Leadership

Michael Osanloo is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Portillo's Hot Dogs where he is responsible for overall brand strategy, business performance and the company's growth across new states and markets. Michael is a passionate servant leader who has structured the company in a way that affords every team member the opportunity to grow and be successful. Since joining Portillo's, Michael was named one of 10 business leaders that could change Chicago's business world in 2019 by the Chicago Tribune.

As the former CEO of P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Inc., Michael oversaw more than 300 restaurants globally and expanded the brand into China, the UK and Germany. Prior to, Michael served as Executive Vice President and President of Grocery at Kraft Heinz, and in senior leadership roles at Caesar's Entertainment. In 1996, Michael started his successful nine year run as a Partner at Bain & Company where he helped improve the effectiveness of strategic, operational and marketing initiatives at various multibillion-dollar companies.

Michael holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago, a Juris Doctorate the University of Illinois College of Law and an AB Degree in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Michael lives in Chicagoland with his wife and three children.

Favorite Portillo's Menu Item: Italian Beef, dipped with hot peppers.

Michelle Hook joined Portillo's as Chief Financial Officer in December 2020 after more than 17 years at Domino's. Most recently, Michelle served as Vice President of Finance for global FP&A and investor relations, where she led the teams responsible for supporting global FP&A, strategic finance analytics, U.S. franchise operations and marketing, Domino's technology, and investor relations.

Michelle previously served as vice president of global operations and was in various accounting and finance roles with increasing responsibilities since joining Domino's in 2003. She was a member of the company's initial public offering team in 2004, as well as numerous recapitalization teams.

Prior to joining Domino's, Michelle was with Holcim, one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of cement around the world. She began her career as a senior auditor at Arthur Andersen LLP, based in Detroit.

Michelle holds an MBA from the University of Michigan, a B.A. in accounting from Michigan State University, and is a certified public accountant. She resides in Michigan with her husband and their two daughters.

Favorite Portillo's Menu Item: Italian beef sandwich with sweet and hot peppers.

Keith Correia joined Portillo’s as Chief Information Officer in April 2024, bringing a unique restaurant operations and project management background, coupled with over a decade of technology and digital transformation experience. With deep expertise in aligning technology with business goals, Keith is focused on delivering innovative solutions that improve operational performance and elevate the guest and team member experience, ensuring Portillo’s remains a leader in the industry.

Before joining Portillo’s, Keith led the IT team at Steak ‘n Shake, where he spearheaded significant advancements in technology, including a state-of-the-art kiosk ordering platform, a powerful mobile app, and a marketing personalization platform. His leadership was instrumental in transforming Steak ‘n Shake from a casual-dining concept to a competitive player in the quick-service restaurant industry. Prior to that, Keith spent over two decades at American Dairy Queen, where he held key roles in field operations, project management, training, and retail technology before leading the brand’s technology functions. Notably, he drove impactful initiatives such as launching the Orange Julius beverage brand across 4,000 locations, and innovating new treat and food productions systems, including the development of an automated Blizzard machine.

Keith holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Union College in Schenectady, NY. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling with his wife and two sons and is an avid cyclist and runner.

Favorite Menu Item: Italian beef Sandwich

Tony Darden joined Portillo’s as Chief Operating Officer in December of 2024. He brings more than 20 years of cross functional executive leadership as well as an obsession for excellence. Most recently, Tony served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Jack in the Box. Previously, he was the president of MOOYAH Burgers, as well as Chief Operating Officer for Taco Bueno Restaurants and Sun Holdings. Tony has also held leadership roles at Panera Bread and Metromedia Restaurant Group. In addition to a love of the restaurant industry, Tony loves spending time with his wife and two sons.

Favorite Menu Item: Italian Beef, Dipped with Hot Peppers and Chocolate Cake

Mike Ellis joined the Portillo’s family in 2022 as the Chief Development Officer. In this role, he is responsible for cultivating and executing Portillo’s growth strategy as it scales in new and existing markets nationwide. From real estate, to construction, to ongoing building and facilities management, Mike takes a hands-on approach with his teams to drive the momentum of a successful, long-term growth plan. He has been a Portillo’s enthusiast for decades, and is excited to bring unrivaled Chicago street food to even more fans throughout the country.

Mike has spent more than 30 years leading development teams in the foodservice industry. Prior to joining Portillo’s, he was Vice President of Real Estate and Development at Cracker Barrel, where he spearheaded growth development strategy, new restaurant openings and the development of a new prototype that significantly improved operational efficiencies. He has also held senior development roles with Darden, Einstein Noah Restaurant Group and other restaurant brands.

Mike currently resides in Nashville, TN. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife of more than 35 years and their three adult children. He is a fan of tennis, golf, hockey, and his annual family ski trips.

Favorite Portillo’s Menu Item: Jumbo Chili Dog

Kelly Kaiser joined Portillo's as General Counsel & Corporate Secretary in September 2023. She brings nearly 20 years of legal experience and expertise from both public and private organizations, including Brunswick Corporation, Brunswick Bowling & Billiards, and Life Fitness.

As General Counsel, Kelly leads the Portillo's Law Department, overseeing legal matters such as securities and corporate governance, commercial contracts, litigation, labor and employment, and regulatory compliance. A problem-solver at heart, she is passionate about building strong business partnerships to drive change and support the company's strategic initiatives.

Kelly earned a B.A. in Political Science and a J.D. from the University of Kentucky. She lives in Chicago with her husband and their two spirited boys. Kelly loves to travel, exercise, and play board games with her family.

Favorite Portillo's Menu Item: Char-broiled cheeseburger

Garrett Kern joined Portillo's in 2019, bringing with him strategy and operations expertise combined with years of experience in the hospitality industry and a passion for food and beverage. And, importantly, he's always loved cooking and eating; he even dreamt of becoming a chef and restaurant owner as a child.

Garrett entered the restaurant industry via working in professional kitchens, eventually managing both front- and back-of-house operations in Chicago's fine-dining scene. He then sharpened his business acumen via a variety of F&B-focused roles in the hotel industry across a portfolio in Chicago, New York, and Florida.

Following these positions in hospitality, Garrett honed his skills in management consulting with Bain & Company in both Boston and Chicago, working across a broad spectrum of industries and functions with a focus on retail brand strategy and commercial due diligence. Time in consulting gave him the skills to create effective growth strategies via a synthesis of market trends, data, and qualitative insight – all viewed through very customer-centric lens.

But he couldn't stay away from the restaurant industry for long. Garrett was drawn to Portillo's for its fantastic leadership team. And, as a Chicagoland native, he was excited to be part of a brand that he adored and grew up with.

Garrett received a B.A. in history from the University of Michigan and an MBA from The University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. Garrett enjoys spending time cooking, woodworking, and gardening at home in Chicagoland, where he lives with his wife and his two dogs.

Favorite Portillo's Menu Item: Chicago-style hot dog

Michael Portillo has more than four decades of restaurant industry experience, including 35 years with Portillo's. The son of founder Dick Portillo, Michael's first job in the restaurants included washing dishes, taking out garbage and placing coupons on car windows. In fact, if he wasn't in school or playing sports while growing up, he was working at Portillo's. To expand his experience, Michael worked every station and every shift as a team member, eventually managing his first shift when he was 17 years old.

Michael branched out on his own in 1999, opening four restaurants over a five-year period. But he couldn't stay away for long. Michael rejoined Portillo's in 2005 as the Director of Training, where he was responsible for manager and team member training, including at the first California restaurant. He also held the VP, Training and Development role before taking on his latest position of VP, Restaurant Support. In this role, Michael enables Portillo's growth by cultivating culture and operations through new restaurant openings, innovation and team member experience, supporting training, culinary and more. Michael is also the vice chair of the Heart of Portillo's Fund, a 501(c)3 Portillo's created to support team members in need.

Michael currently resides in Chicagoland with his wife, Gina – the maker of what was then called "Gina Portillo's Soon-to-be-Famous Chocolate Cake." His high school sweetheart, he and Gina married in 1981, the same year he became a Portillo's manager. They now have three daughters and three grandchildren.

Favorite Portillo's Menu Item: Chocolate cake, naturally!

Jill Waite is Chief People Officer at Portillo's Hot Dogs, a restaurant chain with more than 60 locations, headquartered in Oak Brook, IL. Prior to joining Portillo's in 2019, she held several Human Resources and Operations roles in the retail, grocery and fitness industries with companies such as Sephora and 24-Hour Fitness.  

Jill was hired to reinvigorate the Portillo's culture by reclaiming the hearts and minds of our 6,000 Team Members. She is also responsible for building the talent pipeline to support the company's growth, retaining Team Members who are passionate about creating lifelong memories for our guests, and developing world-class learning and development programs

She has a Bachelor's degree in Management from University of Florida. Go Gators! Jill lives in Chicagoland with her husband of nearly 20 years, and is a mom to two boys who have a passion for playing soccer competitively. 

Favorite Portillo's Menu Items: Italian beef sandwich, cheese fries, and chocolate cake.