Emerging B2B franchise brand focuses on commercial kitchen fire safety and operational efficiency
Kitchen Guard, the premier provider of commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning services (KEC), announces today its expansion into Birmingham, Alabama under the leadership of new franchise owner Owen Elliott. This growth underscores Kitchen Guard’s commitment to ensuring the safety and efficiency of commercial kitchens through high-quality, full-service exhaust cleaning services.
Kitchen Guard offers comprehensive cleaning services that deliver value and protection beyond compliance and with a level of professionalism uncommon in the industry. Unlike other providers, Kitchen Guard adheres to the highest standards set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), ensuring that every commercial kitchen it serves is clean, safe from fire hazards and compliant to all local, state, and federal regulations. This distinction is crucial for restaurant owners and kitchen operators seeking to protect their investments and maintain a secure environment for both employees and patrons.
A native Alabamian from Birmingham, Owen brings a unique perspective to franchising through years as an investment banker, with special experience working with franchisors. This experience led him to consider the franchise business model for his family to build their future. Kitchen Guard attracted Owen for its premium-level, service-based offering, community connection with local restaurants and growth opportunity in the Birmingham metro-area.
Owen was born and raised in Birmingham, graduating from Mountain Brook High School in 2011. He attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA, where he graduated in 2015 as a Business Administration major. After college, Owen spent four years in the Richmond, VA office of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., an investment bank focused on serving community banks as advisors for M&A and capital raising transactions.
“Attention to detail has been a critical aspect of my work throughout my career, advising founders and business owners on the sale of their businesses, which are often life-changing transactions,” said Owen. “I am bringing that same level of attention to detail to the commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning industry. The task may sound straightforward, but it requires proper training, operating procedures, and equipment, and if not done properly can leave commercial kitchens exposed to fire risk. The Kitchen Guard model leaves no stone unturned when servicing its clients and ensuring a restaurant’s kitchen exhaust system is maintained to be clean, safe and up to fire protection codes with each use.”
Owen’s strong work ethic and continuous drive for self and professional improvement benefits the Kitchen Guard model and the city’s booming restaurant scene perfectly. Birmingham was recently lauded as one of America’s best food cities, according to the Travel Channel’s Andrew Zimmern and is undergoing a renaissance of growth that local restaurateurs are rebranding as Dining-ham – a Foodie Haven.
Kitchen Guard’s entry into Birmingham and surrounding areas marks an essential milestone in the company’s mission to elevate the standards of commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning. With Owen at the helm, established restaurant brands and newcomers to the scene from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa can look forward to a new level of professionalism and safety in their kitchen operations.
For more information, visit Kitchen Guard Birmingham or contact Owen Elliott at 205-807-4878 or by email at oelliott@kitchenguard.com.
