United States-New boss for food chain.

UNITED STATES-NEW BOSS FOR FOOD CHAIN.

Calif.-based Real Mex Restaurants said it has named former Darden Restaurants executive Richard Rivera as president and chief executive officer and chairman of the Board, effective immediately.

Steve Tanner, who has been interim CEO since December 2008, will resume his role as chief financial officer.

Rivera, 62, is currently president and CEO of Rubicon Enterprises LLC, a Sarasota, Fla.-based restaurant management and investment company with ownership in four T.G.I Friday’s and six Marlow’s Taverns.

Rivera spent much of his career with Darden Restaurants Inc., the parent company that operates casual dining concepts that include Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52. From 2002 to 2004, Mr. Rivera was vice chairman, president and chief operating officer responsible for the day-to-day operations at the world’s largest casual dining company.

Real Mex Restaurants is the largest full-service, casual dining Mexican restaurant chain operator in the United States with 189 company-owned restaurants, including 70 El Torito Restaurants, 68 company-owned Chevys Fresh Mex® Restaurants, 32 Acapulco Mexican Restaurants, nine El Torito Grill Restaurants, two Sinigual Restaurants, the Las Brisas Restaurant in Laguna Beach and several regional restaurant concepts such as Who-Song and Larry’s, Casa Gallardo and El Paso Cantina.