Hands of chefs wearing gloves stacked together over a kitchen counter with vegetables in the foreground.

the team behind rudy's

Exceptional Dining Starts with Exceptional People

We hire operators, not layers. Chefs who care about the plate. Leaders who are in the café, not on calls. People who understand that great hospitality isn’t managed from a distance — it’s built in real time, every day.
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That’s how we move faster, adapt quicker, and deliver a better experience without the friction of traditional food service models.

30+

years in kitchens and operations

Scaled

from a corner store to 10,000+ person corporate campuses

Built

and operated across michigan's most complex campuses

Leaders

on-site, not layered overhead

our people

our leaders

The People Who Own It

CEO & OWNER

Robert Esshaki

Leading Rudy's since 1990. Architect of every dining concept and hospitality standard. Opened Rudy's Prime Steakhouse in 2024 — named Hour Detroit's 2026 Restaurant of the Year. Entrepreneur, connector, culture-builder.

Co OWNER

Chris Thomas

35+ years in food. Pioneered fresh, housemade grab-and-go before it was a category. Every prepared food program flows through his kitchen philosophy. Scratch-made, no shortcuts, no committee approval.

senior Leadership Team

Operators Behind Every Experience

Senior Vice President

Jason Olinik

Operational Excellence and Parternships

Jason Olinik has spent 23 years working across nearly every format hospitality operates in — hotels, restaurants, airports, and corporate campuses nationwide. Nine of those years have been in contract dining, where he's learned that the best programs aren't built from a template. They're built around the client. As SVP of Operations and Partnerships, Jason leads RHG's growth strategy and every client relationship.

Chief People Officer

Kimberlee Scheich

People & Culture

Kimberle Scheich brings a people-first leadership approach to Rudy’s Hospitality Group, overseeing culture, team development, talent, and organizational support across the full operation. As Chief People Officer, she helps protect the standard as the company grows, making sure the people behind every experience are supported, prepared, and aligned. With a steady hand and deep care for the team, Kimberle plays a critical role in building the kind of workplace where hospitality starts internally before it ever reaches the guest

Director of Finance

Mackenzie Stites

Financial planning & Analysis

Mackenzie Stites brings seven-plus years of experience in strategic finance, FP&A, treasury management, and business operations. She has partnered with executive teams across professional services, automotive, and manufacturing to build scalable reporting systems and translate data into decisions that drive growth. A University of Michigan Statistics graduate, Mackenzie believes great finance teams don't just report results, they help create them.

supporting leadership

The Team Enhancing The Experience

Director of Project Management

Amanda Rieman

Coordinates special initiatives, new account launches, and cross-functional projects across Rudy's growing portfolio of partnerships.

director of operatitions - Catering and Concession

Andrew Sutherland

30+ years with Rudy's. The institutional knowledge behind every successful event and kitchen operation. A benchmark of what tenure means in this industry.

Director of Prepared Foods & Markets

Andy Stevens

Andy brings real-world experience from running restaurants, building teams, and managing performance at every level.

Executive chef & director of culinary

Joe Morin

Culinary Olympic Gold Medalist. 35 years across Michelin kitchens, country clubs, and international competition. The caliber of culinary talent no Michigan competitor can match. Every Rudy's menu begins and ends with Chef Joe.

Corporate Buyer & Community Lead

Lisa Walsh

Manages all purchasing relationships, vendor partnerships, and community outreach coordination across all Rudy's accounts.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Michael Gbur

Brings 27 years of running large corporate dining experience across the country. He oversees new launches, event logistics, and operational execution. Michael helps ensure Rudy’s programs perform under pressure, at scale, and without losing the details that matter.

how we operate

Our Operating Standards

These aren’t suggestions. They’re how we run every café, every market, every day.

Be a Great Teammate

Energy, reliability, and genuine care for each other, our partners, and every guest who walks through a Rudy’s dining room.

Unreasonable Hospitality

Attention to detail. Consistency. Care. Every shift. Every day.

We Love Food

Genuine passion in every menu decision, every sourcing choice, every concept. You taste the difference between obligation and love.

We Create Raving Fans

Going out of our way, every day, to make every guest’s day better.

Transparent & Trusted

Radical honesty in kitchens, communication, and partnerships. Trust built through consistency and no hidden agendas.

Values aren't just for walls. They are for the kitchen.

work with a partner who cares

backed by trust

We Give Where It Matters

Karmanos Cancer Institute

We’re proud to support the Karmanos Cancer Institute and the critical work they do for patients and families across Michigan. Giving back to the communities we serve is part of how we define hospitality — showing up not just at the table, but when it matters most.

Chaldean Community Foundation

Rudy’s Market is honored to partner with the Chaldean Community Foundation. They are a 501c3 nonprofit organization serving southeast Michigan. The mission of the Chaldean Community Foundation provides individuals with necessary medical, mental health and social services to assist with American acculturation.

Adopt-a-Family

We have been honored and humbled to be able to work with Adopt A Family partners throughout the years. We have helped many families create and celebrate the holidays with gifts, love and meals made just for them. This tradition has become part of our DNA and everyone on our team participates with the fundraising efforts to help those in need.

Volunteers of America

Volunteers of America is a nonprofit organization founded in 1896 that provides affordable housing and other assistance services primarily to low-income people throughout the United States. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, the organization includes 32 affiliates and serves approximately 1.5 million people each year in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. In addition to those in need of affordable housing, VOA assists veterans, low-income seniors, children and families, the homeless, those with intellectual disabilities, those recovering from addiction, and the formerly incarcerated.

let's Talk

30-Minute Discovery Call. No Cost. No Obligation.

We come to your campus. We listen. We ask the right questions. Then we tell you honestly what we can do - and what we can’t.

Request a proposal