---
title: "Kona Grill Appoints New CEO"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/8530602e-c6ae-4026-a8ce-d751c4e6e72f
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/kona-grill-appoints-new-ceo-2707477
category: "Casual dining"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Casual dining"
topics: ["People"]
published: 2018-08-13T22:17:26.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:31:38.630Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/4566f0fe9177b96ee8caed5fa0f899452955.jpg
---

# Kona Grill Appoints New CEO

**TL;DR:** Kona Grill has appointed Jim Kuhn as its new CEO, replacing Berke Bakay. Kuhn was previously the COO of Kona Grill.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2018-08-13. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/kona-grill-appoints-new-ceo-2707477).*

## Story

Kona Grill has announced a new chief executive officer. According to a recent article in Nation's Restaurant News, the brand has promoted former COO Jim Kuhn to the role of president and CEO. He will be replacing Berke Bakay, who held the position for nearly a decade.

“Leading Kona Grill over the past six years has been a tremendous honor. We’ve doubled the number of restaurants, started franchising internationally and domestically and have positioned ourselves as a truly unique brand serving global cuisine in a contemporary ambiance,” said Bakay.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- leadership change (topic)
- ceo appointment (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/kona-grill-appoints-new-ceo-2707477). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/8530602e-c6ae-4026-a8ce-d751c4e6e72f).