Forktales

By Vigor

A weekly podcast that feeds food and beverage brands with insights, ideas, trends, and anecdotes discussed with restaurant, hospitality, and beverage industry leaders.... more

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FAQs about Forktales:

How many episodes does Forktales have?

The podcast currently has 129 episodes available.

Forktales episodes:

September 16, 2021EP 18 / Scott Conant / Cook, Chef, Author of Peace, Love, and Pasta
Scott’s new book is titled Peace, Love, and Pasta.
People always ask “What do you cook at home?”
He thought it would be a great idea to put it all on paper!
The thing he loves most about it is the simplicity. The recipes are easy to execute.
Book Title – for years, Scott has been on a personal journey of self improvement and the title represents where he is and what he chooses to pursue.
Past has been such an important part of his life and career. It’s an expression of his years of cooking.
Even if the food experience is sub-par at a restaurant, just sitting and enjoying the company of people that he’s with is what’s really important.
Future of fast casuals:
There’s a huge market for fast casuals and FSRs
There are lots of high end chefs that are starting to do quick service or fast food
Why is it hard to do Italian quick serve well?
Needs to be served at the moment of order and that’s challenging
It’s hard for people to wrap their heads around Italian food as a fast casual component
Follow Your Bliss – Joseph Campbell
It is not selfish to pursue your bliss
One recipe to try in the book
Risotto topped w/ short ribs
Would You Rather
Let Bobby Flay beat you on national television or eat a bowl of red onions?
Quotes
“You could make these recipes your own as you cook them” -Scott
“The key is to shut it off and just try to enjoy yourself” -Scott, in reference to going out to eat as a chef and having an experience less than what he could have prepared at home.
“Make sure you’re making the best decisions for your business, for your team and the customers and clients that are coming in” -Scott
“I think there’s always going to be a place for fine dining” -Scott
“Pastas just really are one of those long standing comfort foods” -Joseph
“You’re not going to get anywhere if you’re not hustling” -Scott
“All I want to do is realize my potential” -Scott
“If anyone is counting their hours, you shouldn’t be doing it” -Scott
“Being passionate about something doesn’t always equate to being good at it” -Scott
...more
44min
September 16, 2021EP 18 / Scott Conant / Cook, Chef, Author of Peace, Love, and Pasta
Scott’s new book is titled Peace, Love, and Pasta.
People always ask “What do you cook at home?”
He thought it would be a great idea to put it all on paper!
The thing he loves most about it is the simplicity. The recipes are easy to execute.
Book Title – for years, Scott has been on a personal journey of self improvement and the title represents where he is and what he chooses to pursue.
Past has been such an important part of his life and career. It’s an expression of his years of cooking.
Even if the food experience is sub-par at a restaurant, just sitting and enjoying the company of people that he’s with is what’s really important.
Future of fast casuals:
There’s a huge market for fast casuals and FSRs
There are lots of high end chefs that are starting to do quick service or fast food
Why is it hard to do Italian quick serve well?
Needs to be served at the moment of order and that’s challenging
It’s hard for people to wrap their heads around Italian food as a fast casual component
Follow Your Bliss – Joseph Campbell
It is not selfish to pursue your bliss
One recipe to try in the book
Risotto topped w/ short ribs
Would You Rather
Let Bobby Flay beat you on national television or eat a bowl of red onions?
Quotes
“You could make these recipes your own as you cook them” -Scott
“The key is to shut it off and just try to enjoy yourself” -Scott, in reference to going out to eat as a chef and having an experience less than what he could have prepared at home.
“Make sure you’re making the best decisions for your business, for your team and the customers and clients that are coming in” -Scott
“I think there’s always going to be a place for fine dining” -Scott
“Pastas just really are one of those long standing comfort foods” -Joseph
“You’re not going to get anywhere if you’re not hustling” -Scott
“All I want to do is realize my potential” -Scott
“If anyone is counting their hours, you shouldn’t be doing it” -Scott
“Being passionate about something doesn’t always equate to being good at it” -Scott
...more
44min
September 09, 2021EP 17 / Adam Knight / Founder of Knowing Hospitality & Host of Proven Principles Podcast
Background is in hotel operations. Started in western Canada.
Knowing Hospitality came about after Adam was furloughed and saw that there was a need for independent hotel owners that didn’t have the capability, bandwidth or desire or to run their own hotels anymore.
It’s helpful to change the view of restaurants and hotels from profit centers to looking at it as more of an amenity.
Is this something that will drive room revenue? Will it build room occupancy? What can you build as a story around the restaurant in your hotel? How do you capture the people that live 5 or 10 blocks around you, especially in an urban community?
Lifestyle hotel brands – Moxy, Aloft, Even
Where can hotels find incremental revenue?
Food tribes – if you find a restaurant that’s doing this well and meets your needs, you’ll go back time after time.
In-room dining – offer things that enhance their experience
Quotes
“The thing that hotel restaurants have working against them primarily is you’ve got a perception issue a lot of the time” -Adam
“It’s a lot easier to tell a story through design rather than trying to have a generic room that is applicable to the widest audience” -Adam
“Ideation becomes a lot more natural and innovation becomes more comfortable when there’s a very clear brand strategy that people within the organization and on the teams fully understand and adopt” – Joseph
“This is where leaders get into a lot of trouble is they think of ideas as right or wrong or good or bad…. The question becomes what lens are you using to evaluate whether that merit fits the concepts that you’re building?” -Joseph
“People need to do a better job of allowing or empowering patrons to quickly position and categorize the restaurant in their world” – Joseph
“You can’t complain about falling sales in your restaurant and do nothing to try to elevate the experience and make it a place that people actually want to go” -Adam
“You can’t just sell all the time, you’ve gotta create value for people” -Adam
“Hotels have gotten really good at ticking boxes and not good enough at making some statements” -Joseph
...more
36min
September 09, 2021EP 17 / Adam Knight / Founder of Knowing Hospitality & Host of Proven Principles Podcast
Background is in hotel operations. Started in western Canada.
Knowing Hospitality came about after Adam was furloughed and saw that there was a need for independent hotel owners that didn’t have the capability, bandwidth or desire or to run their own hotels anymore.
It’s helpful to change the view of restaurants and hotels from profit centers to looking at it as more of an amenity.
Is this something that will drive room revenue? Will it build room occupancy? What can you build as a story around the restaurant in your hotel? How do you capture the people that live 5 or 10 blocks around you, especially in an urban community?
Lifestyle hotel brands – Moxy, Aloft, Even
Where can hotels find incremental revenue?
Food tribes – if you find a restaurant that’s doing this well and meets your needs, you’ll go back time after time.
In-room dining – offer things that enhance their experience
Quotes
“The thing that hotel restaurants have working against them primarily is you’ve got a perception issue a lot of the time” -Adam
“It’s a lot easier to tell a story through design rather than trying to have a generic room that is applicable to the widest audience” -Adam
“Ideation becomes a lot more natural and innovation becomes more comfortable when there’s a very clear brand strategy that people within the organization and on the teams fully understand and adopt” – Joseph
“This is where leaders get into a lot of trouble is they think of ideas as right or wrong or good or bad…. The question becomes what lens are you using to evaluate whether that merit fits the concepts that you’re building?” -Joseph
“People need to do a better job of allowing or empowering patrons to quickly position and categorize the restaurant in their world” – Joseph
“You can’t complain about falling sales in your restaurant and do nothing to try to elevate the experience and make it a place that people actually want to go” -Adam
“You can’t just sell all the time, you’ve gotta create value for people” -Adam
“Hotels have gotten really good at ticking boxes and not good enough at making some statements” -Joseph
...more
36min
September 02, 2021EP 16 / Jen Kern / CMO of Qu, Host of Restaurants Reinvented
What makes Qu unique is that they built their entire platform for the modern era, for digital transformation, for forward-thinking operators that understand the value and importance of the technology platform working for them.
Qu was built as a digital first POS with an API approach
API = Application Programming Interface. In layman’s terms, it’s a series of commands that says “if you want to speak to me, these are the words to use”
Qu was built expressly to service the enterprise restaurant industry (fast casuals and QSRs only over 25 locations).
APIs are natively modern and built to be very easy to integrate and they can integrate with about any system.
Operators need choices so giving them an API approach makes that possible.
Qu APIs are native and bi-directional with 3rd party delivery partners
Qu built a product specifically for ghost kitchens and virtual brands within the last year. One tablet that funnels all orders from delivery partners in one place.
When IT, Ops, and Marketing are working off of one system with one data set, they can create goals and shared ideas around that.
Jen’s current read: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
If you’re a strong Marketer, you have strong left and right brain
Simon Sinek – Start with Why
Your purpose is beyond the food, it’s something bigger
Restaurant Reinvented available wherever you get your podcasts
Quotes
“Now is the time where restaurant marketiers and marketing as a concept is so ripe for anyone in restaurants to take advantage of” -Jen
“The APIs aren’t meant to work with one system, they’re built from the ground up to work with any system” -Jen
“Restaurant operators today have no business pulling data manually and putting it into other systems, they should not have to do that” -Jen
“Speed, agility, and innovation, that’s what we want to give restaurateurs.” -Jen
“You just need that one system that’s got that API first and API forward approach” -Jen
In regards to tactics driving messaging: “By saying that your hamburger is the best, you are in effect, saying to anyone who hasn’t tried it yet that their favorite hamburger isn’t good enough, and that’s not a very good approach” -Joseph
“Why are you in business? It has to be more than to make money” -Jen
“Our psyche and our perceptions of our senses do drive the flavor and the expectation of the food we’re eating” -Joseph
...more
42min
September 02, 2021EP 16 / Jen Kern / CMO of Qu, Host of Restaurants Reinvented
What makes Qu unique is that they built their entire platform for the modern era, for digital transformation, for forward-thinking operators that understand the value and importance of the technology platform working for them.
Qu was built as a digital first POS with an API approach
API = Application Programming Interface. In layman’s terms, it’s a series of commands that says “if you want to speak to me, these are the words to use”
Qu was built expressly to service the enterprise restaurant industry (fast casuals and QSRs only over 25 locations).
APIs are natively modern and built to be very easy to integrate and they can integrate with about any system.
Operators need choices so giving them an API approach makes that possible.
Qu APIs are native and bi-directional with 3rd party delivery partners
Qu built a product specifically for ghost kitchens and virtual brands within the last year. One tablet that funnels all orders from delivery partners in one place.
When IT, Ops, and Marketing are working off of one system with one data set, they can create goals and shared ideas around that.
Jen’s current read: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
If you’re a strong Marketer, you have strong left and right brain
Simon Sinek – Start with Why
Your purpose is beyond the food, it’s something bigger
Restaurant Reinvented available wherever you get your podcasts
Quotes
“Now is the time where restaurant marketiers and marketing as a concept is so ripe for anyone in restaurants to take advantage of” -Jen
“The APIs aren’t meant to work with one system, they’re built from the ground up to work with any system” -Jen
“Restaurant operators today have no business pulling data manually and putting it into other systems, they should not have to do that” -Jen
“Speed, agility, and innovation, that’s what we want to give restaurateurs.” -Jen
“You just need that one system that’s got that API first and API forward approach” -Jen
In regards to tactics driving messaging: “By saying that your hamburger is the best, you are in effect, saying to anyone who hasn’t tried it yet that their favorite hamburger isn’t good enough, and that’s not a very good approach” -Joseph
“Why are you in business? It has to be more than to make money” -Jen
“Our psyche and our perceptions of our senses do drive the flavor and the expectation of the food we’re eating” -Joseph
...more
42min
August 26, 2021EP 15 / Ricky Raman / COO of Peachstate Hospitality Group
Extended stay and select service brands are in their portfolio
Trial and error and understanding the consumer more makes execution a lot easier
You could have the best brand, the best food, the best offering but you still have to make the consumer happy
Having the right conversation with a potential employee about what their career goals are is essential to hiring the right people. Having this conversation makes for more meaningful employment.
Understanding how people’s lives have changed and understanding what they need form an employer helps put them in a better position.
Multiplying Company Culture
How can you disseminate the culture from a central source?
By multiplying culture, there’s room for bad apples
This is where consistency really comes in
If you pick the right talent, they can understand what the end goals are quicker
Future for PeachState
Growth in different markets where they feel they can execute
Old Fashioned w/ toasted pecans and anything savory on the menu. Loves bar fries.
Quotes
“Hospitality evolves every single day” -Ricky
“Creating an offering where the locals like it and the locals want to be a part of it is very important versus just the guest…. What is the other offering that people in the area want to be around” -Ricky
“Good F&B is fun” -Ricky
“We need to start taking F&B much more seriously as ownership groups and hospitality management companies” -Joseph
“You’ve got to understand the guest, if you don;t understand the guest, you can’t offer what they’re looking for” – Ricky
“The basis of a great hotel experience is rooted in service” – Joseph
“Authenticity is key” -Ricky
“Hospitality talent will always come to hospitality” – Ricky
That’s just the hallmark of a great leader,someone who is not afraid and not hesitant to roll up their sleeves, get dirty” -Joseph
“If we start with the why and end with the why, the how becomes so much easier” -Ricky
...more
40min
August 26, 2021EP 15 / Ricky Raman / COO of Peachstate Hospitality Group
Extended stay and select service brands are in their portfolio
Trial and error and understanding the consumer more makes execution a lot easier
You could have the best brand, the best food, the best offering but you still have to make the consumer happy
Having the right conversation with a potential employee about what their career goals are is essential to hiring the right people. Having this conversation makes for more meaningful employment.
Understanding how people’s lives have changed and understanding what they need form an employer helps put them in a better position.
Multiplying Company Culture
How can you disseminate the culture from a central source?
By multiplying culture, there’s room for bad apples
This is where consistency really comes in
If you pick the right talent, they can understand what the end goals are quicker
Future for PeachState
Growth in different markets where they feel they can execute
Old Fashioned w/ toasted pecans and anything savory on the menu. Loves bar fries.
Quotes
“Hospitality evolves every single day” -Ricky
“Creating an offering where the locals like it and the locals want to be a part of it is very important versus just the guest…. What is the other offering that people in the area want to be around” -Ricky
“Good F&B is fun” -Ricky
“We need to start taking F&B much more seriously as ownership groups and hospitality management companies” -Joseph
“You’ve got to understand the guest, if you don;t understand the guest, you can’t offer what they’re looking for” – Ricky
“The basis of a great hotel experience is rooted in service” – Joseph
“Authenticity is key” -Ricky
“Hospitality talent will always come to hospitality” – Ricky
That’s just the hallmark of a great leader,someone who is not afraid and not hesitant to roll up their sleeves, get dirty” -Joseph
“If we start with the why and end with the why, the how becomes so much easier” -Ricky
...more
40min
August 19, 2021EP 14 / Stratis Morfogen / Founder of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop & No-BS-Taker from Cyber Bullies
LSD = Lobster, Steak and Duck. The Ultimate Surf n Turf.
Marrying Chinese Cuisine w/ an American SteakHouse was the beginning of Brooklyn Chop House.
All dumplings are made to order at Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
Book – “Damn Good Dumplings”
Introduced new foods to all of his daughters in dumpling format by making them at home
Stratis’ dad would say 12 hours was a half day. That was his mentality with his business.
Stratis’ dad would say “I can tell you how you’re running your restaurant by turning your garbage upside down.” Seeing where the waste is and seeing how inefficient your operation is.
Automat – Everyone who tried to bring it back failed because the whole wall became a metal box. The automat is substituting cashiers and logistical personnel.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop was the first restaurant that has sold 140 franchises before opening store 1.
Robotics can help with consistency in restaurants since there’s no human error
Brooklyn Dumping Shop as a name as it extends out of Brooklyn – Brooklyn has a lot of cache. Brooklyn is a marketable term.
Bacon Cheeseburger Dumpling would be the last dumpling he would eat before he dies.
Quotes
“Leaning on tech, we can allow the integrity of the product to remain” -Stratis
“I always thought the dumpling was so fascinating to me on how it needed to re-emerge and be re-emagined” -Stratis
History
3rd generation restaurateur
Grandfather was the probably first Greek restaurant owner in NY in 1910
20 yrs old, left fam business and opened some restaurants on his own the last 30 years
...more
43min
August 19, 2021EP 14 / Stratis Morfogen / Founder of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop & No-BS-Taker from Cyber Bullies
LSD = Lobster, Steak and Duck. The Ultimate Surf n Turf.
Marrying Chinese Cuisine w/ an American SteakHouse was the beginning of Brooklyn Chop House.
All dumplings are made to order at Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
Book – “Damn Good Dumplings”
Introduced new foods to all of his daughters in dumpling format by making them at home
Stratis’ dad would say 12 hours was a half day. That was his mentality with his business.
Stratis’ dad would say “I can tell you how you’re running your restaurant by turning your garbage upside down.” Seeing where the waste is and seeing how inefficient your operation is.
Automat – Everyone who tried to bring it back failed because the whole wall became a metal box. The automat is substituting cashiers and logistical personnel.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop was the first restaurant that has sold 140 franchises before opening store 1.
Robotics can help with consistency in restaurants since there’s no human error
Brooklyn Dumping Shop as a name as it extends out of Brooklyn – Brooklyn has a lot of cache. Brooklyn is a marketable term.
Bacon Cheeseburger Dumpling would be the last dumpling he would eat before he dies.
Quotes
“Leaning on tech, we can allow the integrity of the product to remain” -Stratis
“I always thought the dumpling was so fascinating to me on how it needed to re-emerge and be re-emagined” -Stratis
History
3rd generation restaurateur
Grandfather was the probably first Greek restaurant owner in NY in 1910
20 yrs old, left fam business and opened some restaurants on his own the last 30 years
...more
43min

FAQs about Forktales:

How many episodes does Forktales have?

The podcast currently has 129 episodes available.