Restaurant Influencers

Xavier Woods, an NFL safety and Smoothie King franchise owner, is building a second career rooted in ownership. As a professional athlete turned entrepreneur, he’s investing in systems designed for durability beyond football. Watch now to learn how an NFL veteran is applying discipline from the field to franchise ownership, long-term investing, and building businesses beyond football. (This episode was recorded on October 17th 2025) Sponsored by: • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Newman, founder of Edley’s Bar-B-Que, turned years of regional BBQ exposure into a growing restaurant brand. As a former law student and restaurant operator, he focuses on thoughtful growth while honoring the legacy behind the name Watch now to learn how a law student recognized an opening, named a restaurant with purpose, and navigated the realities of growing a BBQ brand. Sponsored by: • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katie Lee, founder of Katie’s Pizza & Pasta, built her career in restaurant kitchens before turning a pandemic pivot into a national frozen pizza brand. Her handmade pizzas are now sold in every Target store nationwide as part of a $20 million retail deal. Watch now to learn about a $20 million Target deal, and the discipline required to scale without losing the craft. Sponsored by:  • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Ensero and Justin Egan, founders of Wing It On and members of the Craveworthy Brands portfolio, built the concept from a single store into an award-winning wing brand with nine National Buffalo Wing Festival trophies. Watch now to learn how Wing It On grew from a homegrown idea, earned national recognition, and found the right partner to scale. Sponsored by: • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcus Viscidi, Vice President of Sales for Informa, oversees industry gatherings like Create and the National Restaurant Association Show. By bringing the right operators and partners together, he helps restaurant brands connect, learn, and grow. Listen now to learn how emerging brands grow outside their four walls, why connection beats convenience, and how the right event can change a business. Sponsored by: • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steph So, Chief Growth Officer at Shake Shack, blends technology, creativity, and hospitality to shape how guests experience one of America’s most beloved fast casual brands. Through digital innovation and menu development, she has become a key leader driving Shake Shack’s modern growth. Listen now to learn how Steph So blends hospitality with technology, why curiosity drives her decisions, and how Shake Shack keeps innovating without losing its soul. Sponsored by: • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super Bowl Champion Ndamukong Suh has partnered with Craveworthy Brands founder Gregg Majewski to invest in people through hospitality. Together, they combine Suh’s leadership mindset with Majewski’s restaurant expertise to create opportunity across emerging concepts and growing franchise teams.  Listen now to learn about Suh’s belief in opportunity, his partnership with Craveworthy, and how he is shifting his impact from the field to the hospitality world. Sponsored by: • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable, uses social media to stay close to the restaurants and diners who rely on the platform every day. As a leader who believes in openness, she treats online feedback as essential fuel for shaping the company’s future. Listen now to learn about the value of showing up online, the feedback that reshaped OpenTable, and why Debby Soo believes restaurants will always survive and evolve. Sponsored by: • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chef Bert Bonnarens, a Belgian-trained chef who cooked in Michelin-starred kitchens, now leads culinary development for Wild Thyme Restaurant Group. At Shorebird, Wild Thyme’s flagship brand, he blends global technique with fresh, market-driven cooking. Listen now to learn about his Michelin-trained beginnings, the lessons he carried across continents, and why guests follow him to the dock for fresh-caught seafood. Sponsored by:• TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Kenner, Founder and CEO of Just Salad, is reshaping fast casual dining with a focus on sustainability and smart growth. His mission-driven approach has taken the brand from one Manhattan shop to more than 100 locations nationwide. Listen now to learn about scaling Just Salad from one small Manhattan shop to 100 locations, the lessons behind sustainable operations, and what it takes to build a brand with purpose. Sponsored by: • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices