Entrepreneur
April 27

Entrepreneur Philip J. Romano shares experiences from his working class Italian upbringing that shaped his professional life.  Romano made a name for himself serving up scores of eateries including Fuddruckers, Macaroni Grill and Eatzi’s, but a large part of his fortune came from investing in the balloon-expandable coronary stent. Learn what he and his partners have planned for Trinity Groves, a West Dallas development featuring start-up restaurants designed to foster young talent and revitalize the area.

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Full biography:

Philip J. Romano is an investor, entrepreneur and nationally-renowned restaurateur. Involved in the restaurant business for over 40 years, Romano has created over 25 concepts and received numerous honors, including one of the top 20 restaurateurs in 2000. He currently owns and operates eatZi’s Market & Bakery, Nick & Sam’s Steak & Fish House, Nick & Sam’s Grill and Coal Vines Pizza. From 1989 through 2002, Romano served as a joint venture partner of Brinker International as national operator, developer and franchisor of numerous restaurant concepts, including Chili’s Grill & Bar and Romano’s Macaroni Grill.

He previously was a principal in EGP, a partnership that held the licensing rights to the Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent, one of the most successful medical devices of its time and considered one of the patents that has changed the world. Romano wrote a book entitled Food for Thought in 2005 that made the CEO Best Sellers List. He has been inducted into the Dallas Business Hall of Fame and the Texas Business Hall of Fame. He and his family established The Food Foundation, which operates as Hunger Busters, a 501(c)(3) organization that provides food to the hungry and serves more than 150,000 schoolchildren in Dallas each year. Romano is also an established artist.