Brinker CEO, President Earns IFMA Gold Plate Award

Kevin Hochman, CEO and president of Brinker Int’l., took home the 2025 Gold Plate Award from the IFMA The Food Away from Home Association during a celebration in Chicago this past Saturday.

Hochman was nominated in the chain full service category by the Coca Cola Co. and selected from the eight honorees who took home a Silver Plate Award this year.

Hochman joined Brinker in 2022 as CEO and president. The company oversees Chili’s Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy, and serves about 800,000 guests daily, with a workforce of more than 70,000. IFMA says, under Hochman’s leadership, the company’s market capitalization has increased to over $7 billion.

In his acceptance speech, Hochman said the success of Chili’s led him to three realizations: “One: Dining out is not dead … eating out is as relevant as ever for consumers. Two: If you can do the fundamentals well … you can make your operation a success. And Three: Listen to the front lines. Those closest to the customer can help you make better decisions.”