Judge to Become Bonefish President

Published on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Written by The Editors

Cooper to retire after 23 years with the concept.

Stephen Judge will become president of Bonefish Grill, a Bloomin' Brands concept, effective Jan. 1, 2013. Judge will join the company from Darden Restaurants, Inc. where he served as president of Seasons 52, a division of their Specialty Restaurant Group. Judge will succeed John Cooper, who is retiring after a successful 23-year career at Bloomin' Brands.

Cooper joined Bloomin' Brands in 1989 as one of Outback Steakhouse's first joint venture partners where he developed 13 restaurants in Orlando. He became president of Bonefish Grill in 2001, helping grow the concept from two locations to167 nationwide.