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Pickles are moving from sidekick to main event on restaurant menus, as the Menu Talk co-hosts witnessed recently. Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, attended Popeyes' pickle reveal at the chain's flagship Times Square location in New York City. The restaurant was decked out in green from top to bottom, and Bret got to taste Popeyes new pickle menu, which included fried pickles, a tart pickle glazed chicken sandwich and pickle lemonade. Although not on the menu, servers also handed out Pickle Margaritas infused with pickle juice, and pickles with smoked salmon, caviar and crème fraiche, courtesy of NYC deli landmark, Zabar's.When Pat Cobe, senior editor of Restaurant Business, interviewed Popeyes chef Amy Alarcon following the event, she mentioned the hydrating properties of pickle juice, which is mixed into Popeyes' signature cane sugar-sweetened lemonade. Coffee chain Dutch Bros also introduced a pickle juice energy drink this month, the Pickleback Rebel. Moving on to non-pickle items, Pat talked about the inspiration behind Jack in the Box's culturally connected milkshakes. The latest is the Pink Pineapple Express that ties into 4/20, the unofficial “holiday” celebrating cannabis. Bret mentioned that Ike's Love and Sandwiches and Jimmy John's are both offering special munchies for 4/20 as well. Other food news of the week focused on the never-ending parade of ranch dressing variations and Subway's latest footlong snack—Doritos Footlong Nachos. Bill Nevruz of Shaw's Crab House | Photo courtesy of Lettuce Entertain You EnterprisesThen the two shared an interview with Bill Nevruz, an executive partner in Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises and the divisional president of Shaw's Crab House in Chicago. Shaw's is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month, and Nevruz described the festivities around that milestone, including a throwback menu that features items like sauteed frogs' legs, clams casino and crab-stuffed shrimp. Of course, signatures including oysters, sushi and king crab legs will also be on hand, along with two anniversary cocktails—an Old Fashioned and a Martini—both garnished with oysters and caviar. Listen as Nevruz relates Shaw's story and how the restaurant has earned its reputation as a premier seafood destination far from both coasts.
Four decades equals 10 million oysters: That's just some of the math in the story of Shaw's Crab House. In this episode, host David Manilow talks with Bill Nevruz, executive partner at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. Nevruz has led Shaw's Crab House for 25 years. Learn how Shaw's got its name and why it still feels like a classic to customers and Chicago chefs alike. Plus, hear how legendary restaurateur and Shaw's co-founder Rich Melman still retains a Midas touch.
In this episode, Frank Cavanaugh from the Aria Group joins us to share insights on designing outdoor spaces, focusing on essential considerations for architects. From the importance of local ordinances and understanding health department requirements to the significance of context, lighting, and material selection, this episode covers it all. We also touch on unique challenges such as integrating landscape, seasonal usability, and maintaining brand consistency. Tune in to learn about the critical elements that create remarkable and functional outdoor hospitality environments.About Frank Cavanaugh:As Principal, Frank leads a talented team of architects and interior designers as a studio leader. As a member of the Board of Directors, he advises on the overall direction of the firm. Frank also is involved as a Project Designer on various small and large-scale projects, in particular Planning projects within the office.Frank has led and designed many large-scale projects throughout his career at Aria Group. Large retail and mixed-use projects include City Park Retail Center, The Esplanade of Algonquin. Hospitality and Entertainment designs include the original Hawthorne Casino & Racecourse, Brookfield Zoo - South American Market Place, Blue Chip Resort Hotel and Casino, Viper Alley at City Park, Park Plaza in Bowling Green KY, and Alsea's Italianni's restaurant brand in Mexico City. Municipal projects include the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center entry addition and G Hall expansion in Rosemont, IL. Hotel projects include work with Hyatt, the Chicago Hilton, The Wit Hotel, the Palmer House Hilton and The Conrad in Chicago. Frank has also developed many new concepts for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises over the years, including the design of several Wildfire restaurants. Frank also works with Served Well Hospitality in Massachusetts on several entertainment and hospitality projects.In 1995 Frank joined Aria Group and was promoted to Principal in 2000. He began his career working at the office of Krueck and Olsen Architects. Frank moved on to the office of Lohan Associates where he became an Associate and Project Designer for several corporate and institutional projects including the DePaul Library in Chicago. In addition to producing architectural renderings for Aria Group's designs, Frank also works at photography, drawing, plein air painting and studio painting. He has completed several painted mural commissions for his architectural clients as well as other publicly displayed work and is a member of the Oak Park Art League.Episode Links:Frank Cavanaugh on LinkedInAria Group websiteAria Group on LinkedInBromic websiteEclipse heatersBromic heater Revit and CAD filesDesign service with a heating expertEpisode Sponsor: Bromic HeatingThis episode has been made possible with generous support from Bromic Heating.-----Thank you for listening to Archispeak. For more episodes please visit https://archispeakpodcast.com.Support Archispeak by making a
Nearly a decade ago, chef Thai Dang dealt with a scandal involving one of the city's hottest restaurants at the time. Dang, the chef at the now-closed Embeya, lost out after the former owner of the West Loop hotspot misappropriated funds before fleeing the county and later pleading guilty to wire fraud.In this episode, host David Manilow talks with Dang about how he bounced back from the saga and managed to later open HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen. Plus, he'll share the story of a new River North partnership with Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises.
This week on Menu Talk, Restaurant Business Senior Menu Editor Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn, Senior Food and Beverage Editor of Nation's Restaurant News, share their take on some recent happenings in the world of food and drink. Bret recently moved from one Brooklyn neighborhood to another, and the culinary scene is very different. He's surrounded by Turkish food and already tried a Turkish breakfast specialty that's currently trending on TikTok but has been served in mom-and-pop restaurants forever. Pat shares a virtual taste of three memorable pizzas she shared with colleagues at Pizzeria Bianco while in Phoenix, which sparks a lively discussion of pizza styles. We also comment on clips from podcasts recorded at the recent Restaurant Leadership Conference. Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises' Christopher LaBarbera, and Ricky Richardson, CEO of breakfast-lunch chain Eggs Up Grill. They mention sustainability initiatives, equipment upgrades , along with new programs and menu items Menu Talk is a collaboration between Restaurant Business Senior Menu Editor Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. You can subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts.
Mona Sang is a 1st generation Cambodian American chef, mom, and daughter who is the owner of Khmai Cambodian Fine Dining in Rogers Park, Chicago, IL. Mona was born in a refugee camp where she lived with her mother and siblings after fleeing the Khmer Rouge. Resettling in the U.S, Mona witnessed her mother use cooking to support the family. Her passion for food and cooking led her to work for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Chicago's largest restaurant group to now owning her own restaurant. Using her mother's recipes, Mona hopes to showcase Khmer culture, history, food, and strives to share her and her mother's story of survival. In this episode, Mona shares about her and her family's survival stories and resettling in the States. You will hear about her special connection to food and how it's brought upon healing in her mother's life leading them to the food industry.
Chicago's restaurant scene is booming again. In this episode, David Manilow covers the openings of Miru, The Bellevue, Fioretta, and Smoque Steak. And Manilow speaks with Barry Sorkin, the owner of barbecue smash hit Smoque, who is opening the doors on a new steakhouse concept under the Smoque banner. Plus, Crain's Ally Marotti reports on the long-awaited restaurants from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises coming to the St. Regis Chicago hotel.
Amarit Dulyapaibul is the managing partner of three concepts in Chicago that are part of the Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises empire: Three-unit Ramen-san, two-unit Sushi-san and the 11-week-old Omakase Room. Dulyapaibul grew up in restaurants, the child of immigrants from Thailand who ran a number of Thai dining establishments in downtown Chicago, including Star of Siam. “I grew up in the dining rooms [and] the kitchens,” he said. He went on to study architecture at Tulane University in New Orleans, pursuing the dream of many first-generation Americans and their parents to move up the economic ladder. But he missed the pace and energy of restaurants, and ended up falling in with LEYE. He said working for such a well-known and well-liked company helped soften the blow that he was continuing to work in restaurants. “I think there’s always that idea of [immigrant] parents wanting you to do better than they did, or not have to work as hard as they did … but if you’re in Chicago you know and respect the team that I’ve decided to play for,” he said. He recently discussed his path to restaurant management, the origins of Ramen-san and its spinoff concepts, and the joy of running the Omakase Room, a 10-seat tasting-menu-only restaurant with checks starting at $250 that is nonetheless a fun place to spend the evening. Additionally, he shared strategies for making takeout sushi delicious.
Segment 1: Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John to talk about the disappointing August labor report, how the market is reacting to the labor data and the overall outlook for the economy as coronavirus cases continue to rise. And as always, Terry takes your financial questions. Segment 2: R.J. Melman, President, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, […]
This is Richard Melman, founder of the Chicago based multi-concept restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises with over 120 restaurants in operation now and several more on the drawing board. The conversation, at times, sounded just like a couple of guys who have not talked in awhile. Each reminiscing about the old days. But there are also peeks into how the mind of this very creative and successful restaurateur views surviving and flourishing in a very tough industry.
It’s been 50 years since its first restaurant, R.J. Grunts, opened its doors (June 10, 1971), which remains a staple in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Rich Melman, Founder and Chairman of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, joined Bob Sirott to talk about the struggles and milestones of the history of Lettuce Entertain You.
R.J. Melman grew up working in his family's restaurants, starting as a busser and moving up to a prep cook and restaurant manager. Since 2017, he has served as president of Chicago-based multi-concept group Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (LEYE), after taking over day-to-day operations from his father and company founder, Rich Melman. Melman joins the Buzzworthy Brands podcast to talk about how his company comes up with new concepts, the difficulties of creating virtual brands and what he has learned from restaurant failures over the years.
R.J. Melman, President, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, joins John to talk about how they have managed business throughout the course of the pandemic and Governor Pritzker announcing today that Chicago is on track to have bars and restaurants reopen to indoor dining on Saturday.
On this FourStar Podcast: Get a pulse on the market and the overall economy as a worldwide vaccine rollout begins in earnest. Then listen in on the state of the restaurant industry from special guest John Buchanan, Founding Partner and President of national restaurant consultants, Lettuce Consulting Group and Senior Vice President of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, one of the nation’s leading restaurant groups.
Segment 1: Ken Wegner, President, Jel Sert, chats with John about his family-owned food and manufacturing business, how they are handling business during the pandemic and the forecast for the business for the remainder of this year and next year. Segment 2: Jerrod Melman, Executive Partner, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, tells John about the first […]
John Buchanan joined Chicago based-Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises 42 years ago, and his continuing respect for the organization assures him he made a good choice. In his successful career with the 120 unit restaurant group, he progressed from init management to systems development to establishing the company's Human Resource department, and then creating the Lettuce Entertain You Consulting company.Says John " Over time, operating rules and regulations may change along with consumer trends; however, a corporate culture based on the importance of fairness and purpose doesn't." While people may first visit restaurants for the food, they tend to return because the company has paid attention to staff selection, training and ongoing development. Its a people business after all.John is bullish on today's independent restaurant market, and feels operators can set themselves apart with passion, creativity and adaptability. Through years of consulting, he has found that many concept founders do not become the best leaders; however, John feels that as long as owners remain open to professional development, they can be coached. In his office hangs a sign with the message:"Think you can? Think you can't? Either way you are right."
Segment 1: Jon Najarian, founder of marketrebellion.com, joins John to give an update on the latest market news. Segment 2: R.J. Melman, President of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, tells John about how his company has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic and what they are doing to prepare as Illinois moves into phase 4 of reopening. Segment 3: WGN Reporter […]
Today, Top Chef alum (Seasons 3 and 10) and Champion (Duels), former member of the US National Volleyball Team, and Chef Partner for Aba and ?ma for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, CJ Jacobson sits down with Richard in Chicago. CJ discusses his more non-traditional path after Top Chef, including when he chose to work at Noma in Copenhagen so he could observe Chef René Redzepi. Richard and Chef Jacobson talk about the influences his time as a professional Volleyball player have had on his work ethic and competitive spirit in the kitchen. And CJ explains how he feels patience and a positive perspective have brought him the best results working with his staff to foster culinary creativity. Remember to join us on social @Starving4Pod.
On the Midlife Male podcast today, I have Jeff Mahin, chef and partner at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, one of the top restaurant groups in the country. He is the driving force of Stella Barra Pizzeria, one of my favorite places out in Santa Monica, my family and I love it. If you're out there, check it out, it’s some incredible pizza. He's also the founder of a super cool new company called Split Nutrition. For years, Jeff was living by the mantra that taste trumps nutrition but was suffering with some depleted energy levels, as he was juggling his restaurants, long hours in the kitchen, and being an elite level cyclist. As he started to become a little bit more mindful about what he ate, and the combinations of foods that he put into his body, he started to feel better. So, what came of that? He built Split, it's a result of a lot of tinkering in the kitchen, his passionate experimentation, and it's the perfect combination of two real foods in a very smart, ready-to-eat pack, so you can feel good about eating and sharing. If you are a PB&J fan, and I am, or an almond butter and jelly fan, you are going to love this. Almond butter and strawberry, peanut butter and blueberry, almond butter and raspberry, all of my favorite combinations, go check out Split Nutrition. Let's get into Jeff's story a little bit, he's going to tell you about how he went from being kicked out of high school to being a successful entrepreneur, restaurateur, and elite level cyclist. Pretty amazing stuff. So let's get to it, Jeff Mahin on the Midlife Male podcast.
In a very short period of time, the balance of power has shifted dramatically away from push communication strategy, and morphed into a collaborative engagement strategy between consumers, brands, and channel partners. So, in this new world, is there still a place for CRM (Customer Relationship Management) or the Experience Economy? Why it Matters: "We now live in a world where companies and brands no longer have control of marketing, advertising, or the conversation with their customers." ----more---- Are these concepts outdated and need to be thrown out? If so, what has replaced them for marketers who practice and depend on loyalty and relationship management? In our fast paced ½ hour together we will hear from Michael Lynch. With a career as diverse as loyalty itself, Lynch comes from years in both the gaming and hospitality industries. About Michael Lynch Michael recently served as the director of loyalty marketing and market research at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises where he was responsible for all direct marketing efforts including; strategy, teleservices, Frequent Diner loyalty club, email marketing, website and operational customer relationship management. Lynch was also responsible for research and market survey analysis. Since 1982, Lynch has developed and executed highly successful database marketing initiatives through effective messaging, segmentation, and differentiation. He has recently developed the relational database that is at the center of Lettuce Entertain You’s ability to analyze customer information and behavior and to make critical marketing decisions. Lynch received his BSBA in Economics from the University of Central Florida and his MBA from Louisiana State University. Soon after graduating, Lynch was asked to join the faculty of LSU-S. Lynch has also held faculty positions teaching undergraduate and graduate marketing and management courses at Indiana University-Northwest and DePaul University in Chicago where Lynch currently teaches Foodservice Management and Customer Relationship Management courses. Michael is an adjunct instructor at WVU in the DMC Master of Science program and is pursuing his Ph.D. in Hospitality Management at Iowa State University.
This week’s episode of "A Deeper Dive" features R.J. Melman, president of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises.
Mike Ganino is a former Chief Operating Officer at one of the fastest growing fast casual brands and now leads his own training and consulting organization. Mike is also a leading expert on building a great restaurant and hospitality brand with innovative training and speaking on culture design, people systems, positive leadership, and branding. He has worked with a number of category leading brands like Pressed Juicery, Protein Bar, Yum! Brands, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, ChowNow, USFoods, and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. Today, he will tell us how he uses all these amazing experiences to help companies, leaders, and individual contributors embrace change, accelerate growth, and achieve breakthrough performance. It All Started With Improvisation His years in the ultra-competitive business industry has made Mike a master of improvisation; however, looking back, he said that his improvisation skills were probably developed even earlier than that -- back when he was a kid growing up in a low-income household where improvisation was not an option, but a necessary part of everyday life. Developing the Language Mike shares that he learned to figure out how to make the most of whatever he has at an early age -- eventually becoming so adept at it that people started approaching him for tips. The problem was, it’s something that comes instinctively to him that he didn’t even know how to explain it. That’s until he stumbled upon a book that teaches what it calls the “Yes, And” mindset. The “Yes, And” Mindset Sometimes, we spend too much time worrying over how our words come across that we fail to connect with our audience. Mike said that’s what adopting the “Yes, And” mindset fixed for him. Once he learned how to stop saying “No, I can’t. That’s not gonna work” and started saying “Yes, and? I’m listening” whenever something new comes up instead, opportunities he never thought were possible began opening up to him left and right. Those opportunities included public speaking. Telling Your Story Everyone wants to share their story, but not everyone wants to listen to other people’s -- and that’s why everyone keeps missing the point. To really know how you can make an impact on other people, Mike said that you need to listen to what they say. Ask questions. Ask them what they think of you, how you have helped them, and what else you can do for them. Make adjustments if necessary. Sometimes, you won’t even realize your own potential until someone points it out to you. Building Relationships If there’s something that Mike has always been grateful for, it’s that he made a lot of great partnerships and connections. He admits that he’s always performed better when he works with a group, and this is why he’s so passionate about helping organizations to truly connect with their members. Public Speaking Advice Mike often gets asked what advice he can give to people who want to get into public speaking, and he said that there are three things that you need to remember: Celebrity, Expertise, and Skills. You need to be able to make a name for yourself, and to do that, you need to show how good you are at solving problems, but not only that, you need to have the delivery skills to connect with your audience so you can show them what you can do. Favorite Book Recommendation Mike has always been very vocal of how the “Yes, And” mindset has impacted his life, and this why he highly recommends Kelly Leonard and Tom Yorton’s “Yes, And: How Improvisation Reverses "No, But" Thinking and Improves Creativity and Collaboration--Lessons from The Second City.” Get in Touch With Mike If you have an event coming up and would like to know how Mike can help you, you can get in touch with him via his official website. While there, you can also check out testimonials from his previous clients to get an idea of what it’s like to work with him.
Why it Matters: "We now live in a world where companies and brands no longer have control of marketing, advertising, or the conversation with their customers." In a very short period of time, the balance of power has shifted dramatically away from push communication strategy, and morphed into a collaborative engagement strategy between consumers, brands, and channel partners. So, in this new world, is there still a place for CRM (Customer Relationship Management) or the Experience Economy? Are these concepts outdated and need to be thrown out? If so, what has replaced them for marketers who practice and depend on loyalty and relationship management?n our fast paced ½ hour together we will hear from Michael Lynch. With a career as diverse as loyalty itself, Lynch comes from years in both the gaming and hospitality industries.----more---- Michael recently served as the director of loyalty marketing and market research at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises where he was responsible for all direct marketing efforts including; strategy, teleservices, Frequent Diner loyalty club, email marketing, website and operational customer relationship management. Lynch was also responsible for research and market survey analysis. Since 1982, Lynch has developed and executed highly successful database marketing initiatives through effective messaging, segmentation, and differentiation. He has recently developed the relational database that is at the center of Lettuce Entertain You’s ability to analyze customer information and behavior and to make critical marketing decisions. Lynch received his BSBA in Economics from the University of Central Florida and his MBA from Louisiana State University. Soon after graduating, Lynch was asked to join the faculty of LSU-S. Lynch has also held faculty positions teaching undergraduate and graduate marketing and management courses at Indiana University-Northwest and DePaul University in Chicago where Lynch currently teaches Foodservice Management and Customer Relationship Management courses. Michael is an adjunct instructor at WVU in the DMC Master of Science program and is pursuing his Ph.D. in Hospitality Management at Iowa State University.
This week we start with Glenn Fahlstrom extolling the largess of a man we both worked with roughly 40 years ago. His name; Richard Melman, founder of the wildly successful restaurant group with locations all over the country, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. We were both with him in the fledgling years of the mid to late 70’s and it was this exposure to the energetic drive, limitless creativity and irreverent attitude to the status quo that formed both our approaches to the business of launching a restaurant.After our brief skip down memory lane we talk about the journey that brought Glenn from those early days at Lettuce to his current restaurant in Chicago, Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market a hard to describe very unique restaurant that defies any attempt to fit it into any specific category. As the name implies it is a fresh fish market with ice filled display cases …but it doesn’t stop there. It’s also a breakfast and weekend brunch joint with benedicts and a wall of cereal boxes, it’s a casual seafood house with a wide range of fresh fish entrée choices and an even wider range of fresh fish salads and sandwiches. There’s a modest retail area selling bottled sauces and conservas; those very fashionable imported ultra-high-quality seafood tins from Spain.On the way we talk about raising money, selecting staff, developing operating systems and other launching issues. Fahlstrom’s is a very busy place, serving thousands of guests every year.Lettuce Entertain YouGlenn's DinerFahlstrom's Fresh Fish MarketDiners Drive-Ins and Dives Episode
Ryan Arnold is a Divisional Wine Director of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, one of Chicago and the county's most successful restaurant groups owning a diversity of restaurants. Ryan oversees the wine programs at some of Lettuce's finest restaurants, each focused on a different cuisine and wine program. Ryan was a 2015 Star Chefs "Rising Star." The Grape Nation is powered by Simplecast
Halloween in Georgetown is what it is today because of Linda Roth and Mike O'Harro. In Part Two of a Two Part Series, Our Town host, Andy Ockershausen, learns the tricks of the trade and gets the inside scoop from the queen and king of DC nightlife themselves! Listen in to learn how Linda Roth and Mike O'Harro began opening restaurants and bars to make the DC night scene full of life and energy. You can listen in to Part One of this series here. Our Town host Andy Ockershausen dives deep into conversation with Linda Roth to uncover her humble beginnings here in Our Town and follows her journey to the successful “go to” woman in publicity that she is today. In the late ‘70s, Roth came to Mike O’Harro’s night club to interview for a management position but was instead hired to be the editor of the International Discotheque Association and together Mike and Linda proceeded to mold the nightlife of DC. Linda recalls being a huge part of making Halloween in Georgetown what it is today. Additionally, due to the large number of important celebrities coming into Tramps, Linda was also hired as a gossip column hostess. Linda Roth has been responsible for opening over 200 restaurants in the Washington DC area. Today, she is the President and Publicist for her own agency, Linda Roth Associates, Inc. Major hospitality groups such as Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Hilton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Brinker International, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, Restaurant Associates, Guest Services, Inc., Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group,The Sports Club/LA and Krispy Kreme have sought her out for public relations assistance through her current company. Linda firmly believes in supporting charitable causes and has served on the board of DC Central Kitchen, an organization that helps Washington, DC’s homeless population. It’s an honor to have Linda Roth on Our Town as we follow her DC career to learn how she has become a major contributor to the development of DC’s nightlife and a present-day marketing and publicity strategy wizard. We hope you enjoy listening to Linda Roth discuss her perspectives of Our Town with host Andy Ockershausen. We invite you to listen to Part One with Our Town guest Michael O'Harro this week, Tuesday, October 25. We also invite you to listen to each new episode of Our Town as they roll out over the next several months. You can subscribe to the Our Town podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or if you complete the subscription form in the sidebar to the right you will be notified by email when the next episode appears here on the website.
Chicago Born, John Buchanan, is a psychology graduate of Northern Illinois University. His career at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. (LEYE) began at Evanston's Fritz, That's It, in 1978. When Rich Melman, LEYE founder and Chairman of the Board, realized the need for a Human Resources Department, he selected Buchanan to head up the project. He currently holds the title of Senior Vice President of LEYE and His ability to teach and motivate has led to the position of President of Lettuce Consulting Group.
Today’s guest discusses how he helps big hospitality brands improve the guest experience and forge better connections with their customers, resulting in explosive growth. Growth hacking with an excellent guest experience Mike Ganino shares how he helped companies like Potbelly and Protein Bar grow from small companies with only a handful of locations to beloved household names. Wouldn’t you like to do this for your brand? It all comes back to culture and leadership. Mike explains how he helps companies overcome the organizational challenges that have an impact on the customer experience. News flash: it’s not just training, or the tools and resources. People in leadership roles need to understand the impact they have on the customer experience, and then understand the impact they want to have. And though many leaders already know this, they struggle to decide where and how to get started. That’s where Mike steps in! Need to improve the service experience and grow your brand? Mike outlines the process that helps his clients transform their experiences and keep them consistently remarkable as they scale. Listen in! About our guest Mike Ganino is a hospitality industry expert, global keynote speaker, and author of the upcoming Culture Kitchen: Recipes for Building a Great Brand. He is the former Chief Operating Officer at one of the hottest fast casual 2.0 brands (Protein Bar). Mike is a leading expert on building a brand that everyone wants to be part of by creating a captivating culture. He has worked with a number of category-leading brands like ChowNow, Uber, US Foods, Pressed Juicery, Protein Bar, Yum! Brands, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. Connect with Mike Mike's website www.mike.tips Twitter LinkedIn Snapchat Instagram Related Content Customers That Stick® post, Faces of Customer Experience: Erin Archuleta 360Connext® post, A Road Warrior’s Cry: Micro Matters in the Guest Experience Episode 074: Denise Lee Yohn, Brand-Building Expert Episode 065: Restaurant Customer Service Sponsor message: Develop your customer experience mission Do you know how to deliver the superior customer experience you visualize? We can help your team become a force for positive change, starting with a customer-centric mission. The Customer Experience Investigators™ at 360Connext specialize in helping companies across industries and around the globe develop and internalize unique and scalable customer-focused missions. To compete with the other 89% of companies staying afloat by providing better experiences, you need a compass for making astounding changes in the customer experience while breaking down the silos that are holding you back. We offer evaluations, workshops, and roadmaps to keep your wheels firmly planted on the road to a customer-centric future. Join us on our mission To Create Fewer Ruined Days for Customers™ today. Visit us at 360Connext.com. Take care of yourself and take care of your customers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
My guest today are Rich Melman, Chairman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises and Ken Anderson, Former NFL Quarterback, MVP and played in the Super Bowl. They both have been on top of their chosen fields yet they tell how their mothers are the reason for their success. Having talked about my book, Moms are the CEO’s […] The post Things My Mom Taught Me – How Moms Help Us with Rich Melman and Ken Anderson appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.