Welcome to Restaurant Diva's Dine & Dish Podcast, where hospitality leaders, restaurant executives, entrepreneurs, and innovators share insights shaping the future of hospitality and guest experience.

In this episode, Michele DiMeo, The Restaurant Diva, sits down with Jonathan Oringdulph, a retired military leader with more than 25 years of service in the Air Force and Navy, including two tours as Director of Presidential Food Service and Director of the White House Mess.

Jonathan provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at White House hospitality, serving U.S. Presidents, hosting dignitaries and world leaders, managing high-profile events, and leading teams where excellence is the standard.

Topics include:

• White House Hospitality & Presidential Food Service
• Inside the White House Mess
• Military Leadership & Team Development
• Event Planning & Operational Excellence
• Lessons from the U.S. Naval Academy
• Transitioning Military Skills into Business Leadership
• Service Excellence & Guest Experience

Whether you're a restaurant operator, hospitality leader, event planner, entrepreneur, or leadership enthusiast, this episode offers valuable lessons on discipline, leadership, service, and operational excellence.

Subscribe for more conversations with hospitality leaders, restaurant innovators, entrepreneurs, and industry experts.

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00:00 - Introduction and overview of John's diverse military service
00:24 - John's journey into aviation and enlistment decisions
01:02 - Transition from aircraft mechanic to Navy supply officer
03:01 - First assignments and experiences serving on an aircraft carrier
04:25 - Managing food service for officers on the ship
05:13 - Transition to supporting the Naval Academy during Commission Week
06:24 - The impact of mentor relationships and service experiences
07:20 - The significance of love and pride in military accomplishments
09:29 - Defining service across military and hospitality industries
10:24 - Supporting Midshipmen and the importance of mentorship
12:52 - Details of running large-scale food service at the Naval Academy
15:14 - The logistics of organizing major events like the garden party
16:12 - Food service operations and volume at King Hall
17:25 - Behind-the-scenes of the large events and food planning
20:18 - Transition to White House roles and responsibilities
22:01 - Managing security and logistics at presidential events
23:07 - The art of menu planning for state dinners and high-profile guests
27:45 - Memorable experiences from White House service, including the government shutdown and state visits
36:43 - Personal anecdotes of President Trump’s first meal and service details
37:48 - The structure of White House menu rotations and seating arrangements
39:49 - Transitioning out of White House service and into private sector
40:14 - How military background influences current roles in hospitality and brewing
44:26 - The importance of people, relationships, and leadership in service industries
45:14 - Lightning round: favorite meals, drinks, and service experiences
48:40 - Sharing contact details and inspiring future military and hospitality professionals
50:01 - One key lesson: love your team and lead with care

Welcome to this week's episode of Dine & Dish featuring Joey Cioffi, Founder & CEO of Salad House.

Joey's journey is a true American Dream story.

Growing up in his family's deli in Springfield, New Jersey, Joey learned hospitality from the ground up. Inspired by his father's entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to quality service, he launched the first Salad House location in 2011 with a vision to create a healthy, family-friendly fast casual dining experience.

Today, Salad House has expanded to 21 locations and continues to grow as one of the most exciting brands in the fast casual franchise space.

In this episode, we discuss:

Building a restaurant franchise from scratch
Growing from one location to 21 locations
Fast casual restaurant trends
Leadership and team culture
Healthy dining and consumer preferences
Franchising and business growth
The American Dream through hospitality

Whether you're a restaurant owner, entrepreneur, franchise operator, or hospitality professional, this conversation is packed with valuable insights on growth, leadership, and building a brand that lasts.

Welcome to this week's episode of Dine & Dish featuring Ami Alexander, Managing Partner at Barrel Aged Hospitality.

Most hospitality conversations focus on concept development, branding, design, and positioning. But the reality is that concepts rarely fail on paper—they fail after opening, when operations, leadership, team culture, and execution determine whether a business succeeds or quietly underperforms.

With more than 20 years of experience leading hospitality operations for some of the world's most recognized brands, including Hakkasan Group, NoMad, Freehand, Montage International, Pendry Hotels, and Virgin Hotels, Ami shares what really happens behind the scenes of successful hospitality businesses.

This week on my podcast, I’m joined by Jess Olmeda for an honest and empowering conversation about women’s health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness after 40.

We dive into the real changes women experience as they age—from hormones and metabolism to energy, stress, sleep, and confidence—and how to create sustainable habits that actually work in real life. Jess shares practical advice on exercise, nutrition, strength training, mindset, and overall wellness, especially for busy women balancing demanding careers and lifestyles.

We also connect the conversation back to hospitality and the challenges of maintaining health while working long hours, high-stress environments, and unpredictable schedules.

This episode is all about feeling stronger, healthier, and more confident—not chasing perfection.

If you’re ready to prioritize your health and thrive in every stage of life, this conversation is for you.

This week, I’m joined by Tia Plunkett-McQueen, Vice President of Human Resources, for a powerful conversation on one of the biggest challenges facing hospitality today—people.

We dive into what’s really happening in today’s hiring landscape, why attracting and retaining talent has become more complex, and what leaders need to understand about building a sustainable workforce. Tia shares her expertise on workforce development, the importance of creating strong talent pipelines, and how partnerships with community organizations and workforce agencies can make a real impact.

We also explore the role of leadership, culture, and growth opportunities in retaining top talent—and why the future of hospitality depends on how we invest in people today.

If you’re an owner, operator, or leader looking to build stronger teams and future-proof your business, this episode is a must-listen.

This week, I’m joined by Dani Peleva, Founder & CEO of Franchise Fame and Amazon best-selling author of Franchise Fame, for a powerful conversation on what it really takes to scale a brand the right way.

Dani specializes in national franchise marketing and helping established brands grow with clarity, consistency, and strategy. We dive into the biggest challenges franchise systems face when expanding, how to align brand messaging across multiple locations, and why marketing is one of the most powerful drivers of sustainable growth.

She also breaks down her proprietary “Five F’s of Franchise Marketing”—a framework designed to help brands create momentum, attract the right franchisees, and build long-term success.

This episode is all about shifting from thinking like an operator to thinking like a brand—and understanding that real growth doesn’t happen by accident, it happens by design.

If you’re looking to scale your business, strengthen your brand, or elevate your marketing strategy, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

This week, I’m joined by Kyle Savage, event planner extraordinaire, author, and motivational speaker, for a conversation all about what it takes to create unforgettable experiences.

From high-level event planning and managing guest expectations to the power of organization, attention to detail, and leadership under pressure, Kyle shares the behind-the-scenes reality of building events that leave a lasting impression.

We also dive into his book, his journey into motivational speaking, and how the principles of event planning directly connect to hospitality, service, and creating moments people never forget.

Plus… Kyle spills some fun stories about working with celebrity clients and what really happens behind the velvet rope.

If you’re in hospitality, events, leadership—or simply love hearing how incredible experiences come together—this episode is packed with insight, energy, and inspiration.

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Distinguished Toastmaster Augusta Inniss, Program Quality Director of District 36 and incoming District Director for District 220  to talk about one of the most underrated skills in leadership—communication.

From building confidence and finding your voice to leading teams and speaking with impact, Augusta shares practical insights on how strong communication shapes better leaders, stronger teams, and more successful businesses.

Whether you’re running a restaurant, leading a team, or looking to grow personally, this conversation is packed with takeaways you can put into action right away.

A Must listen!

This week, I’m joined by Noah Glass, Founder & CEO of Olo, for a powerful conversation about how technology is transforming the way restaurants operate, connect with guests, and drive revenue.

As a pioneer in digital ordering, Noah has been ahead of the curve—long before online ordering, delivery, and guest data became essential to the industry. Today, Olo powers some of the biggest restaurant brands, helping them take control of their digital experience and build stronger, more profitable relationships with their guests.

We dive into how guest expectations have evolved, why owning your customer data is more important than ever, and where operators are missing opportunities when it comes to digital strategy. Noah also shares insights on the future of restaurants, including AI, personalization, and what leaders need to do know to stay competitive.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand where hospitality is headed—and how to stay ahead of it.

This week, I’m joined by Jeff and Matt from Restaurant 360 for a real, insightful conversation on what it actually takes to run a successful restaurant in today’s environment.

From operations and financial performance to long-term growth, we break down how restaurant owners and operators can step back and truly see the full picture of their business. Jeff and Matt share their perspective on where restaurants are falling short, where opportunities are being missed, and how the right systems and strategy can completely change the game.

We also dive into the challenges facing the industry right now—and what leaders need to be doing differently to stay competitive, profitable, and sustainable.

If you’re serious about building a stronger, smarter restaurant business, this episode is packed with value.