Adam Fleischman
Fleischman in 2015
Born1969 or 1970 (age 54–55)
Queens, New York, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Maryland
OccupationRestaurateur
Known forUmami Burger

Adam Fleischman (born 1969 or 1970)[1] is an American restaurateur who founded the Umami Burger chain. He is also the founder and former chief executive officer of the Umami Restaurant Group.[2]

Early life

Fleischman was born in Queens, New York,[3] and grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a liberal arts degree. In 1998, he moved to Los Angeles with aspirations of becoming a screenwriter.[3] He opened wine bars BottleRock and Vinoteque in Los Angeles.[4][5]

Restaurants

In 2009, Fleischman founded Umami Burger in Los Angeles.[1][6][7][8] In 2011, SBE Entertainment Group acquired a stake of Umami Burger equal to that of Fleischman's, and in 2016, SBE acquired a majority of Umami Restaurant Group. At the time, Umami Burger had 24 locations domestically with plans to expand internationally.[9]

In 2012, Fleischman partnered with chef Anthony Carron to found 800 Degrees Pizza as part of the Umami Restaurant Group.[10] 800 Degrees re-branded to 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen in February 2018.[11]

In 2017, Fleischman opened PBJ.LA in Grand Central Market in Los Angeles, which offers a variety of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.[12]

In 2022, Fleischman opened Slow Burn in Echo Park, Los Angeles, a "pan-Asian smokehouse". It closed three weeks after opening.[13]

Other ventures

Fleischman co-wrote the 2016 cookbook Flavor Bombs: The Umami Ingredients That Make Taste Explode.[14]

Personal life

In 2023, Fleischman was accused of squatting in a Hollywood Hills house. The owner had not signed a lease with Fleischman because she did not want him there.[15] According to Fleischman, he had a verbal agreement to live in the home, and because there was no lease he did not have to pay rent.[16] He left only after she was assisted by a professional "squatter remover", Flash Shelton.[15]

Publications

References

  1. ^ a b Seukunian, Matthew (January 1, 2015). "Adam Fleischman: Trusting the Fifth Dimension of Taste". CSQ.
  2. ^ Jenning, Lisa (April 16, 2013). "Umami Restaurant Group names VP of restaurant operations". nrn.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Umami Burger Comes to New York, Armed With One Addictive Ingredient". Grub Street. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  4. ^ Scattergood, Amy (August 7, 2017). "The guy who brought you Umami Burger wants to reinvent PB&J". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  5. ^ Garzela, Daniela (May 28, 2013). "Adam Fleischman Takes The Fifth Taste East". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  6. ^ Gelt, Jessica (August 11, 2011). "Umami Burger's brand sizzles with SBE backing". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022.
  7. ^ Goodyear, Dana (December 14, 2011). "All Hail The Umami Burger". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on April 16, 2013.
  8. ^ Platt, Adam (May 26, 2013). "Umami Burger Comes to New York, Armed With One Addictive Ingredient". New York. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013.
  9. ^ "SBE takes majority stake in Umami Burger". Nation's Restaurant News. October 17, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  10. ^ Seukunian, Matthew (January 5, 2015). "Adam Fleischman: Trusting the Fifth Dimension of Taste". CSQ | Magazine, Events, Community. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  11. ^ "LA pizza shop 800 Degrees rebrands with 'Woodfired Kitchen'". Nation's Restaurant News. February 12, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  12. ^ Gray Painter, Alysia (August 25, 2017). "Downtown New: Peanut Butter & Jelly Restaurant". NBCLosAngeles.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2017.
  13. ^ "Adam Fleischman's New Echo Park Restaurant Only Lasted Three Weeks". Eater LA. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  14. ^ "Adam Fleischman". Food & Wine. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Dillon, Kassy (October 6, 2023). "Why the handyman who turned the tables on squatters confronted a celebrity chef accused of living rent-free". Fox News. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  16. ^ Flemming, Jack (March 12, 2024). "Out-squatted: Handyman Flash Shelton will squat with your squatters — until they leave". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024. In the video, Fleischman claims he had a verbal agreement to live in a Hollywood Hills home, giving him rights as a tenant, but that he didn't have to pay rent.
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