IRVING, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Fuzzy’s Taco Shop announces Chef Josh Diekman as Director of Culinary and Executive Chef of the growing taco shop brand. The Texas-based restaurant group is recognized for their Baja-style fare with nearly 150 franchise- and corporate-owned locations in 18 states.
Chef Diekman has been the creative force behind Fuzzy’s Taco Shop’s successful and innovative limited time offerings since 2018 before joining the brand full-time earlier this year. Prior to joining Fuzzy’s, Diekman served as the Corporate Executive Chef at Land O‘Lakes where he was responsible for menu development, operational procedures, and trend analysis. Before that he was the Corporate Executive Chef at Nestlé where he partnered with restaurants such as Fuzzy’s, Chili’s Grill & Bar, TGI Fridays, Bar Louie, and more to develop trend-based menu applications with their products.
“Chef Josh has been an incredible asset to us, and we are excited to have him as a full-time part of the Fuzzy’s family as we continue to put our focus on food first,” says Paul Damico, CEO of Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. “His understanding of restaurant operations along with his ability to monitor culinary trends and keep Fuzzy’s Taco Shop at the forefront of what is popular with our guests has been extremely valuable to us.”
The Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Executive Chef holds various certifications including Worldchefs Certified Master Chef, American Culinary Federation Certified Executive Chef and Certified Culinary Administrator.
Damico continues, “As we continue to grow, Josh’s focus on streamlining our menu and incorporating consumer trends will be essential to our strategy.”
Diekman has enjoyed diving into the entire culinary program at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop in his new role. “The exciting part of the Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is the amount of scratch cooking that happens in our kitchens every day, which gives me an opportunity to be unapologetically creative,” says Diekman. “My initial focus is to streamline the menu to allow for easier execution as we expand, and to create back of house processes to allow for consistency across all locations.”
He continues, “Menu innovation will also continue to be a big focus as we continue to push the boundary on what is possible with Baja- and Mexican-influenced cuisines.”
“I feel fortunate to be part of a company with such a strong sense of culture from top to bottom. The lines of communication are open between all departments and it’s exciting to experience such a collaborative working atmosphere,” adds Diekman. “No matter who you ask, serving up scratch-made food and chill vibes is everyone’s top priorities.”
For more information on Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, please visit www.FuzzysTacoShop.com. For franchising opportunities, please visit www.MyFuzzys.com.
About Fuzzy’s Taco Shop:
Founded in 2003 near the Texas Christian University campus in Fort Worth, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop® is a fast casual restaurant serving Mexican favorites with a splash of Baja. The laid-back atmosphere pairs perfectly with signature Baja-style tacos, famous chips and queso and icy-cold beverages always served at a chill price. With nearly 150 franchise- and corporate-owned locations in 18 states, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop was ranked a Top Food Franchise, Top Franchise for Culture, and Top Multi-Unit Franchise for 2021 by Franchise Business Review, recognized in Entrepreneur’s 2021 Franchise 500 Ranking and Nation’s Restaurant News’ #10 “Fastest Growing Chains” of 2018, and was included on Franchise Business Review’s “Top Franchises” list in 2017. For franchising information, please visit www.MyFuzzys.com.
