Local Kitchens tapped former Veggie Grill co-president Jay Gentile to serve as head of operations. As his title implies, Gentile will oversee kitchen operations with a particular focus on the optimization of supply chains and the launch of new locations.

Gentile brings more than 28 years of experience in the food and beverage industry to his role with Local Kitchens. Gentile most recently served as the CEO and co-president of multiconcept operator Veggie Grill and its family of restaurant brands; Veggie Grill, Stand-up Burgers and Mas Veggies Taqueria. While at Veggie Grill, he helped expand the business into six states, per a Local Kitchens release. His background also includes serving as director of USA/head of country for European coffee concept Caffè Nero and was a regional vice president for Au Bon Pain.

“I see major growth for Local Kitchens in the upcoming years, becoming a national brand that serves guests in various suburban and urban locations, as well as non-traditional markets such as transportation centers, universities, and hospitals,” Gentile says.

Local Kitchens describes itself as a “restaurant platform that combines multiple restaurants under one roof and offers guests the convenience to order across multiple menus.”