Tastemakers Podcast

This is a conversation with Paul Macaluso, Paul joined Krystal as CEO this April after roles in marketing leadership for Taco Bell, Burger King, Sonic, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Focus Brands. He was most recently the President of McAlister's Deli. Enjoy!

This is a conversation with Doug Reifschneider, the head of marketing for Pita Pit. Prior to Pita Pit, Doug worked in the Hardee's system, led field marketing for Fazoli's, and was the VP of Marketing for Firehouse Subs. This episode was recorded at the Restaurant Leadership Conference this April. Enjoy!

This is a conversation with Paul Damico, the CEO of Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill. Paul was the President of Moe's Southwest Grill and Focus Brands before taking on the role with Naf Naf in 2017. They are now gearing up for growth with a brand refresh, a new app, and a newly launched franchising program. This episode was recorded at the Restaurant Leadership Conference this April. Enjoy!

This is a conversation with Ware Sykes. Ware was the CEO of NoWait, the first mobile network for casual dining restaurants. He grew the business to millions of customers before they sold to Yelp in 2017. This year, he became the VP of Restaurant Strategy for Yelp, leading their growth in the restaurant industry. This episode was recorded at the Restaurant Leadership Conference this April. Enjoy!

This is a conversation with Jamie Cohen. Jamie has spent nearly 25 years growing the Jason's Deli brand with roles including People Department Director, Concept Development Director, and Chief Branding Officer. This episode was recorded at the Restaurant Leadership Conference this April. Enjoy!

This is a conversation with Dan Fogarty. Dan started working with Chipotle at just 4 locations, eventually becoming their head of marketing and helping them add nearly 500 more. He was also the EVP of Marketing for Noodles & Company, uniting the brand under the 'Your World Kitchen' theme and taking them public in 2015. He's also held leadership roles with Potbelly and the Dig Inn. You can now find him traveling the world and, as he says, "helping cool companies build cult brands." Enjoy!

This is a conversation with the author of Why You Eat What You Eat - The Science Behind our Relationship with Food, Rachel Herz. Rachel is a psychologist and a cognitive neuroscientist, and one of the leading experts on the psychology of smell. She is also an entrepreneur and teaches at Brown University and Boston College. Why You Eat What You Eat examines the factors that most influence our eating habits. Enjoy!

This is a conversation with the Founder of Restaurant365, Morgan Harris. Morgan started his career in accounting before shifting into technology. Along the way, he recognized a need for better financial software in the restaurant industry and spent years developing Restaurant365. They have since become one of the fastest growing technology platforms in the restaurant space and recently took on a $20 million investment from Bessemer Partners. Their clients include Blaze Pizza, Freddy's Steakburgers, the Halal Guys, and many more. Enjoy!

This is a conversation with Kara Goldin, the founder of Hint Water. Kara was a technology executive at AOL before she got into the beverage business. She was named one of Fortune's Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs and Forbes' 40 Women to Watch Over 40. The Huffington Post also called her one of six disruptors in business alongside Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. You can find Hint in Whole Foods, Target, Walmart, or at any Google office. Enjoy!

This is a conversation with John Lukas, the SVP of Restaurant Strategy for Heartland Commerce. John spent his career working in technology for restaurants including roles as Chief Information Officer at Carrols Restaurant Group, Arby's, and Popeye's. He joined Heartland last year to help them chart their path with restaurants. Enjoy!