ON THE DELO: Arizona Restaurant & Hospitality Stories

Step into Episode 194 of On The Delo as David DeLorenzo sits down with Zach and Ruly Couch of The Restaurant Brokers—a father-son powerhouse who've dominated Arizona's restaurant market for over four decades. From Ruly's bold decision to go restaurant-exclusive in 1990 to Zach joining the family business and bringing fresh energy, this conversation reveals what it really takes to thriv...

Step into Episode 193 of On the Delo as DELO pivots into a solo cast after a scheduled guest cancels 15 minutes before recording—because in the restaurant business, chaos is part of the job and the show still goes on. DELO uses the moment to spotlight a mission that matters: building a healthier hospitality industry through real-world wellness support, not more empty “grind” advice. In this episod...

Step into Episode 192 of On the Delo, where David DeLorenzo reunites with top guest and business partner Jeremy Scott for a raw, end-of-year wrap-up that's equal parts fun banter and sharp business intel. From debating the best Diet Cokes to dissecting why multi-location scaling often backfires, they cover real hospitality headaches like labor automation, customer experience traps, and eating...

Step into Episode 191 of On the Delo as David DeLorenzo jumps on the mic solo to close out the year with real talk on hospitality risk, restaurant trends, and how technology is reshaping the business. From foreign objects in food to seven-figure kitchen fires, Delo pulls back the curtain on what really happens after the incident is over and the lawyers get involved. He also shares where the indust...

Step into Episode 190 of On the Delo as David DeLorenzo sits down with longtime friend and Arizona hospitality pro Tiffany for a candid conversation about life behind the bar, responsible service, mental health, and launching a new industry-driven concept in downtown Mesa. From nearly two decades in restaurants and bars to opening “The Walk In” while navigating new motherhood, Tiffany pulls back t...

Get ready for Episode 189 of On the Delo as David DeLorenzo reconnects with designer and founder Dala for a real, behind-the-scenes conversation on motherhood, leadership, and building a boutique hospitality design firm that actually supports life outside of work.  From early episodes recorded in a conference room to a thriving studio with 12 team members, Dala opens up about how becoming a mom, f...

Step into Episode 188 of On The Delo as Delo sits down with Hunu founders Deyton and Breaben to break down how two former college wide receivers turned their love of soda into a superfood sports drink built for athletes and students. From juicing in a tiny kitchen and running late-night “chemistry labs” to navigating manufacturing, testing, and regulations, they share the real story behind creatin...

Join David DeLorenzo for Episode 187 of ‘On the Delo’ as he sits down with Megan Sparks of Greenwood Brewing Company, a woman-owned craft brewery making waves in downtown Phoenix. In a raw and inspiring conversation, Megan shares her unconventional path from industrial engineer to craft beer pioneer—including her garage microbrewery phase, the gut-wrenching decision to delay her brewery opening ri...

Step into Episode 186 of ‘On the Delo’ as Delo hosts a candid conversation with Jess, the creator and driving voice behind Mouth by Southwest — the Valley’s essential restaurant and hospitality newsletter. Jess shares how a creative side project evolved into one of Arizona’s most trusted industry publications, reaching more than 2 million readers . From grinding out newspaper gigs in North Dakota...

Step into Episode 185 of ‘On the Delo’ as David DeLorenzo welcomes Jason and Jon, the duo behind Arizona Distilling Company , for an unfiltered conversation about turning a wild idea into a thriving craft spirits empire. These high school friends reunited over a mutual friend's wedding in 2010, and what started as "the dumbest effing idea" became a 14-year journey through three facil...

Step into Episode 184 of ‘On the Delo’ as Delo reconnects with chef-owner Aaron Chamberlin and partner/chef Suny Santana to trace a 13-year mentor-to-partner journey from St. Francis to building Taco Chelo. It’s a straight-talk playbook on persistence, clean food, tight operations, and leading with trust—told by the people who lived it. From a 15-year-old staging every station to co-creating a bra...

In this episode of On the Delo , David DeLorenzo welcomes investor and operator Stephen Cole back for a no-BS, practical conversation on Bitcoin for real businesses—especially restaurants. They hit family buy-in, what “21M cap” actually means, instant vs. final settlement, and how owners can allocate a small, repeatable % of revenue into BTC without wrecking their books. Stephen also breaks down w...

Step into a true Arizona story on ‘On the Delo’ as Delo sits with Tiffany from Aunt Chiladas, the Original—a nine-generation, family-run fixture founded in 1890 and holder of Arizona’s first issued liquor license—to talk legacy, community, and running a real scratch kitchen without cutting corners. From miners and trading-post roots to 3,000 railroad ties, multi-decade regulars, and a sister resta...

Step into Episode 181 of On the Delo as David DeLorenzo sits down with Charles Jr. (“Chuck D”) —an East Valley native behind Aftermath, Born & Bred, and the forthcoming Rosewood in downtown Gilbert—to talk craft, community, and why he wants people dressing up for dinner again. From first shifts at Tony Roma’s to 15 years fast-tracking at Zinc with mentor Terry, Charles breaks down the real lev...

Step into Episode 180 of On the Delo as David DeLorenzo welcomes back Melissa (Eat Drink AZ / Eat Drink Creative Agency) for a sharp, no-nonsense conversation on what actually moves the needle for restaurants in 2025. From scaling her team from a one-woman show to Arizona’s largest hospitality social media agency, Melissa lays out exactly how she did it—and what you need to know to stand out on so...

Step into Episode 179 of On the Delo as David DeLorenzo sits down with chef-restaurateur Doug Robson—Mexico City–born, Arizona-made—for a straight-shooting conversation about immigration, grit, and building neighborhood restaurants that people actually return to three and four times a week.  From a 1983 move to San Antonio to Scottsdale Culinary Institute (1996), the Phoenician and Roaring Fork, t...

Join us for Episode 178 of On the Delo as David DeLorenzo welcomes Cecily—“the awesome Toasted Owl lady.” From a 396-sq-ft first cafe to multi-location growth, Cecily lays out the real grind behind building a beloved breakfast brand anchored in vintage finds, community, and relentless owner-operator standards. This conversation moves fast and stays honest—Flagstaff origins, Phoenix expansion (incl...

Step into Episode 177 of On the Delo as David DeLorenzo sits down with hospitality builder Mikis Troyan —the behind-the-scenes operator who helped launch American Junkie, co-founded Clive Collective, and now steers concepts like CALA , Tell Your Friends , and Neon Spur .  From Phoenix roots and a real-estate grind (think 600–700 foreclosure homes a year) to design-driven restaurants and bar progra...

Step into Episode 176 of On the Delo as Delo sits down with Andrew, Executive Director of the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild, to unpack what’s really happening across Arizona beer—on the brewhouse floor, at the Capitol, and out in the community. From a 20-year restaurant career to head brewer roles at The Perch and Uncle Bear’s, and ultimately joining the Guild in February 2022, Andrew lays out a no-...

Step into Episode 175 of ‘On the Delo’ as David DeLorenzo welcomes back his good friend and fitness expert Jeremy Scott for another unfiltered conversation on health, hospitality, and living a balanced life. In his third or fourth appearance, (who’s counting really) Jeremy opens up about fatherhood, the realities of staying fit while working in high-stress industries, and why long-term health is b...

Dive into Episode 174 of ‘On the Delo’ as David DeLorenzo welcomes Mike Myers—the “Mike Myers of Hospitality”—for a no-holds-barred origin story spanning nightclubs, gyms, and iconic restaurant concepts across Arizona. From sneaking into college bars with a fake ID to launching a beer brand inspired by legendary gold, Mike walks us through every triumph, hard lesson, and late-night hustle, unfilte...

Pour a fresh cup and join Episode 173 of ‘On the Delo’ as David DeLorenzo sits down with industry insider Craig Miller, founder of Arizona Liquor Industry Consultants. With nearly two decades at the Arizona Department of Liquor, Craig unpacks real-life stories, compliance challenges, and critical legal changes every bar, restaurant, and aspiring licensee needs to know. This no-fluff conversation d...

Step into Episode 172 of ‘On the Delo’ as David DeLorenzo sits down with Chef Cory, owner of the acclaimed COURSE restaurant, for an inspiring conversation about transforming from a dairy farm boy in Iowa to a James Beard-recognized chef in Scottsdale. Chef Cory opens up about his unexpected pivot from architecture to culinary arts, the brutal but transformative mentorship under Chef Ivan Flowers,...

Step into Episode 171 of ‘On the Delo’ as David DeLorenzo welcomes Bobby, CEO and co-founder of Rainbow Insurance, for a refreshingly honest exploration of what it takes to reinvent an industry from the inside out. Bobby shares his journey from launching startups in Boston to building niche-driven, tech-enabled insurance solutions in San Francisco, with candid insights about entrepreneurship, lead...

Step into Episode 170 of On the Delo as David DeLorenzo sits down with his coach and friend Eugene Trufkin for a rare in-depth conversation about mindset, discipline, and health that goes far beyond macros and workouts. Eugene opens up about his early life in the USSR, being raised on a biodynamic farm, and how that foundation shaped his philosophy on training, eating, and living well. From immigr...