Danny Hizami of Figueroa Philly, one of the most iconic and popular cheesesteaks in Los Angeles, has announced a partnership with Henry Arayasirikul of Cumulus Restaurants — a multi-concept operator focused on licensing, operating, and building digital restaurant brands in the rapid delivery space. The new venture will take place at the Grand Food Depot – as it aims to be a hub for takeout and delivery conveniently located at 358 W 38th Street in Los Angeles, California.

The Grand Food Depot will allow customers and third-party delivery service providers to order food online, including from Figueroa Philly, and pick up orders at a centralized location on 38th Street in downtown Los Angeles. The one-stop setup will house a digital food hall where to-go diners and third-party delivery vendors can pick up takeout orders of foods like Figueroa Philly’s iconic authentic cheesesteaks with ease, simplicity, and convenience.

Danny and Henry Arayasirikul partnered in light of Figueroa Philly’s decade-long success in Los Angeles. The partnership will allow Danny to bring the Figueroa Philly brand to the growing delivery space for local diners across downtown and other markets. A notable visionary in the Los Angeles dining scene, Danny’s famous cheesesteaks have become a must-have, and the unique mission and values he has brought align with Henry’s goal of bringing experiences like those at Figueroa Philly to takeout diners in a transformation of the food delivery industry.

“For over a decade, Figueroa Philly has been one of the most beloved cheesesteak brands in all of Los Angeles,” remarks Danny Hizami, Founder of Figueroa Philly. “We are excited to partner with Henry Arayasirikul to bring our cheesesteaks to new markets in Los Angeles. After experiencing the struggles of COVID-19, we look forward to expanding our reach so that more people will be able to experience the joys of our authentic cuisine,” he added.

The exciting announcement comes at a time when virtual kitchens, or ghost kitchens, have grown since COVID-19 eliminating eat-in options for diners. Restaurants have started focusing resources on purely off-premise kitchens and sales channels to operate in a delivery-only fashion. This change meets the demands of an increasingly digital and virtual world and uses integrated ordering systems and delivery services to fill orders, push out deliveries, and meet demands for near-instant meals. 

Henry, the Founder, and CEO of Cumulus Restaurants took charge of a movement toward digital restaurants in March 2020. He is excited to partner with Danny to bring Figueroa Philly’s authentic cheesesteaks into the delivery space. Henry recognized Danny’s drive, passion, and vision, and he knew the Figueroa Philly brand would be an essential component of the Grand Food Depot project. As the visionary behind Cumulus Restaurants, Henry himself has focused on licensing, operating, and building digital restaurant brands in the rapid delivery space and piloted the company’s first digital restaurant, Monty’s Chicken & Waffles, to critical acclaim for its popular late-night craveable meals.

“COVID-19 has affected the restaurant industry in unprecedented ways,” remarks Henry Arayasirikul, Founder and CEO of Cumulus Restaurants. “The future of dining will be in digital restaurants as consumers look for more options and convenience. We are proud of the success of Monty’s Chicken & Waffles as our first digital restaurant. As we look toward the future, we are excited to welcome Figueroa Philly to our virtual, delivery-only kitchen at the Grand Food Depot,” he added. 

Henry brings over 15 years of restaurant operations and finance experience as a partner to Danny Hizami. His experiences include working at best-in-class organizations, including Patina Restaurant Group and YUM! Brands, the largest restaurant group in the world with over 70,000 locations called home by Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC. Most recently, he ventured into CloudKitchens and founded Cumulus Restaurants, the multi-concept operator focused on licensing, operating, and building digital restaurant brands in the rapid delivery space.