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Derek Johnson
SENIOR MANAGER — RESTAURANT PRACTICE
Derek Johnson is a Senior 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.
Derek's Thought Leadership

KROST is Sponsoring the Restaurant Leadership Conference
March 21, 2023KROST’s Restaurant Practice Leader, Jean Hagan, and Senior Manager, Derek Johnson, are attending the Restaurant Leadership Conference (RLC) on April 16-19, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona at the JW Marriot Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort. KROST is honored to be one of the Silver Sponsors at this year’s Restaurant Leadership Conference. The conference will be a four-day event consisting of educational discussions, outdoor Read the full article…

2023 Labor Law Compliance Standards
February 6, 2023Have you updated your Labor Compliance Posters since the start of the new year? Federal, state, and local governments have updated labor compliance standards for 2023. The primary requirement for communicating these updates to your teams is through labor law compliance posters. These posters communicate the details of the current, new, and updated laws. Employers Read the full article…

Clients Spotlight: 10 Speed Coffee, Apple Pan, 1933 Group, Acme Hospitality, and El Paseo Inn Featured in Magazines
October 10, 2022KROST’s Restaurant clients have been featured in magazines as some of the best in their own respective categories. We are fortunate to have clients that are an integral part of the food, beverage, and hospitality scene in California. We would like to recognize 10 Speed Coffee, The Apple Pan, 1933 Group, Acme Hospitality, and El Read the full article…

Register for our Complimentary Webinar – How to Effectively Budget for Your Restaurant in 2022
October 7, 2022Join us for our upcoming webinar – How to Effectively Budget for Your Restaurant in 2022 on Tuesday, October 25th at 10 AM PST. During this session, industry expert, Derek Johnson, will discuss the importance of budgeting and projections, ways to set attainable goals suited to your business and teach how to manage your expenses Read the full article…

NRA Pushes SBA To Release $180M in Leftover Restaurant Revitalization Funds
August 12, 2022The National Restaurant Association asked the Small Business Administration to disperse $180 million in leftover Restaurant Revitalization Funds to applicants who did not receive funds in a letter sent on July 27, 2022. The Restaurant Revitalization Fund, otherwise known as RRF, is a critical program recovery program created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Read the full article…

Minimum Wage Increase – July 2022
June 29, 2022Beginning July 1st, we have local minimum wage increases taking effect in many of the cities that you operate in. In the cities of Santa Monica, Malibu, and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, minimum wage is increasing from $15.00 to $15.96. In the City of Los Angeles, the new minimum wage will increase to Read the full article…

Register for our Complimentary Webinar – Pro Forma – Projecting the Financial Future of Your Restaurant
May 23, 2022Join us for our upcoming webinar Pro Forma – Projecting the Financial Future of Your Restaurant on Tuesday, June 21st at 10AM PST. During this session, industry expert, Derek Johnson, will discuss the current success rate of restaurants and the primary reasons they don’t succeed. In addition, we will review how proper planning and realistic Read the full article…

Register for our Complimentary Webinar – 2022 Restaurant Budgeting & Projections: Impact of the Pandemic on Your Bottom Line
February 16, 2022Join us for our upcoming webinar 2022 Restaurant Budgeting & Projections: Impact of the Pandemic on Your Bottom Line on Tuesday, March 8th at 10AM PST. During this session, industry expert, Derek Johnson, will discuss the significance of budgeting and projections, how setting attainable goals will influence your bottom line, while also highlighting the impacts Read the full article…

Register for our Complimentary Webinar – The Restaurant Revitalization Fund
April 13, 2021Jean Hagan (Principal, Restaurant / Business Management) and Paren Knadjian (Practice Leader, M&A and Capital Markets) are hosting a complimentary webinar on The Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Join us for the details of the new Restaurant Revitalization Fund including eligibility, use of funds, calculation of funding amounts, how to apply and what documentation is required. The Read the full article…

Restaurant Site Audit – Post-COVID Operations
February 18, 2021In 2020, the Restaurant Industry was projected to do $899 billion in sales. That expectation has since been adjusted down to $659 billion in sales, a $240 billion hit to the industry as a result of the pandemic. Every operator has felt the effects of the pandemic, and the most motivated, wasted no time pivoting Read the full article…