P.F. Chang’s CEO on how to jumpstart a struggling chain
Take-Away with Sam Oches
Nation's Restaurant News
4.9 • 17 Ratings
🗓️ 10 March 2026
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Jim Mazany, CEO of P.F. Chang’s, a pan-Asian bistro concept that has grown to about 200 locations in 30-plus years. P.F. Chang’s has experienced a lot of turnover in the C-Suite recently, and the business has clearly suffered for it; sales have been trending down the past couple of years. Jim was hired late last year to help lead a turnaround, and he brought a sterling resume with him: He’s spent three-plus decades in full service, including stops at SPB Hospitality, TGI Fridays, and Joe’s Crab Shack. Jim joined the podcast to talk about the early wins in his first few months on the job and about what his past experiences have taught him about jumpstarting restaurant companies.
In this conversation, you’ll find out why:
- Talent walks in your door every single day
- Restaurant turnarounds start with employees
- Your own off-premises business may be getting in your way
- Holidays offer the perfect spark to jumpstart a brand
Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to Takeaway with Sam Okas, a podcast for leaders of growing restaurant companies looking |
| 0:05.7 | to take their businesses to the next level. In nearly two decades covering restaurants, |
| 0:10.6 | I've gained access to some of this industry's most influential decision makers, and I'm |
| 0:15.3 | letting you in on the conversations. In today's episode, you'll hear from the CEO of a major |
| 0:20.7 | casual dining chain that's in the |
| 0:22.8 | midst of a turnaround about the keys to jump starting a business and about where to even begin |
| 0:28.6 | when your own business is the one that needs a turnaround. Jim Mizanzi is the CEO of P.F. Chang's, |
| 0:35.0 | a pan-Asian bistro concept that's grown to about 200 locations in 30 plus years. P.F. Changs, a pan-Asian bistro concept that's grown to about 200 locations in 30 plus years. |
| 0:41.1 | P.F. Chang's has experienced a lot of turnover in the C-suite in the past couple of years, |
| 0:46.3 | and the business has clearly suffered for it. Sales have been trending down in the last couple |
| 0:51.3 | years. Jim was hired late last year to help lead a turnaround, |
| 0:54.9 | and he brought a sterling resume with him. He spent three plus decades in full service, |
| 1:00.5 | including stops at SPB Hospitality, TGI Fridays, and Joe's Crab Shack. Jim joined the podcast |
| 1:07.0 | to talk about early wins in the first few months on the job and about how his past |
| 1:12.4 | experiences have taught him about how to jumpstart restaurant companies. In this conversation, |
| 1:17.8 | you will learn more about why you have to capture the talent that walks in your store every day, |
| 1:22.8 | why your own off-premises business may be getting in your way and why holidays offer the perfect spark |
| 1:29.4 | to jumpstart a brand. If you learn something from this episode, go follow takeaway wherever you |
| 1:34.0 | listen to podcasts and leave some feedback. It's the best way to get these lessons into the hands |
| 1:38.9 | of a fellow restaurant leader. Jumping now into my interview with P.F. Chang's CEO, Jim Mazani. Also, don't forget to |
| 1:45.9 | stick around after the interview, as I will share my four takeaways from this discussion, |
| 1:50.1 | actionable insights that you can take with you on the go. All right, I'm sitting down with |
... |
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