La Madeleine Country French Café announced that Phil Costner was named president and chief operating officer. In his new role, Costner will be responsible for the strategic direction and operations of la Madeleine, while also continuing to oversee the culinary, marketing, and purchasing functions for the 60-unit bakery-café chain.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead la Madeleine into its next stage of opportunity and growth, and am excited to be charged with further elevating and expanding the brand across North America,” Costner says.
As a 30-plus-year veteran in the industry, Costner has served as the vice president of food and beverage for Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, where he and his team reinvented the core menu at TGI Friday’s 534 domestic restaurants. Prior to that, he spent 11 years at Universal Studios Hollywood, where he held numerous positions including corporate executive chef, vice president of food and beverage, and senior vice president of food and beverage and retail. He also was part of the team that opened the Islands of Adventure Theme Park in Orlando, Florida. In addition, Costner has held management positions at LSG Sky Chefs; The Warwick Hotel, Seattle; The Woodmark Hotel, Kirkland, Washington; and The Riverplace Alexis Hotel, Portland, Oregon.
Among his colleagues, Costner is known as a leader of vision, strong business and marketing acumen, and expert culinary knowledge.
