Dive Brief:
- Firebirds Wood Fired Grill has appointed Jeff Uttz as its chief financial officer, effective May 18, the company said in a Wednesday press release.
- Uttz served as Kura Sushi’s CFO for the past four years, during which time the chain grew from 39 units to 88 locations across 22 states, according to a Kura Sushi press release about his departure.
- Firebirds, which has nearly 70 units across the U.S., will continue its expansion plan, opening seven units this year, including its first Kentucky restaurant in the Lexington market.
Dive Insight:
Uttz brings extensive experience in the restaurant industry, particularly with guiding fast growing restaurant companies through expansion phases, Steve Kislow, Firebirds CEO said in a statement. Uttz also has expertise in “cross-functional collaboration,” he added.
“As we continue to strengthen our leadership position in the polished casual dining segment, Jeff's strategic vision and proven ability to develop and lead high performing finance organizations will be invaluable,” Kislow said.
At Kura Sushi, Uttz improved corporate profitability through general and administrative expense savings and helped drive efficiencies through technology that supported the chain’s growth. He was also instrumental in two public follow-on offerings, per the release.
Uttz previously served as CFO at Shake Shake, playing a critical role in the chain’s IPO as well as developing the finance organization and supporting 45 unit openings. Uttz also worked as executive vice president and CFO of Yard House, helping facilitate its acquisition by Darden. He previously held leadership positions at CKE Restaurants.
Uttz will leave his post at Kura Sushi on April 28, according to a Kura Sushi press release. The sushi brand said it has begun searching for Uttz’s replacement. In the meantime, Kura Sushi President and CEO Hajime Uba will serve as interim CFO and principal financial officer until a permanent replacement has been appointed.
“As we move forward, while we have accomplished much already, we believe we are only scratching the surface of our potential as we continue our unit expansion to drive long-term sustainable growth,” Uba said in a statement. “We are committed to identifying the right person for our next CFO.”
William Blair analyst Sharon Zackfia said in an emailed report that there is unlikely to be major disruption at the chain following Uttz’s departure, as “we believe Uttz’s legacy of financial discipline is now ingrained in Kura’s muscle memory.”
Kura Sushi posted same-store sales growth of 8.6% during the second quarter of fiscal 2026, which was better than expected, according to an earnings release. Net loss improved to $1.7 million compared to $3.8 million year over year. It expects total fiscal 2026 sales between $333 million and $335 million.
The company, known for its method of serving sushi with a revolving conveyor belt, has long been a proponent of using new back- and front-of-house technology. It is in the process of installing dishwasher robots in 50 restaurants that will help improve labor efficiency by 50 basis points, Uba said during a Tuesday earnings call. It also expanded its reservation system to non-rewards members, which resulted in a 30% increase in reservations, Uba said.
The chain has eight units under development with 16 openings projected by the end of the fiscal year, Uba said.
