Noble Restaurant Success Named Finalist of 2026 San Diego County BBB Torch Awards for Ethics

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Better Business Bureau has named Noble Restaurant Success as a finalist for the 2026 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics, recognizing businesses that exemplify integrity, trust, and ethical leadership in the marketplace.

The BBB Torch Awards for Ethics program celebrates organizations that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing—for their customers, employees, and communities. Being named a finalist is a testament to the values that guide Noble Restaurant Success every day.

“Some of the hardest decisions I’ve made as a restaurant leader and business owner were the

ones where doing the right thing wasn’t necessarily the easiest thing. Those experiences shaped how I lead and ultimately why I started Noble Restaurant Success. Being recognized for ethics is especially meaningful because integrity isn’t separate from good leadership and how you build a business that lasts,” said Colby Behrends, founder of Noble Restaurant Success.

Behrends brings more than 20 years of restaurant leadership and operating experience to his work with independent restaurant and café owners. Through Noble Restaurant Success, he helps operators strengthen their leadership, improve restaurant operations, build stronger teams, create more consistent systems, and make intentional decisions about the future of their businesses.

Based in San Diego and working with restaurant owners locally and nationwide, Noble Restaurant Success provides one-on-one restaurant consulting and leadership coaching alongside free educational resources for independent operators. Behrends created Noble around a simple belief: restaurant owners should have access to experienced, practical guidance before challenges become crises, and they shouldn’t have to navigate the difficult parts of ownership alone.

The BBB Torch Awards for Ethics represent one of the highest honors bestowed by BBB and are

designed to spotlight businesses that consistently uphold the principles of trust and ethical conduct.

Finalists are selected by an independent panel of volunteer community leaders using criteria

established by the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

Each finalist completed a comprehensive evaluation demonstrating a commitment to ethics and

trust across four key areas: Character, Culture, Customers, and Community. These organizations showcased the integrity of their leadership, the authenticity of their workplace culture, the value they place on customer relationships, and the positive impact they make in the communities they serve.

"We're thrilled to give this year's finalists the recognition they've achieved. These business owners remind us that trust is earned through daily actions, not just words. They're showing the rest of the marketplace that running an ethical business isn't just the right thing to do—it's the best way to build a lasting company," said Vicky Lockett, Associate Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement.

One winner from each category will be announced at the signature event on Wednesday, September 9 at La Jolla Marriott. For a complete list of this year’s BBB Torch Awards for Ethics Finalists, visit torchawards.bbbcommunity.org.

About Noble Restaurant Success

Noble Restaurant Success is a San Diego-based restaurant consulting and leadership coaching business founded by restaurant industry veteran Colby Behrends. Drawing on more than 20 years of restaurant leadership and operating experience, Noble works primarily with independent restaurant and café owners to improve operations, develop stronger leaders and teams, create consistent systems, strengthen the guest experience, and build healthier, more sustainable businesses.

Noble provides one-on-one advisory and consulting services for restaurant owners at different stages of their businesses, from opening a new concept to navigating operational challenges, increasing sales, or preparing for growth. Noble also publishes Restaurant Rhythm, a free educational resource offering practical restaurant leadership and operations guidance for independent operators.

Noble Restaurant Success is based in San Diego and works with restaurant owners locally and nationwide. Learn more at NobleRestaurantSuccess.com.

About BBB Mountain West & Pacific Southwest

Better Business Bureau (BBB) has empowered people to find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust for more than 110 years. In 2024, people turned to BBB.org more than 220 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 5.5 million businesses, and 725,000 times for BBB charity reports on 12,000 local and national charities. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Incorporated locally in 1938, BBB Pacific Southwest, Central & Inland California serves Greater Arizona and Southern, Central and Inland California,

providing critical tools to ignite success including mentorship, online products, event and meeting spaces.

Our objective expertise educates the community on ethical behavior in the marketplace and how businesses can build trust.