Episode 16 - 100 Burgers Groups Founder on how to build a viral hospitality brand

Episode 104 - I am joined by the Fish and Chip King in the UK Stelios Theocharous for a great conversation about the state of our two countries right now In this great podcast, successful podcast and fish and chip legend Stelios and I sit down and talk about the state of the hospitality industry in both the UK and Australia. We also chat about what makes the best fish batter and if chips should be frozen or fresh before they are fried!We also talk about football and how both our governments have handled the COVID crisis. If you like this show then please let us know as we are thinking of doing a more regular segment together.To find out more about Stelios's podcast and his business please have a look here:Ceres Podcast To connect with me if you'd like to talk about improving your hospitality venue:Open Pantry Consulting WebsiteHospitality Gamechangers on Facebook

26 Okt 20201h 38min

Episode 103 - How the burger venues will keep kicking goals with Kieran Warwick from The Burger CollectiveKieran founded The Burger Collective from a love of food and tech and a genuine passion for the restaurant space. His role as CEO is to grow revenue and partnerships and he also looks after the finances and capital-raising of the business. He strongly believes in giving power back to restaurants and supporting them where they need it most, digitally.In this podcast, we chat about the state of the burger industry currently, why burgers have such a big cult following as opposed to other cuisines, how food delivery will change the in-house burger experience and hear about the craziest burger that Kieran has ever had!LinksApp Store - https://apps.apple.com/au/app/the-burger-collective/id1187749108Play Store - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.burgercollective&hl=enWeb app - https://theburgercollective.com.au/

14 Okt 202035min

Episode 102 - How humility and courage are two of the most important traits to have in a kitchen with Executive Pastry Chef Kay-Lene TanMelbourne-born, and Singapore-raised - This unique combination has fuelled the inspiration for Pastry Chef Kay-Lene Tan's dessert creations. Growing up in a Peranakan household, she was always surrounded by great food. She started her culinary journey in Singapore, working for some of the world's best chefs such as Chef Joel Robuchon, and Chef Andres Lara. She is currently the Executive Pastry Chef of Tonka and Coda in Melbourne. She was the recipient of the Hostplus Hospitality Scholarship 2018, which gave her the opportunity to work with Dominique Crenn at Atelier Crenn (San Francisco), and Ana Ros at Hisa Franko (Slovenia). She was also the winner of the Rising Star award at the FoodService Magazine Women In FoodService Awards 2017, and the first runner-up in the San Pellegrino Young Chef Pacific 2015. Chef Kay-Lene creates desserts that are reminiscent of her time spent roaming the vibrant streets of Singapore with her family.I know you are going to love this podcast as we navigate through discussing team culture, leadership, resilience to get a product to market quickly, and the importance of trust. This is an inspirational podcast.Please connect with Kay-Lene Tan here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylenetan_/

7 Okt 202052min

Episode 101 - The importance of supporting artisan brands with Patient Wolf Gin Co-Founder Dave IrwinPatient Wolf is an urban gin distillery, located in Southbank, Melbourne and founded by two mates, Matt and Dave.It was born from a belief that well crafted and considered things have no fear of time. Quality things. Original. Handcrafted. Defined. Measured. Made with equal parts expertise and attitude. It takes considerable effort to realise them, and it takes even more to critique and refine.But they’re worth waiting for. Dave is Patient Wolf’s co-founder and Head Distiller. He heads up the distillery and operations and gets a kick out ofexperimenting with botanicals and driving innovation.He also manages the Distillery Door, where you’ll find him hosting a gin masterclass and taking people through a Gin flight.In this podcast, we talk about the biggest challenges they have had to overcome during this time, how they have seen the crisis from a supplier perspective, and how they feel the bar scene will be effected in the long run.Please find out everything about Patient Wolf Distilling Co. here:https://www.patientwolfgin.com/

4 Okt 202036min

Episode 100 - How Bakers Delight, one of the biggest fresh bread retailers is going from strength to strength on it 40th Birthday with Joint-CEO David ChristieDavid is the Joint CEO of Bakers Delight, a retail bakery business with over 600 locations across Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA. He grew up in southern Africa and studied Literature at the University of Cape Town, before receiving his ‘real’ education within the restaurant industry.David was first bitten by the baking bug in 2004 while travelling through Canada with his girlfriend (and now wife) Elise Gillespie, whose parents had founded the Bakers Delight business in 1980.Jumping at the opportunity to immerse themselves in a fledgling international business, David and Elise joined Bakers Delight’s North American subsidiary, COBS Bread. David used the opportunity to fully immerse himself in the operation and set out to learn the bakery and retail business from the ground up.He has lived in six different cities in the US and Canada while expanding the brand and held several key leadership positions in all countries that COBS Bread/Bakers Delight operates in.In 2012 David and Elise moved to Melbourne to take on General Manager roles for Bakers Delight, overseeing operations in Australia and New Zealand.In January 2017, David and Elise were appointed Joint CEOs of Bakers Delight in Australia and New Zealand when founders, Roger and Lesley Gillespie chose to step down after 37 years at the helm. As next-generation representatives with a passion for product innovation and business expansion, their appointment has kick-started an exciting new era for the family-owned business.Please find out more about Bakers Delight here:https://www.bakersdelight.com.au/https://www.cobsbread.com/

30 Sep 202034min

Episode 99 - How will tech play an even more important role moving forward with Levi Aron from SevenRoomsTech will play such an important role in how hospitality brands function and remain profitable moving forward. One of the most credible players in this space is SevenRooms.Levi Aron is the Chief Revenue Officer at SevenRooms, a guest experience platform for the hospitality industry. Prior to joining SevenRooms, Levi was the Australian CEO and Country Manager of Deliveroo, a London-based food delivery tech startup. Throughout his tenure at Deliveroo, Aron was instrumental in helping grow the service into 13 countries, over 500 cities globally. In addition to being a strong people leader, Levi’s drive for creativity, efficiency and innovation have seen him implement countless data-led strategies across organizations to transform the customer and partner experience. His previous experience includes roles at YumTable, Catch of the Day, and Roxberry Group.SevenRooms is a fully-integrated, data-driven guest experience platform that helps hospitality operators connect data across the guest journey. From neighbourhood restaurants and bars to international, multi-concept hospitality groups, the end-to-end platform enables operators to automatically drive revenue and profitability by leveraging data to build direct relationships, deliver exceptional experiences, and increase repeat visits & orders. Founded in 2011 and venture-backed by Amazon, Comcast Ventures and Providence Strategic Growth, SevenRooms has dining, hotel F&B, nightlife and entertainment clients globally, including Bloomin’ Brands, MGM Resorts International, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Jumeirah Group, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Momento Hospitality Group, SkyCity Entertainment Group, Matteo Sydney, LDV Hospitality, Zuma, Altamarea Group, Major Food Group, AELTC, Chase Hospitality Group, D&D London, Corbin & King, Live Nation and Topgolf. The company was recently included on Inc.’s annual Best Workplaces for 2020 and Forbes’ Best Startup Employers 2020 lists.Please connect with SevenRooms here:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sevenrooms/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SevenRooms/Instagram: https://instagram.com/sevenroomsTwitter: https://twitter.com/SevenRooms

27 Sep 202044min

Episode 98 - How are shopping centres assisting their food tenants with Chad Hermsen from QIC RetailFood venues in shopping centres have not had a loud voice in the general conversation of the challenges that the hospitality industry is facing. Chad Hermsen is one of the most talented and balanced people in retail leasing and is the Portfolio General Manager for QIC Retail in Victoria and Western Australia.QIC Retail owns and manages an AUD$17.75 billion portfolio of circa 50 retail and commercial properties across Australia and the US on behalf of our institutional investment clients.The management and investment approach centres on creating vibrant places at the heart of communities, where people choose to be, and where they feel proud to belong. Places that build local experiences and meaningful relationships; with spaces to support each part of our lives.In this podcast, we talk about what QIC has done to support their food vendors during this time, how shopping centres will attract new customers post-pandemic, and if the tenancy mix will change due to the pandemic and lead to fewer food venues.Please find out more about QIC and connect with Chad below:QIC Website: www.qic.comChad Hersmen on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/chadhermsen

23 Sep 202050min

Episode 97 - How to keep your mental health in check with our returning guest, Elaine Batho Elaine Batho is a life coach and wellness consultant helping overworked stressed professionals to love life again. Elaine works with her clients through personal coaching, workshops and transformational retreats. Elaine brings a vast range of knowledge, experience, and from having overcome her own battles with anxiety and stress at the height of her previous career in the hospitality industry and it was great to have her back to share her thoughts at this time. In this podcast we talk about how we can look after our mental health during this time, some coping methods she has developed during this time, as well as some realisations about her own life. I know you are going to get so much great information you can use in your own life from one of the top leaders in this space. Please find out more about Elaine here: www.elainebatho.com

20 Sep 202036min