Industry veteran Michael Sternberg has been named president of Sunnyside Restaurant Group, and has an eye on building the multiconcept group’s franchise operations.
Based in Washington, D.C., Sunnyside is the parent company to 14 restaurants created by the family of chef Spike Mendelsohn, including Harvey, Cathy and Micheline Mendelsohn. Their concepts include the “fine-casual” Good Stuff Eatery, We, The Pizza and Santa Rosa Taqueria.
On the company’s website, two new concepts are listed as “coming soon:” a chicken-sandwich concept called Bumble Birds, and Big Top Ice Cream Bar, promising “the greatest soft serve on earth.”
Most recently CEO of restaurant consulting group Sternberg Hospitality, Sternberg started his career at Morton’s of Chicago, and he later founded the concepts Sam & Harry’s Steakhouse, The Caucus Room and Harry’s Tap Room. He was president of the restaurant division for foodservice contractor Centerplate Inc., CEO of Star Restaurant Group in Washington, D.C., and later CEO of the parent company to the Rare Steakhouse chain.
Michael Sternberg/Photo courtesy of Sunnyside Restaurant Group.
Micheline Mendelsohn, Sunnyside’s co-founder and principal, said in a statement, “Having worked with Michael for the last year and a half on a variety of projects, we got to know his talents first-hand. My parents and I are thrilled to have him join our team permanently. We are all energized to take Sunnyside to the next level of growth and distinction.”
Sternberg said in a statement it was an opportunity he couldn’t refuse.
“I enjoyed my consulting practice very much but the chance to join the Mendelsohn family in growing the company, while continuing their legacy of operational excellence, was too great an opportunity to pass up,” he said in a statement. “The restaurant concepts, the food quality and the operational standards are superb and are well-suited to growth in almost every market.”
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