Opening Keynote

Rick Rosenfield is a former federal prosecutor and defense attorney. He is the co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen, the restaurant brand that helped redefine how America eats pizza and reshaped modern casual dining. Before entering the restaurant business, Rosenfield began his legal career at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC, where he worked on cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeals. He later served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, prosecuting major criminal cases, including organized crime matters, before transitioning into private practice representing high-profile clients. In 1985, Rosenfield and his partner, Larry Flax, made the unconventional decision to leave the law field and open the first California Pizza Kitchen in Beverly Hills. What began as a single restaurant grew into a global brand while maintaining a distinctive culinary vision and culture. Rosenfield lives in Palm Beach, Florida, with his wife, Esther. They have three children and two grandchildren.