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Suzanne Hopgood, president and chief executive officer of Houlihan's Restaurant Group, wore chef's whites at the age of six. "I wore them before some of the food testers were born," she says, speaking of her hospitality-infused childhood. The daughter of hotel and restaurant operators, Hopgood learned about customer service early, and she hasn't forgotten her lessons.
Hopgood joined Houlihan's in July 2000 and still speaks with the excitement of a newcomer. "I don't think there is an industry that has more passion than the restaurant industry,"she says. People care passionately about food, especially in Kansas City, and Hopgood capitalizes on that in her work. She appreciates working in a hometown-headquartered company, where the receptionist has enjoyed a 38-year career and employees show pride in their work.
Hopgood's enthusiasm for restaurants extends into her personal life. With Houlihan's restaurants in 32 states, she travels often. Fortunately, Hopgood and her husband share a love of good food. "I've been in this industry so long that my personal and professional attitudes and motivations have merged," she says.
Hopgood hasn't always worked in the hospitality field. In the early '80s, she ventured into banking and real estate, only to find they didn't hold the same fascination for her. Hopgood missed the perfectionism that goes along with the restaurant industry. She found what she was looking for with Houlihan's, a company that makes its salad dressing from scratch every day. "It's not common to find a chain that uses all fresh food,"she says.
Hopgood's excited now about Houlihan's 30th birthday, coming up in 2002. The year-long celebration will focus on 30 years of great food. Hopgood won't reveal specifics, but Houlihan's fans should look forward to seeing original menu items from the flagship Plaza Houlihan's restaurant reappearing nationally on diners' tables. Hopgood can hardly wait for the party to begin.
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