Primary Job Title Director & CEO Primary Organization Kernel / Counter Service
Location New York, New York, United States Regions Greater New York Area, East Coast, Northeastern US Gender Male
Facebook View on Facebook LinkedIn View on LinkedIn X (Twitter) View on X
Tom Cortese is an entrepreneur known for creating craveable products. In 2012, he co-founded Peloton where he oversaw product innovation teams, crafting highly addictive, user-centered experiences. He helped grow Peloton from an idea to a globally recognized brand serving as the company’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product officer for over a
dozen years.
After Peloton, Tom teamed up with Steve Ells (Chipolte Founder) at Kernel Foods Inc to rethink fast food as real food. In early 2025, they launched ‘Counter Service’—a quality-first, quick-service, multi-unit sandwich concept—along with the ‘Kernel’ restaurant operating system that enables Counter Service's rapid expansion, fast, predictable service, high throughput and efficient business model.
