Awards Presentation / Sunday / October 5, 2025 / 6:15 PM
Fast Casual Hall of Fame
For more than 20 years, fast casual concepts have been at the forefront of innovation in the restaurant industry, proving to be trendsetters in store design, menu development, customer experience and restaurant technology. That would not be possible, however, without the blood, sweat and tears of the men and women who lead those brands each day.
The Fast Casual Hall of Fame will honor three individuals, who through their vision and leadership, have driven not only the success of their brands, but of the fast casual segment as a whole.
Join us as we recognize this year's Fast Casual Hall of Fame Honorees.
HOST
HONOREES
Cherryh Cansler | VP of Events & Publisher of FastCasual.com | Networld Media Group
Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.
Jim Mizes | Director Board of Directors | SiteZeus, Rackson Restaurants
Jim Mizes is the founder/entrepreneur’s best friend and partner as he spent 20+ years working to scale and build new brands. After an initial career in finance, Jim moved to Operations in the late 80’s with Taco Bell. At Taco Bell, Jim pioneered the 59/79/99 cent menu of the early 90’s that changed the value equation for fast food. In the early 90’s, Jim shifted to working with founders, first with Noah’s Bagels for 4 years as the chain grew from 8 to 80 restaurants. He later moved to Jamba Juice and supported growth from 50 to 450 restaurants over 5 years. Jim joined Blaze Pizza with 2 restaurants in 2013 and led the team to 340+ restaurants before retiring in 2019. Since retiring, Jim has joined 2 Boards and serves as an advisor to 5 other tech start-ups supporting restaurants.
Jeff Sinelli | Founder, CEO & Chief Vibe Officer | Sinelli Concepts International
Jeff Sinelli serves as Founder, CEO, and Chief Vibe Officer of Sinelli Concepts and its subsidiary brands. He often says, "Anything is Possible!" That includes creating and growing iconic brands, from Which Wich Superior Sandwiches; Genghis Grill; Paciugo Gelato & Caffe; and Supernova Coffee. Sinelli grew up in Detroit, and after achieving a BA at Michigan State and an MBA from City University, Sinelli headed west to exercise his entrepreneurial spirit in Dallas. Before focusing on building multi-unit concepts, he developed dozens of independent restaurants and nightclubs. Two decades ago, Sinelli created Which Wich, prompting leading industry publication QSR Magazine to dub him a "branding phenom" upon its launch. Which Wich was a huge hit from the moment it opened its doors, and immediately saw demand for franchise opportunities. Today, Which Wich is an international brand with hundreds of locations around the globe. The concept continues to grow with multiple locations in development.
