Vigor

Great restaurants don't automatically become great businesses. Scaling takes the right systems, people and strategy. Amir Yazdi, founder and managing partner of Bastian Capital, has spent more than 20 years building, operating and investing in restaurant brands, giving him a unique perspective on what separates concepts that grow from those that stall.

In this episode of Forktales, Amir shares what makes a restaurant concept investable, the biggest mistakes operators make when scaling, how rising labor costs and GLP-1s are reshaping the industry, and why restaurants continue to thrive as places that bring communities together.

A nearly century-old brand doesn’t change its name without a clear sense of purpose. Mike DiBeneditto, CEO of Golden Waffles, leads one of the most recognizable waffle programs in foodservice, with distribution in more than 50,000 locations worldwide.

In this episode of Forktales, Mike explains the decision to rebrand from Golden Malted to Golden Waffles and why clarity trumped tradition. He discusses the importance of relentless internal communication, honoring company heritage during change and staying grounded when evaluating trends.

Great food lasts, but great hospitality endures. Madelyn Alfano is CEO and owner of Maria’s Italian Kitchen and a lifelong restaurant operator shaped by growing up in her family’s Italian grocery and food business. With more than five decades of brand history behind her, she brings deep expertise in operations, leadership and building community-driven restaurants that stand the test of time.

In this episode of Forktales, Madelyn shares how Maria’s grew from a small takeout kitchen into a multi-location Southern California institution, lessons learned from leading through crises like the Northridge earthquake, and why clear communication and servant leadership matter more than ever.

Great creative doesn’t start with execution, it starts with a point of view. Chuck Meehan is Chief Creative Officer of Pavone Group and a veteran creative leader with decades of experience building bold, culture-shaping work for some of the world’s most recognizable brands. A four-time Super Bowl creative, Chuck has a reputation for ideas that break through pressure, complexity and noise.

In this episode of Forktales, Chuck pulls back the curtain on what defines a truly “big idea,” why the Super Bowl is both the most exhilarating and punishing creative arena in advertising, and how protecting an idea is often harder than coming up with it.

Season 9 of Forktales brought together visionaries redefining what it means to lead, create, and serve in the food and beverage world. From heritage duck farms to plant-based dairies, family restaurants to city-shaping pubs, every guest offered a story rooted in passion and purpose.

Joey Jurgielewicz kicked off the season with a lesson in legacy and sustainability from Tasty Duck. Tom Moffitt explored the science and spirit behind plant-based dairy innovation. Edward Medina shared how Ramona’s Food Group turned a 78-year-old family brand into a modern Mexican food powerhouse. Sameer Malhotra revealed how Café Spice brought authentic Indian cuisine to America’s mainstream, while Elliot Nelson showed how restaurants can revitalize an entire city. And Curtis Chin closed the season with heart, reflecting on growing up in his family’s Chinese restaurant and why small, family-run eateries are still the glue of communities everywhere.

“Chinese restaurants are going to save America.” That’s the bold belief of Curtis Chin — writer, filmmaker, activist, and author of the memoir Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Growing up as a Chinese American in 1980s Detroit, Curtis found community, identity, and resilience inside his family’s landmark restaurant, Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine.

In this episode of Forktales, Curtis reflects on life lessons from the dining room, the power of service and conversation, and why family restaurants act as vital community glue. He also explores Detroit as a cultural crossroads and the lasting influence Chinese restaurants have had on how Americans eat today.

Elliot Nelson is the founder and CEO of McNellie’s Group, the hospitality company credited with transforming downtown Tulsa’s dining scene. What began as a college business plan for a fictional Irish pub grew into a thriving portfolio of more than 25 restaurants and bars, as well as large-scale development projects that have reshaped the city.

In this episode of Forktales, Elliot shares how McNellie’s became Tulsa’s go-to destination for craft beer, his vision of creating a “living room” for the city, and the role historic renovations have played in revitalizing downtown.

Edward Medina is at the helm of Ramona's Food Group, steering the company with both tradition and innovation in mind. When Edward joined in 2012 as director of finance, Ramona’s was losing hundreds of thousands each month. By 2014, as CEO, he led a dramatic turnaround—streamlining operations, cutting costs, and standing firm on product value—which transformed the struggling company into a profitable, respected brand.

In this episode of Forktales, Edward shares engaging stories about Ramona's colorful journey, from delivering tortillas on buses to becoming a staple in the frozen food aisle. He talks about the importance of keeping things authentic and the unique perks of being a family-owned operation.

Season 8 of Forktales served up a fresh batch of bold voices and breakthrough ideas from across the food and beverage industry. From Sean Zecman’s insights on scaling a food distribution powerhouse to Kenny Morrison’s mission to normalize cannabis beverages, we explored innovation at every level.

Laurel Orley and Denise Woodard shared how mission-driven snacking can drive both purpose and profit, while Judy Joo redefined authenticity in modern Korean cuisine. We went local with Josh Kesler and Peter Newlin, global with Stephanie Jaeger and Clara Paye, and talked brand-building and hustle with Yanni Hufnagel and Jeff Broadhurst. Every guest brought flavor, strategy, and something unforgettable to the table.

Judy Joo is a chef, entrepreneur, and TV personality who left Wall Street to follow her passion for food. A graduate of Columbia and the French Culinary Institute, she trained in world-renowned kitchens and went on to become an Iron Chef and the founder of Seoul Bird, a fast-casual Korean fried chicken concept.

On this episode of Forktales, Judy talks about using her engineering and finance background to run restaurants, breaking barriers in male-dominated industries, and redefining what authenticity means in Korean cuisine.