Ask any veteran of the casual-dining market to name the segment’s best-in-class operation and they’ll likely cycle through two or three dominant players before a dark horse comes to mind: How about Hillstone or its previous incarnation, Houston’s?

They know the restaurants as the standout delights in their rounds of visits to competitive concepts. They may even know the company was co-founded and run by a character named George Biel. But don’t ask them anything about the man or what makes him tick; he’s as reclusive of a leader as the industry sports. Little is known about his past other than he started in the business as a waiter at Steak and Ale.

This week’s edition of Restaurant Rewind adds some details to that tersest of bios, drawing on a rare personal interaction and conversations with Biel’s subordinates. It’s a rare glimpse of an industry giant who shuns the limelight despite his proven abilities as a brand leader.

Give a listen to learn about one of the industry’s little-known standouts.