Michael Vucurevich: Principal

For more than 20 years, Michael has successfully led complex high-volume restaurants that evolve and prosper. In 2004 he joined forces with his long-time protégé, Dan Simons, to form Vucurevich Simons Advisory Group.

Since early 2004, Michael and the team at VSAG have imparted their expertise and passion for the hospitality industry to transform good ideas into successful businesses, from multiunit chains to food trucks to singular concepts and ideas that need the right combination of menu, flavors, cooking, operations and inspiration. The most recent example of this is the complete turnaround of a former struggling restaurant in the Georgetown waterfront in Washington, D.C., into a thriving new concept that embraces American regional cooking. The sister restaurant to Founding Farmers, Farmers & Fishers was relaunched with a new menu and integration of best practices for service and operations that have made it one of D.C.’s most popular dining destinations.

Michael’s corporate restaurant career prior to founding VSAG shows a clear track record of success with some of the best brands in the business. Michael was the top executive with The Cheesecake Factory working directly with the founder and successfully ran and grew the company from two restaurants into a wildly successful publicly held company that now has more than 160 stores. After 11 years of running Cheesecake (six years pre-IPO, five years post-IPO), Michael was lured away by Norman Brinker and Phil Romano and in just three years, he grew the $8 million/year eatZi’s Market and Bakery concept into a $65 million/year corporation. After growing the eatZi’s concept, Michael was recruited by Al Copeland of Copeland’s Restaurants to turn around and grow his company and create new concepts such as the award-winning Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro.

With an absolute passion for food, restaurants and innovative and interesting ideas, Michael brings his hands-on approach, decades of experience and tenacious attitude to every project, be it for a boutique concept or a large, nationally recognized chain. Michael’s frequent travel and knowledge of food are a powerful combination and a great asset to any project.

Michael grew up in Northern California and now resides in Austin, Texas, where he and his wife, Robin, live with their children, Alexandra and Cole. As a family, they love to travel and experience the sites, music, arts, theater, amusements and, of course, all kinds of food. Prior to Austin, Michael and his family lived in the heart of New Orleans, where in addition to being a frequent diner in the French Quarter, he also served on the board of Big Brothers & Big Sisters of New Orleans, helping organize events and fundraising efforts.

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