BROOKS BROADHURST
Brooks Broadhurst has spent most of his working life focused on food and how to provide filling, satisfying meals to any customer. Most recently Brooks helped start, develop, and manage the United Way’s Student and Families Food Relief Fund. Thanks to a founding grant by PNC Bank, the United Way was able to provide over 1.2 million meals to students and families in need in the early days of the pandemic crises. Pulling together a group of multiple restaurants throughout Allegheny, Butler, and Westmoreland Counties, Brooks led the initiative that assisted more than 15 different school districts and many local and county programs that were struggling to feed those most in need.
In addition to helping a friend start up a software company, AmbiFi, Brooks previously was the Owner of Block 292, a progressive Butcher Shop and Restaurant located in Mt. Lebanon. Block 292 opened in September of 2016, with a focus on whole animal butchery and seasonal American cuisine. All the proteins used in the operation came from animals locally raised in accordance with the standards developed specifically for this concept. The location was housed in an old gas station and car repair shop that originally opened in the early 1930’s which was redeveloped for this project.
Prior to this venture, Brooks was Sr. Vice President of Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, a portfolio of foodservice concepts focused on personalized dining. The brands include Parkhurst Dining, Eat’n Park Restaurants, Six Penn Kitchen, The Porch at Schenley, Hello Bistro, and Smileycookie.com. The company is based in Homestead, PA, and was founded in 1949. Before leaving after 20+ years, Brooks’ oversight included Food, Supply, and Energy Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Distribution Center Operations, Menu Development, Local Sourcing, Manufacturing Operations, Online Sales, and Government Affairs.
Brooks has been featured for his work in media such as NBC Nightly News, the New York Times, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Tribune Review newspapers, Nation’s Restaurant News, and many other local and industry publications. Brooks continues to serve on the Eat’n Park board and is involved in special projects including Government Affairs and Community Partnerships.
Actively involved in the community, Brooks serves as a director for a number of civic and higher education organizations in Western Pennsylvania including both Chatham University and the United Way of Allegheny County as a member of the Executive Committee. He and his wife Jennifer also assisted in a successful fundraising campaign for the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh to redevelop the original Carnegie Library on the Northside. Brooks, a 1994 graduate of Penn State University, lives in Mt. Lebanon, PA with his wife and their three kids.
