Richard Flaherty

CEO of The Culinary Creative Group

Richard Flaherty is a senior hospitality and experiential entertainment executive with more than 25 years of experience leading growth, transformation and brand repositioning across complex, multi-unit restaurant and lifestyle platforms. He is currently the CEO of Culinary Creative Group, where he supports long-term strategic direction, operational discipline and value creation across a portfolio of culinary-driven hospitality concepts.

Previously, Richard served as chief executive officer of Punch Bowl Social, where he played a central role in the brand’s post-pandemic transformation and renewed growth. Under his leadership, the company refined its positioning at the intersection of elevated food and beverage and social entertainment, strengthened operational performance and re-anchored the organization around its core values of hospitality, quality and innovation. His tenure emphasized disciplined execution, leadership development and restoring brand relevance at scale.

Richard also served as chief executive officer of Wagamama USA, where he led the U.S. expansion strategy for the globally recognized, Asian-inspired restaurant brand. In this role, he oversaw brand stewardship, operational infrastructure and growth planning within a complex international joint-venture structure, positioning the business for its next phase of ownership and expansion.

Across his career, Richard has worked extensively with private equity and family office investors, with experience positioning brands for strategic partnerships, recapitalizations, and exits. This includes the initial acquisition of Punch Bowl Social by L Catterton in 2018, the acquisition of Wagamama USA through an international joint venture in 2020 and its subsequent sale to Apollo in 2024 and the re-acquisition of Punch Bowl Social in 2021 in partnership with CVC2.

Richard is recognized for a people-first leadership style combined with rigorous operational execution. He brings a balanced perspective across culinary creativity, brand strategy and financial discipline, with a consistent focus on building durable platforms, high-performance teams and sustainable long-term enterprise value.