Former AI- Company CFO trades tech for teriyaki
Denver, CO (RestaurantNews.com) Teriyaki Madness (TMAD), the Seattle-style teriyaki franchise known for cooked-to-order bowls piled high with premium proteins, fresh stir-fry vegetables and signature sauces, has named Amy Burhorn as chief financial officer (CFO).
In her new role, Burhorn will draw on more than two decades of experience to oversee the accounting, finance and technology departments, working alongside the leadership team to guide the brand’s ongoing expansion. She’ll crunch plenty of numbers along the way, but one of her first priorities will be exploring how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, can sharpen decision-making and strengthen operations across the system.
Burhorn arrives from Tribe AI, where as CFO she saw firsthand what AI can do when it’s put in the hands of everyone in an organization, not just the tech team. Before that, she spent four years at Hakkoda, where she built the finance organization that took the company from startup to its 2025 acquisition by IBM. Earlier in her career, she held finance roles at Vail Resorts, Crocs and Natural Grocers, where she was part of the team that took the company public in 2012.
That background makes her a natural fit for Teriyaki Madness, which has invested heavily in technology to strengthen operations and improve the franchisee experience, from streamlining back-office work to finding new ways to make every shop more efficient and profitable.
Like most restaurant brands, Teriyaki Madness relies on a wide range of technology partners, from point-of-sale and back-of-house systems to online ordering, loyalty and accounting platforms, and each one produces its own stream of data. The real value comes from bringing that data together, organizing and analyzing it, and layering AI on top, then putting those insights in the hands of everyone in the organization, from the support center to franchisees in their shops. The goal is better, faster decisions that add up to well-run shops and great experiences for customers. Burhorn will lead that work, making sure every technology dollar delivers measurable value for franchisees and the business as a whole.
Fast casual had a rough year for foot traffic (somebody forgot to tell TMAD). Through the first nine months of the year, same-store sales rose 6.7 percent and traffic climbed 2.7 percent, while category benchmarks sat at 0.9 percent and negative 2.1 percent. The third quarter widened that gap further, with comparable sales up 10.3 percent and traffic up 5.5 percent versus averages of 1.6 percent and negative 2.4 percent. Systemwide sales are running 28 percent ahead of last year’s pace, and TMAD is on track to close out December at 245 shops, a 22.5 percent jump in unit count. These are great trends for a CFO to walk into, Burhorn’s job now is to keep the numbers moving in the same direction.
“The CFO role has changed, and while balancing the books still matters, the job today is just as much about giving franchisees the financial insight and confidence to make their next big decisions,” said Michael Haith, CEO of Teriyaki Madness. “Behind every dollar we manage is someone who believes in this brand, and Amy never loses sight of that. We’ve never been short on Madness around here, and Amy brings the method.”
Burhorn holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in accounting from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she captained a national champion women’s club soccer team. Off the clock, she’s on the sidelines as a competitive youth soccer coach and on the slopes as a volunteer ski instructor with the National Sports Center for the Disabled.
“I learned so much from my last five years in the technology industry, but it’s great to be back on the operator side, where the end product is a shop you can walk into, a bowl you can taste and a community of customers behind the brand,” Burhorn said. “The people at Teriyaki Madness and the company and culture they’ve built made saying yes easy. My focus is making sure the tools we use, including AI, earn their keep, whether that’s opening the next shop or helping an existing one become more profitable. I’m excited to use technology and finance to serve operations and ultimately empower us to grow the brand, make decisions and increase store profitability.”
For more information, visit TeriyakiMadness.com.
About Teriyaki Madness
Teriyaki Madness (TMAD for short) is a fast casual Seattle-style Asian concept founded in 2003. Known for its crazy delicious teriyaki bowls, TMAD offers a customizable, protein-packed menu featuring marinated, grilled chicken, steak, salmon, tofu, and fresh veggies over rice or yakisoba noodles, complemented by signature sauces and sides like eggrolls and edamame. This isn’t your “average teriyaki” – it’s huge bowls of bold, healthy (or not – we don’t judge), over-the-top awesomeness.
As one of the fastest-growing concepts in the fast casual space, Teriyaki Madness has earned numerous industry accolades and national recognition for its innovation, franchise growth and operational excellence. The brand has been consistently recognized on Fast Casual‘s prestigious Movers & Shakers list and was honored by Food On Demand with its Outstanding Operator Award. TMAD has also been featured on Franchise Times’ Top 400 list of the largest franchise systems in the U.S. and earned Franchise Times’ coveted Zor Award as a “Top Brand to Buy.” In addition, the brand’s leadership has been recognized by QSR Magazine’s Young Leaders to Watch for driving innovation and growth within the restaurant industry.
With over 230 shops across 41 states , the brand is rapidly expanding nationwide. Teriyaki Madness is actively seeking dedicated franchise operators of all backgrounds to bring fresh, delicious teriyaki bowls to their neighborhoods. For more information on franchise opportunities, visit franchise.TeriyakiMadness.com. To explore the menu and learn more, visit TeriyakiMadness.com or follow Teriyaki Madness on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Contact:
Josiah Kinman
Champion
936-615-8979
jkinman@championmgt.com.
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