What happens when a chef doesn’t just cook—but helps launch and market a game-changing kitchen innovation? In this episode of Growth Engines Demystified, we dive into the incredible journey of Travis, who blended his culinary expertise with marketing to help scale one of the most innovative kitchen technologies—Brava.
Travis shares how his early love for food led him from restaurant kitchens to a pivotal role at Williams Sonoma, where he worked alongside high-profile chefs and global brands. But his story doesn’t stop there—he played a key role in bringing Brava, a revolutionary smart oven that cooks with light, to life. We break down the growth engine behind this game-changing product, the hurdles faced in its development, and how it found traction in both the mainstream and assistive technology markets.
One of Brava’s most fascinating applications? A powerful assistive technology for the visually impaired—helping people with real needs cook independently while also unlocking new commercialization opportunities.
We also explore:
✅ How storytelling shaped Brava’s marketing and customer adoption
✅ The role of community building, partnerships, and advertising in scaling Brava’s marketing efforts
✅ The impact of COVID-19 on food tech innovation
✅ What led to Brava’s acquisition by Middleby Corporation
✅ How Travis combined his chef and marketing expertise to expand his role
This episode is packed with insights on product innovation, storytelling in marketing, and building a growth engine from the ground up. If you're an entrepreneur, marketer, or just someone fascinated by food, technology, and real-world problem-solving, this one’s for you.
🎧 Listen now and discover what it really takes to build and scale an innovative brand.
00:00 Introduction
00:33 Travis Falls in Love with Cooking
04:55 Travis Joins the Brava Team
08:34 Brava Co-Founders Story
10:27 Brava Smart Oven Early Days
13:12 Bravascript and Brava Intelligence
19:01 Brava Marketing and Community
30:39 Middleby Acquires Brava
34:07 Brava Solves Accessible Cooking
41:45 Unlocking Brava Intelligence at Middleby
44:00 Startup Resilience and Grit
47:18 Thank You
