Veteran industry executives bring 29 years of experience to groundbreaking fast-casual brand to lead marketing and culinary strategies
Irvine, CA (RestaurantNews.com) Pokeworks CEO Steve Heeley announced today that the leading premium fast-casual poke brand has named Abe van Beek as Director of Culinary and Michele LaMont as Director of Marketing.
On the culinary side, van Beek will be responsible for culinary development, including long-term menu expansion and optimization as well as the creation and implementation of limited time offers and new menu items.
LaMont will lead the day-to-day execution of national marketing programs and brand marketing while supporting both corporate and franchised locations. She will lead a team assisting operators with new restaurant openings, local store marketing and merchandising.
“Abe and Michele have proven themselves to be talented business leaders throughout their careers, and we are fortunate to have them join our team,” Heeley said. “With Abe’s eye for culinary perfection and Michele’s track record across the entire marketing spectrum, we believe they will help drive Pokeworks to continued success in the years ahead.”
A veteran in the industry, van Beek has spent 15 years specializing in project management, innovative sales development and menu analysis. He has created and implemented many new menu enhancements driven by his business-driven acumen as a corporate executive chef at Gelson’s Markets, director of culinary operations at Greenleaf Gourmet Chop Shop and menu innovation executive chef with IHOP.
LaMont brings 14 years of senior management experience in multiple facets of restaurant marketing and promotions. She has led branding and marketing strategies through product innovation, new business development and interactive technical design with IHOP and 911 Restoration.
To learn more about Pokeworks, its locations and view its full menu, visit pokeworks.com.
About Pokeworks
Pokeworks was founded in 2015 with the simple mission of spreading its love of poke – the crisp, fresh, healthy Hawaiian favorite – with the world. Pokeworks’ innovative Poke Your Way™ approach is groundbreaking, offering guests limitless ways to customize their poke order to match their eating preferences including vegan, gluten-free, and other mindful diets. The Poke Burrito has developed a cult-like following, much like Pokeworks’ proprietary sauces, which range from sweet and spicy to savory. Pokeworks believes in living a healthy lifestyle and eating meals made from the freshest, highest quality ingredients from sustainable food sources. In 2022, the brand was honored to be named the “Top Poke Franchise” by Startups Magazine. Pokeworks has quickly expanded to become the leading fast-casual poke brand in the world with three consecutive years on Fast Casual’s “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” list. The brand has more than 60 locations across 20 states, with Taiwan, Mexico and Canada coming soon. For more information, visit pokeworks.com or follow Pokeworks on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
Contact:
Kat McManigle
Champion
972-930-9933
kmcmanigle@championmgt.com
