Corner Booth Podcast

Episode 79: Tom Foley

How does a lawyer become the partner of one of the Food Network’s hottest celebrity chefs and restaurant owners? Tune in to find out how attorney Tom Foley met chef Tiffany Derry, selected locations, attracted investors, and launched the business that created Texas’s award-winning Roots Southern Table and Roots Chicken Shak. 

They refer to each other as “Pots-and-Pans Tiffany” and “Pen-and-Paper Tom”, underscoring a unique partnership that Tom believes is the foundation of their success. In this episode, he shares what he learned as the company’s inaugural general manager, how he forged the company’s people-first culture, and his plans for future concepts. Tom also talks about:

• How partnering with a celebrity chef raises the level of guest expectations. 
• Why learning is a daily experience. Staff and management learn from successes as well as mistakes made.
• How cross-training restaurant, bar, and culinary managers build a stronger team and reduce turnover.
• How passion, principles, and purpose lead to profitability.
• Why staff “bench strength” is a priority when considering expansion.
• How to support the community by creating opportunities for social entrepreneurship.

Episode 78: Cassie Ghaffar & Sandy Nguyen

When best friends Cassie Ghaffar and Sandy Nguyễn worked in restaurants together in college, they never imagined they would become successful multi-concept restaurant entrepreneurs together. Today, as business partners of Houston-based Saigon Hustle, Sunday Press, and Ginger Kale, they share their inspirational story of concept creation, profitability, and expansion.

Saigon Hustle was launched just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic as a ghost kitchen delivery-only Thai concept. After nine months of operation, Cassie and Sandy moved the restaurant into a small building on a busy corner in a well-established neighborhood. Offering limited outside seating and drive-thru only, Saigon Hustle became a tremendous success. “We are proud that the three concept commitments we made became reality," says Sandy, citing their “authentic menu recipes, accessibility to the masses, and ability to expand.”

Sunday Press and Ginger Kale are neighborhood coffee-bakery cafes. "We offer a comfortable place to be,” says Cassie. "Regulars meet, eat, and visit during morning, afternoon, and throughout the evening. We offer a private room for family gatherings, small business meetings, and community events”.

In this episode, Sandy and Cassie share their experience and wisdom as successful startup restaurateurs, including:

• Managing multiple concepts efficiently with common procedures and support systems.
• Financing the business for growth, including private equity.
• Successfully expanding without sacrificing quality and consistency.
• Focusing on community as their best marketing tool.
• Creating a people-first culture that pays dividends in building a team for expansion.

 

Episode 77: Brandon and Zane Hunt

Growing up in Detroit, brothers Brandon and Zane Hunt loved their hometown pizza. So, in 2011, they launched Via 313, introducing Motor City-style pizza to Austin, Texas with a $30,000 investment and a food truck. Today, Via 313 (“by way of” 313 — Detroit’s area code) boasts 17 units.

Brandon and Zane explain how they: 

• Grew their business from a food truck to a full-service restaurant to an award-winning, multi-state concept with locations throughout the Southwest.
• Won over investors to help finance business expansion.
• Fostered owner-operator and investor relations.
• Developed a consistent brand and company culture at multiple locations.
• Plan to grow the concept to 30-plus units within the next four years.

Episode 76: Pete Mora

Pete Mora’s appreciation for Mexican cuisine began when he arrived in the U.S. from his native Colombia.  “My parents had a tremendous influence on me,” says Pete. Following graduation from the University of Houston, where he studied entrepreneurship, he began working at his family’s restaurant — Poblano’s Mexican Grill — and "fell in love with foodservice,” he says.

Pete learned the principles for success in the restaurant business, including the importance of effective catering and delivery programs and involvement in the community. "These traits serve me well today as I administer to my growing fajita delivery restaurant company.”

Fajita Pete’s was borne from disaster. In the wake of a hurricane and flooding in Houston, “many roads were flooded, and businesses were closed making dining out very challenging,” says Pete. “We promoted family fajita packages for delivery and found we filled a tremendous void in the market.”

Today, Fajita Pete’s offers a limited menu of Mexican-grill favorites from its 35 locations, with 95 percent of sales from delivery. The concept’s units range from 1,200 to 2,000 square feet and require relatively few staff, keeping “expenses reasonable and daily operations simple,” says Pete.

In this episode, Pete shares his philosophy for franchise operations, branding, and growth. "Selecting a franchisee is much like adding a family member,” he explains. “It's more important that they are compatible with the concept and its vision. Capability can be taught, compatibility cannot.” And, in turn, Fajita Pete’s rewards their compatibility with support. “The better we support our franchise family, the better they do and the more they will grow."

 

Episode 75: Bruce Newman

"Sweet dreams are made of cheese,” says I Heart Mac & Cheese franchisee Bruce Newman, who operates a unit in Glendale, AZ, and was in the process of opening his second location at the end of 2023. 

Bruce’s grandfather, who owned a successful barbecue restaurant in New Jersey for 35 years, was his inspiration for entering the restaurant business. “I knew it was simply a matter of time for me,” he says, explaining, “I always loved the culinary side of restaurants but had been afraid of the unknowns of startup ownership.”  The advantages of owning a solid franchise allayed his concerns. I Heart Mac & Cheese is a fast-casual, counter-service concept with limited seating and a tremendous amount of takeout and third-party delivery business. In 2015, Bruce met with the owners of I Heart Mac & Cheese in Scottsdale, AZ. In this episode, Bruce explains the advantages of becoming a franchisee and why other would-be startup operators are opting for this route to restaurant ownership and independence. 

 "I was immediately attracted to I Heart Mac & Cheese because of the quality and simplicity of the concept," says Bruce. “I chose to become a franchisee because of the established operating systems, the marketing support, and purveyor purchasing agreements.”  

“The line works like magic,” says Bruce, adding that “guests simply choose the type of cheese, the size of the bowl, and protein.”  With a per-person check average of more than $15 and limited labor requirements, I Heart Mac & Cheese is well-positioned for successful expansion in today’s competitive fast-casual market. 

Episode 74: L.J. Rodas

Luis Javier “L.J.” acquired 24 years of experience in Guatemala with Pollo Campero prior to helping grow the fast-casual chicken concept in the United States beginning in 2017. His experience and MBA (ESEADE — Escuela Superior de Economía y Administración de Empresas) served him well in his expanding role with the company as director of marketing, CFO, and ultimately today as CEO.

In this episode, L.J. explains how he grew the concept in the U.S. to 99 units in California, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington D.C. “Successful growth comes from thinking small,” he says. “We are very customer-focused. We are in the service business after all. Food is simply the vehicle we use to serve.” 

Pollo Campero stands out in the crowded fast-casual chicken sector with fresh chicken broasted in a blend of Central American spices and served with rice, beans, and Yuca fries. The counter-service concept also offers drive-thru service at many of its units. 

“Keeping product quality as your number-one priority is most important as you expand,” says L.J. “But growth doesn’t work without building a solid team,” he adds, explaining how the company's commitment to staff selection, training, and development helps Pollo Campero overcome labor market challenges.

L.J. ensures his headquarters staff are involved in daily operations at the unit level. “The closer you are to your customer, the smarter you become," he says. “Today many restaurant operators grow for the sake of numbers, but we lead with passion and grow from the heart.” 

Episode 73: Annalee Schlossberg

"French Fries" originated in Belgium. New York City entrepreneur Annalee Schlossberg honors their history and tradition with her successful startup Bel-Fries. From the concept’s Lower East Side flagship location and two mobile units, Bel-Fries serves its signature fries with 16 freshly made sauces as a popular handheld lunch meal and late-night snack.

 

Bel-Fries’ well-crafted social media marketing program helped the brand get established quickly. The concept’s promotions - particularly on Instagram - have created a large and enthusiastic following. 

 

"Creating everything fresh daily is getting easier to do now, but it hasn’t always been that way,” says Annalee. “I was truly inexperienced and had to learn everything by doing.” 

 

Annalee’s approach to restaurant entrepreneurship has since matured with her experience in the business. “I don’t overreact to daily problems as I used to, and never hesitate to jump in to help get things done,” she says. She also credits training and culture for her concept’s success. “Having a team of individuals working together to create a positive work environment is an absolute must for a busy restaurant to succeed.”

 

While Bel-Fries popular Black Truffle Mayo might be found on retail shelves in the near future, Annalee eyes rapid business expansion cautiously. "Although we might place more carts around New York City in 2024, I am concentrating on operating systems and management developed before committing to the various growth options being offered."

Episode 72: Jay Ashton

Jay Ashton, long known as Canada’s Restaurant Guy, has developed a loyal following that extends far beyond borders. His popular podcasts "The Daily Restaurant Show" and "Menu Unplugged” have informed and entertained many restaurant operators with his current tips on brand building and improving the guest experience.

A restaurant career that began at age 14 and has extended over 33 years provides a wonderful foundation of knowledge for Jay to work from. “Food crosses all barriers,” Jay tells us, “Restaurants have become the last bastion of civility, operators need to do more on the play side to create a better guest experience”.

In this episode Jay shares his three tips for successful brand building (1) Be sincere with messaging (2) continue to nourish, strive to improve and (3) stay connected to your community. "Successful restaurant brands become the third place, after home and work it's the third place guests want to be with their friends and family,” says Jay.

Jay explains how guests' expectations of the restaurant experience have changed and provides examples of ways today's operators can shift to offering more convenience while also enhancing personal service. 

Jay challenges us to embrace the change and reminds us that successful restaurant brands are the ones that combine their inside-the-4-walls marketing approach, with social media influencers and community involvement.

Episode 71: Iliana de la Vega

Chef Iliana de la Vega won the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Restaurant in Texas in 2022. El Naranjo, the restaurant she owns and operates with her husband, means The Orange Tree and is regarded as the highest quality traditional Mexican restaurant in the state of Texas. But life wasn’t always filled with success and recognition. 

In 1997, Iliana opened the original El Naranjo in Oaxaca. Her life changed dramatically as political unrest forced the family out of Mexico a few years later. Settling in New Mexico until a visit to friends in Austin, Texas convinced Iliana that it was the right place for her, and she reopened El Naranjo there in 2012.

In this episode, we learn how Iliana first learned of the Oaxacan delicacies from her grandmother and how as a young girl in Mexico City used those earthy, smoky chiles and spices to cook authentic Mexican dishes with her mother. "My love for cooking began as a young girl, I enjoyed going to the market daily and traveling the country with my family tasting the flavors of the various regions,” says Iliana.

Iliana tells us how her love for teaching has helped her work with staff and operate her restaurant. "Patience is truly a virtue,” she tells us. "My signature Mole is a three-day process, so it's easy for me to understand that training staff takes time and repetition." Today her full-service traditional Mexican restaurant offers dinner service and a very popular Sunday brunch... Tomorrow may find us enjoying an additional concept as Iliana would like to offer her seasonal Mexican favorites in a less sophisticated, fast casual environment. We can’t wait!

Episode 70: Ben Siegel

Ben Siegel, owner of Austin, TX Banger's Sausage House & Beer Garden, describes his concept as the most unique restaurant-event-entertainment center in the Lone Star state. “Our business model is different than most independently owned restaurant concepts,” says Ben. "We must be able to serve our regular guests and multiple social and business events at the same time."

 

In this episode, Ben shares the story of an 11-year development plan that turned a small house in the Rainey Street district of Austin into a 500-seat dining destination. "We still engage in a very old-world approach to our product using a curing room, pickling room, and a smoking room to produce our special recipes of wood-smoked sausages, and made from scratch sides, sauces and condiments," says Ben. In fact, Banger's is known for offering the widest variety of smoked sausage and the largest selection of draft craft beer in Texas.

 

Although his menu might be old-world, Ben’s management style is modern staff-first positivity. "I am a recovering people pleaser,” says Ben. "A few years ago, I felt I had a toxic workplace and went to work to set an entirely new direction". He explains how embracing staff expectations and engaging them more deeply in daily operations led to shared values across the team. 

 

Ben explains his "No Rules" Rulebook and practice of self-evaluation to keep staff and management focused and moving in the same direction. "Looking at the larger picture and planning quarter-by-quarter helped me to see the value in new hourly wage and tip share program," says Ben, who is planning a food hall on the property that will include a new sandwich concept, a sausage house, and several beer bars.