Founderology Progress Summit
To rejoice the spirit of innovation, the Founderology Progress Summit, being held Feb. 2-4 in Austin, will host a particular ceremony to honor the “High 5 Movers & Shakers: Visionary Restaurant Founders.”
Picture: Willie Lawless/Networld Media Group
January 15, 2026 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
Behind each iconic restaurant model is a founder who noticed a spot out there and stuffed it lengthy earlier than the remainder of the trade caught on. To rejoice that spirit of innovation, the Founderology Progress Summit, being held Feb. 2-4 in Austin, will host a particular ceremony to honor the “High 5 Movers & Shakers: Visionary Restaurant Founders.”
The presentation, on Feb. 3, can be led by Kathleen Wooden, founder and CEO of Kathleen Wooden Companions, and Aman Devgan, chief advertising and marketing officer of HungerRush. The session goals to highlight the leaders who’ve turned kitchen-table concepts into nationwide actions. These leaders remind us that the subsequent ‘large factor’ is often sitting in somebody’s kitchen or a fuel station proper now, ready for a visionary to deliver it to life.
“Founders are the spine of our trade,” Wooden stated. “They’re the innovators. The sport changers. The rule breakers. It’s an honor to acknowledge these excellent Founders who’re creating the way forward for our trade right now.”
The 2026 honorees signify a various cross-section of the fast-casual trade, starting from plant-based pioneers to espresso moguls and sandwich visionaries.
The 2026 Visionary Honorees
Pinky Cole (Slutty Vegan / Bar Vegan): A culinary disruptor who remodeled the notion of plant-based meals, Cole has turned her Atlanta-based idea right into a nationwide cultural phenomenon. Acknowledged by Forbes and Restaurant Hospitality, she is being honored for her skill to mix high-growth enterprise with neighborhood philanthropy.
Jeff Perera (Jeff’s Bagel Run): Perera is being acknowledged for scaling a home-kitchen ardour venture right into a fast-growing sensation with out shedding the “people-first” tradition. His transition from senior management in different sectors to the bagel world has confirmed that hospitality is the last word secret ingredient.
Derrick Hayes (Huge Dave’s Cheesesteaks): Beginning in a 700-square-foot fuel station to honor his late father, Hayes has constructed a multi-million greenback model rooted in resilience. In 2025, he made historical past because the highest-ranked Black entrepreneur within the historical past of theQuick Informal High 100 Movers & Shakers listing.
Brandon and Camrin Knudsen (Ziggi’s Espresso): This duo is being celebrated for his or her journey from a single small-town café in Colorado to a nationwide franchise powerhouse. By studying the enterprise from the bottom up — together with mopping flooring and managing stock — they’ve constructed a scalable drive-thru mannequin centered on the “Ziggi’s Fam” tradition.
Arman Oganesyan (Dave’s Sizzling Rooster): Oganesyan’s journey from an actor and comic to the co-founder of a billion-dollar model is a masterclass in trendy advertising and marketing. Beginning in a Hollywood car parking zone in 2017, Dave’s Sizzling Rooster has turn into one of many fastest-growing names within the trade.
The awards ceremony will conclude with a bunch picture of the visionaries on stage. Following the presentation, attendees may have the chance to dive deeper into these success tales in the course of the breakout session, “Behind the Success: Award-Winners Classes Discovered Q&A.”
Register right here for Founderology, the one occasion designed for founders.
About Cherryh Cansler
Included In This Story
HungerRush
The POS Associate Behind Each Nice Visitor Expertise
HungerRush brings each a part of your restaurant collectively — orders, friends, information — in a single platform constructed for quick informal and quick-serve multi-location manufacturers able to develop.
Request Data
