John Birdsall VP Research & Development

As the man responsible for Koo Koo Roo and Hamburger Hamlet's great tasting food, John spends his time split between field operations and the test kitchen. Since joining Koo Koo Roo in 1993, Birdsall has been responsible for numerous menu developments, employee training, menu design and presentation.

With Birdsall's arrival, Koo Koo Roo implemented many of his ideas which have created a unique identity for the restaurant chain. His creations included the popular fresh turkey carving stations and a more extensive, freshly made array of side dishes, such as non-fat butter nut squash, hand mashed potatoes, hand snapped green beans, and several signature soups and salads. Birdsall began his culinary career with a three-year apprenticeship at Hilton Hotels, where he became an expert on the technical aspects of food preparation and was later promoted to Sous Chef. Birdsall left Hilton to become a Sauté Chef at the upscale Pacific Club in Newport Beach, California, then rose to Corporate Executive Chef at Bubbles Club, also in Orange County. Later he served as Executive Chef at a variety of prominent restaurants, including Savoy's in Laguna Beach, Monroe's in Malibu, and California Fast Foods, a multi-concept corporation in Glendale. John recently introduced a new evening dinner menu at Hamburger Hamlet with five tasty entrees. The "Hamlet at Night" menu features some of John's latest culinary creativity.