Rich Melman (born 1942) is an American businessman, and the founder and chairman of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, a privately held restaurant company with more than 100 venues.In 1971, Melman and Jerry A.
Orzoff founded R.J.
Grunts in Lincoln Park in Chicago.
Melman and Orzoff continued their partnership, developing a number of restaurants, until Orzoff died in 1981.
Melman continued his philosophy of "partnership" and now has 37 working partners.