Los Angeles is getting yet another top restaurant as Seoul’s top BBQ restaurant Daedo is coming to town and they’re bringing a lot of their amazing ingredients with them. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur talk about Daedo’s history -- starting next to Seoul’s meat market in 1964, what makes the Hanu beef they use so special, recreating that taste in America, and the different ingredients Daedo will be exporting. Listen to Philip and Nyesha...

Airports aren’t often known for their high-class food and luxurious accommodations. But one company is looking to change that, bringing world-class food and even a way to expedite your TSA screening. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington talk about The Salon lounge opening at LAX and what parent company PS is aiming to do. Nyesha and Philip talk about some of the services customers can expect at The Salon, as well as what type of...

While many cities around the country have created temporary delivery fee caps for third-party food delivery apps during the coronavirus pandemic, San Francisco is going a step further and it’s angered two food-delivery app giants. DoorDash and Grubhub are going after San Francisco after the city made its delivery fee cap permanent. Citing the move as “unconstitutional,” the food-delivery apps are fighting back against a cap of 15%. Listen as restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha...

It’s Meatless Monday and Panda Express is making one of their classics without meat. That’s right, the orange chicken can now be ordered without the chicken! Panda Express has teamed up with the Beyond Meat team to bring a plant-based twist on their classic orange chicken dish. Listen as chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino give you a little history lesson on Panda Express’ orange chicken, Beyond Meat’s foray into chicken, and how this new plant-based dish might stack up to...

Pasta can save the environment! No, really. The world is turning away from single-use plastics as people start recognizing their environmental impact. Plastic drinking straws are among the worst offenders, with millions littering U.S. shorelines alone. But several companies believe pasta could be the perfect answer and products are hitting store shelves near you. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino talk about pasta straws. Philip...

While it’s easy to mix up the restaurants you dine at, it’s not so easy to switch up the restaurants you work at. That is, until President Biden signed orders giving restaurant workers more freedom to change between jobs. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino explain what a poaching clause is and discuss Biden’s hopes that targeting these restrictions will help boost market competition. Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss poaching...

Do you love a good Big Mac or some McNuggets? We’ve got great news for you! McDonald’s is officially launching a loyalty program, My McDonald’s Rewards, where you can earn points and rewards from your orders. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington discuss McDonald’s new loyalty program, what it entails, and how it compares to the other loyalty programs in the industry. Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss My McDonald’s Rewards: At...

You don’t need a dedicated storefront to make great food. With the rise of virtual brands and ghost kitchens, companies are producing and delivering food out of underutilized kitchens and making a killing. Owners of virtual brands like Umami Burger, C3 is partnering with companies to expand into even more locations. They’ve recently raised $80 million in a Series B funding round to help boost their expansion efforts as they utilize ghost kitchens. Join restaurateur Philip Camino and chef...

With the Restaurant Revitalization Fund leaving more than a quarter-million applicants unfilled, states are beginning to step up and help out the hospitality industry. Several states have created their own restaurant funds to help with things like lost revenue, equipment, and worker shortages. On this episode of the Happy Mouth Podcast, chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino break down the various states that have created their own restaurant funds. Listen to Philip and Nyesha...

Happy Fun Friday, Happy Mouth! It’s the end of the work week so let’s talk about where people are working. With remote work becoming more common, people are working in all different places. One such place is NYC restaurant Kindred, which has converted it’s outdoor dining area into a workspace. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington discuss Kindred and what their workspace entails. They also delve into the benefits of this space both...

If you don’t eat meat or are just craving a breakfast patty then you’re in luck! What if we told you your breakfast patty could be made from fungus? With plant-based food on the rise, Nature’s Fynd is a Chicago-based food/tech start-up exploring using fungus as a meat alternative. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino discuss the specifics of Nature’s Fynd and their products, who is investing, and the health and sustainability...

Not one, not two, but SIX restaurant chains are being sold right now. With a lot of market activity occurring around chain restaurants, what better time to take a look at how this will affect the industry than now? On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington delve into the recent buying of these chains and what factors likely led to these purchases. They also discuss the impacts this may bring about for the industry. Listen to Philip and...

Anthony Bourdain was one of the few true rockstars of the hospitality industry. He reached acclaim not just for his time as the executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles but for his no-holds-barred style of writing and his Emmy award-winning television shows. On this very special episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino look back on Bourdain’s life, his accomplishments, and what he meant to the hospitality industry. Nyesha also speaks about her...

Oh, how we hardly knew ye Restaurant Revitalization Fund. After serving just 105,000 restaurant operators over less than a single month, the RRF is officially being shut down by the SBA. Despite having a total of $26.8 billion in funding, the RRF flew through its allotted amount of money quickly. With lawsuits alleging discrimination and the rescinding of thousands of grants, some are viewing the RRF as a complete failure. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, restaurateur Philip...

Move over Uber Eats and GrubHub, there’s a new challenger emerging. Snackpass is making serious waves after recently raising $70 million from investors, joining the likes of Uber Eats, GrubHub, and DoorDash. With a focus on pickup orders instead of delivery, Snackpass is aiming for college towns where users are wary of high delivery fees. They hope to use the investment to expand into several new and large markets, offering serious competition for the food delivery app giants. Restaurateur...

Would you like to add guac to that? If so, your Chipotle burritos and bowls could cost a little more thanks to an avocado shortage. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino talk about the avocado shortage, what’s causing it, and how that’s having a massive impact on the fast-casual restaurant’s menu and stock prices. Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss the avocado shortage: According to Chipotle CFO Jack Hartung, the company has...

One of the hottest topics within the hospitality industry is the worker shortage. The coronavirus pandemic saw many restaurants shut their doors for at least a little while, leaving many workers out of a job. With restaurants opening back up, workers aren’t quite as eager to return, leaving most restaurants understaffed. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington sit down with Brad Metzger. Brad’s the owner of BMRS, a recruitment and...

The U.S. Department of Labor recently proposed changes to the 80/20 rule, altering what type and amount of work qualifies for the tip credit. While the hospitality industry is beginning to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s also a worker shortage thanks in part to low wages and a reduction in tipping. Restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington break down the DOL’s proposed changes to the tip credit and the impact they’ll likely have on both restaurant...

The Restaurant Revitalization Fund was a massive hit, earning nearly 200,000 applicants in the first two days. But nearly two months after sending out the first checks, the SBA has been rescinding some RRF grants without a clear explanation. Hosts Philip Camino and Nyesha Arrington break down the latest RRF updates and RRF information. They discuss what issues the RRF has had thus far, the beginning funding mistakes that led to these issues, and what it could mean for those restaurants who...

Nearly everyone loves a good chicken wing. Well, it seems like too many people are enjoying wings, creating a national chicken wing shortage. To combat the shortage and increasing chicken wing prices, Wingstop has looked at the rest of the chicken. Wingstop partnered with delivery app Doordash to create the virtual brand Thighstop as a ghost kitchen -- serving thigh versions of their famous chicken wings. Listen as restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington break down the chicken...

The most expensive spice in the world, saffron is an essential part of Central and South Asian cuisine. Unfortunately, its labor-intensive harvesting means it hasn’t become widely used in the United States. That is until Mohammad Salehi started Heray Spice as a way to ethically source Afghanistan saffron to the chefs and home cooks in America. Listen as chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino give you some amazing facts about saffron and discuss Mohammad’s amazing journey from...

Get aboard the IPO train! Krispy Kreme and Sweetgreen are going public as they’ve announced their IPO plans recently. With valuations in the billions, both companies are primed to do big things in the near future and potentially even become one of the new, big faces of fast food in the United States. Join restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington as they take a look at Sweetgreen and Krispy Kreme’s IPO plans, what both companies could be looking to do by going public, and the...

For the first time in more than a year, people are spending more money at restaurants than on their groceries. It’s yet another sign that the hospitality industry is bouncing back in a big way as the coronavirus pandemic begins to fade away and consumers return to normal life. Join chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino as they break down the details of restaurant spending compared to grocery spending. Philip and Nyesha also share their thoughts on why the dynamic has flipped,...

Not everyone is ready to give up their meat. But that doesn’t mean it has to come from factory farms either. Through the use of regenerative farming practices, farms are putting great products on the table while letting nature thrive. Doniga Markegard from Markegard Family Grass-Fed Farms joins chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino. Doniga shares her insights straight from the pastures, including how she’s seen more biodiversity and improved mineral content on the farm, as...