Episode Overview

What does it take to win in today’s restaurant landscape—and what mistakes are brands making along the way? In this episode of Grounded, the conversation dives deep into the realities shaping foodservice in 2026, from the “value frenzy” and shifting consumer behavior to the critical role of hospitality, technology, and brand identity.

Danny Klein, Vice President and Editorial Director at WTWH Media, joins the show to share frontline insights from years covering the restaurant industry and launching major events like the QSR Evolution Conference. He’s joined by Caitlin Webster, Director of National Accounts at Fresh Concepts, who brings a supplier-side perspective and asks the practical questions operators and vendors are facing every day. Together, they explore what separates thriving brands from struggling ones—and what leaders should focus on next.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Restaurants are competing in a “value frenzy,” but price alone won’t win. Consumers may be dining out less frequently, so brands must deliver both strong value and a memorable experience to stay relevant.
2. Technology should solve real problems—not just follow trends. Many brands rushed into kiosks and digital tools after COVID, but the winners are those using tech to support hospitality, not replace it.
3. Menu simplification is becoming a survival strategy. Rising costs are pushing operators to focus on core items they execute well, rather than maintaining large, complex menus.
4. Losing loyal customers is an early warning sign. If regular guests stop visiting, leaders should investigate immediately—often the issue is a drift from the brand’s original value proposition.
5. The most successful brands know exactly who they are. Companies like Texas Roadhouse and Chick-fil-A thrive because they stay consistent, protect their identity, and deliver reliably on the fundamentals.

💬 Quote of the Episode

🔗 Connect with the Guest(s)

• Danny Klein — Vice President and Editorial Director, WTWH Media
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyklein14/
  • Website: https://www.wtwhmedia.com/

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How Great Restaurant Cultures Are Actually Built

In this episode of Grounded, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with Tara O'Neill to explore what it really takes to build a people-first culture in the restaurant industry. Tara shares how her background in counseling psychology shaped her leadership philosophy and how she applies it to hospitality—focusing on culture, career growth, burnout prevention, and the future of people leadership in a tech-driven world.

Tara O'Neill is a people leader and helps shape culture and leadership development for the Fresh Kitchen brand, where she focuses on creating environments where teams can grow, thrive, and build meaningful careers in hospitality.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Culture only works when it’s operationalized. Fresh Kitchen defines specific behaviors for each of its six core values so team members—from hourly staff to executives—share a clear understanding of what those values look like in action.
2. Career paths must be visible and documented. The company maps out competencies for each role level so employees clearly understand what it takes to grow from hourly team member to leadership positions.
3. Burnout prevention is a company responsibility. Tara believes organizations must design realistic schedules, supportive policies, and stable work environments—not just offer stress management tools.
4. Team stability is a critical people metric. Fresh Kitchen tracks leadership tenure and management team consistency to create stronger restaurant teams capable of handling constant industry change.
5. Technology is increasing the importance of human skills. As digital tools and AI become more common, Tara sees hospitality leaders doubling down on connection, eye contact, and authentic human interaction.

Quote of the Episode

“People will always be the number one strategy because nothing would exist without them.”
— Tara O'Neill, Ciccio Restaurant Group / Fresh Kitchen

Connect with the Guest(s)
Tara O'Neill — People Leader, Ciccio Restaurant Group / Fresh Kitchen

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-o-neill-a1967b134/
• Website: https://www.eatfreshkitchen.com/?_ga=2.4292019.1835062062.1773161342-756918199.1773161342

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Episode Overview

In this episode of Grounded, Lauren Mitchell sits down with Dustin White to demystify produce pricing, contracts, and quality management in foodservice. From a single case of lettuce to national supply chain strategy, Dustin breaks down how product moves from the field to the restaurant—and where costs, quality risks, and pricing volatility come into play.

Dustin White is part of the Fresh Division at Buyers Edge Platform, where he helps operators understand pricing transparency, contract structures, and supply chain optimization.

This episode is a masterclass for anyone new to purchasing—or anyone who wants more control, clarity, and confidence in their produce program.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Know the full path of your product. From the field to inbound freight to distributor slotting and final mile delivery, every step adds cost—and potential quality risk.
2. Storage matters more than you think. “Cooler geography” can directly impact yields and shelf life (and yes, tomatoes don’t belong in the cooler).
3. Contracts aren’t always fully fixed. A fixed-with-trigger contract provides protection during volatile markets while still offering pricing discipline and supply security.
4. Volume drives leverage. Label selection, distributor relationships, and buying power all impact turn rates, freshness, and fill rates.
5. Transparency is everything. Operators should demand clear breakouts of FOB, freight, markup, and contract triggers—visibility is the first step to true cost control.

Quote of the Episode

Connect with the Guest(s)

• Dustin White — Fresh Division, Buyers Edge Platform
  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-a-white/
  Website: https://buyersedgeplatform.com/fresh/

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In this episode of Grounded, Lauren Mitchell sits down with Billy Loesch to explore the mindset, risk tolerance, and systems required to scale a modern food brand. Billy shares his journey from Wall Street to founding Baya Bar in 2016, and how he grew the concept from a single Brooklyn location to 41 locations with more in development.
Billy Loesch is the Founder and CEO of Baya Bar, one of the fastest-growing smoothie and açaí concepts in the U.S., featured in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500.

🔑 5 Key Takeaways

1. Billy’s early entrepreneurial mindset showed up long before Baya Bar, from selling trinkets as a kid to viewing every opportunity through a risk-and-reward lens.
2. Wall Street taught him relentless sales discipline and negotiation—skills he later applied directly to franchising, leasing, and brand growth.
3. Scaling required unlearning the “do it yourself” mentality and replacing it with trust, delegation, and repeatable systems.
4. Baya Bar’s customer experience is highly intentional, from bowl design and music playlists to loyalty technology and ingredient sourcing.
5. One of the biggest blind spots in food & beverage today is bad leases—unsustainable rent can sink even great concepts before they hit their stride.

💬 Quote of the Episode

🔗 Connect with the Guest(s)

• Billy Loesch — Founder & CEO, Baya Bar
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-loesch-956704122/
  • Website: https://bayabar.com/

Book Recommendation: Traction by Gino Wickman - Get a Grip on Your Business

Podcast Recommendation: The Game

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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. Jeff shares leadership lessons from his University of Washington football days, how Hopdoddy approaches authentic hospitality, and why quality-driven sourcing and true vendor partnerships matter—especially after COVID. If you’re building culture, driving growth, or navigating menu innovation, this episode is packed with practical insights you can steal today.
Jeff Chandler is the President & CEO of Hopdoddy Burger Bar, with more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Precision and accountability can be taught—and enforced. Jeff shares Coach Don James’ “Timex” lesson: being “on time” meant being early, and if you missed the bus, it left without you.
2. Hopdoddy focuses on unscripted, authentic hospitality. Instead of scripting greetings, they hire for attitude and personality—then tell team members to “just be yourself.”
3. Variety and quality are core differentiators—not marketing fluff. Beyond beef, Hopdoddy offers bison, turkey, chicken, a veggie patty (“sole patty”), and a sashimi-grade ahi tuna burger that’s ground and seared to avoid the “dry filet” experience.
4. Supplier relationships are built for the long haul, not annual price shopping. Jeff describes “true partnerships,” shaped by who showed up during COVID, and annual supplier meetings where both sides share how to be better partners.
5. Growth and innovation require guardrails to protect operators. Hopdoddy balances trend-spotting (especially via social media) with operational mastery by making intentional menu updates three times a year—and measuring brand health heavily through retention and turnover.

💬 Quote of the Episode

🔗 Connect with the Guest(s)

• Jeff Chandler — President & CEO, Hopdoddy Burger Bar
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-chandler-02881545/
  • Website: https://www.hopdoddy.com/

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Episode Overview

In this episode of Grounded, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with James Bonanno, Founder & CEO of Upstream Hospitality Group, to unpack how a kitchen dream turned into a fast-growing hospitality portfolio across Long Island—and beyond. James shares the “two weeks to open” origin story behind Tap Room, what it really takes to scale from one location to 20+, and how culture, character, and tech have helped Upstream become a Top Workplace of 2025.
James Bonanno is the Founder & CEO of Upstream Hospitality Group, whose brands include Tap Room, Bingo Bowls, and iconic seasonal waterfront venues like Salt Shack—all united by a mission to “go upstream” through originality and pushing boundaries.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Action beats perfection—especially early on. James explains how Tap Room came together fast: a vacant space, an opportunity, and the decision to jump in before feeling “ready.”
2. Scaling requires shifting from reactive to professional operations. Moving past “firefighting” meant building systems, getting visibility into numbers, and running the business like an organization—not a one-location hustle.
3. Know your numbers in near real-time. Upstream leaned into operational tech so food and liquor costs aren’t a month late—they’re visible quickly enough to actually manage.
4. Culture can scale when values are clear and lived. James highlights values like “saying yes” and quality, with examples like honoring life events and creating a great guest experience even in a parking lot during COVID.
5. Technology is a leadership advantage when it saves time and sharpens focus. James shares how ClickUp’s AI-powered executive dashboard gives him a quick snapshot of what’s on track, behind, and ahead across the leadership team.

Connect with the Guest(s)

• James Bonanno — Founder & CEO, Upstream Hospitality Group
  
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bonanno-a5a665103/
• • Website: https://upstreamhospitality.com/

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Episode Overview

Chef Chris Decker joins Grounded to share how 30 years of pizza-making turned into a mission-driven craft rooted in community, creativity, and connection. He and host Lauren Mitchell unpack the story behind Truly Pizza—from its name and hospitality philosophy to the culture that keeps guests coming back for life’s biggest moments. This episode is a reminder that great meals tell stories—and the details (and people) make the experience.

Guest: Chris Decker — Chef, Truly Pizza.

🔑5 Key Takeaways

1. Chris didn’t start out planning a life in food—he originally wanted to be a police officer, then realized he could still “help people” through hospitality and community-building.
2. The name Truly Pizza comes from a personal, unexpected origin: a partner’s character named “Truly,” plus Chris’s early idea of a “love story” to pizza (“yours truly, pizza”).
3. Truly Pizza’s hospitality standard is built around a clear operating principle: “one extra step” in service, on the food, and in anticipating what guests need before they ask.
4. Culture is intentional—from hiring for character (yes, including the grocery cart test) to keeping the kitchen energy positive, loud, and focused on making “happy food.”
5. Chris’s approach to innovation stays grounded: he’s tried AI phone answering due to overwhelming call volume, but ultimately prioritizes “old school hospitality” and human connection.

💬 Quote of the Episode

🔗 Connect with the Guest(s)

• Christopher Decker — Chef, Truly Pizza
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingbutanchovies/
  • Website: https://www.trulypizza.com/

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