DALLAS, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fogo de Chão, the internationally renowned restaurant from Brazil known for its elevated churrasco dining experience, today announced the retirement of Janet Gieselman, Chief Marketing Officer, following a distinguished career spanning over 25 years in the restaurant industry. Janet will continue to serve as an advisor to the company through the end of the 2025 calendar year. Janet’s successor will be announced in January.
“Janet’s contributions to Fogo de Chão have been nothing short of transformative,” said Fogo de Chão CEO Barry McGowan. “Over the past decade, she has played a pivotal role in elevating the brand’s market presence and driving its exponential growth using her industry experience, nimbleness and creativity. Among her most admirable skills has been her unique ability to work well with people throughout the entire organization to drive our growth and success. Janet leaves a lasting mark on our brand, and we are deeply grateful for her dedication and strategic insight over the years. While we will miss her day-to-day leadership, we celebrate her many achievements and wish her the very best in this new chapter of her life.”
Janet joined Fogo in 2014 as Vice President of Marketing before being named Chief Marketing Officer in 2018. Her innovative approach to marketing has been instrumental in introducing Fogo’s unique dining experience to new audiences while deepening connections with loyal guests. During her tenure, Janet effectively implemented Fogo’s unique operational and marketing “flywheel” that helps maintain cohesive and profitable operations across the entire company and its 100-plus restaurant locations.
Fogo has earned a decade of positive comparable sales growth and market share growth, despite ever-increasing industry headwinds and competition, in large part to the brand’s innovative and data-driven marketing strategies and focus on an unforgettable guest experience.
Janet has played a pivotal role in driving Fogo’s traditional and digital marketing efforts while leaving a lasting impact on the brand’s commitment to serving its employees and the broader community. Under her leadership, Fogo has deepened its investments in people, products and communities, fostering growth that is responsible, profitable and sustainable. A standout example of this commitment is Fogo’s partnership with No Kid Hungry, which has resulted in over 6.3 million meals funded over the past six years for food insecure children.
Before her tenure at Fogo de Chão, Janet held senior leadership roles across the restaurant industry, including Vice President of Marketing at Joe’s Crab Shack and Romano’s Macaroni Grill, and Director of Marketing & Innovation at Brinker International. These experiences honed her expertise in brand building, guest engagement and market innovation.
McGowan continued: “Janet has a brilliant way of balancing strategy, data analytics, humility and adaptability as a marketer. Her and her team’s work laid the foundation for Fogo to meaningfully and profitably build our brand. We’re a 45-year-old brand that continues to evolve while honoring the centuries-old Culinary Art of Churrasco, and Janet’s work has positioned us for another four decades of success.”
A graduate of the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising, Janet also completed the Carlson Executive Leadership Program at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She continues to lend her expertise as a consultant and advisor to emerging restaurant brands, helping them navigate today’s competitive landscape.
For more information about Fogo de Chão, visit fogo.com.
About Fogo de Chão
Fogo de Chão (fogo-dee-shown) is an internationally renowned restaurant from Brazil that elevates the culinary art of churrasco – the art of roasting high-quality cuts of meat over an open flame – into a cultural dining experience. Fogo is famed for its prix fixe Full Churrasco Experience that offers a continuous selection of premium cuts butchered daily by gaucho chefs, simply seasoned and grilled to create a craveable salty bark, then carved tableside. The naturally gluten-free Market Table offers a selection of seasonal salads, charcuterie, exotic fruit, superfoods and more. From celebratory to everyday occasions, Fogo provides selections for every daypart, including All-Day Happy Hour at Bar Fogo, Weekday Lunch, Dinner, and Weekend Brazilian Brunch. Guests can enhance their experience with offerings ranging from a shareable Wagyu New York Strip, South American wines, and more. For locations and to book a reservation to experience the fire of Fogo, visit fogo.com.
