At Vicious Biscuit, we know that great food only gets you so far — it’s our people and our culture that keep guests coming back and keep our team growing together. That’s why we’re proud to spotlight Doinita Leahu, our director of training, whose personal journey has become the foundation for how we develop leaders across our entire brand.
A Journey That Shaped Her Leadership Philosophy
Doinita’s path to Vicious Biscuit started far from a restaurant kitchen. She began her career at a large banking organization in Romania, where she discovered that leadership isn’t about title — it’s about contribution. When she emigrated to the U.S., she needed to learn English quickly, and restaurants became her classroom. What started as a practical decision turned into a calling, as she climbed from store manager to director of operations at Chick-fil-A before joining our team as director of training in 2021.
Building Teams That Don’t Need Her in the Room
One of the most formative moments in Doinita’s time with us came when we opened our first restaurant in Neptune Beach, Florida. Working far from headquarters, she had to build a strong team from scratch while protecting everything our brand stands for.
Training That Reflects Real Life on the Floor
Doinita designs our training programs from real, boots-on-the-ground experience — not theory. She believes the restaurant floor is a stage, and every manager is the lead actor, making split-second decisions under pressure.
Making Growth Visible for Everyone
As we continue to grow, Doinita is intentional about making sure every team member can see a real path forward. She works alongside leaders like Katie DePoppe, our director of people & culture, to build that visibility into everything we do.
Culture as Our Competitive Advantage
As we move through 2026 with new markets opening and ambitious growth goals ahead, we know that culture is what sets us apart. Retention, Doinita reminds us, doesn’t come from a single strategy, it comes from an environment leaders build every day.
That same philosophy extends to our franchise partners. Doinita spends significant time in the field building relationships with franchisees and shaping training programs based directly on their feedback — including the franchisee training platform that grew out of input from our very first franchised locations.
Leading the Next Generation
Having built her career across male-dominated industries in Romania and now in the U.S. restaurant world, Doinita is energized by the young women stepping into leadership roles across our organization today.
Doinita’s story is a reminder of what makes Vicious Biscuit special — a culture built by people who’ve walked the path themselves and are committed to helping others do the same.
Read the full feature at QSR Magazine: How Doinita Leahu is Transforming Vicious Biscuit’s Culture