THE TEAM
Where the Passion Begins
Kiwi Restaurant Partners is a team of exceptional results-driven leaders who love our profession. Our team is focused, collaborative, and adaptable to the fast-changing and increasingly complex food and beverage environment.
With over 175 years of hospitality service, management, and executive leadership in all areas of our industry, KRP's executives have the diversity and depth of experience to drive change and exceed expectations.
TROY HOOPER
CEO - Founder
With 30 years of hospitality management in luxury, casual, and fast casual dining, Troy brings a breadth of knowledge and diverse experience to KRP. Troy has built new concepts, redesigned and rebranded existing restaurants and hotels, and improved upon well-established venues throughout the U.S. for iconic brands such as Hilton Corporate, Sheraton, TPC Golf Clubs, as well as luxury Caribbean resorts and exclusive private memberships clubs. Since 2017, Troy has led the emerging restaurant scaling practice at KRP, where the team supports the growth ambitions of small to medium-sized restaurant groups by providing outsourced C-Suite and full project management services.
A corporate business and operations specialist, Troy has a proven track record of aggressive top and bottom-line growth while attracting and training top talent which create robust cultures that deliver world-class service.
MARK BAILEY
SVP Restaurant Development & Operations -
Board Member
A well-known veteran of the restaurant operations and franchise development establishment for over 40 years, Mark has readied, launched, and scaled dozens of concepts for franchising. His success stories include; Subway, Boston Chicken (Boston Market), Chronic Tacos, and Poke Works. Mark served as National Director of Operations for Mr. Gattie's Pizza overseeing more than 350 locations. In addition to his concept and operations development work in franchises, Mark consults on all aspects of service and operations issues for full-service restaurants, from fine dining to quick-service brands.
JIM MIZES
Chief Strategy Officer - Board Member
Known as a “first follower” or “fastest follower” helping founders & entrepreneurs bring their vision to life and scale their brands. Jim leads with a focus on people that delivers an enduring culture, impressive growth, and solid financial results. Jim led Blaze Pizza, as CEO, to become the fastest restaurant chain to 300 units in history, while perfecting a new service model. He is a visionary and a systems specialist who leverages thoughtful consideration while executing with precision and speed to ensure market domination. Jim was also President of Einstein's/Noah’s Bagels, Freebirds World Burrito, and senior executive at Jamba Juice.
MASSIMO DE MARCO
Chief Innovation & Technology Officer - Board Member
A hospitality entrepreneur with career-long experience developing and growing restaurant concepts. Massimo’s roles spanned from Chief Culinary Officer to COO, multi-unit owner, and Founder of one of the most revolutionary companies in foodservice with Kitchen United. Previously leading operations for SBE Entertainment Group and Wolfgang Puck among others, Massimo is a leader in operational efficiency and performing under the highest pressures while producing the most innovative products for the most discerning clientele.
REGINA CHEUNG
Chief Financial Strategist - Board Member
In her most recent role as CFO at Pokeworks, Regina leads the entire finance team and direction of the company. While VP of Finance at Blaze Pizza, the leader in the fast-casual artisan pizza category with over 300 locations across the US, Canada, and the Middle East, Regina lead financial reporting, budgeting and planning, and all things analytics focusing on unit-level profitability. Previously Regina was the Strategy and Finance Manager at Panda Restaurant Group and has since consulted for brands such as H&R Block, Coffee Bean, and Yogurtland. She received her B.A. in Business Economics and Communication Studies and her Masters in Business Administration from UCLA.
NIKKI NEWMAN
Chief Culinary Officer
Nikki Newman is a French classically trained chef who spent over twenty years in the hospitality industry. Newman played an integral role in opening and redeveloping multiple casinos, hotels, and restaurants over the course of her career, including working at prestigious hotels and resorts from East Tennessee to the coast of California for Vail Resorts and Hilton Hotels. During her time as the Executive Chef of the Hilton Denver City Center, Newman was handpicked to serve on Hilton’s Food and Beverage Council of the Americas. Newman has always put a strong emphasis on education, earning multiple certificates and licenses over the years, including the designation of Certified Holistic Nutritionist stemming from a deep belief that clean eating will lead to a long and healthy life. Newman has a history of partnering with high schools, colleges, and local continuing education advocates to build apprenticeship and internship programs to create and foster learning environments for prospective culinary employees, students, and youth in the community. Nikki continues to stay current in the high-pressure, challenging, innovative, and ever-changing food and beverage industry.
CHRISTIAN FISCHER
EVP Campus and Concessions
As one of the youngest “Kuchen Meisters” or Master Chefs of Austria, Christian gained critical acclaim for innovative, groundbreaking cuisine when he opened his first of nineteen full-service restaurants at age nineteen. Since arriving in America, he has held roles as Chief Culinary Officer, VP of Culinary Innovation, and Director of Culinary for Compass Group, Yale University, and Nestle respectively. Christian has won many prestigious awards, but maybe none more so than being inducted into the Le Amis d’ Escoffier Society in 2000. He is one of the most masterful leaders across all disciplines of the culinary business and gives generously of his talent and knowledge.
VALENTINO LA ROSA
Creative Director - Board Member
The Founder of Mangia Organica an theand creative mind behind the SupaFresh, My Mein Kitchen, and LasagnaRama concepts. Valentino started his career in the world of financial accounting, working for companies such as Unilever and Verizon Wireless. He then shifted gears and started his own audio/video production company working for Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, Footlocker, and Vidal Sassoon. In recent years he decided to combine his career skills with his passion for healthy cooking and living to create concepts in the fast-casual restaurant space to improve people's lives through food.
ERIN HOOPER
EVP Catering & Events
A career-long specialist in high profile and upscale event sales, planning, and operations for the most discerning clients in entertainment, sports, and business.
Erin oversees the catering and conference businesses for KRP. Erin’s experience in selling, managing, and directing in luxury hotels and resort properties include a ten property resort group in the Caribbean, the downtown Miami RockResorts boutique Hotel TEMPO, Vail’s iconic Lodge at Vail and Arrabelle, nine venues with Breckenridge Hospitality, Laguna Beach’s legendary Surf and Sand Resort, Hollywood's renowned Roosevelt Hotel, Kimpton’s first true luxury property, La Peer Hotel, and the ultra-luxury Rosewood Miramar Beach Resort.
Erin is considered to be one of the foremost experts and beloved professionals in her field.