.

In Dallas, the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek has brought in Charles Olalia as executive chef of The Mansion Restaurant and The Mansion Bar. He previously was culinary director of Makeready Experience in Dallas and has worked at restaurants like Restaurant Guy Savoy, The French Laundry, Coi and Patina. Olalia joins Yannick Augy, area director of food and beverage, Americas, who also recently joined the family.

And, speaking of the hospitality company Makeready, Jacques Sorci has been appointed culinary director there, replacing Olalia. Sorci served previously as executive chef at The Rainbow Room in New York; in food-and-beverage at The Arizona Biltmore; and as vice president of culinary global at Hakkasan Group in Las Vegas.

Jean-Georges Philadelphia, a Forbes Five-Star restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, has announced the appointment of Colin Henderson as chef de cuisine. Chef Henderson’s arrival marks the beginning of a new chapter at the hotel. He plans to introduce a new à la carte menu format to the restaurant and provide guests with an approachable way to enjoy the fine-dining restaurant.

JD Rothberg, a co-founder of the Wild Eggs daytime dining chain, has returned to the brand as SVP of operations. Rothberg said he left the breakfast, lunch and brunch operation five years ago to pursue other opportunities, including a stint as director of operations for Bluegrass Restaurant Holdings, a Panera Bread and Pizza Hut franchisee. He returns to a chain that now extends across 15 locations in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.