Six months in, veteran restaurant leader refocuses portfolio on disciplined execution, empowered restaurant leaders and targeted growth
Nashville, TN (RestaurantNews.com) Six months into his tenure, CEO G.J. Hart is sharpening SPB Hospitality’s focus around the simple idea that strong operators drive strong restaurants.
That thinking has taken shape as the SPB Playbook, an operating framework built around the company’s mission – Great People. Remarkable Food. Exceptional Restaurants. The Playbook centers on consistent execution, strong culture and disciplined growth, with clear expectations for teams in the field to support each other, take care of guests and operate great restaurants.
“This isn’t about reinventing anything,” said Hart. “It’s about getting back to what we know works and executing it better than we ever have. When you put the right operators in place and give them real ownership, you unlock what’s already there.”
That approach is reflected in how SPB is structuring its business. The company has focused its portfolio around brands where it sees the strongest operational footing and long-term potential, anchored by J. Alexander’s and Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill in the upscale casual segment and a collection of chef-driven concepts from Jose Garces, including Amada and Village Whiskey.
Since 2021, the portfolio has been rebuilt from the ground up, combining a new collection of brands with lessons from its past to shape what comes next. That rebuild has brought together talent from across the industry, including leaders who joined SPB from other concepts, bringing experience and perspective that continue to shape how the company operates.
SPB and Krystal now operate as parallel businesses under one senior leadership team, allowing each to execute its own strategy while benefiting from shared scale and experience. Krystal, the iconic Southern quick-service brand founded in 1932, operates in a fundamentally different segment than SPB’s upscale casual concepts. Amanda Hyde, newly elevated to Chief Operating Officer of Krystal, is leading the brand accordingly, drawing on the principles of the Playbook while building a strategy that reflects Krystal’s distinct guest expectations and competitive environment.
The head coach model, a leadership philosophy rooted in J. Alexander’s culture since the brand’s early days, is now being formalized and extended across the full SPB portfolio. The model moves away from the traditional general manager title toward a broader expectation of accountability, team development and ownership. Over time, the role is expected to evolve into an operating partner structure, further aligning performance with ownership and long-term success.
That evolution is grounded in what Hart heard directly from the people running the restaurants. He spent his first months in the field asking operators a straightforward question: what do you need to do your best work? The answers have already shaped tangible changes, including streamlined reporting, improved operator meetings, enhanced team member benefits and the rollout of goHappy, a frontline communication tool that keeps restaurant teams connected. The work is ongoing, with operator feedback continuing to shape how the model evolves.
Within the SPB portfolio, J. Alexander’s stands out as the clearest growth vehicle, driven by a consistency that runs from the food on the plate to the people behind it. Long tenure is a hallmark of its leadership bench, shaping an expansion strategy that prioritizes depth over breadth and growth in markets where it already has loyal guests and a proven track record.
Five locations are on track to open in 2026, including a recently opened restaurant in Plano, Texas, an upcoming location in Prosper, Texas and a new outpost at The Battery Atlanta in Georgia, with additional sites to follow later in the year. Texas has served as an early proof point for the brand’s market-by-market approach, with future development paced to match operator readiness. The company plans to follow with seven locations in 2027 and eight in 2028.
“We’re going where we know we’ll win,” Hart said. “That means being thoughtful about where and how we grow and making sure we have the right teams in place before we do.”
SPB is pairing that operational discipline with a renewed focus on culture. Hart views hospitality not as something that can be mandated but as something that grows naturally from people who are genuinely engaged in their work. To keep a pulse on that, he has made a habit of opening leadership meetings with a simple prompt: “tell me something good.” The answers range from team wins to guest moments to culinary achievements, and that opener has become a window into what is actually working across the business.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I can’t remember having this much fun,” Hart said. “That’s important, because when our teams feel it, our guests do, too.”
Six months in, Hart sees SPB’s foundation taking shape not through sweeping changes, but by putting greater trust and responsibility in the hands of the people closest to the work.
About SPB Hospitality
SPB Hospitality operates a diverse portfolio of full-service dining restaurants across 25 states. Its collection of brands includes J. Alexander’s, Stoney River Steakhouse & Grill, Chef Jose Garces’ Amada, Village Whiskey, Okatshe, Rosa Blanca and Mesa Y Co. SPB Hospitality is a portfolio company of Fortress Investment Group. Visit SPBHospitality.com to learn more.
About Fortress Investment Group LLC
Fortress Investment Group LLC is a leading, highly diversified global investment manager. Founded in 1998, Fortress manages $49 billion of assets under management as of September 30, 2024, on behalf of over 2,000 institutional clients and private investors worldwide across a range of credit and real estate, private equity and permanent capital investment strategies. To learn more, visit Fortress.com.
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