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PODCAST

Take-Away with Sam Oches

Nation"s Restaurant News

Hosted by Nation’s Restaurant News’ editor in chief, Take-Away with Sam Oches features interviews with CEOs and founders of restaurant companies big and small, sharing their stories and ideas for the future but also real, tangible insights for how to innovate in our foodservice future. Each episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches provides key take-aways from Oches’ interviews, with on-the-go observations about how each leader’s strategy fits within the broader foodservice context and what actionable

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

58:38

Wild Wing Café CEO on how to navigate through bankruptcy

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/10/08

In this episode ofTake-Awaywith Sam Oches, Sam talkswithMark Cote, CEO of both Wild Wing Café and Back Yard Burgers since 2022. The brands each recently emerged from chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Mark joined the podcast to talk about the filing process, how to prepare for it, what it looks like, and why there’s reason for optimism even when it seems like the sky is falling.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:If you hire people with your same skill set, you’ll fail miserablyBankruptcy is about the

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51:50

Barry Bagel’s president on scaling a business as a...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/10/01

In this episode ofTake-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithMark Greenblatt, president of Barry Bagel, a Toledo, Ohio-based franchise founded by Mark’s dad Barry Greenblatt back in 1972. He joined the podcast to talk about the lessons he picked up working alongside his dad, how he’s learned big lessons from dumb mistakes, and how he’s finding efficiencies in the business without messing with the good thing his dad started.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:You should consider the personification

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46:42

Onigilly’s founder on knowing when it’s time for a...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/09/23

In this episode ofTake-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithKoji Kanematsu, founder of Onigilly Japanese Kitchen, a San Francisco based franchise introducing Americans to the rice ball snack onigiri. He joined the podcast to talk about the brand’s humble beginnings as a food cart, how he had to completely rethink his product to adapt to American palates, and how COVID forced him to focus on a new growth strategy — much to the brand’s benefit.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Great brands can

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49:14

Hawkers’ cofounder on averting disaster and scoring a...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/09/16

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithKaleb Harrell, cofounder and CEO at Hawkers Asian Street Food, a 15-unit casual chain based in Orlando. Hawkers filed for bankruptcy in September 2024, even though it had been enjoying double-digit year-over-year sales growth. The bankruptcy filing was to protect the brand from an overreaching lender, and after settling that dispute earlier this year, Hawkers entered into an equity deal with Utah-based Savory Fund. Harrell joined the podcast

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32:54

Mooyah’s new president shares tips on how operational...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/09/09

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithMichael Meche, president of Mooyah Burgers, Fries and Shakes. Michael has three decades of experience in the restaurant industry, most of that with Papa Johns, where he started as a store employee before working his way up to vice president of franchise operations. He then spent a few years at Capriotti’s and Wing Zone before taking on his current role earlier this summer. Michael has a passion for operational excellence, particularly as it

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43:27

FiiZ Drinks president Scott Ball on sustaining dirty...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/09/03

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithScott Ball, president of FiiZ Drinks, a specialty soda shop franchise that started in Utah in 2014 and now has more than 70 locations across the U.S. With about 150 locations in the pipeline, FiiZ is capitalizing on the incredible rise in dirty soda’s popularity, but the brand features a wide range of beveragesplus food items like cookies, popcorn, pretzels, and cookie dough bites. Scott joined FiiZ about a year ago after spending 17 years as

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01:11:26

Darden CEO Rick Cardenas on how he went from bus boy...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/08/26

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithRick Cardenas, the CEO of Darden Restaurants. This is the fourth edition in our Signature Series —in partnership with The Coca-Cola Company — which are conversations with some of the biggest CEOs in the restaurant industry. Rick started as a bus boy at Red Lobster when he was 16 years old, and over the course of four decades he climbed the entire ladder of the company that would become Darden, rising to the chief executive role in May of

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55:50

Luna Grill’s cofounder and CEO on steps to take ahead...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/08/19

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithSean Pourteymour, the cofounder and executive chairman of Luna Grill, as well as Rich Pinnella, the brand’s CEO. Sean and his wife Maria founded Luna Grill in San Diego back in 2004, and the Mediterranean fast casual started scaling in 2010. By 2019 it had expanded to more than 50 locations between California and Texas, but paused growth in order to right-size its infrastructure and systems. That included bringing in Rich, who spent more than

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57:39

The restaurant operator who is also a social media...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/08/12

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithTony Scardino, aka Professor Pizza, and Megumi Robinson, the vice president of services at Belle Communication. Tony is both a restaurant operator and an influencer, having both a pizza shop in Chicago and a sizeable following on social media with his Professor Pizza moniker. Meanwhile, Megumi and Belle Communication have been NRN’s partner on the Influencer Insider series, which you can find at NRN.com and which leverage’s Belle’s Brilli

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01:05:22

Everbowl founder Jeff Fenster on disrupting the...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/08/05

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithJeff Fenster, the founder and CEO of Everbowl, an acai bowl concept that has grown to 100 locations in nine years, and which now counts athletes like Jayson Tatum, Drew Brees, and Shaquille O’Neal among its investors. Much of Everbowl’s success can be attributed to Jeff’s knack for disruption in the marketplace, his entrepreneurial mindset, and his intense passion for his business. For example, Jeff started an entire construction company just

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56:57

Felipe’s Taqueria co-owner on prioritizing internal...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/07/29

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithPike Howard, the co-owner of Felipe’s Taqueria, a six-unit fast-casual concept out of New Orleans that has prioritized its systems and business model in its nearly 20 years in business as it slowly grows across the South. Pike was a finance guy when his father-in-law pulled him into the Felipe’s business, and that mindset has benefited the company as Pike has helped it develop a strong brand identity, vision, and infrastructure and to resist

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48:48

Dutch Bros CEO Christine Barone on leading one of the...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/07/22

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswithChristine Barone, CEO of Dutch Bros. This is the third edition in our Signature Series, which are conversations with some of the biggest CEOs in the restaurant industry. And there are few companies bigger right now than Dutch Bros, which is turning heads all across the U.S. as it races across the country and redefines the coffee category. Christine was named CEO early in 2024 to steer the brand into its next growth phase, and Sam sat down

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29:50

Chili’s, Wendy’s chefs share tips for making menu...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/07/15

In thisepisode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswiththe director of culinary at Chili’s, Brian Paquette, as well as the director of culinary innovation at Wendy’s, Becky Davis. Chili’s and Wendy’s were each winners at NRN’s 2025 MenuMasters Awards, which were hosted in partnership with Ventura Foods and presented during a special gala at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. Brian and Becky were both on hand in Chicago to win their awards, and the next day sat down with Sam in

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39:01

Jim ’N Nick’s CEO Larry Ryback on making the switch...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/07/08

In thisepisode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswith Larry Ryback, the CEO of Jim ’N Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q, a chain of more than 50 locations across the South that is celebrating 40 years in business with a new store design that is helping to drive double-digit sales growth. The new store prototype takes into account its big growth in off-premises sales and shifts away from a full-service model to what they’re calling fast casual plus, giving customers more control over their experience by

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31:13

Savory CEO Shauna Smith on the importance of unity,...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/07/01

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswith Shauna Smith, the CEO of Savory Management, the operational arm of the Salt Lake City based private equity group Savory Fund. Savory invests in emerging restaurant concepts like Swig, Via 313, PINCHO, and Mo’Bettahs, and Shauna oversees the operations of these concepts, which includes a team of 65 in-house specialists who support the brand founders and leaders who choose to bring Savory in as equity partners in their businesses. Sam sat down

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35:27

Chef from “The Bear” restaurant on creating memorable...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/06/24

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswith Curtis Duffy, the James Beard award-winning chef and owner at the Michelin-starred Chicago restaurant Ever —a restaurant that features prominently in the FX show “The Bear.” Curtis has consulted with and cooked for the show, which is starting its fourth season this week. But long before “The Bear,” he was a renowned chef who trained under Charlie Trotter and Grant Achatz before opening the restaurant Grace in Chicago’s West Loop in 2012

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44:11

Insomnia Cookies’ founder on winning in the booming...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/06/17

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswith Seth Berkowitz, the founder and CEO of Insomnia Cookies, the cookie delivery concept that has been around now for 22 years and grown to more than 300 locations in the U.S., helping to carve out an early niche in the so-called “indulgence” category that has been booming the past few years. Insomnia announced that two investors had stepped in to acquire the majority stake previously owned by Krispy Kreme, a move that the brand thinks could

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49:49

2 KPOT execs share how experiential dining is key to...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/06/10

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswith Maggie Farrell and Victor Chow, the VP of marketing and VP of operations for KPOT, the fast-growing Korean barbecue and hot pot chain with a unique, do-it-yourself experience at its core. According to this year’s Technomic Top 500, KPOT grew its location count by 72% in 2024, and its sales by 34%. Already in 2025 it’s opened more than 20 locations, with 115 open today — and it didn’t even exist until 2017. Maggie and Victor joined the

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43:19

Mountain Mike’s CEO on thriving in an off year for pizza

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/06/03

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talkswith Jim Metevier, CEO of Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a California-based brand with more than 300 locations in 10 states. Pizza as a category had a pretty rough year in 2024, with the major players mostly seeing flat or negative traffic over the prior year. Mountain Mike’s, meanwhile, enjoyed year-over-year sales growth of 5% and unit growth of 7%. So how did this pizza concept with big-box stores and a hybrid service model manage to thrive last year

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39:38

(Pt. 2) Denny's CEO Kelli Valade on making the brand...

Take-Away with Sam Oches ·

2025/05/29

In part 2 of Sam's interview with Kelli Valade, CEO of Denny’s and Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, he talks with her about the business of Denny’s, its status as “America’s diner,” the potential she saw in the brand when she took the CEO reins in 2022, and her vision for the company going forward. They also talk about Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, the emerging fast-casual brand that Denny’s acquired right about the same time that Kelli joined the company, and the role it plays in franchisees’ success.In this

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133 results

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