Paul Fleming (restaurateur)

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Paul Martin Fleming is an American restaurateur. He has developed a number of restaurant chains, including P. F. Chang's China Bistro, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar,[1][2] Pei Wei Asian Diner, Z’Tejas Grills, and Paul Martin's American Grill.[3]

Early life[edit]

Fleming is a native of Franklin, Louisiana, and was raised in New Iberia, Louisiana.[4][5] His parents were Betty Angers and Robert Martin Fleming, his father worked as a superior court judge.[6][7] His grandfather was a farmer.[8] Fleming's access to fresh, local produce as a child was a large influence on his restaurant career.[3]

Fleming graduated from both Louisiana State University and Loyola University. As a student at Loyola in New Orleans, Fleming first worked in the hospitality industry.[5] When Fleming attended Louisiana State University, Fleming got his first restaurant job as a dishwasher at Saturday's.[3] From there, he became busboy, server, bartender, and finally, the manager.[3]

Fleming raised a family in Arizona. Then he moved to Calistoga, California in Napa Valley, where he and his first wife Kelly made wine from the organic grapes Paul grew.[3] They purchased the land in 1998, and in 2002 the Kelly Fleming Winery was founded.[9]

Fleming and his wife, Jody Goodenough-Fleming, currently reside in Southwest Florida where they are active members of the local community working with a variety of charitable organizations, in addition to continued focus on numerous projects in the restaurant space. [when?][10]

Career[edit]

Prior to working in restaurants, Fleming worked in the oil industry.[when?][1] When the oil industry collapsed, Fleming moved to Los Angeles.[when?] There, he began purchasing franchise rights to Ruth's Chris Steak House,[1] which he acquired in three states: California, Arizona, and Hawaii.[11]

In 1984, Fleming opened his first Ruth's Chris in Beverly Hills.[citation needed] In 1985, he opened another in Phoenix. Fleming opened his third location in San Francisco and a fourth in Hawaii. He eventually sold all of the franchises back to Ruth's Chris.

Fleming is the Founder P.F. Chang's China Bistro. The first of the now-cross-country restaurant chain appeared in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1993. The name P.F. Chang's is derived from Paul Fleming's initials (“PF"). He also conceptualized Pei Wei Asian Diner, a casual, quick-service offshoot of P.F. Chang's. P.F. Chang's was sold in 2012 for $1.1 billion.[12]

With co-founder Bill Allen, Fleming developed another restaurant chain that bears his name: Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar,[13] which started in 1998 in Newport Beach, California. Fleming's is operated as a joint venture with Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN.O) and has grown to 65 locations across the U.S.

In 2006, Fleming began tinkering with a new concept, Paul Martin's American Grill,[14][15] with restaurant industry veteran Brian Bennett. Specializing in Classic American cuisine,[16] the first grill opened in 2007 in Roseville, California.[17] There are now six restaurants in California, one in Arizona, and one in Austin, Texas.

In 2019, Fleming made a minority investment in a Barcelona-inspired tapas restaurant Boqueria.[18] Fleming also invested in the Tex-Mex restaurant Tacos & Tequila Cantina, which he later sold in 2021.[19]

In 2020, Fleming partnered with Naples, Florida developer and restaurateur, Adam Smith to expand and grow the popular Lake Park Diner by Smith Organics. The use of steroids, antibiotics, hormones, or GMOs are not present in any of the food offered at Lake Park Diner, and this locally loved brand is poised for growth and expansion with a second location planned to open in Summer 2022.

Fleming and his wife, Jody Goodenough-Fleming, co-founded PJK Neighborhood Chinese in 2021. The Florida-inspired, neighborhood Chinese restaurant brand will debut in Naples, Florida in late 2022. Jody Goodenough-Fleming is CEO of Paul Fleming Restaurants leading strategic growth plans for PJK and new emerging concepts in the state of Florida.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Rob Asghar (September 14, 2014). "Grow Slow: Lessons From Legendary Restaurauter Paul Fleming". Forbes Magazine. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  2. ^ "Matchbox Food Group Adds Investors to Fuel Growth". FSR magazine. 12 March 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-03-15. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  3. ^ a b c d e "QandA with Restaurateur Paul Fleming". Great Taste Magazine. 30 June 2009. Archived from the original on 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2013-07-25.
  4. ^ Pritchett, Vanessa (March 28, 1997). "Fleming Opens Restaurant". St. Mary Parish Library Archives. Franklin, Louisiana. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2019. Paul Fleming, a native of Franklin...{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ a b Scott, Michael Dot (March 1, 2016). "Did You Know The P.F. In 'P.F. Chang's' Is From Right Here In Acadiana?". 97.3 The Dawg. Archived from the original on 2017-03-10. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  6. ^ "Judge Robert M. Fleming". The Daily Iberian. 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-11-27. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  7. ^ "Franklin Judge Speaking at USL Commencement". Newspapers.com. The Daily Advertiser from Lafayette, Louisiana. May 12, 1995. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2023-08-24. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  8. ^ Williams, Teri (30 June 2009). "QandA with Restaurateur Paul Fleming". www.great-taste.net. Archived from the original on 2021-11-24. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
  9. ^ "Kelly Fleming Winery - The Napa Wine Project". 28 July 2016. Archived from the original on 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  10. ^ Keates, Nancy (2011-12-30). "In Napa, Blending a House and Winery". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 2021-01-17. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  11. ^ "QandA with Restaurateur Paul Fleming". Great Taste. 30 June 2009. Archived from the original on 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2013-07-25.
  12. ^ "Centerbridge to buy P.F. Chang's for $1.1 billion". Reuters. 2012-05-01. Archived from the original on 2020-05-09. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  13. ^ "Man behind P.F. Chang's, Fleming's bringing latest restaurant concept to Scottsdale". Phoenix Business Journal. 12 February 2014. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  14. ^ Luna, Nancy (November 17, 2011). "New Irvine eatery part of O.C. restaurant boom". The Orange County Register. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  15. ^ "Not just another chain restaurant". Mountain View Voice. Archived from the original on 2014-08-28. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  16. ^ "Paul Martin's American Grill". Desert Living Today.[permanent dead link]
  17. ^ "Fleming debuts Paul Martin's American Bistro in Calif". Nation's Restaurant News. October 30, 2007. Archived from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  18. ^ "Paul Fleming agrees to invest in Tex-Mex concept". Nation's Restaurant News. 2019-05-30. Archived from the original on 2020-08-29. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  19. ^ "Industry veteran Paul Fleming invests in New York tapas concept Boqueria". Restaurant Hospitality. 2019-08-01. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
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