Cameron Mitchell Restaurants Revenue and Competitors

Cameron Mitchell is president and founder of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. A lifelong entrepreneur, Mitchell is an accomplished businessman, culinary expert and nationally recognized restaurateur. His prominence in the industry increased exponentially in early 2008, when he guided the sale of two of his most popular concepts - Mitchell's Fish Market and Mitchell's/Cameron's Steakhouse - to Ruth's Chris for $92 million. It is an extraordinary accomplishment in a career that has been called "a dishrag to riches story". Mitchell began his career in the restaurant industry nearly three decades ago, when he began as a dishwasher at a local steakhouse. A few years later, when he was working as a line cook during a chaotic shift change, he realized he loved the restaurant business and set out to make it his lifelong career. After that shift, he put pen to paper to map out his career goals, waking his mother in the middle of the night to share them with her. Those goals - to attend the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), to become an executive chef by age 23, to be a restaurant general manager by 24, and ultimately to be president of a company by the age of 35 - eventually were the benchmarks that would set the course of Cameron Mitchell's restaurant industry career. At the age of 22, Mitchell graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA). He started his professional career with the 55 Restaurant Group and rose through the company's ranks until he was directing all restaurant operations. But eventually, his corporate ladder ran out of rungs, and Mitchell set forth on his final career aspiration - to be president of his own restaurant company. In 1993, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants began with the launch of Cameron's, an intimate, contemporary American bistro in northwest Columbus. Through the development of new concepts and the expansion of several of his most popular concepts, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants grew to become a 33-unit, multi-concept operation with locations in nine states. At the company's peak, sales exceeded $120 million annually. Now that the sale is complete, Cameron Mitchell is focused on the future. His company remains independent and privately held, with 17 units and seven different concepts, as well as a separate and highly successful catering company. Cameron Mitchell Restaurants also manages the 12-unit Rusty Bucket Corner Tavern concept which is expanding across the Midwest. With an entrepreneur's energy, vision and passion, Mitchell's sights are set on the development of new restaurant concepts, and the expansion of concepts currently in his company's portfolio, particularly Marcella's and Ocean Prime. Plans include introduction of these concepts in Miami, Orlando and Tampa, Florida; Scottsdale, Arizona and Troy, Michigan. Cameron Mitchell's successes in business and keen understanding of the restaurant industry have earned him countless awards and acknowledgements. He has been honored as Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young, as a Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration and as one of 50 New Taste Makers by Nation's Restaurant News. He also received the prestigious Silver Plate award from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association and was honored with the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART) 2007 Commitment to People Award. Mitchell is regularly sought after for speaking engagements and by national business and industry publications. He has been featured in publications including Restaurant Business, Nation's Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality, Chain Leader and Restaurants and Institutions. Mitchell is committed both to his profession and to the community he calls home. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the CIA, and actively recruits and mentors current and prospective students. Today, he is the school's largest alumni donor, establishing a $250,000 scholarship fund. Among his service to numerous local boards and committees in Columbus, Ohio, where he lives with his family, is his exceptional dedication to the Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation, where he serves on the board. Mitchell and his wife Molly founded Sera Bella, the Foundation's premier fundraising event, nearly a decade ago. To date, proceeds from the event have surpassed $2.5 million.