Forktales is a podcast that feeds the food, beverage, restaurant, and hospitality industries with insights, innovations, and incredibly entertaining stories. Each episode features an in-depth interview with an industry leader, including best-selling authors, chefs, CEO’s, creative masterminds and tech entrepreneurs. All of them have a story to tell and we’re here to help them tell it.
Hosted by Michael Pavone
Michael loves a good story. Stories about growth, innovation, beating the odds and entrepreneurship in the food and beverage world. Finding those stories and sharing them is why Michael is on top of his game as the host of Forktales. When he’s not serving as the host of an industry-leading podcast, Michael is the CEO of Pavone Group, a fiercely independent collection of nine equally fierce and focused marketing agencies.
Episodes
Season 7 highlights
December 20, 2024
Season 7 of Forktales was a feast of stories and insights from food industry trailblazers. We explored how Biscuitville’s secret recipe became a Southern staple, how Rubix Foods stays one…
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Stephen Baldi – President of Baldi Management Group
December 2, 2024
People in airports are travelling for a variety of reasons. The common denominator? They all have to eat. That’s where Stephen Baldi and Baldi Management Group (BMG) comes in. BMG…
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Nick McMillan and Amanda Signorelli – Managing Partners of the Golden Steer
November 13, 2024
The Golden Steer is more than just a steakhouse, it’s a piece of Las Vegas history. Sinatra, Muhammad Ali and Elvis dined there. Mob bosses held dinner meetings in dimly…
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Anand Gala – Managing Partner of Gala Capital Group
October 21, 2024
Anand’s life in the restaurant industry started at a very young age when his mother became one of the first franchisees for Jack-in-the-Box. Although he tried to escape the family…
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Ep 88: Shannon O’Shields / VP of Marketing for Rubix Foods and Gen Z whisperer
September 30, 2024
Rubix Foods has its finger on the pulse of the hottest flavor trends and brings those trends to life for roughly 70% of the top QSR and FSR restaurant brands…
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Ep 86: Burney Jennings / Executive Chairman of Biscuitville
August 21, 2024
More than 60 years ago Burney Jennings’ father, Maurice, had a choice: He could have the family farm or his mother’s closely-guarded biscuit recipe. Maurice chose the biscuit recipe and…
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Ep 85: Ben Jacobs / Chef, founder of Tocabe and Native local pioneer
August 1, 2024
Ben Jacobs is a chef and a tribal member of the Osage Nation. He’s also a leader in bringing Native American food to the forefront of the American culinary conversation….
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Ep 84: Audley Wilson / Shark Tank survivor & Founder of RoboBurger
July 18, 2024
Earlier this year, Audley Wilson and his partners took their dream – a revolutionary vending machine that makes fresh, made-to-order burgers – and pitched it to the investors (and to…
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Ep 83: Craig Bernstein / Founder of Doc B’s Restaurant & Bar
June 28, 2024
If you’re a fan of great stories, you’re going to love this episode of Forktales featuring Doc B’s Restaurant & Bar founder Craig Bernstein. Craig shares tales about how a…
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Ep 81: Benjamin Calleja / CXO of Livit Design
May 23, 2024
Every eight hours, a new Livit designed restaurant opens somewhere in the world and Benjamin Calleja is leading that charge. As the founder and chief experience officer of Livit Design,…
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Ep 80: Dan Rowe / CEO of Fransmart
May 9, 2024
Dan Rowe is known in the restaurant industry as The Chainmaker. He takes emerging restaurant brands and, along with the team at Fransmart, turns those brands into successful national restaurant…
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Ep 79: Jason E. Brooks / Founder of HospiVation
April 18, 2024
Jason E. Brooks is a coach, a motivational speaker and an author with a lifetime of restaurant experience. That’s one of the reasons he created HospiVation, a leadership coaching clinic…
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Ep 78: Emily Rugaber / VP of Marketing for Thanx
April 4, 2024
Why do so many restaurants fail to properly use data? What are the biggest mistakes restaurants make when designing loyalty programs? Two huge questions and Emily Rugaber answers them both….
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Ep 77: Betsy Hamm / CEO of Duck Donuts
March 21, 2024
Duck Donuts is one of the fastest growing donut shops in the nation, with 32 new locations last year and another 45 planned this year. The brand’s fresh, made-to-order donuts…
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Ep 76: Jay Cipra / CEO of Broaster Company
March 7, 2024
If you live in Wisconsin and the surrounding region, you know broasted chicken and how good it is. And the only way to make broasted chicken is with pressure-frying equipment…
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Ep 75: Mark Schostak / Executive Chairman of TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants
February 22, 2024
Mark Schostak is the third generation of a four-generation family business that oversees 150 restaurants throughout Michigan. It’s a portfolio of culinary options that includes Applebee’s, MOD Pizza, Wendy’s and…
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Ep 73: Andrew Glantz / Founder of GiftAMeal
December 14, 2023
Studies have shown that 84% of Gen Z shoppers are more likely to purchase from a brand if the brand gives back and 71% of Millennials would pay more for…
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Ep 72: James Passafaro / Co-Founder of opsi
September 28, 2023
James has 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry and a strong vision for technology’s role in it. One day, while working as a chef de cuisine in an…
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Ep 71: Dan Costello / CEO of Home Run Inn Pizza
September 13, 2023
Dan Costello oversees nine Chicago area pizza shops and a thriving frozen pizza brand as the CEO of Home Run Inn Pizza. That position gives him a front row seat…
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Ep 70: Joseph Szala / Digital Guru & Bullhearted Author
August 29, 2023
Joseph is a vice president of digital experience, an author of multiple books about modern marketing and brand-building and a board advisor to restaurant tech companies and startups. He’s also…
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Ep 69: Caroline Skinner / COO of Tupelo Honey
August 10, 2023
It’s no secret that attracting and retaining high-quality employees is one of the restaurant industry’s biggest challenges. Caroline Skinner knows that. She’s also leading the way at Tupelo Honey when…
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Ep 68: Carl Orsbourn / COO and Co-Founder of JUICER
July 27, 2023
Ready or not, dynamic pricing is coming to the restaurant industry. Carl Orsbourn and JUICER helps restaurants embrace the new pricing model, boost its bottom line and do it in…
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Ep 67: Justin Bartek / VP of Marketing at Dog Haus
July 19, 2023
As the VP of Marketing at Dog Haus, Justin Bartek knows hot dogs. And not just hot dogs, but REALLY GOOD hot dogs. He also knows how to grow brands,…
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Ep 66: Troy Guard / Chef & Founder of TAG Restaurant Group
May 22, 2023
Troy Guard was born and raised in Hawaii. He eventually traded that surf and sun for the mile-high atmosphere of Denver when he opened his first restaurant. Today, he oversees…
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Ep 65: Sterling Douglass / Co-founder and CEO of Chowly
April 24, 2023
Chowly’s mission is simple: To simplify technology for restaurants – particularly smaller chains that don’t have big chain IT support – and help restaurants evolve. That’s why Sterling Douglass created…
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Ep 64: David Jones / President of The Excellence Advisory & Coach of Winning Restaurants
April 17, 2023
David Jones is a performance excellence coach. In short, he helps brands – including many restaurants – get better at what they do and win new customers. In this episode…
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Ep 63: Meredith Sandland / CEO of Empower Delivery & Digital Restaurant Dynamo
March 6, 2023
The 2008 recession sped the disruption of the retail industry and the COVID-19 pandemic ushered in the digital disruption of restaurants. Meredith Sandland understands that disruption – and why it’s…
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Ep 62: Zach Anderson / Brand Partner at Seasoned & Restaurant Talent Rainmaker
February 20, 2023
Attracting and retaining high-quality talent is the single biggest challenge facing restaurants today. Zach Anderson and Seasoned – a social community often described as “Linkedin for restaurant workers” – makes…
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Ep 61: Zach Goldstein / CEO of Thanx, loyalty leader and restaurant money-maker
February 6, 2023
Zach Goldstein’s goal? To help restaurants make more money. That’s why he founded Thanx, a leading loyalty and guest engagement platform for restaurants, and why he’s so passionate about helping…
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Ep 60: Carin Stutz / President & CEO of Native Foods and vegan trailblazer
January 23, 2023
Carin Stutz has built a career at some of the biggest steak and burger restaurants in America, including Applebee’s, Chili’s and Red Robin. That carnivorous past is what makes her…
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Ep 59: Adenah Bayoh, CEO and Founder & One-Woman Economic Engine
January 5, 2023
Adenah is the living definition of the American dream. She came to the United States at the age of 13 after escaping a war torn Liberia. Today, she’s the owner…
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Ep 58: Olga Lopategui / Founder of Ollo Consulting & Email & Loyalty Marketing Maven
September 22, 2022
After 15 years in restaurant marketing at Pizza Hut, KFC and TGI Fridays, Olga decided to focus her marketing expertise on loyalty and CRM. With that, OLLO Restaurant Loyalty was…
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Ep 56: Andrew O’Shea / Founder of Wellspring, Wellness Expert & Builder of Culture
August 25, 2022
Just a few years ago, Andrew worked in HR for an accounting firm. He was 60 pounds overweight (but hungry for change) and then he discovered a yoga program sponsored…
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Ep 55: Jason Gabler / VP of Sales at Adentro, Data & Digital Hospitality Guru
August 18, 2022
If you’re a restaurant owner or marketer and you’re not laser focused on digital hospitality, Jason Gabler can help you make it happen. He’s VP of Sales at Adentro, a…
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Ep 54: Lauren Fernandez / Founder of Full Course, Legal Scholar & Restaurant Franchise Expert
August 11, 2022
Almost overnight, Lauren rolled up her legal degree, bought a pair of non-slip clogs and went to work in the restaurant industry. After getting a first-hand look at the challenges…
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Ep 53: Jonathan Weathington / CEO of Shuckin’ Shack & Lobster Roll Lover
August 4, 2022
Jonathan Weathington knows oysters. He also knows how to grow and build a restaurant brand, which is why he’s the CEO of Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar. From his days of…
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Ep 52: Kevin Bentley / VP of Technology & Automation for Papa Gino’s Pizzeria
July 28, 2022
After a 10-year career as an NFL linebacker, Kevin shifted his focus to technology. He’s a self-described “glutton for pain” when it comes to education with an MBA from Rice,…
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Ep 51: Daniel Gonzalez / Co-owner of Simply Salad & Chicken Sandwich War Veteran
July 21, 2022
Daniel knows how to make a killer chicken sandwich. He was part of the team at Popeyes that went toe-to-toe (or bun-to-bun) with Chick-fil-A in the chicken sandwich wars. Daniel…
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Ep 50: Ellis Winstanley of Axial Shift, El Arroyo & More
July 14, 2022
When Ellis Winstanley and his wife, Paige, bought El Arroyo in 2012, they were buying more than just a popular local Tex-Mex restaurant. They were buying a brand that would…
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Ep 49: Alan Hickey / Founder of Vromo, Delivery Gamechanger
July 7, 2022
Third-party delivery is here to stay, but tools like VROMO allow restaurants to manage their own delivery fleets and take back ownership of the customer experience. That’s the dream that…
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Ep 48 / Brian Hassan / Cofounder of Kickfin & Gratuity Guru
June 30, 2022
When Brian and his entrepreneurial partner Justin saw an armored car pull up to a restaurant in San Francisco to drop off cash to pay employee tips at the end…
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Ep 47 / David Abes / Founder of DASH Hospitality & Atlanta Industry Veteran
May 12, 2022
David Abes started in the hospitality industry as a dishwasher. Thirty-two years later, he’s the owner of DASH Hospitality Group, a management and consulting company for start-up and existing restaurants,…
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Ep 46 / Brett Spiegel / Cofounder & COO of Koala, Digital Ordering Mastermind
May 5, 2022
Brett Spiegel is a man who’s dedicated to creating a seamless, streamlined online ordering experience for restaurants. That’s why he co-founded Koala, a company that provides a premium digital ordering…
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Ep 45 / Richard Pennock / Brand Strategy & Fractional CMO
April 28, 2022
Richard came to America from the U.K. in 2006 and has been leading brand strategy revolutions ever since. Now based in Austin, Texas, his recent experience includes turns as the…
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Ep 44 / Gonca Esendemir / Co-founder of Flatbread Grill & Thumb Bread®, Social Media Maven
April 21, 2022
Gonca is the co-founder and CMO of Flatbread Grill, a fresh casual Turkish Mediterranean concept conceived and developed by Gonca and her two sisters in 2007. The sisters built Flatbread…
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Ep 43 / Tommy Yionoulis / Cofounder of OpsAnalitica & Data Lovin’ Operations Expert
April 14, 2022
In the restaurant industry, data is king. And if data is king, Tom Yionoulis and Opsanalitica are the king-maker. Opsanalitica is an operations data platform that helps restaurants manage and…
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EP 41 / Myles Gift / VP of Operations at Wing Zone and Honey Q sauce fanatic
March 31, 2022
Myles knows wings. More importantly, as the VP of operations at Wing Zone – a restaurant with nearly 80 locations in 25 states – Myles knows how to make great…
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EP 40 / Alistair Levine / Business Development for KitchenSync and Optimizer of Restaurants
March 24, 2022
Alistair is a partner at KitchenSync, finance, HR, marketing, and advisory team behind some of the fastest-growing independent restaurant groups. He also owns seven restaurants in the San Francisco bay…
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EP 39 / Chad Horn / Co-founder of Devour & Restaurant Crypto Pioneer
March 10, 2022
Chad is an absolute pioneer when it comes to cryptocurrency and NFTs in the restaurant space. In this episode, he takes the time to break down the basics of the…
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EP 38 / Samuel Stanovich / A big conversation with the SVP of Big Chicken
March 3, 2022
From Firehouse Subs to the National Restaurant Association, media personality and more, Sam Stanovich is an icon of the restaurant industry. He has recently taken up post as Senior Vice…
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EP 37 / Melvin Delacerda / President of Johnny’s Pizza House & Empowerer of People
February 24, 2022
The Johnny’s Pizza House is one of the American Dream playing out from Johnny Huntsman’s first location in 1974 where he introduced the people of North Louisiana to pizza, the…
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EP 36 / Alex Canter / Founder of Nextbite, Virtual Restaurant Afficionado
February 17, 2022
Alex was born into a restaurant world. From his family’s deli to launching his own virtual restaurant concepts from its kitchen, Alex has been spearheading the virtual restaurant revolution. More…
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EP 35 / Michael Attias / Founder of CaterZen & Mastermind of Catering Sales
February 10, 2022
Catering has long been a fantastic way to grow sales for restaurants. However, for many, selling catering is a chore at best and an impossible enigma at worst. Michael Attias…
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EP 34 / Chef Kenny Gilbert / Founder of Silkie’s Chicken & Champagne, Beater of Bobby Flay
February 3, 2022
Chef Kenny Gilbert is the founder of Silkie’s Chicken & Champagne Bar and Chef Kenny Brands. In his career he’s cooked for Oprah, still does in fact, and beat Bobby…
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EP 33 / Gregory Don Nasser / CEO & Founder of Borne, Data Fanatic & Restaurant Hero
January 27, 2022
Gregory is an industry veteran with a trail of accolades in his wake. From building and selling successful restaurants to starting up a new software platform dead set on preventing…
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EP 32 / Adam Golomb / President & CMO of Primanti Bros & Restaurant Technology Guru
January 20, 2022
Adam is a wealth of knowledge on restaurant marketing technologies and the convergence of multiple systems into a coherent vision. He’s built the Primanti Bros. brand from a regional niche…
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EP 31 / Patrick Magill / Chief Growth Officer for Green Room Collective & Liberator of Imagination
January 13, 2022
Patrick is a former Coca-Cola executive and McDonald’s dishwasher as well as many other well-known brands. In his tenure, he’s amassing profound insights and valuable skills in locking imagination and…
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EP 30 / Tejal Patel / President of Neem Tree Hospitality, Hotel Brand Niche, Positive Culture, and the Future of Hospitality
January 6, 2022
Tejal is a high-energy, positive vibes hospitality genius with a lot of insights into what’s happening today and what will happen tomorrow in the industry. From culture woes to niche…
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EP 29 / Karl Travis / Senior Interior Designer & Partner at Hager Design Intl
December 15, 2021
Interior design and architecture have constant challenges with restaurants. From nuanced local codes to behavioral shifts in consumers, they must be on their feet at all times. My friend Karl…
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EP 28 / Alonso Castañeda / VP of Brand Development & Strategy of Savory Management
December 9, 2021
Alonso is a prime case of professional development and career trajectory that can be experienced in the restaurant industry. His story outlines the journey and how one can easily find…
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EP 27 / Bill Gardner / 2021’s most notable restaurant rebrands
December 2, 2021
I always love my conversations with Bill. He’s extremely insightful and profound in his design thinking. On this week’s episode, we dive into the rebrands for Burger King, Papa John’s,…
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EP 26 / Justin Bartek / Director of Marketing at Jinya Ramen Bar
November 11, 2021
Justin and I have always had fantastic conversations and this episode is no different. We talk about the rise of ramen in the United States and how it’s begun to…
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EP 25 / CJ Moyer / Founder of Presley’s Mobile Bar
November 4, 2021
Designer turned barkeep steps onto the show to chat about this new format of bar experiences: the mobile cocktail bar. From weddings to corporate events, Presley’s has been gaining momentum….
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EP 24 / Eli Altman / Naming Expert on Ghost/Virtual Kitchens
October 28, 2021
Eli is a naming maverick and has manned the helm at A Hundred Monkeys, a Berkeley California based naming studio, for quite some time. I tapped his brain in this…
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EP 23 / Heather Stennis & LeAnne Cavallero / Cinnaholic
October 21, 2021
My chat with LeAnne and Heather is as sweet as the food at Cinnaholics. We chat about their rise to leadership within the organization and how the brand has realized…
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EP 22 / Michael Pavone / Founder of Pavone Marketing Group
October 14, 2021
The news is out! Vigor has been acquired by Pavone Marketing Group. This marks a huge step forward for the organization. In this episode, Michael Pavone, founder of Pavone Marketing…
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EP 21 / QSR Uncut
October 7, 2021
In this episode of Forktales, we replay QSR Uncut’s second episode. QSR Uncut is the newest podcast from the folks at QSR Magazine. Hosts Danny Klein and Ben Colley cover…
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EP 20 / Zack Oates / Founder of Ovation, Lover of Feedback
September 30, 2021
My chat with Zack is as high energy and engaging as he is in person. He’s genuinely passionate about the human condition and customer feedback and in this episode we…
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EP 19 / Bobby Shaw / COO of Sheridan’s Unforked, Host of Cutting Onions Podcast
September 23, 2021
Bobby Shaw is a man with a remarkable resume. Working for brands such as Chipotle, McDonald’s, Freebirds World Burrito and more, Bobby has amassed a fantastic treasure trove of knowledge….
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EP 18 / Scott Conant / Cook, Chef, Author of Peace, Love, and Pasta
September 16, 2021
In my chat with Scott, we dive into the passion behind Italian food and home cooking. We discuss the trajectory and path from cook to James Beard Award-winning chef, developing…
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EP 17 / Adam Knight / Founder of Knowing Hospitality & Host of Proven Principles Podcast
September 9, 2021
Hotel food and beverage brands were a big focus prior to the pandemic but they notoriously lost money for many reasons. The pandemic shifted things but not in the way…
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EP 16 / Jen Kern / CMO of Qu, Host of Restaurants Reinvented
September 2, 2021
Jen is an absolute awesome energy in person and on the episode. We talk about why building restaurant technologies API-forward isn’t just a good a decision, but the ONLY one….
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EP 15 / Ricky Raman / COO of Peachstate Hospitality Group
August 26, 2021
Ricky is a fantastic wealth of knowledge when it comes to the hotel and hospitality industry. Serving as COO for one of Marriott International’s top hotel management companies, Ricky has…
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EP 14 / Stratis Morfogen / Founder of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop & No-BS-Taker from Cyber Bullies
August 19, 2021
My conversation with Stratis was absolutely amazing from beginning to end. Not only do we uncover his vision for rejuvenating the Automat, we also broach the topic of how he…
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EP 13 / Tom Dufore / Big Sky Franchise Guru
August 12, 2021
Tom brings a wealth of knowledge around the franchise industry and how restaurant franchises can win the post pandemic world. In his career, he’s helped many brands scale. He’s also…
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EP 12 / Di Dang & Tuyet Nhi Le of Happy Endings Hospitality
August 5, 2021
I’ve been enamored with the Happy Endings Hospitality company for over a year now. Not only because their restaurant brand names are fun and risqué, but because they have a…
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EP 11 / Andrew Gruel / Founder of Slapfish, and lover of seafood and honesty
July 29, 2021
Started as a chef, and is now a restaurant industry leader, Andrew Gruel has a fantastic story of his journey. He spent years at the helm of Seafood for the…
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EP 10 / Danny Klein / Editorial Director at Food News Media
July 22, 2021
Danny serves as the editorial director at Food News Media who’s properties include QSR Magazine and FSR Magazine. A byproduct of his post is an acute understanding of what’s happening…
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EP 09 / Azzi Kashani / Hospitality Nerd, Major Problem Solver, Melomaniac
July 15, 2021
Azzi is an absolute hospitality nerd who has traveled and worked around the globe for notable hotel brands. Her love of people and the industry shines in this episode where…
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EP 08 / Paul Macaluso / CEO of Another Broken Egg Café
July 8, 2021
My chat with Paul unpacks his unique approach to building a culture of resilience within Another Broken Egg Café’s system. Nearly immediately after manning the helm at ABE, the pandemic…
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EP 07 / Chip Klose / Marketing Strategist, Podcast Host
July 1, 2021
Chip Klose and I discuss the nuances of restaurant marketing in today’s reality and how Field of Dreams isn’t a good methodology for opening a new restaurant concept. From tidbits…
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EP 06 / Ayman Kamel / Owner of 5Church
June 24, 2021
After founding 5Church, Mr. Kamel has steadfastly grown a strong culture while pushing ahead through the pandemic. His love of Sun Tsu’s The Art of War has served as a…
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EP 04 / Dr. James Pogue / Diversity & Inclusion Expert
May 27, 2021
James Pogue makes things uncomfortable, but the right kind of uncomfortable. We discuss the details and nuances of diversity and inclusion and how to build cultures within restaurant brands.
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EP 03 / Betsy Hamm / CEO of Duck Donuts
May 13, 2021
Betsy Hamm is a two-horned unicorn charging ahead at a growing brand. At the time of this recording she had been promoted from Marketing Director to COO and since that…
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EP 02 / Kelli Valade / President of Black Box Intelligence
April 29, 2021
In this episode, I chat with Kelli Valade of Black Box Intelligence. Black Box Intelligence is a suite of data and insights products created to simplify the lives of restaurant…
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