Restaurantology

In this kickoff episode of Restaurantology 2026, Savory announces a pivotal leadership moment as the platform accelerates into its next chapter. Andrew Smith is joined by co-founder Shauna Smith and industry leader Clay Dover to share two major updates. Shauna is promoted to Managing Director of Savory Fund, and Clay joins as Chief Executive Officer to help lead the platform through its next phase...

This episode is the kick off of a two part episode of "Byte to Table", where Juan George (858 Partners) leads a conversation with Sandy Nguyen (Saigon Hustle), Steve Heeley (South Block), and Otto Othman (PINCHO) on how technology is reshaping guest acquisition, retention, and brand loyalty. Together, they share real-world stories of using tools like Ovation, customer data platforms, and voice AI...

This episode is the kick off of a two part episode of "Byte to Table", where Juan George (858 Partners) leads a conversation with Sandy Nguyen (Saigon Hustle), Steve Heeley (South Block), and Otto Othman (PINCHO) on how technology is reshaping guest acquisition, retention, and brand loyalty. Together, they share real-world stories of using tools like Ovation, customer data platforms, and voice AI...

Josh Merrell (Creative Director, Savory Fund) brings together Chris Connors (Co-Founder, Bonrue), Cassandra Moore (Art Director, Savory Fund), and Farah P. Bhatti (Shareholder, Buchalter) to explore the critical, but often overlooked—world of trademarks. Through firsthand stories, expert insights, and creative strategies, they reveal how trademarks sit at the intersection of legal protection, bran...

Shauna Smith (Savory Fund) sits down with founders Nicole Robison (Swig) and Akshat Sethi (Thai Chili 2 Go) for a conversation about building enduring restaurant brands. Together, they share their journeys from opening a single shop to scaling across states, unpacking both the highs of breakthrough moments and the challenges of personal and professional trials. The panel dives into the realities o...

Taylor DeHart (Principal, Savory Fund) leads a conversation with Claudia Lezcano (CEO of Fuku) and Neha Govindraj (Founder of Bonside) on how to fund and grow restaurant brands in today’s capital landscape. Together, they explore traditional financing, creative alternatives, and the rise of asset-light growth strategies that are reshaping the industry. Claudia shares her journey of scaling Fuku th...

Jeanette Bennett brings together Sam Oches (Nation’s Restaurant News) and Jonathan Maze (Restaurant Business Magazine) for an inside look at how trade media shape the stories that define the restaurant industry. With humor, candor, and decades of combined experience, they reveal what it takes to get your concept noticed by the publications that operators, investors, and franchisees read every day....

Is casual dining just surviving or thriving? In this dynamic roundtable from The Depot in Salt Lake City, Barry McGowan (Fogo de Chao) leads a conversation with Kaleb Harrell (Hawkers), Christine Magrann (FB Society), and Jeff Chandler (Hopdoddy) to explore why many believe casual dining is in the midst of a renaissance. Together, they unpack how operators are innovating without losing hospitality...

Andrew Smith (Co-Founder & Managing Director, Savory Fund) sits down with Charlie Kirk (Turning Point USA) for a candid exploration of the entrepreneurial mindset. Together, they reflect on the sacrifices and rewards of building lasting organizations, the unique spark founders bring to their businesses, and why vision and relentless drive remain the lifeblood of growth. The conversation dives...

In this episode of Restaurantology, Andrew Smith sits down with Chris Connors and Li Hsun Sun, the visionary partners behind Bonrue Bakery, for a candid conversation on building and scaling one of the most talked about bakery cafés in it's region. Chris and Li share their unlikely paths from cabana hosts and family run restaurants to leading a bakery concept that blends Michelin level pastry talen...

In this episode of the Restaurantology Podcast , host Andrew sits down with Daniel Estrada, co-founder of 86 Repairs, to uncover how this innovative solution is transforming the restaurant industry. They discuss the challenges operators face with repairs and maintenance (R&M), the costs of reactive management, and the critical need for streamlined processes as brands scale. Daniel shares insig...

In this episode, we sit down with Cassie Ghaffar and Sandy Nguyen, co-founders of Saigon Hustle, to discuss how they built one of Houston’s most exciting new food brands. They share their story of turning a college friendship into a successful partnership, tackling the challenges of opening a restaurant during COVID-19, and scaling their authentic Vietnamese concept into a fast-casual drive-thru m...

In this episode of the Restaurantology Podcast, we dive deep into the heart of R&R BBQ's success with two of our greatest leaders Emery Winward and Nathan Breneman Join us as we explore the strategies behind fostering a strong company culture, maintaining high retention rates, and the crucial role of accountability in driving performance. Our guests share insights from their own leadership jou...

In this week’s episode of Restaurantology, we dive deep into the story behind SWIG, the revolutionary drink brand that’s taken the industry by storm. Join us as we sit down with Nicole Tanner, the Queen of Dirty Soda, to explore her journey from a single shop in St. George, Utah to becoming a national brand. Nicole shares her experiences in creating an iconic brand, the challenges of standing out...

In this episode of Restaurantology, we dive deep into the essential details that make or break restaurant success. Join us as we explore how refining the small aspects of your business can lead to significant profits, featuring insights from Taylor Dehart and Jessica Moyer of Savory. From managing prime costs to building customer trust, we cover it all. Learn how to create efficiencies in your lab...

In this enlightening episode, Andrew delves into the heart and soul behind Mo' Bettahs, a restaurant that has taken the essence of Hawaiian cuisine and culture to create a dining experience unlike any other. Join us as we sit down with Rob Ertmann, a pivotal figure in Mo' Bettahs journey, to explore the foundational principles that have propelled this brand to new heights. From backyard grilling t...

In this episode of Restaurantology Amir Mostafavi shares his fascinating entrepreneurial journey, from the inception of South Block to its triumphant growth in the competitive food and beverage industry. Amir's story is filled with personal anecdotes of challenges faced, lessons learned, and the importance of community involvement in business growth. He discusses the strategic decisions that prope...

The story behind the founding of Mo’Betttahs Hawaiian Style – currently a 35 unit fast casual restaurant brand with more than 30 in development across the country. Kimo and Kalani Mack, founded Mo’Bettahs in Bountiful, UT in 2008 – in the midst of one of the worst recessions the U.S. economy had experienced. Born and raised in the islands of Hawaii, Kimo and Kalani wanted to share a piece of their...

How should I finance the future growth of my company? What options are available to me and how do I know which ones to pursuit? Are investors going to be interested in my business? These are questions that founders ask regularly. Having assessed nearly 1,000 restaurant brands in the last three years, Taylor DeHart, Principal at the Savory Fund and Andrew K. Smith, Managing Director, discuss the op...

Founders Brandon Hunt of Austin-based Via 313 Pizzeria and Otto Othman of Miami-based Pincho Burgers & Kebabs discuss how the landed their $20M of growth funding for each of their businesses. They discuss details with Andrew about how they prepared, negotiated and closed the funding – their feelings pre and post transaction – and what the future of their brands is going to be in the coming years....

External pressures making you feel like your head is in a vice? A conversation with Savory's Vice President of Food & Beverage, Maryam Chaney, and Chief Executive Officer, Shauna Smith, about external pressures, how it affects your menu, food costs and supply chain. Figuring out how to manage it all from the best! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a new year and we all need great employees to support our existing and new restaurants. Jessica Moyer, VP of Learning and Development, Dan Pena, Director of Operations of The Crack Shack and Chase Wardrop, President of Swig discuss how executing a new employee’s first day onboarding process is the most effective retention techniques. And most of us fail at this miserably. Hear some tips and t...

Josh Boshard, COO of Savory’s seven portfolio brands, and Alonso Castaneda, VP of Brand Development & Strategy for Savory, discuss with Andrew the overwhelming pressure to level up your tech stack in the restaurant industry. There is so much tech being pitched at every restaurant owner, every day. And the question is: Which ones do you need now, or later? The reality is, not all tech and F&B servi...

Clay Dover is scaling Velvet Taco – and he is doing it fast. But only after years of putting in the time to build a tribal culture of devout team members. Clay and Andrew talk about the importance of creating a culture that is ‘sticky’ and one that retains talent, provides career opportunities and upward mobility. A culture that promotes scale and growth as a reality. But only after it has been es...

Chris Shultz is living the restaurant dream with Voodoo. One of the most recognizable brands in the industry, Chris is laying the foundation for mind-bending growth….of 1-2 units per year. This is a 180 degree change from his past with brands like Starbucks and Mod Pizza, two of the fastest growing restaurant brands in the industry. In this episode, Andrew and Chris talk about the fallacy that hav...