Franchising
Speaker Spotlight: Troy Hooper, CEO, Hot Palette America - Pepper Lunch
Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America - Pepper Lunch, shares a look at his career, his achievements and industry trends ahead of his appearance at the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit 2026.
January 23, 2026 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
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ClaudeToday, we're shining a spotlight on Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America - Pepper Lunch.
Hooper is participating in the upcoming Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, which takes place on March 16-18, 2026, in San Diego, California. He will be a panelist on the "Taps & Tactics: Leaders' Uncorked Advice for Operators" session.
The conversational session features leading operators sharing real-world tactics, discussing top issues of today and offering battle-tested advice for thriving in 2026.
At the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, top executives share how they're scaling smarter and growing faster through bold innovation. You'll gain the insights, inspiration, and connections to take your brand to the next level.
We thought it would be fun to get to know Hooper a bit better ahead of his appearance at RFIS. Register here for the event.
Describe your current role
As CEO of Hot Palette America I oversea the western hemisphere for Pepper Lunch restaurants.
What was your first-ever career role and what is one important lesson you learned from it?
I was a bus boy at Bennigans! I learned to take pride in my work, add to the fun atmosphere of the space and that details matter at every level of your work, no matter what your role.
What inspired you to work in your industry?
My father built, renovated and invested in restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. He also loved to entertain, and this is where my joy for hosting and cooking came to be fostered. I went to culinary school at 17 and have been in the business for 33 years.
What do you enjoy most about your current role?
Honoring a legacy brand of over 31 years that is known and popular throughout Asia and Australia, and building out the team and systems to make it relevant for not only the U.S. today, but for our expansion globally well into the future.
What's a common misconception people have about what you do?
People only see what they can see; the work behind the scenes is mostly invisible and therefore many do not realize the amount of collaboration, research and effort that goes into the "wins you do see!"
What is one career achievement you're most proud of?
Being thought of as a contributor to this industry. I strive to give more than I take, and I do my best to share what I know and experience for the benefit of others. Being recognized by trade publications like Fast Casual as a Top 25 Executive for the last two years is confirmation that my actions in this regard are appreciated.
Who is/was your mentor and what's one important lesson you learned from them?
I have had, and still have many mentors today like Jim Balis of Capital Spring and Andrew K. Smith of Savory Fund and more. The biggest lesson is that you will always go further-faster, when you ask for help, have a community to draw on and operate with empathy and humility.
What industry trends do you think are currently over-hyped and why?
AI is currently over hyped, but not likely for long. Many give AI credit for what it will do soon or one day, but it still has some significant limitations in the majority of businesses because not everyone has or can find specialists who can leverage the disparate tools to great benefit just yet. But this is the early learning and adoption phase of what will soon be the most powerful transformative technology of our lifetime for sure.
What industry trends do you think don't get enough attention and why?
Robotics. I think much more attention, investment, and trail needs to be given to various systems that can provide consistent semi/fully automation of processes. Every restaurant should have a cleaning robot. Bussers should have a robot carrier as a companion to reduce lift injuries and fatigue. Kitchen robotics needs the most effort to offer us more choice and advancements in food production automation too.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in your industry?
Build a community; Mentors, advisors, peers etc. Seek out people at all levels in all areas of our industry and share what it is you are trying to accomplish, and ask for help with the things you do not know enough about or need outside perspective on to make the best decisions for your business.
If you weren't working in your current field, what would you be doing instead?
Helicopter pilot.
What do you do to have fun outside of work?
Spend time with my family at the beach and other outdoor activities. We are huge football fans, so that dominates our free time two thirds of the year.
About Judy Mottl
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