Thought Leaders
Fans Are Tattooing This Pizza Brand’s Logo on Their Skin for a Year of Free Slices
&pizza CEO Mike Burns discusses turning customers into superfans, empowering staff and building a brand that breaks the rules.
Restaurant Influencers | Page 3
Building a Business
A Loyal Customer Asked Him to Cater One Event. Now, He Runs More Than 1,000 a Year.
Sebastien Centner of Eatertainment discusses the five percent rule, his creative partnership with his wife and delivering more than what's on paper.
Building a Business
This ‘Chopped’ Champ Beat Cancer 6 Times, Lost Nearly 200 Pounds and Found Power in Presence
Chef Eric LeVine discusses what happens when you strip away ego, lead with truth and live fully in the moment both in and out of the kitchen.
Building a Business
How a ‘Finance Guy’ and ‘Restaurant Guy’ Joined Forces to Invest in Over 55 Companies
Branded Hospitality's unique blend of friendship, investment focus and a 'it takes a village' mindset is helping brands grow with purpose.
Building a Business
How a Jersey Kid Grew His Restaurant Business Into a West Coast Powerhouse
Brad Wise discusses the power of trust, the balance between growth and hospitality and the surprising crossover between running a butcher shop and a restaurant.
Building a Business
Most Creators Are Doing Brand Deals Wrong — And This Sponsorship Expert Has Some Advice for Them
Justin Moore discusses how to perfect a pitch, what brands care about and why storytelling is still a prized commodity.
Building a Business
This Chef Is Convinced One Cuisine Will Be the Next Big Thing in Fast-Casual Dining: ‘I’m Betting My Career’
Michel Falcon of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen discusses deep family roots, thinking outside the box and why customers won't forget 1-844-GO-BRASA.
Building a Business
How This General Store Turned NYC Hotspot Earned Michelin’s Attention
Amir Nathan of Sami & Susu discusses taking financial risks, reinventing a restaurant and bringing Israeli flavors to New York City.
Building a Business
A Long-Time Google Exec Shares the Secrets to Helping Customers Find Your Restaurant
Lisa Landsman, Google's head of industry engagement and SMB success, discusses eye-opening search trends and key data insights shaping restaurants for 2025.
Building a Business
This Hospitality Lawyer Has Worked for Big-Name Brands — And She Says This Is the Biggest Mistake Restaurant Owners Make
Christy Reuter discusses her deep passion for hospitality, the crucial role of lawyers in the industry and why she genuinely loves her clients.
Building a Business
This Chef Built a Meatball Empire, Lost Millions and Came Back Stronger with a Pizza Revolution
Daniel Holzman discusses the importance of authenticity, better workplace culture and not letting ego get in the way of financial success.
Building a Business
This Chef Uses Memes to Call Out the Restaurant Industry — and He’s Turning Online Influence into Real-World Change
Chef Eli Sussman discusses what drives him to keep opening restaurants, an unexpected collaboration and his rise to meme royalty.
Building a Business
Your Guests All Want the Same Thing, Says This Hotel Food and Beverage Consultant — Here’s What
Auden Hospitality founder Scot Turner discusses prioritizing authenticity and curated experiences in hotels, improving food and beverage programs and leaning into digital storytelling.
Building a Business
To Make the Perfect Cocktail, You Need Collaboration. It’s the Same When You Own a Restaurant.
Alba Huerta discusses the art of mixology and leading a James Beard Award-winning cocktail program.
Building a Business
His ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’-Themed Pop-Up Restaurants Bring the Classic Video Game to Life — and Feature the Beloved Character’s Favorite Food
Entrepreneur Kevin Seo partnered with SEGA to bring Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe to fans.
Building a Business
This NYC Man Is Revitalizing the Famous Bar From ‘Goodfellas’ As It Approaches Its 200th Anniversary
Loycent Gordon, CEO of the historic Neir's Tavern in Queens, discusses entering the restaurant business, telling the story of your business and taking a leap of faith.
Building a Business
Embracing Fear Fueled this Michelin-Rated Chef’s Comeback
Josh Kopel, host of the 'FULL COMP' podcast, talks about making hospitality media, the benefits of scarcity and elevating the restaurant industry.
Building a Business
How These Entrepreneurs Turned a Seasonal Venue Into a Nightlife Powerhouse
Michael Schwartz and Bobby Rutter of Forward Hospitality Group discuss transforming the entertainment scene in the Midwest and using reinvention as a business model.
Thought Leaders
The Army Was Tough, But Restaurants Made Her Cry — Lessons From the Drive-Thru From a Former KFC Exec
Former KFC Chief Operating Officer Monica Rothgery discusses the experiences that shaped her leadership book, "Lessons from the Drive-Thru."
Building a Business
When Shaquille O’Neal Wanted to Start a Restaurant, This Is Who He Approached
Perry Rogers, founder of management firm PRP and JRS Hospitality, had what it took to build his big client's Big Chicken restaurant concept.
Building a Business
He Discovered His Favorite Sandwich Shop in College. Now He Runs It – and Has 155 Locations.
Capriotti's Sandwich Shop CEO Ashley Morris discusses buying his favorite sandwich shop and maintaining high quality while scaling and operating a fast-casual franchise.
Building a Business
This Chef Went From Dreaming of Michelin Stars to Building an Audience as a YouTube Star
Chef Sohla El-Waylly never set out to be a food content creator, but a series of events led her to her current career.
Building a Business
Her Restaurant Business Is Worth $100 Million — Here’s Her Unconventional Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Pinky Cole, founder of Slutty Vegan, talks about going from TV producer to restaurant owner, leaning into failure and the value of good PR.
Tech
After Co-Founding a Successful Restaurant Group, He Turned to Tech to Simplify the Checkout Experience
Victor Lugger's Big Mamma restaurant group took off – and now he's working on a new project.
Building a Business
He Was Once Head Writer of ‘The Simpsons.’ Now, He’s the Gordon Ramsay of Fast Food — Here’s How This TV Exec Found an Unlikely Career as an Influencer.
Bill Oakley wrote and produced 'The Simpsons' for years. Now, he's the center of a burgeoning community of food-obsessed fans.
Building a Business
This Chef’s Unfiltered Approach to Food Found Success Online. Now, Her Grocery Store Brings Her Brand to Life: ‘I Don’t Want to Live on the Internet.’
Alison Roman discusses her growing list of digital projects — and her Upstate New York grocery store, First Bloom.
Building a Business
How This Michelin-Starred Chef Overcame Loss and Hardships to Achieve Stardom
Chef, author and philanthropist Vikas Khanna discusses turning failure into triumph, creating a literary masterpiece and hosting "MasterChef India."