Richard Melman is a Chicago native and second-generation
restauranteur who learned the business from his father. It has been
his life’s work, beginning in a family owned restaurant, and later
as a teenager in fast food eateries, a soda fountain, and selling
restaurant supplies.
Enter Jerry A. Orzoff, a man who immediately and unconditionally
believed in Melman's ability to create and run restaurants. In 1971,
the two opened R.J. Grunts, a hip burger joint that – after a slow start– soon became one of the hottest restaurants in Chicago. Food was
presented differently and with a sense of humor, creating a youthful
and fun restaurant – and a forerunner in a trend that was to sweep
the country.
Melman and Orzoff continued to develop restaurant concepts together
until Orzoff's death in 1981, after which Melman soldiered on with
other talented and creative partners. Today the Lettuce organization
comprises over 50 restaurants in America and Japan.
"You can't be 1000% better than your competition, but you can be 1% better in a thousand different ways." |
| – Rich Melman |
Through his relationship with Orzoff, Melman formulated a
philosophy based on the importance of partners, sharing
responsibilities and profits, and developing and growing together. He is not interested in being the biggest or the richest restauranteur,
but in being the best he can be. Accordingly, ICON LLC – founded
in 1999 – focuses on concepts that are indisputably "best-in-class."
Melman's personal life revolves around his family. He and his wife
Martha have been married for twenty-eight years, and have three
children. |
