Steve Provost, president of Brinker International Inc.’s Maggiano’s Little Italy division, will retire at the end of August, the company announced Thursday.
The Dallas-based Brinker, which also owns the Chili’s Grill & Bar brand, said Provost had joined Brinker in 2009 as senior vice president of marketing and brand strategy, Maggiano's, and later that year became brand president, leading strategy and overseeing growth and development, operations, marketing, culinary and PeopleWorks. Maggion’s has 52 units.
The company said it will conduct an external search for a president to modernize the brand and accelerate its growth.
“Steve is a one-of-a-kind, humble and courageous leader with an incredible presence and knack for storytelling that will be missed," said Kevin Hochman, Brinker president and CEO, in a statement. “He is leaving the brand in a stronger position, having continued the legacy of making both guests and teammates feel special, and I am grateful for his leadership and the wonderful foundation he and the team built.”
After working with Maggiano’s, Provost was promoted to executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Chili's in 2017, where he launched the brand's everyday value platform, brought back the Baby Back Ribs jingle and invested in digital marketing. In 2018, Provost took on a new role as chief concept officer, leading supply-chain management, driving strategic growth and culinary innovation. He also conceived and launched Brinker's first virtual brand, It's Just Wings. In 2020, he resumed his role as Maggiano's president, helping lead the brand out of COVID19 pandemic.
Prior to joining Brinker, Provost served in leadership roles in marketing, operations, franchise and concept development for multiple brands, including Quizno's, PepsiCo and Yum! Brands.
"My first restaurant job was as a 16-year-old dishwasher in Montpelier, Vt.,” Provost said. “Decades later, I have been fortunate to end my restaurant career with a company that embodies the Norman Brinker [founder of the company] spirit of hospitality and servant leadership. To travel the country helping bus tables and wash dishes at a restaurant chain as beloved as Maggiano's is an honor for anyone who loves restaurants as much as I do.”
Brinker, founded in 1975, owns, operates, and franchises more than 1,600 restaurants in 30 countries and two U.S. territories.
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