Michael DiSimone is the chief executive officer for the Link Restaurant Group. He has nearly 25 years of senior leadership experience in hotels, restaurants, food halls, catering, private events, and concessions. Working most recently as managing director of food and beverage concepts with RKJ Real Estate and Hotel Group based in Los Angeles, Michael oversaw all concepting, budgeting, physical design and execution for multi-state development projects. Prior, he was chief operating officer for Politan Row, a celebrated food hall group in New Orleans, and vice president of business development and catering for City Barbeque headquartered in Ohio. During his career, he has worked throughout the Midwest including downtown Chicago, the Washington D.C. area, airports across the United States and Canada, as well as New Orleans. Other highlights of his career include serving as corporate director of the restaurant portfolio for HMSHost airport concessions in the United States and Canada, and director of global food and beverage development for Marriott International global headquarters.

Under DiSimone’s leadership, Auction House Market was nominated for Best New Food Hall by 10Best, St. Roch Market Food Hall was named Best New Restaurant by the Miami New Times, and City Barbeque was named Best Caterer by multiple publications throughout Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.

DiSimone earned a Bachelor of Science in finance and a Bachelor of Science in hospitality from Central Michigan University and a Master’s in business administration from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. He also received a culinary arts degree from Blue Ridge Culinary Academy in West Virginia.