Hard Rock International—owner of one of the world’s most-recognizable and iconic brands—announced the appointment of Michael Coury as Corporate Executive Chef. In his new role, Coury will draw on 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry, to lead culinary efforts and menu innovation for 178 corporate and franchise locations around the world. Coury will report directly to Hard Rock Cafe’s Vice President of Food and Beverage, Leigh Merritt.
“Michael’s culinary talent and passion for our brand is unmatched, and we are honored to have him join the Hard Rock Team as Corporate Executive Chef,” says Stephen Judge, president of Cafe Operations for Hard Rock International. “We look forward to working with Michael as he possesses a robust experience that will ensure Hard Rock continues to deliver an innovative, world-class menu.”
Prior to joining Hard Rock, Coury was Executive Chef of New York City-based OTG Management, a hospitality group that operates more than 200 restaurants and retail concepts in 10 airports across North America. In this position, Coury oversaw airport terminal culinary concepts and broke new ground in dining trends for travelers. Coury collaborated with renowned chefs such as Michael White, Andrew Carmellini and Alain Ducasse to bring unique culinary techniques such as ramen making, smokehouse cooking, twists on dim sum recipes and Japanese hand-pulled noodles to airports around the country. Coury has also worked closely with acclaimed chefs like Charlie Trotter and Mario Batali, and was the lead chef for Julia Child’s 80th Birthday Party. In his role at Hard Rock, Coury will bring his vast knowledge of food trends to ensure the brand’s various menus remain relevant to consumers and epitomize the latest culinary developments.
Coury is a graduate of the International Culinary Institute in New York City, and went on to receive further education at California Sushi Academy in Los Angeles and Italy’s Toscana Di Saporita. Over the course of his career, Coury has overseen more than 300 units and 200 chefs throughout the United States, while maintaining an incredible reputation of food excellence, innovation and quality.
Internationally recognized as a world-class restaurant and hospitality brand, Hard Rock operates cafes across the world that are visited by more than 79 million guests each year. Its first cafe opened in London, England, and from there the brand has expanded to major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Paris, Sydney and Tokyo, and exotic settings such as Kuala Lumpur, Dubai and Malta. Hard Rock Cafe offers a one-of-a-kind dining experience with a commitment to serving fresh, high-quality ingredients. To satisfy the consumer’s ever-changing palate, Hard Rock continually updates its menu with limited-time offerings including burger pairings, innovative cocktails and more.
