Episodes
EP 38 / Samuel Stanovich / A big conversation with the SVP of Big Chicken
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 President of Development at the up and coming brand Big Chicken. You may have heard of it because it’s the passion project of Shaquille O’Neal. In this episode we unpack Sam’s journey, his love for the industry, what’s on the horizon for Big Chicken, and, of course, we talk about the “big guy.”
EP 37 / Melvin Delacerda / President of Johnny’s Pizza House & Empowerer of People
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 whole way to 2022 where the brand is now fully owned by the employees. JPH has been dominating the region for decades with their family-forward, sharing is caring attitude. In this episode, I sit with friend and former client, Melvin Delacerda to unpack the magic that makes JPH a fantastic place to work.
EP 36 / Alex Canter / Founder of Nextbite, Virtual Restaurant Afficionado
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 recently he’s launched Nextbite as a platform for helping other restaurateurs realize the exponential income that comes from solid operations of VR brands. In this episode, we unpack his journey then discuss how virtual restaurants are changing the game for both consumers and restaurant operators around the nation. We dive into Nextbite’s path forward and the future of the restaurant industry as a whole.
EP 35 / Michael Attias / Founder of CaterZen & Mastermind of Catering Sales
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 cracked the code for his own restaurant then springboarded into creating the tools and insights necessary for any enterprising restaurateur to build sales via a strong, successful catering program. In this episode, we tap into his knowledge and insights and the magic of CaterZen.
EP 34 / Chef Kenny Gilbert / Founder of Silkie’s Chicken & Champagne, Beater of Bobby Flay
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 Flay on national TV. In this episode he lays out how he got to this level in his career, and what makes a fantastic fried chicken dish. We discuss his journey and how others can rise up in the culinary world.
EP 33 / Gregory Don Nasser / CEO & Founder of Borne, Data Fanatic & Restaurant Hero
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 premature restaurant failures, he’s been crushing it. His latest venture is a restaurant location intelligence platform created to help CGOs, Development Directors, and restaurateurs find locations primed for success. It’s called Borne, and we dive into the details in his episode!
EP 32 / Adam Golomb / President & CMO of Primanti Bros & Restaurant Technology Guru
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 tied to a singular sports team, into a viable and thriving regional player that’s growing at impressive speeds. With a dedication to data and insights derived from tech-fueled information, Adam has spearheaded impressive growth. In this episode, we scratch the surface of his thinking and vision, and so much more.
EP 31 / Patrick Magill / Chief Growth Officer for Green Room Collective & Liberator of Imagination
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 creativity in leaders of all walks. In his newest post, he’s been putting those skills to good use in a consultative role.
In this episode, we chat about the Great Resignation and how to attract top talent in the current reality. We unpack how brands can pivot to take advantage of new buying and shopping behaviors, and we weave in the idea of imagination and innovation.
EP 30 / Tejal Patel / President of Neem Tree Hospitality, Hotel Brand Niche, Positive Culture, and the Future of Hospitality
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 brands, we discuss the path forward and speculate on what could be coming down the pike.
EP 29 / Karl Travis / Senior Interior Designer & Partner at Hager Design Intl
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 Travis and I chat about these challenges along with the design trends hitting the industry as a result of pandemic-fueled behavior shifts in this episode of Forktales!
EP 28 / Alonso Castañeda / VP of Brand Development & Strategy of Savory Management
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 success and fulfillment by learning and growing. We address the labor shortages and what’s driving them, and we dive into how to build scrappy brands that thrive and grow.
EP 27 / Bill Gardner / 2021’s most notable restaurant rebrands
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, and Pizza Hut. We unpack what’s driving the throwback, retro approaches to these restaurant brands and whether or not it’s successful.
