The Fast Casual Nation podcast offers exclusive interviews with experts ranging from top chefs and brand makers to executives and restaurateurs who work in one of the fastest-growing segments of the restaurant industry. In this episode, host Paul Barron chats with Jack Moran, the chief executive officer of fast casual bakery and cafe Paris Baguette, and former chief executive officer of Le Pain Quotidien USA. Barron and Moran explore how the economy may shape the industry in the coming years.
Jan 23, 2020•30 min
In 2005, Mendocino Farms opened its doors, selling gourmet sandwiches with the quality of the high-end cafes for only a couple dollars more than most of the Fast Casual sandwich players. Since then, the Mendocino Farms Brand has earned a devoted following of hungry foodies and attracted investments from Whole Foods Market and TPG Growth, fueling expansion into dozens of communities throughout California and Texas and becoming some of the most loved and highest grossing sales per foot restaurants...
Jan 17, 2020•37 min
Yum Brands Inc. announced a major acquisition. The Louisville-based restaurant conglomerate is purchasing The Habit Restaurants Inc. (Nasdaq: HABT) for $375 million. The company’s existing brands include — KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Does this really help the stock - with such a small brand in comparison to the other YUM powerhouses, this appears to be more of a management issue.
Jan 09, 2020•10 min
Fast Casual Nation offers exclusive interviews with experts ranging from top chefs and brand makers to executives and restaurateurs who work in one of the fastest-growing segments of the restaurant industry. In this episode, host Paul Barron chats with Anthony Green, the chief executive officer and co-founder of Greenhouse. Barron and Green discuss Greenhouse’s evolving business model and building a young fast casual brand.
Jan 06, 2020•27 min
The Fast Casual Nation podcast offers exclusive interviews with experts ranging from top chefs and brand makers to executives and restaurateurs who work in one of the fastest-growing segments of the restaurant industry. In this episode, host Paul Barron chats with Steve Heeley, the chief executive officer of Veggie Grill. Barron and Heeley discuss the rapid growth of plant-based and the future of the concept.
Jan 02, 2020•26 min
In this episode, host Paul Barron sits down with Matt Bodnar, a partner at consultancy company Fresh Hospitality. Barron and Bodnar provide a deep dive into identifying the right fast casual company to invest in, and knowing when to place your bet.
Dec 30, 2019•41 min
The demand for third party food delivery has set a new standard in the way Fast Casual restaurants operate with a completely new plan on how to reach and engage the modern consumer. In this episode, we explore how Dog Haus has taken cloud kitchens seriously to create new franchise opportunities and market growth around the cloud kitchen strategy. Listen as we go head to head with Founding Partner Andre Vener of Dog Haus.
Dec 19, 2019•31 min
Carmel Hagen is the founder and CEO of Supernatural, a NYC-based company that makes non-toxic ingredients for home and professional chefs, including plant-based food colors, soy-free sprinkles and more. Supernatural is reinventing the "decorative baking" category, where over 99% of products are still without natural alternatives by pushing the boundaries of plant-based colors, replacing outdated ingredients like corn syrup and common allergens, and focusing on both performance and purity, Supern...
Dec 19, 2019•22 min
In this episode, host Paul Barron chats with Josh Spiegelman, the owner and co-founder of San Francisco joint Roam Artisan Burgers. Barron and Spiegelman discuss how fast casual has evolved, current trends, and what lies next for Roam.
Nov 21, 2019•33 min
As a part of the healthy fast-casual scene, honeygrow has already set itself apart from the crowd with its green menu. Founder Justin Rosenberg decided to make touch-screen ordering systems an integral part of his business plan, and the combination was a hit. With 15 restaurants in just four years, customers continuously come back for more. Join Paul Barron as he chats with honeygrow's Culinary Director David Katz to see what makes their restaurants so popular—and even Chef Katz had to give prop...
Jul 11, 2019•6 min
The idea for Cava Grill stemmed from the full-service restaurant Cava Mezze, which was founded by three childhood friends aiming to provide high-quality Greek and Mediterranean cuisine to the modern consumer. Cava Grill, the fast-casual spinoff of Cava Mezze, has since exploded. Growing to over 25 units, Cava Grill is primed to be a breakout brand in fast casual. Join Paul Barron as he talks with Chef Dimitri Moshovitis, who shares with us some of the tricks to Cava’s success.
Jun 11, 2019•9 min
Dog Haus has found success in taking an American favorite and building upon the nostalgia it brings. Founders Hagop Giragossian, Quasim Riaz, and André Vener have created a menu with elevated dogs, sausages, and burgers that seem to have caught on at their 21 locations. Each location has a bold, edgy look to it — but with its own style. Join Paul Barron as he chats with chef or Würstmacher, Adam Gertler, to discuss the fast casual concept and expected growth.
Apr 11, 2019•8 min
Marie Capp and Justin Saplosky met at the Wharton School of business, where one of their first conversations centered around their favorite sandwiches. Their passion for sandwiches and hospitality flourished into a catering business, and just a few weeks after graduating, the pair opened their first brick-and-mortar location in Philadelphia, Matt & Marie’s. Join Paul Barron as her checks out how Matt & Marie’s is faring in the sandwich city of America.
Mar 11, 2019•8 min
On this episode, we visit Cochon Butcher where Chef de Cuisine Hank Shackelford assembles a menu with Cajun Country and Creole influences. Host Paul Barron stops in to discuss the diverse menu and how it’s been received by New Orleans.
Jan 11, 2019•6 min
On this episode, Paul Barron explores The Little Beet, a good-for-you, fast farm-to-table concept located in Midtown Manhattan. He is joined by Operating Partner Andy Duddleston, who fills us in on how the concept got started and where he sees the future of fast casual going, and lays out some of the concept’s most popular dishes for us. Listen in to get a taste of how this fast casual is thriving in the dog-eat-dog world of New York City.
Nov 11, 2018•8 min
Menu development has become one of the most important operational aspects for fast-casual restaurants. But between sourcing consistent ingredients on a scalable level and ensuring top-notch distributors, it takes time, effort, and experience to do so efficiently. Join Paul Barron as he heads over to Denver to talk to one of the pioneers of fast casual, who has been in the trenches of menu development for a long time: Tom Ryan, the chief concept officer at Smashburger, a concept that now boasts 3...
Oct 11, 2018•10 min
On this episode, host Paul Barron heads to Seattle, joining Roz and Kamala to learn how Ma Kai is upscaling fast casual in terms of food, service and ambiance; how the pair overcame challenges of being early adopters in the local food truck scene; why they chose to offer alcohol at this location; and, of course, to give viewers a taste of Ma Kai’s blended menu (kimchi quesadillas! street tacos! oh my!).
Sep 11, 2018•7 min
On this episode, Paul Barron visits MOD Pizza in Seattle and sits down with co-founders Ally and Scott Svenson, the husband-and-wife duo that also co-founded Seattle Coffee Company. A 90-unit chain built on culture and people — team members are known as the MOD Squad — MOD Pizza is shaking up fast-casual pizza in a way we have not seen before. Its X-factor lies in its core points of purpose, people, and profit.
Jul 11, 2018•8 min
How does a brand withstand the test of time? Wildflower Bread Company may know best, considering its menu staple has had a selling success for 19 years. Menu innovation makes or breaks the business. We invite you to discover how Wildflower Bread Company is rising to the top as an upscale fast casual. Join Paul Barron as he learns from Wildflower's president and CEO— Louis Bastile— walks through its creative process.
Apr 11, 2018•9 min
On this episode, we visit Bun Mee, a southeast Asia-influenced fast-casual based in San Francisco highlighting — what else? — the banh mi. Joined by Bun Mee founder Denise Tran, our host Paul Barron explores what inspired Tran’s jump from attorney to restaurateur, what’s on the menu, and what flavors San Francisco consumers are favoring most.
Feb 02, 2018•7 min
On this episode, Paul Barron sits down with Diandra Salcedo, marketing team leader at Whole Foods, and Kari McGuiness, the regional specialty buyer at Whole Foods, to discuss how these custom, in-store bar concepts at select Whole Foods locations are created and what goes into putting them together.
Dec 09, 2017•10 min
On this episode, Paul Barron visits &pizza in Washington, D.C. to get a taste of innovation. He sits down with &pizza founder, Michael Lastoria, who tells us why he chose the pizza space as his fourth startup business (and first restaurant brand), how his branding background has played a huge part in &pizza, and what the concept is doing that’s completely different than what its competitors are doing. Listen in to learn about Lastoria’s concept, &pizza’s unique beverage offerings...
Oct 02, 2017•9 min
Atlanta-based Farm Burger has sustainable burgers on the menu, reclaimed wood interiors, and a partner who is an actual farmer... helping this fast casual concept to stand out from the crowd. George Frangos, owner and operator at Farm Burger talks about the brand, background and prior challenges, as well as the future of fast casual and the future of Farm Burger. Join Paul Barron as he digs into some of Farm Burger’s prime menu items.
Jul 02, 2017•9 min
On this episode, Paul Barron explores Italian coffee company Caffé Nero, a brand that is upgrading the coffeehouse experience in America one location at a time. Caffé Nero's USA Director, Jay Gentile, joins us on this episode to discuss the importance of the brand’s consistently authentic European design, and how each detail translates to creating the best atmosphere possible for the guest experience. Listen in to discover how Caffé Nero’s service line is set up differently than most, how prime ...
Jun 02, 2017•9 min
On this episode, Paul Barron speaks with Jason Boso, owner of the Texas fast casual concept Twisted Root that was one of first "better burger" joints to pop up around nine years ago. Started by two unlikely friends, the restaurant's story is as compelling as the food. Listen in to this episode to learn how Twisted Root still delivers a creatively named menu with higher-end products, while still having an approachable atmosphere and price point.
Apr 02, 2017•10 min
On this episode, we meet Greg Dollarhyde, Chief Energizing Officer at Veggie Grill to talk about this veggie centric fast casual concept. Veggie Grill caters to a range of consumers, who all want the same thing– great tasting food that is still good for them. Join Paul Barron to learn more about how this concept's style—which matches the trendy Hollywood location— along with the creative menu that mimics diner's favorites, but with healthy ingredients and fewer calories.
Jan 02, 2017•10 min
On this episode, we bring you to Mendocino Farms, the LA fast casual known for their gourmet sandwiches. The growth potential in this market is massive– with Americans consuming on average 9.4 sandwiches per month. Paul Barron speaks to Executive Chef Judy Han about the farm-to-table concept and its comforting and homey atmosphere. Listen in to learn about the brand's nontraditional approach to sandwiches and the interesting story behind the unique baby blue colored cow mascot.
Nov 02, 2016•9 min
On this episode, we bring you to District Donuts. Sliders. Brew. in the resurrected city of New Orleans. We talk to the two owning partners, Chris Audler and Aaron Vogler about the Southern-styled menu of approachable food. Join Paul Barron to see why the owners decided to open this fast casual concept and how they are continuing to get creative with their menu options.
Sep 02, 2016•9 min
On this episode, Paul Barron sits down with the "commander in leaf" and owner of Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop— Jonathan Rollo. Greenleaf has become a fast casual success and has stayed ahead of the curve, by providing chef-inspired, locally sourced, organic and all-natural dishes to their customers. Listen to this episode to find out why Greenleaf has become so popular among consumers, specifically millennials.
Jul 02, 2016•10 min
On this episode, we are by the coast at the Mexican fast casual success, Rubio’s. With the founder Ralph Rubio, we take a closer look at some of Rubio’s signature cuisine and learn how fish tacos were the initial inspiration of the brand. Join Paul Barron as he discover how Rubio’s evolved from a quick-serve restaurant to a fast casual brand, while serving “Fresh Mex” dishes inspired by the ocean.
Apr 02, 2016•12 min
