News

Former Outback, Bonefish exec named Brioche Doree president

August 21, 2017

Former Outback Steakhouse and Bonefish Grill executive, Julie Hauser-Blanner, has been named the first U.S.-based president of French-style fast food brand, Brioche Doree. The brand is launching state-side under the ownership of Le Duff America and its parent, Dallas-based global French bakery-cafe powerhouse, Groupe Le Duff.

Hauser-Blanner has 20 years of restaurant industry operations experience, and most recently led food service at Bass Pro Shops, a news release said. She has also been vice president of global operations at Outback Steakhouse and regional vice president at Bonefish Grill. 

"Julie has a strong track record in domestic and international operational excellence, making her an outstanding choice to lead the U.S. launch of our legacy Brioche Doree brand," Le Duff America CEO Olivier Poirot said in the release. "She is also a very enthusiastic developer of people who strongly believes in creating and nurturing a highly motivated team dedicated to achieving ambitious goals and results, which is imperative as we recreate the brand for the U.S. market."

The 41-year-old Brioche Doree brand offers Parisian-style and urban French cuisine, as well as baked breads, pastries, sandwiches, soups and more. The release said the 500-plus location chain serves more than 300,000 guests daily. It's a format that the U.S. is more than ready for, according to Hauser-Blanner. 

"Now is the perfect time to introduce American audiences to Brioche Doree because it offers fresh, hand-prepared, authentic food for the way people want to eat today," said Hauser-Blanner. 

Currently, a handful of small-format, franchised Brioche Doree airport locations exist, but the brand plans to open three to six full-size corporate Brioche Doree locations in two unnamed U.S. cities over an an unspecified time frame. The release said, after those locations launch, the brand will begin franchising to expand nationally.