Episodes
EP 23 / Heather Stennis & LeAnne Cavallero / Cinnaholic
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 growth during the pandemic and in the aftermath. We dive into their working relationship and how the collaboration has created a powerhouse of a brand.
EP 22 / Michael Pavone / Founder of Pavone Marketing Group
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 Group, unpacks why this acquisition makes sense and what the future looks like for the organization. He also touches on why peanut butter is absolutely fantastic.
EP 21 / QSR Uncut
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 the week’s trends and headlines. In this episode, Joseph Szala, managing director of Vigor chimes in with his expertise.
EP 20 / Zack Oates / Founder of Ovation, Lover of Feedback
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 meander through the details of how he founded Ovation, why Ovation is changing the game, and a little insight into his dating life.
EP 19 / Bobby Shaw / COO of Sheridan’s Unforked, Host of Cutting Onions Podcast
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. In this episode we talk about the challenges facing the restaurant industry today from an operations perspective, and what’s new in his world has he takes the helm of Sheridan’s Unforked.
EP 18 / Scott Conant / Cook, Chef, Author of Peace, Love, and Pasta
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 his personality and approach, and his thoughts on what’s next in the restaurant world. It’s a fantastic discussion that will leave you hungry for great food and for advancing your professional and personal life.
EP 17 / Adam Knight / Founder of Knowing Hospitality & Host of Proven Principles Podcast
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 one would think. On this episode, well-known hospitality guru, Adam Knight, and I chat about what it takes to make hotel F&B concepts work in today’s reality as well as many other factors facing hotel brands.
EP 16 / Jen Kern / CMO of Qu, Host of Restaurants Reinvented
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. We dive into what restaurants need to do today to compete and grow, and we have a helluva time throughout.
EP 15 / Ricky Raman / COO of Peachstate Hospitality Group
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 led the charge in creating new experiences that challenge what people expect from limited-service hotels. His activity in the industry also keeps him at the forefront of what’s happening now and what’s happening next. We dive into that knowledge and have a lot of fun doing it in this week’s episode.
EP 14 / Stratis Morfogen / Founder of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop & No-BS-Taker from Cyber Bullies
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 handles cyber-bullies on Yelp. There’s a ton in between that you’re going to absolutely love.
EP 13 / Tom Dufore / Big Sky Franchise Guru
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 seen where brands have gone wrong. In this episode he shares that knowledge in full detail.
EP 12 / Di Dang & Tuyet Nhi Le of Happy Endings Hospitality
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 dedication to their team and organization unlike any other hospitality company I’ve encountered. In this episode, we unpack why they believe in uplifting their team so much, and how they simultaneously approach the growth of each person and their company.
