Nashville Restaurant Radio

On this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Brandon Styll and Vince Lanni sit down with Javier Salado, owner of Soy Cubano, for a conversation about food, family, culture, Nashville, and the journey of bringing his vision to life. Javier takes us back to his childhood growing up in Miami and shares what Cuban food and Cuban culture mean to him. We talk about his move to Nashville, the restauran...

Today I sit down with Jonathan “JB” Butler, owner of Gold Drop Vodka. Gold Drop is a premium vodka made in France — but the brand itself is based right here in Nashville, Tennessee. And this episode goes way beyond vodka. JB tells the whole story. Coming up in the nightclub industry. Building businesses. Making mistakes. Learning some lessons the hard way. And ultimately taking those experiences a...

Kimberly Wolff, owner of 312 Pizza Company, texted me last night with news I wasn’t ready to hear: they were planning to close the restaurant on Monday. My response was simple: Not if I can help it. Today, I went to 312 Pizza Company and sat down with Kimberly so she could tell the story in her own words—what’s happening, how they got here, and what it really looks like when an independent restaur...

In this episode, Merlina Rodas shares her philosophy and framework for delivering exceptional service. She breaks down the process into clear, actionable steps, emphasizing mindset, preparation, execution, and follow-up. The conversation blends personal experience, industry insights, and practical tools to help you understand how to create service that resonates with clients and builds lasting rel...

Mayor Freddie O’Connell: Property Taxes, Nashville’s Growth & the Future of Independent Restaurants Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell returns to Nashville Restaurant Radio for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about the challenges facing Nashville and the independent businesses that help define the city. We begin with Freddie the person rather than Freddie the politician. He talks about what...

Jessica Hazard, owner of NY Pie, joins us on Nashville Restaurant Radio to talk about the opening of her newest location in Capitol View and what she’s learned through the process of growing her business. Jessica is also a NARA member, and we talk about how that relationship has helped NY Pie identify opportunities to improve profitability, make stronger vendor connections, and build relationships...

Pepsi, Gordon Food Service, and a Full Preview of the Independent Restaurant Show On this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio , Brandon and Vince share some major updates from the Nashville Area Restaurant Alliance and preview everything coming to the Independent Restaurant Show on September 1. They begin with the announcement that Pepsi has joined the event as its new presenting sponsor. Brando...

Sarah Beth Shulte started the tip Jar nash on IG after moving to Nashville and wanting to create way for pwople like her to learn their city. It has now turned into a full time job as a content creator. Listen in as we get to know her, and all the details about what she does, and why restaurants would hire her. She was awesome, and we loved this conversation. go give her a follow!

After 25 years as chef and owner of Margot Café in East Nashville, Margo recently closed that chapter with a celebration worthy of the legacy she built. Today, she joins us in studio to talk about what comes next, what it feels like to say goodbye to something that meant so much to so many, and the stories that made Margot one of Nashville’s most beloved restaurants. We also had a couple of specia...

Every restaurant operator knows the feeling: something breaks, a vendor doesn't show up, an invoice looks wrong, and suddenly you're spending hours managing maintenance instead of managing your business. In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, we sit down with Eric Schell and Drew Strohm from OneTap to discuss how they're working to simplify one of the most frustrating parts of...

Live from Tennessee Flavors: Supporting the Future of Hospitality In this special live episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, we broadcast from Tennessee Flavors, the annual fundraiser benefiting Nashville State Community College's Randy Rayburn School of Culinary Arts. The event brings together some of the best chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality leaders in Tennessee, all united behind a co...

What makes an experience unforgettable? In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Brandon sits down with Bill Miller, CEO of Icon Entertainment, for a conversation that goes far beyond venues, concerts, and business. Bill shares incredible stories from his career, including memorable moments with Johnny Cash, while revealing the philosophy that has guided his life’s work: creating experiences...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Brandon sits down with Billy Deck, founder of Sunda and host/star of the PBS documentary Food Roots. Billy shares the deeply personal story behind the film, his Filipino-American upbringing, and the journey back to the Philippines that helped him reconnect with family, heritage, grief, identity, and purpose. The conversation moves through hospitality,...

This all-new episode features Austin Smith, COO of Honky Tonk Party Ventures and founder of Party Fowl Hot Chicken. Whatever your opinion is on Nashville’s transportainment industry, Austin pulls back the curtain and explains how it really works. He also opens up about what actually happened with Party Fowl, shares stories from his friendship with Brandon, talks about playing softball with Shaquil...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Brandon sits down with Josef Gutzmirtl, a longtime Nashville operator with more than three decades in the restaurant business. Josef shares the journey behind building and sustaining beloved neighborhood staples like Boston Commons, Beyond the Edge, and Drifters BBQ through economic shifts, natural disasters, staffing shortages, and the ever-changing...

What does it really take to survive—and actually win—as an independent food business? In this episode, I sit down with Daniel Jimenez, owner of Above & Beyond Cakes, to break down the reality of building a bakery from scratch in a competitive market. This isn’t just about cakes—it’s about discipline, standards, and doing the hard things consistently when no one’s watching. We talk about what it ta...

What built Broadway into a global destination—and why does some of that feel at risk today? In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, I sit down with Barrett Hobbs, a multigenerational Nashville operator and founder of Cumberland Hospitality Group, for a candid conversation about the city’s growth, the business engine behind downtown, and the growing disconnect between those driving economic...

In this episode, we sit down with Bryan O’Kelly , Executive Chef of Husk Nashville, to talk about the realities of building a career in high-level kitchens, evolving leadership styles, and what it takes to run one of the most respected restaurants in the country. Bryan shares how he got his start washing dishes in Charleston while in college—and quickly realized the kitchen was where he belonged....

On this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio , I sit down with Jason Laiacona, Executive Chef at Miel, for an honest, unfiltered conversation about mental health in the restaurant industry. This isn’t a clinical discussion — it’s two people speaking from experience. We get into the realities of ADHD, substance abuse, and why the hospitality industry seems to attract people wired the way we are. J...

On this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio , I sit down with Hunter Briley, owner of Emeraude Bakery, for a conversation that goes far beyond pastries and bread. Hunter is one of the most positive people you’ll meet — and there’s a reason for that. We talk about the journey of building Emeraude Bakery, but quickly get into the deeper story behind it. From a tornado that took everything from him...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio , I sit down with Carey Bringle , owner of Peg Leg Porker and a longtime downtown Nashville operator, for a candid conversation about the realities of doing business in a rapidly changing city. Carey doesn’t hold back. We dive straight into the impact of significant property tax increases on small business owners and why he believes the current traject...

This episode felt like a reunion. Caroline Galzin — former co-host of Nashville Restaurant Radio — is back behind the mic along with her husband Tony Galzin, chef and owner of Nicky’s Coal Fired . Since we hadn’t seen each other in a while, the conversation starts with some catching up, a little fantasy football talk (Tony is part of the NRR league), and reflecting on Caroline’s time helping build...

In this episode, Nick Guidry, Owner of the Pelican & Pig announces that he will be closing the doors to their restaurant this Saturday. We wanted to give him a way to tell his story. To talk about the people who made P & P special, and to thank all of the people who made it special for the last 7 years. This is becoming all too common these days, and unfortunately, this probably isn't...

Episode Summary This episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio is what happens when hospitality stops being a business plan and starts being personal. Robin and Jennifer didn’t set out to build a concept — they set out to find their neighborhood pub. After meeting, building a life together in East Nashville, and eventually moving to Donelson, they went looking for the kind of local gathering place eve...

Episode Summary This week on Nashville Restaurant Radio , we bring you a true “lost episode.” Recorded in the middle of December and somehow never released, this conversation with Josh Cook and Ana Aguilar of Tantísimo feels just as relevant now as it did during the holiday rush. We dive into the realities of the holiday season for small, independent restaurants — the pressure, the unpredictabilit...