Dennis Knows Food

The New Video Norm - Marketing During the CovidIn this special video and audio dual-edition of the Dennis Knows Food podcast, host Luke LaBree interviews Sal Marotta of SM Media Group on the creation and use of video in the foodservice industry. Video, especially social media video, is a powerful marketing tool that has become increasingly more potent and important during the coronavirus outbreak....

Making the Most of Downtime [During the COVID-19 Crisis]The restaurant industry is in a chaotic and difficult situation due to the coronavirus outbreak. As a result many operations are seeing significantly lighter traffic, or have temporarily closed their doors, and are facing prolonged periods of downtime. In this episode podcast host Luke LaBree, and 4 other foodservice professionals share ideas...

The Takeout Transition [During the COVID-19 Crisis]Following the need for many operations to transition from full service, dine-in establishments, to takeout and delivery only – I joined a Zoom call with 3 other industry experts to discuss 5 important topics pertinent to restaurants and the foodservice industry during this challenging time. The Transition to Takeout & Delivery OnlyWhat to Sell...

Constructive criticism is not a personal attack. In this episode Chef Tim shares one of the very first lessons he learned in foodservice. A story about teamwork from the unteachable point of view of a dish-pit newbie. Having worked in foodservice for over 31 years, Chef Tim Labonte has done it all and seen it all in professional kitchens... but, everyone starts somewhere. Subscribe to the Podcast...

"If you're not making enough money, it's because you're not making enough money."Joshua Kopel is an entrepreneur, restaurateur and environmental advocate from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. During his 20-plus year career he's managed everything from dive bars to fine dining establishments. Today he runs two successful foodservice ventures in Los Angles, and has recently started broadening into...

Creating valuable content that will help build your brand, and inspiration for how to use it. Social media has exponentially increased the opportunity for people to develop an emotional connection with your brand. The Secret Social Sauce is a strategy that will help you identify your brand’s unique marketable attributes for digital content and social media. Using the sauce will increase your creat...

Two pepperoni experts join us to share their thoughts on the lay-flat vs. cup-and-char debate raging in America's pizzerias. Pepperonis with edges that curl and crisp when cooked, leaving delectable pools of grease at the center, are most commonly referred to as cup-and-char. Lay-flat has been the dominant pepperoni among pizza purveyors for decades, but the grease-chalices challenging the lay-fla...

After a whirlwind month we're back in the podcast studio, joined by Tina Parker of The Dough Co! Our team has been working downright diligently over the past few months to bring the Dennis Difference to more customers, in more places. Part of those pursuits includes the addition of new employees; team members who will help support our mission and our customer's businesses. We'll share a few update...

Steve Hewins, President & CEO of the Maine Restaurant Association and the Maine Inn Keepers Association has some big news... In this episode we're getting details on the merger of these two organizations; a big focus at the Maine Hospitality Summit on October, 29th in Bangor, Maine. Listen in as Steve shares his thoughts on one of Maine's largest industries and gives us a glimpse at what the f...

In this episode we're sharing tips for looking like a pro on camera with special guest Brad LaBree. If you get nervous even thinking about talking on camera this episode is for you! Video and cameras are playing an increasingly impactful role in our daily lives; they're also a great tool for getting in front of customers. But, what happens when you clam up on camera, and the words just won't come...

If you own or operate a foodservice establishment, you don't want to miss this epic, self-aware restaurant marketing deep-dive with two strategic thinkers from Geaghan's Pub & Craft Brewery. Subscribers to our podcast know that we discuss a wide variety of topics designed to help you grow and improve your business. In this episode, rather than just hear advice on how you can harness the power...

In this week’s episode we’re sharing some stats from a new report published by the IFDA and we’ve got a few tips to help keep your kitchen running smooth. From the locally sourced products we proudly distribute, to the construction crews we’ve hired to expand our warehouse – twice now – in order to hold thousands of products, to the diesel we put in our trucks and the uniforms we put on our backs;...

With our school food show on the horizon, we’re putting an educational twist on this week’s episode – focusing on the importance of paying attention to advances in foodservice. The school of life is the greatest education of all, and in it the learning never stops. Life in foodservice is no exception. As we go about our daily duties, it’s important to stop every so often and assess what’s coming o...

By listener request we’re chilling out with cold brew. Plus, we’re sharing a MEGA pizza resource, and brand new from McCain – edible emoji! Just how popular is cold brew coffee? We’ve got the stats. What makes cold brew different? We’ll help you understand the steep. What’s the biggest hurdle for foodservice operators? We’ll tell you and share the solution in this episode! If you’ve been pondering...

In this squeaky-clean episode we’ve got tips for spotless tabletops and Dennis Account Executive Jesse Landry joins us for a chemical conversation! Cleanliness throughout an entire operation is an extremely important part of foodservice management. For help with training new employees, or as a reminder to experienced staff, we’re sharing steps to help your team maintain an immaculate environment a...

Episode 44 takes on a life of its own as Dennis Knows Food host Luke LaBree, and special guest Michael Mirarchi, share their thoughts on a number of trending industry topics – paper straws, eco-friendly packaging, branding, the power of Yelp, social media and more – don’t miss this episode! This week’s foodie fact is brought to you by Original Philly – Original Philly Cheesesteak Company crafts en...

In this extra-long episode we’re talking about how to create the perfect brand message for your business, and we talk meat with our Protein Category manager Chris Caler! This week’s foodie fact is brought to you by our friends at Great Lakes Cheese Company. This week saw the celebration of “National Cheese Day” so, for our Foodie Fact we’re asking… How many pounds of milk does it take to make 1lb...

In this week's episode we’re talking about how well trained servers can help your business grow, things to know about Memorial Day and our latest inventory additions. This coming weekend is Memorial Day weekend, with Memorial day on Monday, May 28th. So, this week we’re forgoing our usual foodie fact in favor of 5 Memorial Day facts. This week we’ve added 5 new products to our inventory, we'll sha...

In this episode there’s info about our inventory additions for the week, Google advice to grow your business, and we’ve got BBQ on the brain! Joining us for our discussion on how you can use Google to help grow traffic to your restaurant we’ve got a special guest, foodservice operator and social media guru, Katrina Petersen. National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day was April 20th. For this week’s f...

Get your outdoor space ready for hungry patrons looking to take advantage of al fresco dining opportunities. In this week’s episode we’ve got tips to help keep your outdoor dining space pest free, an update on our 2018 food show, this week’s new products and foodie headlines. April 4th is National Cordon Bleu day and for this week’s foodie fact we’re asking -- When did the term “chicken cordon ble...

Challenge + Justification = Action. A simple equation to maximize the success. In this week’s episode we’re talking about the “who, what, why and how” important to success. Plus, we’ve got this week’s new products and there’s lobster news in the literary world. We're in the midst of Easter season, a widely observed religious holiday. For this week’s foodie fact we're asking - what is the most popu...

We're breaking from our usual format with this episode and pulling an unpublished segment from the archives! In this episode we're sharing an unpublished portion of our Christmas 2017 podcast that, due to time constraints and bustling activity here in the office, was just never finished. Tune in as your host, Luke LaBree, shares one of his favorite traditions - movie night - featuring seven foodie...

After a brief hiatus we’re back in the studio! Our first podcast of 2018 is a double-length episode with special guest Katrina Petersen. Where has the podcast been for the last 2 months? Under construction! Since completing our most recent major expansion we’ve added over 20 new members to the Dennis Paper & Food Service team. So, we’ve been busting down walls to make room! Construction is now...

In this week's episode we've 13 new products, a report about c-store predictions for the future and sound advice from a toilet paper salesman. For this week’s foodie fact, revealing the source of our inspiration would give the answer away... Do you think you know what popular dessert first came about as a savory dish in an 18th century France. You'll find the answer in this episode. Also in this e...

In this Thanksgiving episode of Dennis Knows Food we're talking with a special guest about olfactory senses, the power of pies and more. This week we're going unscripted with a reminder about new products, our foodie fact for the week and new developments in "local" social media exposure from Facebook. Plus, a special guest with extensive small business, foodservice experience, joins the...