Happy Mouth

By Philip Camino & Nyesha ArringtonArts Food

Happy Mouth episodes

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021: National Plant A Vegetable Garden Day
Today is National Plant a Vegetable Garden Day so you know we’ve got to talk all about planting and harvesting your own veggies! Join chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino as they discuss the importance of having a reliable source of fresh produce, how to start small, and some of Nyesha’s tips and tricks straight from her own garden.
Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss vegetable gardens
USDA recommends adults eat 2.5-3 cups of vegetables every day

The CDC found that only 10% of adults get the recommended amount of vegetables

Men, young adults, and those living in poverty have the lowest intake of veggies

Economic issues and the cost of fresh produce are just some of the hurdles

People began planting their own gardens during the pandemic

How to start a vegetable garden in limited space

Nyesha’s experience with her own garden

Vertical gardens

Tips and tricks for your own garden
Links:
Happy Mouth Podcast Instagram
Harvard - The nutrition source
Very Well Fit - How many vegetables should you eat every day?
CDC - Only 1 in 10 adults get enough fruits or vegetables
Growing A Greener World - Tips for growing the perfect vegetable garden
We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows:
Full Comp
The Happy Mouth Morning Show
Restaurant Marketing School
The Playbook
26 min
May 18, 2021May 18, 2021: Restaurant Workers Don’t Want To Return
There’s a nationwide shortage of restaurant workers and that doesn’t seem likely to stop being an issue anytime soon. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington look at the One Fair Wage report and how restaurant workers are saying they don’t want to return after the pandemic.
Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss the restaurant worker shortage:
One Fair Wage report surveyed over 4,300 applicants -- more than half were employed at the time of the survey

76% of restaurant workers are leaving their jobs due to low wages

87% of workers reported tips have decreased since COVID-19, with 67% saying tips have decreased by 50% or more

78% of workers say they’d stay in their job if they could make a full, stable living wage

The difference in a living wage in major markets compared to rural areas

80% of workers say they’ve seen or experienced hostile behavior from customers, especially when enforcing COVID-19 protocols

Roughly ⅓ of restaurant workers have left the industry to find more stable income

Chipotle has upped its worker benefits and incentives, including $6.5 million in discretionary bonuses
Links:
Happy Mouth Podcast Instagram
Happy Mouth’s April 19 episode on restaurant worker shortage
Restaurant Dive - 76% of restaurant workers plan to leave jobs over low wages, tips
KFF - Findings from the KFF Women’s Health Survey
We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows:
Full Comp
The Happy Mouth Morning Show
Restaurant Marketing School
The Playbook
22 min
May 17, 2021May 17, 2021: Restaurant Sales Are Surging
On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington continue to take a look at how restaurants are recovering and, in fact, booming as the coronavirus pandemic slows down.
While broadliner Sysco has seen sales rising, several major chains announced impressive first-quarter financials; proving the hospitality industry is in a boom right now. With major players like Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Cheesecake Factory all seeing a massive uptick in sales, there’s even more hope independent restaurants are well on the road to recovery as well. But with every boom, there’s the potential for a bust.
Listen as Nyesha and Philip talk about the impact initiatives like the RRF and stimulus checks are having on the hospitality industry, and what you should be careful of as the boom continues.
Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss the restaurant boom and potential bust:
People are feeling better about being out due to increased vaccination rates, stimulus checks hitting bank accounts, and loosening restrictions

CDC reports 46% have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 35% having both doses

Starbucks’ U.S. sales fully recovered in the 2021 first quarter

McDonald’s same-store sales have risen 13.6% over a two-year period

Cheesecake Factory’s same-store sales have shot up 220%

While sales are surging currently, there’s potential for the sales bubble to pop

Food delivery apps have lost money over the last year despite the growth of the market

DoorDash lost $155.9 million and GrubHub lost $145 million
Links:
Happy Mouth Podcast Instagram
Happy Mouth’s May 12 episode on the Sysco report pointing to restaurant recovery
Restaurant Business - Starbucks U.S. sales recovered last quarter
Restaurant Business - Chicken helps McDonald’s sales soar
Becker’s Hospital Review - COVID-19 vaccination rates by state
NPR - How is the COVID-19 vaccination campaign going in your state?
GrubStreet - 5 big reasons the deliver ‘boom’ may soon go bust
We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows:
Full Comp
The Happy Mouth Morning Show
Restaurant Marketing School
The Playbook
16 min
May 14, 2021May 14, 2021: Talking NFTs With James Starr Of Prime Pizza
On this Fun Friday episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino sit down with James Starr, the owner of Prime Pizza and Bludso’s BBQ.
Prime Pizza has been getting rave reviews for years now and they’ve officially opened their West LA location. Phillip and Nyesha talk to James about his background in the hospitality industry, how he started Prime Pizza, and how he’s using NFTs in a very interesting way.
Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss Prime Pizza and NFTs:
James Starr’s background, including how he started Prime Pizza and Bludso’s BBQ

The reason James got into food

The new Prime Pizza on the west side

What is an NFT?

How Prime Pizza used NFTs

Does pineapple belong on pizza?
Links:
Happy Mouth Podcast Instagram
We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows:
Full Comp
The Happy Mouth Morning Show
Restaurant Marketing School
The Playbook
28 min
May 13, 2021May 13, 2021: Wisconsin’s Twisted Plants Serving Vegan Comfort Food
Going vegan is often a dramatic lifestyle change. For one Wisconsin couple, a cancer diagnosis pushed that change and a new business opportunity. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino look at the story behind the Twisted Plants restaurant in Cudahy, Wisconsin.
When Arielle Hawthorne was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2016, she switched to a vegetarian and then vegan diet. With her husband’s experience operating a food cart and Arielle’s research, they opened up the Twisted Plants food cart in America’s dairyland, serving vegan versions of your favorite comfort foods. It’s been a smashing success, even spawning a brick-and-mortar location that opened at the height of the pandemic.
Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss Twisted Plants and vegan diets:
Arielle Hawthorne and her husband researched the impact of consuming meat when she was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2016.

She chose to go vegetarian to feel healthier throughout chemotherapy and radiation treatments, dropping 15 pounds in the first month

Arielle says her skin was clearer, her energy was higher, and her health improved thanks to the switch in diet.

With Arielle’s research and Brandon’s experience operating a food cart, the couple started Twisted Plants, a food truck offering vegan versions of comfort foods

Twisted Plants offers things like burgers, mozzarella sticks, and BBQ-loaded fries -- all vegan.

With the success of the food truck during the pandemic, they’ve opened a brick-and-mortar location in Cudahy, Wisconsin in May of 2020

Arielle has found out she’s now cancer free!
Links:
Happy Mouth Podcast Instagram
Health Careers - Vegan statistics for 2020
OnMilwaukee - Health and sustainability behind new Twisted Plants restaurant
VegNews - This couple is serving up vegan comfort food in America’s dairyland
Fox6 Milwaukee - From food truck to brick and mortar
Twisted Plants website
14 min
May 12, 2021May 12, 2021: Independent Restaurants Are Recovering
On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington take a closer look at Sysco’s report that independent restaurants are beginning to recover from the coronavirus lockdown.
One of the biggest broadliners in the industry, Sysco has a unique insight into the hospitality industry’s ongoing recovery from the pandemic. They’ve noticed a surge in business as southern states stop COVID-19 restrictions. Independent restaurants around the country are seeing upticks in business as more people get vaccinated, stimulus checks hit bank accounts, and the weather gets warmer.
Nyesha and Philip look at what Sysco’s report means for the hospitality industry, from the impact it could have on the worker shortage to the potential for actually growing revenue in the wake of the pandemic.
Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss restaurant recovery:
The number of restaurants that closed due to the pandemic

Sysco’s report says southern states are seeing a surge in business as restrictions loosen

Sales at independent restaurants are exceeding 2019 levels

Markets like California, Boston, New York, and Chicago that have more restrictions are still struggling
Links:
Happy Mouth Podcast Instagram
Happy Mouth’s April 19 episode on the restaurant worker shortage
Happy Mouth’s May 10 episode on restaurant robots and hiring apps
Fortune - More than 110,000 eating and drinking establishments closed in 2020
Restaurant Business - Sysco says independents have recovered in some markets
Restaurant Business - Restaurant sales to jump 10.2% in 2021
We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows:
Full Comp
The Happy Mouth Morning Show
Restaurant Marketing School
The Playbook
13 min
May 10, 2021May 10, 2021: Restaurant Robots And New Hiring Apps
Are we finally living like The Jetsons? Depending on what restaurants you go to, it could certainly feel like it.
On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, join restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington as they discuss how restaurants are turning to new technology to handle their staffing issues. From restaurants turning to new recruiting apps to find employees during the worker shortage to literal robots serving food; the hospitality industry is getting tech-savvy in a hurry.
Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss how restaurants are using technology to solve the worker shortage:
The continued restaurant worker shortage

Restaurants are turning to robots as servers and for food delivery

New hiring apps for the hospitality industry

The restaurant hiring app Seasoned functions like a dating app to match potential employees and employers based on their interest

Bite Ninja is solving staffing issues by using remote workers for drive-thru orders

New technology for recruiting and hiring workers

The restaurant Mr. Q Crab House is using robot servers
Links:
Happy Mouth Podcast - Instagram
Restaurant Business - Chick-Fil-A is testing robot delivery
KIRO7 - South Florida restaurant employs robot servers
ABC7 - Food-delivery robots get rolling in Los Angeles
Restaurant Business - As staffing woes continue, some restaurants turn to technology
Bite Ninja
We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows:
Full Comp
The Happy Mouth Morning Show
Restaurant Marketing School
The Playbook
14 min
May 07, 2021May 7, 2021: Eleven Madison Park Reopening With All Plant-Based Menu
Eleven Madison Park -- a New York food landmark -- is opening their doors once again on June 10. However, the reopening comes with a twist as Eleven Madison Park’s menu will be entirely plant-based.
Eleven Madison Park’s menu is a part of improved sustainability practices in the hospitality industry
On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, join restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington as they discuss Eleven Madison Park’s menu change. Nyesha and Philip share their thoughts and insight on chef Daniel Humm’s commitment to more sustainable practices and eliminating food insecurity and how this could help spark other fine dining restaurants to incorporate more plant-based dishes.
Listen to Philip and Nyesha talk about Eleven Madison Park’s reopening:
Why chef Daniel Humm decided to go with an entirely plant-based menu

The awards Eleven Madison Park has won

Eleven Madison Park will be giving away 5 meals to food-insecure New Yorkers for every meal purchased

This is the latest in the meatless trend in restaurants

Real-world examples of the non-sustainable practices within the hospitality industry
Links:
Happy Mouth Podcast - Instagram
Rethink Food - Our mission
Restaurant Hospitality - Eleven Madison Park to reopen with meatless menu
Eater - Chef Dominique Crenn has taken meat off the table
We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows:
Full Comp
The Happy Mouth Morning Show
Restaurant Marketing School
The Playbook
15 min
May 06, 2021May 6, 2021: Starbucks’ Borrow-A-Cup Program
Starbucks recently announced they’re testing a “Borrow-a-Cup” program where customers can get a reusable cup for a $1 deposit. It’s part of Starbucks’ wider efforts to reduce its waste by 50% by 2030.
On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington take a look at how large multinational brands like Starbucks are starting to roll out new efforts to reduce their impact on the environment. Nyesha and Philip discuss how Starbucks’ “Borrow-a-Cup” program works, how it’s dealing with the hurdles of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what other restaurants can do to improve their sustainability practices.
Listen to Philip and Nyesha talk about sustainability programs:
Starbucks is testing out a “Borrow-a-Cup” program in five locations in Seattle

For a $1 deposit, customers can borrow a reusable cup and return it for a $1 credit and 10 “bonus stars” on their account

How the program is working during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep people safe

The sustainability programs McDonald's, Burger King, Sweetgreen, and Panera Bread are implementing

The wider impact of big multinational brands having more sustainable practices

The ways other restaurants and businesses can offset their environmental impact
Links:
Happy Mouth Podcast - Instagram
Starbucks Stories - Starbucks announces new Borrow-a-Cup program
National Restaurant News - McDonald's to test zero waste cup solution
USA TODAY - Burger King is testing reusable packaging
Medium - Sweetgreen’s commitment to be Carbon Neutral by 2027
We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows:
Full Comp
The Happy Mouth Morning Show
Restaurant Marketing School
The Playbook
14 min
May 05, 2021May 5, 2021: Cinco de Mayo
It’s the time of year for margaritas once again as we celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
While Americans have certainly adopted Cinco de Mayo in their own way, the holiday doesn’t mean what most think. On this episode of the Happy Mouth podcast, chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino look at the true meaning and rich history of Cinco de Mayo before diving into a couple of traditional dishes you should use to celebrate authentically this year.
It’s a delicious history lesson.
Listen to Philip and Nyesha talk about Cinco de Mayo:
The history of Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo isn’t Mexico’s Independence Day

The Battle of Puebla

The celebration of Cinco de Mayo in the United States

3 traditional Cinco de Mayo Dishes -- Mole Poblano, Chalupas, Chiles en Nogada
Links:
Happy Mouth Podcast - Instagram
Mexico In My Kitchen - Mole Poblano recipe
Saveur - Chalupa recipe
Kitchn - Chiles en Nogada recipe
Smithsonian Magazine - Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Battle of Puebla
Smithsonian Magazine - What to really eat on Cinco de Mayo
We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows:
Full Comp
The Happy Mouth Morning Show
Restaurant Marketing School
The Playbook
13 min

About Happy Mouth

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Hosted by acclaimed restaurateur Philip Camino and star chef Nyesha Arrington, the Happy Mouth podcast is your source for the daily news about the hospitality industry. From bite-sized news stories…

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