Advisory Committee

Ahmed Awadallah

Honorary Advisor

American Restaurant Development Association

Ahmed Awadallah brings more than two decades of experience across operations leadership and engineering, combining systems expertise with restaurant management for global franchisors. Career highlights: Most recently, Ahmed served as Managing Director & COO of Espresso House Group (part of JAB Holding Company), a premium coffeehouse brand with more than 500 corporate and franchise locations across Europe. Previously, he held multiple leadership roles at Yum! Brands, including Chief Operations & Customer Officer for Pizza Hut Europe, as well as cross-functional leadership roles spanning four continents. At Buffalo Wild Wings, Ahmed oversees operations across more than 1,200 sports bars worldwide, working alongside team members and franchisees to drive operational excellence and deliver a guest-centric experience.

John Chan

Honorary Advisor

American Restaurant Development Association

John Chan is a prominent Chinese American entrepreneur and community leader who has lived in the United States for more than three decades after emigrating from Hong Kong. He successfully founded Supreme Group USA, Chen Brothers Group USA, and other businesses in New York, bringing extensive experience in business management, community service, and civic engagement. In 1999, he helped establish the United Federation of Fuzhou Langqi Associations in America and the American Chinese Commerce Association. Through these organizations, he has worked to strengthen U.S.–China economic and trade relations, unite Chinese American entrepreneurs, and support Chinese-owned businesses in entering the mainstream U.S. business community. He also organized flag-raising ceremonies in New Jersey in 1999 and Flushing, New York, in 2000, expressing the Chinese diaspora’s deep connection to its cultural heritage and goodwill toward U.S.–China relations. Over the years, Mr. Chan has remained actively involved in philanthropy, community safety initiatives, assistance for community members in need, voter registration, and Chinese American civic participation. He has also organized cultural events, business exchanges, and public forums to promote Chinese culture and strengthen commercial and people-to-people ties among the United States, mainland China, and Hong Kong. He currently serves as President of the American Hong Kong Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Honorary Advisor to the American Restaurant Development Association.

David Lin

Honorary Advisor

American Restaurant Development Association

David Lin is a serial entrepreneur. He graduated from the Communication University of China and later pursued an EMBA at Peking University and a DBA at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. His multidisciplinary background spans media and communications, corporate management, and business strategy. Founder, NEXT ROBOT David Lin founded NEXT ROBOT, a leading AI-powered cooking robotics company in North America. He has long been dedicated to the integration of artificial intelligence, robotics, and the foodservice industry. By combining machine vision, intelligent control systems, and automated cooking technologies, he is advancing the digitalization, standardization, and intelligent transformation of commercial kitchens. NEXT ROBOT primarily serves restaurant chains, schools and institutional dining facilities, supermarket prepared-food departments, central kitchens, contract foodservice operations, senior living communities, and professional foodservice companies. The company provides scalable intelligent cooking solutions that help businesses address industry challenges such as rising labor costs, shortages of skilled chefs, lengthy training cycles, inconsistent food quality across multiple locations, and insufficient production capacity during peak hours. Under the leadership of David Lin and his team, NEXT ROBOT has introduced two commercial AI-powered cooking robots: Robby and Al Dente. Robby is designed primarily for fried rice, stir-fried noodles, wok dishes, and other high-temperature cooking applications. It intelligently manages key stages of the cooking process, including heating, stirring, seasoning, temperature control, and automatic cleaning, enabling efficient, standardized, and consistent food preparation. Robby has been deployed across a wide range of commercial kitchen environments, including restaurants, schools, supermarkets, contract foodservice operations, central kitchens, and senior care facilities. Al Dente is designed for pasta, risotto, sautéed dishes, and other recipes requiring precise control of temperature, moisture, and cooking rhythm. By integrating artificial intelligence, thermal sensing, machine vision, and real-time cooking data, the system monitors and adjusts ingredient conditions throughout the cooking process. This enables complex dishes to be prepared consistently according to standardized procedures while preserving their original flavor, texture, and culinary craftsmanship. NEXT ROBOT operates under a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) business model, providing clients with an integrated suite of services that includes intelligent cooking equipment, software systems, recipe development, operational training, system upgrades, preventive maintenance, and after-sales support. This model lowers the barriers to adopting intelligent kitchen equipment and enables commercial kitchens of different sizes and formats to deploy the technology quickly and efficiently. Drawing on his extensive entrepreneurial experience and deep understanding of the North American foodservice market, David Lin actively promotes the integration of artificial intelligence, robotics manufacturing, and real-world restaurant operational needs. He leads the NEXT ROBOT team in building a smart-kitchen ecosystem encompassing product research and development, commercial deployment, recipe digitalization, kitchen management, and customer service—providing technological support for foodservice businesses seeking standardized production, multi-location expansion, and scalable growth.

Ken Chen

Honorary Advisor

American Restaurant Development Association

Mr. Ken Chen is the founder and chairman of AFG Global and a prominent insurance general agent in the United States. He graduated with a degree in Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University and has more than 20 years of professional experience in the insurance and financial services industries. With his strong academic background in finance, keen market insight, and extensive practical experience, Mr. Chen has actively promoted innovation in insurance and financial services. He is committed to providing individuals, families, and businesses with professional, reliable, and customized insurance and financial planning solutions. Guided by the principles of “Clients First, Integrity, and Professionalism,” he carefully considers the needs of clients at every stage of life. He helps them allocate financial and insurance resources effectively, manage potential risks, and establish a solid foundation for the long-term stability of their families and businesses. In managing his company, Mr. Chen places a strong emphasis on professionalism, operational excellence, and sustainable growth. He continuously improves the company’s service systems while strengthening the expertise and service standards of his team. He is also dedicated to developing talent within the insurance and financial industries, encouraging professionals to serve clients with responsibility, integrity, transparency, and expertise. Under his leadership, Chuangfu International has continued to expand its range of services and has developed into a trusted insurance and financial services platform recognized for its professional capabilities and strong reputation. Beyond his achievements in business, Mr. Chen has long been committed to serving the Chinese American community. He actively participates in community events, charitable initiatives, and cultural exchanges. By sharing his professional knowledge and industry resources, he has helped many immigrant families, individuals, and small-business owners better understand the U.S. insurance system, family protection, retirement planning, wealth transfer, and financial risk management. Over the years, Mr. Chen has remained dedicated to giving back to society and supporting his community. In addition to assisting families in need, he actively promotes communication and cooperation among community organizations, businesses, and professional institutions. He understands the practical challenges that many immigrants face while establishing their lives in the United States and works to help them strengthen their awareness of financial protection and plan confidently for their families, children, and futures. His approachable and practical style, together with his strong sense of social responsibility, has earned him widespread trust and recognition throughout the community. Mr. Chen’s outstanding achievements in the insurance and financial services industries have also received significant professional recognition. He has been honored multiple times as a Top of the Table (TOT) member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), its highest level of membership. This distinction reflects his exceptional professional performance, commitment to service excellence, and distinguished standing within the international insurance and financial services community. Looking ahead, Mr. Chen will continue to uphold the core values of professionalism, integrity, responsibility, and service. He is committed to leading Chuangfu International toward greater growth, providing trusted financial protection solutions to more families and businesses, and continuing to contribute to the prosperity and long-term development of the Chinese American community.