Filmed at the site of the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, IL., Gregg Majewski sits down with Shawn Walchef—the podcast king of the restaurant industry, owner of Cali BBQ in San Diego, and founder of Cali BBQ Media. Shawn shares his journey from struggling barbecue joint to industry influencer, highlighting how building in public, embracing social media, and staying curious can transform a brand. This episode dives deep into why storytelling matters, the importance of community, and how even big names like Shaquille O’Neal rely on authentic relationships to grow successful restaurant brands. Tune in to discover actionable insights on leadership, growth, and making an impact in today’s restaurant landscape.

Takeaways:

1. Can’t Just Build It and Expect Them to Come – In the restaurant industry, simply having a great product isn’t enough—you need to actively draw people in. Instead, restaurateurs must embrace marketing, storytelling, and community building to bring guests through the door. This means investing in social media, podcasts, and videos, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. Excellence in product and storytelling go hand in hand.
2. Building in Public—Vulnerability as a Growth Strategy - One of Shawn’s biggest lessons was learning to embrace vulnerability by sharing his journey publicly. This concept—building in public—helps create trust and authenticity in a crowded marketplace. It shows that success doesn’t happen overnight and that even the best stumble along the way. By being transparent about challenges and wins, leaders inspire their teams and peers to grow together.
3. Lose the Ego, Gain the Audience - Stepping into the public eye as a restaurant leader can be intimidating, but it’s a crucial step to building trust and brand loyalty. By dropping the fear of “looking stupid” and embracing platforms like TikTok and YouTube, leaders can create authentic connections with their audience. Removing ego allows leaders to build trust, attract partners, and position themselves as the safe home for growth and opportunity in the restaurant industry.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Visit Cali BBQ Media Online
• Follow Cali BBQ Media on Instagram
• Follow Shawn Walchef on Instagram
• Follow Shawn Walchef on TikTok
• Connect with Shawn Walchef on LinkedIn
• Subscribe to Shawn’s Substack
• Follow Cali BBQ Media TikTok
• Subscribe to Cali BBQ Media on YouTube
• Connect with Cali BBQ Media LinkedIn
• Visit the National Restaurant Association Online
• Visit the National Restaurant Association Show

ABOUT SHAWN WALCHEF

Shawn P. Walchef is the founder of Cali BBQ Media, a podcast host, business coach, and proud dad. Since opening Cali BBQ in 2008, his family-run restaurant and media company in San Diego has generated over $30 million in sales. As a restaurateur who started during the Great Recession, Shawn mastered using digital tools and innovative ideas to stay afloat. During the pandemic, he and his team developed a scalable plan that tripled the profitability of the traditional full-service restaurant model.

Shawn hosts two weekly video podcast series: Digital Hospitality and Restaurant Influencers. These podcasts are part of his growing media empire, which also includes content creation, consulting, and digital services to help others with their smartphone storytelling. His strategies have garnered attention from major media outlets like Amazon Prime TV, Bloomberg TV, Entrepreneur, Inc., Eater, ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox News. Committed to helping others succeed, Shawn is dedicated to guiding businesses to the right digital tools and social media strategies to unlock endless opportunities. 

ABOUT GREGG MAJEWSKI:

Gregg Majewski has a vast amount of experience as a corporate executive in the restaurant industry. As the former CEO of Jimmy John’s, he played a major role in expanding the franchise from 33 to 300+ stores in just 5 years by surrounding the company’s marketing strategy around the innovative approach of delivering sandwiches and being “freaky fast”. Majewski has worked to develop restaurant concepts over the last two plus decades, before starting Craveworthy Brands in 2023, which currently includes a growing portfolio of restaurant brands.

Connect with Gregg / Craveworthy Brands

• Gregg Majewski Instagram
• Craveworthy Brands Instagram
• Visit Craveworthy Online
• Gregg Majewski LinkedIn
• CRAVEWORTHY FRANCHISING
• CRAVEWORTHY BRANDS
• INVEST IN CRAVEWORTHY

Connect with Room for Seconds

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NOMINATE A GUEST — Do you know someone who would be great on this show? Let us know by emailing us at [email protected] or sending a DM on social media @craveworthybrands

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Produced by Cali BBQ Media

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