Nashville Restaurant Radio

If you own or operate a restaurant, this is one of the most important Nashville Restaurant Radio episodes you will ever listen to. In today’s conversation, Brandon sits down with Justin Cook , a Certified EOS Implementer® who has helped dozens of businesses—restaurants included—escape the chaos and finally build organizations that run with clarity, accountability, and consistency. Joining as co-ho...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio , Brandon sits down with Jake Mogelson , partner at two of Nashville’s most thoughtful and creative hospitality concepts — Butcher & Bee and Fancy Pants . Jake shares his journey from growing within the Butcher & Bee family to helping shape the future of both brands. We dive into the intentionality behind their food, culture, and guest experien...

In this episode, Brandon sits down with Seema Prasad , the visionary owner of Miel , one of Nashville’s most beloved farm-driven restaurants. Seema is known for her intentional, soulful approach to hospitality, her deep relationships with local farmers and producers, and her commitment to creating a dining experience rooted in integrity, sustainability, and joy. Together, Seema and Brandon dive in...

In this episode, Brandon sits down with Matt Molaski , one of the driving forces behind MarginEdge , the back-office platform that’s redefining how restaurants manage costs, invoices, inventory, and real-time P&Ls. Matt brings the rare combination of being both a tech leader and a former restaurant worker— which means he actually speaks our language: tickets, invoices, chaos, and the grind. We...

In this episode, Brandon sits down with two luminous forces for good in the hospitality world: Maddy Murrian and Kristine Mylls from CORE . Their work lives at the intersection of compassion and crisis response, offering financial relief to food-and-bev families navigating some of life’s toughest storms. Together, we explore: CORE exists to support restaurant employees with children when life goes...

In this episode, we sit down with Christine de Wendel—an entrepreneurial powerhouse with deep e-commerce roots and now leading the charge in hospitality payments. Christine shares how she helped build two “unicorn” European tech companies, then returned to the U.S. to launch sunday, a QR-code pay-at-table solution for restaurants and hospitality venues. Sunday is designed to make paying at restaur...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, host Brandon Styll sits down with Debra Sunderland, founder of Sunderland Coaching, to explore how conscious leadership can transform not only your business — but your life. Debra is an Enneagram coach and a certified facilitator of conscious leadership, working with leaders and teams across industries to help them lead with clarity, presence, and sel...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, I sit down with Julio Hernandez, the visionary chef and owner of Maiz De La Vida, one of Nashville’s most beloved Mexican food concepts. Julio opens up about the challenges of running and scaling three locations, from staffing and consistency to the constant hustle of keeping quality at the forefront. We also dive into some big news—Julio shares detai...

Recorded Live at the GFS Food Show In this special episode, we took Nashville Restaurant Radio on the road to the GFS Food Show , capturing the voices, stories, and energy of food professionals from across the region. From chefs and owners to tech innovators and vendor partners, the conversations all carried a common thread: this business is tough, but the passion runs deep. Featured Guests: Nick...

For the first time in five years, I sat down with my friend Bill Laviolette —this time inside his brand-new Shotgun Willie's location in East Nashville. This episode marks the first-ever recording in the space, and it couldn’t have been more fitting as we dug into the real challenges of opening, owning, and operating a restaurant in today’s Nashville. Bill shares candid insights on: The realities...

In this episode, we dive into the story and mission of the Nashville Area Restaurant Alliance (NARA) . Built by restaurant people, for restaurant people, NARA is a community-driven initiative designed to unite independent restaurants across Middle Tennessee. We explore how NARA helps operators secure better deals on goods and services by leveraging group purchasing power, while holding vendors acc...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Brandon sits down with Kevin Finch, Executive Director of Big Table, and Becky Kinder, City Director for Big Table. Big Table is a nonprofit that exists to care for those who care for us—the people working in restaurants and hospitality. Together, we dive into: • What sets Big Table apart from other restaurant and hospitality-focused charities. • The...

Guests: • Jacob Steiner – Brand Ambassador, Robert Mondavi Winery • Jessika Hickman – Field Sales Manager, Constellation Brands • Jennifer Alexander – Key Account Manager (On-Premise), Lippman Brothers ⸻ Episode Overview In this episode, we sit down for an impromptu but lively conversation with three people shaping the way wine is experienced and sold in Nashville and beyond. From Napa Valley to B...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Ryan Reisdorf—founder of Placemat—joins us to explore how healthy, at-home dining and hospitality can foster community well-being. A former nursing student turned entrepreneur, Ryan shares the journey that led him to launch Placemat out of a passion for health and connection. Episode Highlights • From Nursing School to Meal Platform Ryan began studyin...

Hey y’all, welcome back to Nashville Restaurant Radio — I’m your host, Brandon Styll, and today I have the honor of sitting down with one of the most fascinating and talented chefs in our city — Jake Howell, chef and partner at Peninsula Restaurant here in Nashville, and the 2025 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Southeast. This is a marathon of an episode — just over two hours — and honestl...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio , Brandon sits down with Tyler Lechtanski, the creative force behind Jambox , one of Nashville’s most talked-about sandwich shops. From his roots in fine dining to launching a concept rooted in nostalgia and bold flavor, Tyler shares the journey that led him to create a neighborhood favorite that’s redefining what a sandwich shop can be. We dive into:...

In this episode, we’re joined by Aaron Vaccaro , CEO of Liquor Lab , a hands-on, interactive cocktail experience with locations in Nashville and Louisville . Aaron shares the story behind Liquor Lab’s unique concept — part mixology class, part social event — and how it’s become a go-to destination for team building, date nights, and unforgettable group experiences. We talk about what makes the Liq...

In this lively episode, we sit down with Janell and Mike Bass , the husband-and-wife duo behind PonyBoy Slings , the ready-to-drink bourbon cocktail that’s quickly taking the market by storm. We kick things off by learning how they met, the proposal story (yes, it’s a good one), and whatever Bumble is —because, apparently, your host needed a quick dating app tutorial. From there, we dive into thei...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Brandon sits down with Mark Waldo , the founder of Waldo’s Chicken & Beer — one of the fastest-growing chicken concepts in the Southeast. Mark shares the story behind Waldo’s: from opening the first location in Germantown, to now expanding into multiple states with a clear mission — great chicken, cold beer, and genuine hospitality. We talk about...

This special bonus episode is a little different. Today, we’re sharing an episode from another podcast — Shut Up and Thrive! — where our very own Brandon Styll was the guest. Over the past year, Brandon has experienced profound personal loss. Within a single month, he lost his cousin Blake, his grandmother, and his beloved cat, Mr. Business. While he hasn’t talked much about this journey on Nashvi...

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month and Men’s Health Month — and we’re diving deep into both. Today’s guest is Dr. Joe Pazona , board-certified urologist and founder of Pazona MD , who joins us to talk about something we all need more of: preventative health . From prostate health and prostate cancer screenings to erectile dysfunction , GLP-1 medications for weight loss, hormone optimization, and t...

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Matthew Clements , Partner at Robins Insurance Agency , and a trusted expert in hospitality-focused risk management. Before we dive into our conversation, I take a moment to share some background on the Nashville Area Restaurant Alliance (NARA) — a growing community of local restaurant owners working together to leverage collective buying power, improve vendor r...

In this powerful and practical episode, we sit down with Kristine Mylls , founder of Mylls Hospitality Marketing , right after her return from the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. Kristine brings the heat with her Top 10 actionable tips restaurant operators can implement today to improve their marketing efforts. From current trends to the rise of hospitality influencers, we cover i...

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Ken Pelletier , Co-Founder of Calexo , to break down the newly signed legislation HB 1376 , recently approved by Governor Bill Lee. Ken brings clarity to what this bill actually means for the Tennessee hospitality and beverage industry , especially for restaurants and bars looking to serve hemp-derived THC beverages . We cover: ✅ What’s changing under HB 1376...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio , host Brandon Styll sits down with Vince Lanni , a multifaceted leader in Nashville's hospitality scene. Vince wears many hats: he's the General Manager at Greenery Co. , a fresh, fast-casual restaurant in Hillsboro Village known for its locally sourced salads, bowls, and seasonal dishes . He's also the founder of Serve Up Strategies , a consultancy d...