Restrocast

Restrocast host Ashish Tulsian, Co-founder and CEO of Restroworks, talks with Ziad Kassabieh, CEO of Advanced Food Co., about building a multi-brand restaurant portfolio of 45 to 48 concepts in Saudi Arabia. Starting his culinary path at 15 in a family-owned restaurant in Lebanon, Ziad shares how his early experiences shaped a career that eventually led to relocating to Saudi Arabia and becoming a...

Jim Bitticks, COO of Dave's Hot Chicken, stops by Restrocast for a conversation with host Ashish Tulsian, Co-founder and CEO of Restroworks, about his career scaling enterprise restaurant brands. From his beginnings as a teenage employee at Jack in the Box to executive roles at Blaze Pizza, which he helped grow from two to 372 locations, and now Dave's Hot Chicken, Jim traces how strateg...

On Restrocast, Ashish Tulsian (Co-founder and CEO, Restroworks) is joined by Justin Skelton, Senior Vice President and CIO at Dine Brands Global, the enterprise restaurant group operating 3,700+ locations globally across IHOP, Applebee's, and Fuzzy's Taco Shop. Justin shares insights from his career as a tech leader across insurance, retail, and restaurants, including how growing up as a...

Restrocast's latest episode brings to you the dynamic Prashanth Menon, Regional Director of PizzaExpress UAE, in a riveting conversation. Join host Ashish Tulsian as he unravels the layers of Prashanth's extraordinary 32-year journey, transforming PizzaExpress into a 14-outlet empire and earning him the prestigious PizzaExpress Worldwide Wonder Award 2023. Explore the day-to-day responsi...

In this enlightening episode of Restrocast with Ashish Tulsian, we delve into the remarkable four-decade journey of Andy Holman in the hospitality industry. From his serendipitous start as a management trainee at Pizza Hut to achieving senior management roles globally, Andy shares the wisdom gleaned from his vast experiences. He discusses the critical importance of customer service and employee tr...

Discover the unconventional path to success in the latest podcast episode featuring Alexander Debare, founder and chief growth officer of Burger28. From aspiring pilot to law student, Debare shares his inspiring journey of creating a thriving business in the competitive restaurant industry. In this exclusive interview, delve into the inception of Burger 28, where Debare's entrepreneurial spir...

Dive into the dynamic culinary landscape of Dubai with Fay Economides, Executive Managing Director at M Management. In this exclusive podcast episode, Fay recounts her entrepreneurial journey, from co-founding Elia, Mythos, and Nola to navigating the challenges of Dubai's restaurant scene.  Unveiling the strategic decisions and triumphs that shaped her ventures, Fay discusses authenticity, co...

Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America, joins Ashish Tulsian, Co-founder and CEO of Restroworks, on Restrocast to share his path through the hospitality industry. Troy's story runs from early exposure in Miami to culinary and maritime school, through consulting and turnaround management, and into his current role expanding Pepper Lunch, the Japanese Teppan restaurant brand with over 500 mult...

Embark on a sensory journey through the aromatic world of specialty coffee with Restrocast's latest episode, featuring the indomitable Kim Thompson, Founder and Managing Director of RAW Coffee Company. Tune in as we unravel the captivating story behind one of Dubai's pioneering coffee roasters. Hear about her journey from being a medical nurse in New Zealand to working in diamond mines i...

Embark on a transformative journey through the intricate nexus of technology and gastronomy with the latest Restrocast episode, featuring Phil Crawford, the illustrious CTO at CKE Restaurants . In this exclusive session our seasoned host, Ashish Tulsian , navigates the riveting narrative of Phil's extraordinary ascent from a 16-year-old working at Carl's Jr. to a trailblazing technology...

In this episode of Restrocast, Ashish Tulsian, Co-founder and CEO of Restroworks, sits down with Nadim Majdalani, who shares his transition from an engineering and investment background to building eathos, a multi-brand restaurant group in the Middle East. Starting with his first private equity deal involving the French chain Pomme de Pain, Nadim walks through the strategic choices, challenges, an...

Embark on a journey of knowing a purveyor of fine gastronomy with Restrocast as we sit down with Panchali Mahendra, the dynamic President of Atelier House Hospitality, in an exclusive episode titled "Feast of Ambition." Join us as we delve into the chapters of Panchali's extraordinary life, from the basketball courts of India to the Michelin-starred restaurants of Dubai. With almost...

Welcome to Restrocast by Ashish Tulsian, the podcast where we talk to the movers and shakers of the restaurant industry. In this episode, we are delighted to have Karl Goodhew, the Chief Technology Officer of BurgerFi, a fast-casual burger chain that is known for its fresh and natural ingredients, eco-friendly practices, and delicious menu. Karl Goodhew is a pioneer in the field of retail technolo...

In this episode of Restroworks by Ashish Tulsian, we had the privilege to host a very special guest, Benson Tsai, the Co-founder and CEO of Stellar Pizza, a company that uses automated mobile kitchens to deliver fresh and affordable pizzas.  Benson Tsai is a former SpaceX engineer who left his job building rockets to start Stellar Pizza. He shares a rich heritage with the food industry, as his par...

Ashish Tulsian, Co-founder and CEO of Restroworks, welcomes David Bloom, Chief Development and Operating Officer of Capriotti's and Wing Zone, to Restrocast to discuss a career built on scaling franchise restaurant brands globally. David's background includes growing Quiznos from 18 restaurants to over 5,000 locations in 28 countries, and he now leads all aspects of franchise development...

Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking episode as we sit down with Dan Mesches, a highly experienced professional in the restaurant industry. With his current role as President and CEO of Sprinkles, Dan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. During our conversation, we dive deep into various aspects of the restaurant industry, exploring topics such as the importance of pas...

Restrocast host Ashish Tulsian, Co-founder and CEO of Restroworks, talks with Geoff Alexander, CEO of Wow Bao, the enterprise fast-casual Asian restaurant chain that specializes in steamed buns, dumplings, and other Asian dishes. Geoff shares his path from fry cook and bartender to leading a brand that has embraced technology at every step of the guest experience. In this interview, you'll le...

Duncan Muir is a Senior Director - F&B and Retail at Bateel International, a luxury gourmet dates and confectionery brand based in the United Arab Emirates. With over 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, Muir comes with a wealth of knowledge and expertise of growing some of the finest homegrown hospitality brands across Dubai such as Carluccio’s, Mango Tree, Ushna & Ch...

Tapan Vaidya, CEO of Papa Johns (UAE, KSA, and Jordan), stops by Restrocast for a conversation with host Ashish Tulsian, Co-founder and CEO of Restroworks, about his 35+ year career scaling multi-location quick-service and casual dining brands including Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Fuddruckers, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Chili's, and Outback Steakhouse. Investing his own money into the business, Tapa...

On Restrocast, Ashish Tulsian (Co-founder and CEO, Restroworks) is joined by George Kunnappally, Managing Director of Nando's UAE, where he leads the popular multi-location fast-casual chain known for its flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken across 20+ outlets. He has also been voted #3 on the Caterer Middle Power List for two consecutive years in 2020 and 2021. Despite his many achievements, his...

Naim Maadad, Chief Executive and Founder of Gates Hospitality, joins Ashish Tulsian, Co-founder and CEO of Restroworks, on Restrocast to share how he built a multi-brand hospitality group in the UAE with award-winning concepts like Bistro Des Arts, Reform Social & Grill, and the Michelin-recognized Folly by Nick & Scott. With almost 30 years in hospitality across Australia, Asia, and the M...

Each episode of Restrocast explores the inspiring stories behind restaurateurs and executives who have achieved remarkable growth in their fields.  Restrocast is hosted by the Co-founder and CEO of Restroworks, Ashish Tulsian, who brings his unique perspective as a technologist, restaurateur, investor and entrepreneur. Much more than just an interview show, this is a genre-defining series on how t...