Chief Brand Officer
Panda Restaurant Group
Cherng, chief brand officer of Panda Restaurant Group, has been instrumental in elevating Panda Express as a leader in American Chinese cuisine.
In November, Cherng led the reopening of Panda Inn Pasadena after nearly two years of renovations. The updated restaurant features a sushi bar and private rooms as well as the dishes Panda is known for. She pioneered new menu items and launched initiatives like “Let’s Explore!: Lunar New Year” and short films celebrating multicultural heritage.
“The entire restaurant and the menu, the decor, everything (is) in honor of and a living legacy of my grandfather’s journey,” she said at the time. “For many of us, we have those people that paved the way for us, and we hope that this restaurant always stands as a reminder of giving thanks.”
Cherng established the $10 million Panda CommUnity Fund in 2021, an investment dedicated to lifting diverse voices and cultivating cross-cultural dialogue.
The restaurant chain, which has 2,500 locations globally, was founded by her parents, Andrew Cherng, who serves as its co-chief executive, his wife Peggy Cherng, who is a co-CEO, and Andrew Cherng’s father, Master Chef Ming-Tsai Cherng.
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