Derek Johnson

MANAGER — RESTAURANT PRACTICE

Derek is a Manager at KROST in our Restaurant Practice. He has over 18 years of operational and leadership experience with a variety of restaurant concepts. When Derek was a General Manager of a pan-Asian restaurant, he helped implement financial reporting including P&L analysis and financial accountability; created operational systems that drove profit and growth, which helped the business expand from two to three locations. Derek then lead a high-volume concept that specialized in seasonal Mexican cuisine. In the first year, he grew sales by 15%; developed a safety program that reduced workplace injuries by 50% over the prior year; and lowered operating costs while increasing sales by creating schedule templates, negotiating fixed pricing for product purchases, developing costed recipes, and increasing overall operational efficiency.

As General Manager of a high-end chef-driven seafood restaurant, Derek negotiated with vendors to get the freshest products available; drove a marketing program based on community outreach, developed a wine program that complemented the menu and increased profitability, and developed a repair and maintenance program that reduced R&M costs by 30%.

Derek prides himself in keeping his finger on the pulse of the latest restaurant technology available and spends time networking with the community and attending educational seminars to learn and share ideas and insights. His passion for restaurant leadership began at an early age and continues to grow to this day.

In his free time, Derek enjoys surfing, playing golf, traveling, and of course, eating amazing food and experiencing Los Angeles’ incredible restaurant scene.