Episodes
Paul Hemingway – CPG marketing leader and food innovation strategist
The grocery store may still be where the purchase happens, but the decision increasingly starts somewhere else. Paul Hemingway, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Litehouse Foods, brings 25 years of CPG experience to marketing and innovation for the employee-owned company behind the nation’s leading refrigerated salad dressing brand.
In this episode of Forktales, Paul discusses how social media and AI are changing food discovery, the impact of GLP-1s on food trends and how economic pressures are reshaping value. He also shares how employee ownership shapes Litehouse’s culture and why strong retailer relationships are built on true partnership.
Jim Herr – Third-generation snack industry leader and champion of flavor innovation
For nearly 80 years, Herr’s has remained a family-owned snack company by staying rooted in its values while continuing to evolve. Jim Herr, Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and R&D, represents the third generation of the Herr family and oversees the consumer-facing side of the business, helping guide everything from product innovation to marketing and growth.
In this episode of Forktales, Jim discusses the opportunities and challenges of leading a multigenerational family business, building brand loyalty through authenticity and maintaining Herr’s deep connection to Philadelphia. He also shares how consumer feedback influences flavor innovation, why accepting occasional failures encourages bolder ideas and how Herr’s balances research and data with entrepreneurial instinct when developing new products.
Amir Yazdi – Restaurant investor, operator and growth strategist
Great restaurants don’t automatically become great businesses. Scaling takes the right systems, people and strategy. Amir Yazdi, founder and managing partner of Bastian Capital, has spent more than 20 years building, operating and investing in restaurant brands, giving him a unique perspective on what separates concepts that grow from those that stall.
In this episode of Forktales, Amir shares what makes a restaurant concept investable, the biggest mistakes operators make when scaling, how rising labor costs and GLP-1s are reshaping the industry, and why restaurants continue to thrive as places that bring communities together.
Season 10 highlights
Season 10 of Forktales explored what it takes to build brands that last in a rapidly evolving food and beverage industry. From functional wellness drinks and dairy marketing to restaurant leadership, bold rebranding and Super Bowl creativity, this season’s guests shared lessons on innovation, resilience and the power of understanding consumers.
Pete Olander opened the season with a look at the booming functional beverage space and the rise of sober-curious consumers. Jenny Mehlman explored dairy’s resurgence and why authenticity and everyday moments drive lasting brand connections. Mike DiBeneditto shared the thinking behind Golden Waffles’ bold rebrand and the importance of clarity over tradition.
Madelyn Alfano reflected on five decades of restaurant leadership, servant leadership and hospitality rooted in respect, while Chuck Meehan closed the season with a behind-the-scenes look at Super Bowl advertising, big creative ideas and the relentless pursuit of breakthrough work.
Pete Olander – Founder of Happie and innovator in cannabis and functional wellness beverages
From J.P. Morgan to mushroom and cannabis beverages, Pete Olander has taken an unconventional path into one of the fastest-growing spaces in food and beverage. As founder of Happie, Olander has built a vertically integrated wellness beverage company focused on hemp-derived THC drinks and functional mushroom products designed to offer consumers approachable alternatives to alcohol and traditional energy drinks.
In this episode of Forktales, Pete discusses the realities of bootstrapping a cannabis brand, the growing sober-curious movement among younger consumers, and why functional ingredients like lion’s mane and cordyceps are reshaping the beverage industry. He also shares insights on branding, consumer trust and navigating the complex regulations surrounding cannabis beverages.
Jenny Mehlman – Dairy marketing leader and champion of all things cheese and butter
In a category everyone thinks they understand (like dairy and cheese), the real challenge isn’t the product, it’s staying relevant. Jenny Mehlman is Senior Marketing Director at Dairy Farmers of America, a farmer-owned cooperative representing more than 9,500 dairy farmers, bringing a sharp perspective on marketing dairy aisle staples.
In this episode of Forktales, Jenny explores dairy’s resurgence, the role of storytelling in earning attention and why small, everyday moments drive connection. She also shares how authenticity builds trust and how DFA’s farmer-owned model shapes a more long-term approach to innovation.
Mike DiBeneditto – CEO of Golden Waffles and Champion of Bold Brand Reinvention
A nearly century-old brand doesn’t change its name without a clear sense of purpose. Mike DiBeneditto, CEO of Golden Waffles, leads one of the most recognizable waffle programs in foodservice, with distribution in more than 50,000 locations worldwide.
In this episode of Forktales, Mike explains the decision to rebrand from Golden Malted to Golden Waffles and why clarity trumped tradition. He discusses the importance of relentless internal communication, honoring company heritage during change and staying grounded when evaluating trends.
Madelyn Alfano – Restaurateur, hospitality leader and steward of Italian comfort food
Great food lasts, but great hospitality endures. Madelyn Alfano is CEO and owner of Maria’s Italian Kitchen and a lifelong restaurant operator shaped by growing up in her family’s Italian grocery and food business. With more than five decades of brand history behind her, she brings deep expertise in operations, leadership and building community-driven restaurants that stand the test of time.
In this episode of Forktales, Madelyn shares how Maria’s grew from a small takeout kitchen into a multi-location Southern California institution, lessons learned from leading through crises like the Northridge earthquake, and why clear communication and servant leadership matter more than ever.
Chuck Meehan – Super Bowl creative veteran and champion of big ideas
Great creative doesn’t start with execution, it starts with a point of view. Chuck Meehan is Chief Creative Officer of Pavone Group and a veteran creative leader with decades of experience building bold, culture-shaping work for some of the world’s most recognizable brands. A four-time Super Bowl creative, Chuck has a reputation for ideas that break through pressure, complexity and noise.
In this episode of Forktales, Chuck pulls back the curtain on what defines a truly “big idea,” why the Super Bowl is both the most exhilarating and punishing creative arena in advertising, and how protecting an idea is often harder than coming up with it.
Season 9 highlights
Season 9 of Forktales brought together visionaries redefining what it means to lead, create, and serve in the food and beverage world. From heritage duck farms to plant-based dairies, family restaurants to city-shaping pubs, every guest offered a story rooted in passion and purpose.
Joey Jurgielewicz kicked off the season with a lesson in legacy and sustainability from Tasty Duck. Tom Moffitt explored the science and spirit behind plant-based dairy innovation. Edward Medina shared how Ramona’s Food Group turned a 78-year-old family brand into a modern Mexican food powerhouse. Sameer Malhotra revealed how Café Spice brought authentic Indian cuisine to America’s mainstream, while Elliot Nelson showed how restaurants can revitalize an entire city. And Curtis Chin closed the season with heart, reflecting on growing up in his family’s Chinese restaurant and why small, family-run eateries are still the glue of communities everywhere.
Curtis Chin – Writer, filmmaker and storyteller of culture and community
“Chinese restaurants are going to save America.” That’s the bold belief of Curtis Chin — writer, filmmaker, activist, and author of the memoir Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Growing up as a Chinese American in 1980s Detroit, Curtis found community, identity, and resilience inside his family’s landmark restaurant, Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine.
In this episode of Forktales, Curtis reflects on life lessons from the dining room, the power of service and conversation, and why family restaurants act as vital community glue. He also explores Detroit as a cultural crossroads and the lasting influence Chinese restaurants have had on how Americans eat today.
Elliot Nelson – Restaurateur, real estate developer and future mayor of Tulsa
Elliot Nelson is the founder and CEO of McNellie’s Group, the hospitality company credited with transforming downtown Tulsa’s dining scene. What began as a college business plan for a fictional Irish pub grew into a thriving portfolio of more than 25 restaurants and bars, as well as large-scale development projects that have reshaped the city.
In this episode of Forktales, Elliot shares how McNellie’s became Tulsa’s go-to destination for craft beer, his vision of creating a “living room” for the city, and the role historic renovations have played in revitalizing downtown.
