In this fun talk at the Restaurant Transformation Festival in Nashville, ‪Restaurant365 CEO Tony Smith talks about how curiosity and innovation drives him and his growing company. “I must have a boyish passion for everything,” the restaurant tech leader said with a smile. Restaurant365 was founded in 2011 by CEO Tony Smith, Chief Strategist John […]

Rean Mckinley, The Executive General Manager of Gusto Italian Grill & Bar in Moncton, New Brunswick, is in the midst of a great career in hospitality. Starting at the age of 15 as a dishwasher, Mckinley worked his way up through various roles, gaining international experience with Princess Cruise Lines. His passion for hospitality eventually […]

Cali BBQ Media had the pleasure of interviewing Shaquille O’Neal for Restaurant Influencers. Founder and show host Shawn Walchef, had Shaq on his vision board as a dream guest for quite some time before it came to fruition.  One thing is for certain, he wasn’t afraid to make a big ask to land the big […]

Heather Dratler, VP of Marketing and Brand Engagement at Next Level Burger (NLB), plays a pivotal role in driving the brand’s growth and mission as America’s first 100% plant-based burger chain. As a passionate advocate for sustainable eating, Dratler highlights the company’s commitment to combating climate change through plant-based alternatives, an ethos ingrained in the […]

Daniel Estrada, co-founder and CEO of 86 Repairs, embarked on his entrepreneurial journey driven by the frustrations restaurant operators face when managing repairs and maintenance (R&M). Alongside his co-founder Joe Gallagher, who worked in the food equipment industry, Estrada recognized a common pain point across the industry: R&M was a chaotic and time-consuming challenge for […]

Jeremy Julian, founder of Restaurant Tech Guys Podcast, shared his insights on the Digital Hospitality podcast with Shawn Walchef.  With years of experience helping restaurants embrace technology and improve operations, Julian offered simple but powerful advice for those looking to break into content creation and adapt to an ever-changing digital landscape.  “Just start.” he says. […]

The partnership between Luna Grill and unPLUG Dining has become a benchmark in the restaurant industry, illustrating how technology can elevate guest experiences and drive business growth. By leveraging unPLUG's innovative solutions, Luna Grill successfully transformed its first-party digital experience, driving customer loyalty and operational efficiency. The journey of Luna Grill’s collaboration with unPLUG began with a vision to create a seamless, personalized experience for its...

As the world begins to settle back into its norm post pandemic, business travel is back in full swing. For the participants in a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room hosted by Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media, travel, both business and personal, comes with rituals and “aha moments” that they have implemented into their adventures. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants shared tips and strategies for effective business travel and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with...

Xavier Vega, CEO of ChouxBox and host of the Overseasoned Podcast, is a dynamic figure in the restaurant and tech industries, with a story that’s as gritty as it is inspiring. ChouxBox, pronounced "shoebox," was born out of Vega's firsthand experience with the exhausting demands of restaurant management. The idea for ChouxBox emerged from his deep frustration with the manual entry of invoices—a mundane task that many chefs dread after long shifts.  Reflecting on his time in the industry,...

Would you give your product away for free?  It is widely believed that give product away is one of the best ways to create intrigue around your business, whether it's food or otherwise. In a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room hosted by Shawn Walchef, participants shared stories and opinions about their experience with sampling.  Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed sampling and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join the rooms...

Alice Cheng’s, CEO and Founder of Culinary Agents journey is one of belief, perseverance, and a relentless focus on adding value. Over the past twelve years, Culinary Agents has grown into a trusted platform, boasting nearly 2,000,000 members. As she puts it, she is a true “mailroom story” having worked her way from a mailroom worker to the CEO of her very own company.  Cheng attributes this success to the relationships they’ve built  and the values they uphold, including an initial,...

In business, asking for help is important. Though that is universally understood, it is difficult to execute on doing so. In a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room, stories were shared relating to the “big ask”. The times and experiences that each has had with taking the leap to ask for help, advice, mentorship, or to share ideas from a person or source that would initially seem too large to provide either.  Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed “the...

Perspective is important in life and business.  In a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live room, host Shawn Walchef asked participants to share stories and anecdotes about perspective, both theirs and how they idea of perspective has evolved over time.  Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed perspective and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join the rooms to tell your story and have your voice heard Every Wednesday and Friday at 10am...

Shereen Qumsieh, CEO of Akira, embodies a unique blend of scientific precision and entrepreneurial spirit, seamlessly integrating her technical expertise with her passion for innovation. In her conversation with host Shawn Walchef, Qumsieh reflects on her journey from consultancy to spearheading Akira, a company focused on revolutionizing reputation management through advanced technologies. Qumsieh draws an intriguing parallel between her experience as a software engineer and her...

As your business grows, it's important to find ways to keep operations simple. With more opportunities, comes more work — and more need for reliable technology. In this interview, Shawn Walchef talks with Vicious Biscuit Chief Operating Officer Amanda Kahalehoe about growth through franchising, creating efficiencies as you scale, and building excitement for a food brand. "The concept opened in 2018 with lines out the door. It was just a viral following," said Amanda Kahalhoe, who...

Businesses often become a part of the community in which they serve. Or at least they should.  In this recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room led by the Cali BBQ Media team, the participants shared stories of philanthropy and service. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed community service and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join the rooms to tell your story and have your voice heard Every Wednesday and Friday at 10am PDT,...

Content creation is an important part of business in today’s landscape. Though it is important to create content consistently, it is equally as important to study what is working once the consistency is present.  Whatever is the decided upon metric, is the important data to be gathered and serve as the foundation for future decisions. Listen to the replay of the latest Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room where the participants discussed analytics and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the...

Michael Beck, the co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Popcorn GTM, is a seasoned sales leader with over three decades of experience in the enterprise sales sector.  In 2023, Beck, alongside Paul Molinari, launched Popcorn GTM—a groundbreaking sales and marketing consultancy tailored for the restaurant technology industry. This venture represents more than just a business; it’s the culmination of years of expertise from two once-competitors who joined forces to redefine industry...

The job of building your tech stack is never done. In this interview, Shawn Walchef talks with Spin! Pizza Director of IT and Operations Support Jeff Lee about his long-history with the fast causal pizza chain and how technology can transform restaurant operations. *** ABOUT SPIN! PIZZA: Local entrepreneurs who shared a love of Italian cuisine had the desire to create a unique restaurant concept featuring world class pizzas, salads and sandwiches alongside great wines and craft...

Controversy sells. At least that’s what we’ve been told. But put the word “beautiful” in front of it, and the idea of calamity somehow dissipates. Or at least that's what those in hospitality hope to happen.  Listen to the replay of the latest Rising Tide LinkedIn Live room where the participants discussed beautiful controversy and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join the rooms to tell your story and have your voice heard Every Wednesday and Friday at 10am...

What are you curious about? Where has your curiosity led you? There is a saying that says: The more you learn, the more you’ll need to know. Shawn Walchef returned to host a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room powered by Cali BBQ Media as he and the participants delved into what sparked them down the path of asking questions. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed curiosity and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join the rooms to...

Shawn Walchef, Owner of Cali BBQ Media, made an appearance on Fast Casual by Landed that was a testament to his innovative approach to digital marketing and his deep understanding of the power of storytelling through video.  Walchef has long advocated for the use of video to authentically showcase one's business and personal brand online. For Walchef, video is more than just a medium—it's a gateway to transparency and authenticity, allowing audiences to connect with the real people behind...

The online delivery market can be lose-lose-lose proposition. Sauce (@getsauce) makes it a win-win-win. Sauce is a commission-free pickup and delivery network for restaurants that wants to help them take back control of how their food gets to the customer. The mission is to help them build a profitable delivery business online by selling directly to consumers. In this conversation live from the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, Shawn Walchef talks with Sauce CEO/founder...

Bright spots in business can be hard to find and even harder to embrace. In a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room powered by Cali BBQ Media, guest host Elizabeth Doss encouraged participants to tell stories about their own experiences with finding the highs in life and business. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed bright spots and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join the rooms to tell your story and have your voice heard Every...

Do you have traditions? Family traditions? Personal traditions?  In a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room, Troy Hooper of Hot Palette America led the participants in a conversation surrounding traditions. What transpired was a realization of the practices that some accepted practices may need to be revisited. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed the role traditions play in their lives and business and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest...