Lemonade Restaurant Group announced Wednesday that Larry Kurzweil, the former president and chief executive of Universal Studios Hollywood, will be joining the company as president and chief executive effective Dec. 1. Co-founders of the Los Angeles-based fast-casual restaurant, Alan Jackson and Ian Olsen, will assume the roles of chairman and chief culinary officer, and chief development officer, respectively.
Kurzweil oversaw Universal Studios Hollywood from 1999 to 2016 and led a five-year, billion-dollar revitalization that transformed over 75 percent of the park, culminating with the opening of “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” in April. He also led Universal Studios Hollywood to all-time high operating and financial performance during his time at the company.
“Larry’s addition to Lemonade will allow the co-founders to focus on the areas of Lemonade we’re most passionate about: food, culture, and guest experience,” Jackson said in a news release.
The farmers’ market-inspired restaurant opened in 2008 in West Hollywood and now has 25 locations throughout Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay area.
