All Episodes
Displaying 1 - 20 of 50 in total
Authentic Hospitality at Scale: Inside Hopdoddy’s Growth Story with CEO Jeff Chandler- Grounded #51
Hopdoddy Burger Bar President & CEO Jeff Chandler joins Lauren Mitchell to break down what it takes to scale a fast-casual brand without losing what makes it special. ...
From Barstool to Boss: James Bonanno on Building Upstream Hospitality Group
Episode OverviewIn this episode of Grounded, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with James Bonanno, Founder & CEO of Upstream Hospitality Group, to unpack how a kitchen dr...
Why Great Meals Tell Great Stories: Chef Chris Decker of Truly Pizza Grounded #49
Episode OverviewChef Chris Decker joins Grounded to share how 30 years of pizza-making turned into a mission-driven craft rooted in community, creativity, and connecti...
Leading with Balance: Career Growth, Travel, and Fitness in Hospitality - Grounded #46
In this episode of Grounded, host Lauren Mitchell brings together an inspiring panel of women leaders in hospitality to explore a question many professionals wrestle w...
Supply Chain Expert Exchange Recap: Freight, Fresh, and the Power of Peer Networks- Grounded #45
Supply Chain Expert Exchange Recap: Freight, Fresh, and the Power of Peer NetworksIn this special recap episode of Grounded, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with a powe...
Data-Driven Leadership with Checkers & Rally’s Ken Bianchi - Grounded Podcast - Episode #44
Explore how modern supply chain leadership goes beyond procurement in this episode with Ken Bianchi, Senior Director of Purchasing at Checkers & Rally’s Drive-In Resta...
Sustainability in Action with Snooze A.M. Eatery’s Cindy Keys - Grounded Podcast - Episode #43
How does starting on the front lines of a restaurant shape the way you lead at the executive level? On this episode of The Grounded Podcast, host Lauren Mitchell sits ...
Collective Volume Advantage with Church’s Texas Chicken’s Will Cash - Grounded Podcast - Episode #42
What does it take to run a global supply chain while keeping brand values intact across diverse international markets? On this episode of The Grounded Podcast, host La...
Endurance in Executive Leadership with Stonefire Grill’s David Youngberg - Grounded - Episode #41
What does it take to grow from flipping burgers at 15 to leading a successful restaurant brand built on people, purpose, and consistency? On this episode of The Ground...
Empowering Restaurant Voices with Lori Cominsky of Pancheros - Grounded Podcast - Episode #40
What does it take to successfully grow a brand while keeping operations simple, consistent, and people-focused? On this episode of The Grounded Podcast, host Lauren Mi...
Serving Dodgers Baseball Stadium: Michael Chalmers on Stadium Dining Hospitality - Grounded Ep. #39
Explore how blending culinary insight with supply chain strategy can create more resilient, guest-centric food operations. Michael Chalmers, Director of Supply Chain S...
An Inside Look at Dairy Supply Chain with Jeff McNally - Grounded Podcast - Episode #38
Ready to navigate the complex world of food service procurement and dairy supply chain management? In this episode of The Grounded Podcast, we sit down with Jeff McNal...
Making Friends with Strangers with Farmer Boys’ Joseph Ortiz - Grounded Podcast - Episode #37
How do you grow a restaurant brand without losing sight of what makes it special? For Joseph Ortiz, President and COO of Farmer Boys, the answer lies in balancing inno...
Innovation Meets Tradition with Tony Roma’s Mohaimina Haque - Grounded Podcast - Episode #36
What does it take to revive a legacy restaurant brand while also running your own law firm? For Mohaimina Haque, CEO of Tony Roma’s and Principal Attorney at her own f...
The Five Pillars of Franchising with Riko’s Pizza’s Carl Bachmann - Grounded Podcast - Episode #35
From franchisee to leading national brands, Carl Bachmann’s journey in the restaurant industry is packed with lessons in growth, innovation, and operational excellence...
Franchising & Development with Angry Chickz’s Mike LaRue - Grounded Podcast - Episode #34
Explore the intersection of scalable growth, people-first culture, and franchise leadership in this candid conversation with Mike LaRue, Vice President of Franchise De...
Leadership in the Digital Age with Costa Vida’s Wade Allen - Grounded Podcast - Episode #33
What does it take to scale a restaurant brand while staying true to people-first values? Wade Allen, President at Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill, shares how leadership...
From a Reactive to Proactive Mindset with Cooper’s Hawk’s Dan Gould - Grounded Podcast - Episode #32
What happens when you blend an operator’s mindset with cutting-edge procurement strategy?Dan Gould, Director of Procurement and Logistics at Cooper’s Hawk Winery and R...
A New Era in Global QSR with Pepper Lunch’s Troy Hooper - Grounded Podcast - Episode #31
Step into the world of sizzling plates, franchise excellence, and global brand growth. Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America and Co-CEO of Pepper Lunch Worldwide, sh...
The Flywheel of AI with Krispy Krunchy Chicken’s Joe Gordon - Grounded Podcast - Episode #30
Go behind the scenes of one of the fastest-growing foodservice brands with Joe Gordon, Chief Supply Chain and Technology Officer at Krispy Krunchy Chicken. With experi...
