Mom’s Dinner Table Talk

Jason & Shannon Lopez of Nino's Restaurant | Mom's Dinner Table Talk What does it take to build a restaurant people return to year after year? In this episode of Mom's Dinner Table Talk, JP Ngo sits down with Jason and Shannon Lopez, owners of Nino's Restaurant, to discuss leadership, hospitality, restaurant culture, customer experience, and the lessons they've learned thro...

JP Ngo sits down with Chef Patrick Trahan, Executive Chef at Ruffino’s Restaurant, for a long-form conversation about leadership, pressure, customer experience, restaurant culture, workforce development, and what it really takes to survive inside the hospitality industry over time. Throughout the conversation, Patrick shares how starting at the bottom of restaurant operations shaped the way he lea...

JP Ngo sits down with Shane Srsen, Chef and Owner of Fresh Chef Kitchen, for a conversation about restaurant operations, hospitality leadership, entrepreneurship, customer experience, and the realities of running a business inside the food industry. Throughout the episode, Shane shares operational lessons from years of experience in hospitality, including food costs, menu decisions, supplier chall...

JP Ngo sits down with Chef David Tiner from the Louisiana Culinary Institute for a conversation about culinary education, restaurant leadership, hospitality culture, customer experience, and the operational realities of working in the food industry. Throughout the episode, Chef David Tiner shares stories from years of experience in professional kitchens, teaching future chefs, and helping students...

JP Ngo sits down with Remi DeMatteo, the operator behind Hayride Scandal and Pelican to Mars, for a conversation about hospitality leadership, bar operations, nightlife culture, entrepreneurship, and the realities of building businesses inside the restaurant and hospitality industry. With decades of experience spanning New Orleans hotels, cocktail bars, nightlife venues, and Baton Rouge hospitalit...

JP Ngo sits down with Albina Brahimi, owner of Jabby's Pizza, for a conversation about restaurant ownership, hospitality leadership, entrepreneurship, and the realities of building a business after surviving war and starting over in the United States. Throughout the episode, Albina shares her experience growing up during the Kosovo War, immigrating to America, and eventually building Jabby’s P...