Meet The Team
Love the Applebee's menu? Meet the team behind it. Applebee's culinary team collectively brings more than 100 years of cooking experience and education to the brand; each member with a passion for culinary innovation and menu development. Our team of chefs design every item to be a neighborhood favorite.
Chef Kevin Miller
Vice President, Culinary
A seasoned industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience, Chef Kevin Miller has fine-tuned his craft for culinary innovation. An expert in menu ideation, implementation, and food preparation for large-scale operations, he has worked with brands including TGI Fridays, Gate Gourmet, Delaware North Sportservice, among others. Chef Kevin brings a combination of culinary creativity, operational discipline, and global perspective. His current favorite Applebee’s meal is the new California Grilled Chicken Salad or Classic Cheeseburger.
Chef Johnny Mosquera
Director, Culinary Innovation
Chef Johnny joined the Applebee’s Culinary Team in 2017 bringing with him over 25 years of experience as a Professional Chef. Specializing in regional and classic American cuisine, Chef Johnny has influenced every category on the Applebee’s menu and leads a Team of best-in-class Innovation Chefs that continue to set a high standard within casual dining. Always innovating in the kitchen, his new favorite Applebee’s meal is the new Bourbon Street Mushroom Swiss Burger.
Chef Cynthia Lara
Exec Chef, Culinary Innovation
Chef Cynthia Lara is an accomplished chef who started her culinary career at age 15 and went on to attend College of the Canyons for her AOS degree in Culinary Arts. Her attention to detail is evident in her Innovation work. She specializes in bringing heart and soul into every dish that she creates and drives the rest of the Culinary Team to do the same. Chef Cynthia’s palate is exceptional and has influenced the development of several of our current menu items. Her favorite time in the kitchen is with her family, where she makes sure there is something for everyone, which she also does for her guests at Applebee’s.
Chef Izel Ustunkaya
Exec Chef, Culinary Innovation
Growing up in a family of restaurateurs who loves food, Chef Izel found herself falling in love with the R&D world in Applebee’s Test Kitchen back in 2016 - only one year after immigrating to the United States. Working alongside the talented group of innovation chefs inspired her to get her degree in Culinary Arts from Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. While Chef Izel is the youngest chef in the team, she’s performed as an Operations and Commercialization Chef and now implements her passion and unparalleled creativity in Culinary Innovation as an Executive Chef.
Chef Denise Covert
Chef, Innovation
Chef Denise brings more than 15 years of culinary leadership and a passion for innovation with a deep understanding of restaurant operations. Known for her collaborative approach and passion for comfort food with a creative twist, she believes great food should be exciting, approachable, and bring people together. Chef Denise focuses on identifying food trends, exploring global flavors, and transforming ideas into dishes that deliver memorable dining experiences for guests nationwide. Whether developing a new limited-time offering or refining a guest favorite, her goal is always the same: create food that keeps guests coming back for more.