The Tech Chef, Restaurant, Hospitality and Hotel Technology Business Podcast

Toby Malbec joins the Tech Chef Podcast to talk about the future of restaurant technology and the key insights from the recent MURTEC Executive Summit. He emphasizes the importance of getting foundational technology in place before diving into advanced innovations like AI. Toby shares his experiences as the Vice President of Global Restaurant Technology for Church's Chicken and highlights how oper...

In this episode of The Tech Chef Podcast , Skip Kimpel welcomes Chris Herd, co-founder and CEO of Olive , the AI-powered platform that’s redefining how businesses approach vendor selection, RFPs, and strategic sourcing. Chris shares his journey from tech sales to entrepreneurship, the pain points that inspired Olive’s creation, and why the traditional RFP process is fundamentally broken. Together,...

This week on Tech Chef , host Skip Kimpel dives into a post-MURTEC 2025 recap with first-time guest and hospitality tech veteran Tom Seeker . Fresh off the show floor, they discuss everything from shifting conference venues to the biggest tech themes making waves in the restaurant and hospitality space. Tom brings the dual perspective of a vendor and operator, offering sharp insights on what made...

The Tech Chef Podcast takes listeners deep into the world of hospitality technology with episode 92 featuring Jason Marsh of Flow Immersive. The episode kicks off with an introduction to the latest trends in restaurant and hospitality tech. Skip Kimpel, the host, sets the stage for a discussion about immersive data visualization, a groundbreaking approach to understanding complex data in a more en...

The podcast features a deep conversation Unai Extremo and John Cunningham, of Virtualware to discuss the innovative platforms developed especially focusing on their flagship product, VIROO. This platform is designed to assist industries in adopting immersive technologies, particularly in training and operational efficiency. Unai explains how VIROO aims to enhance competitiveness and sustainability...

This episode features Dan O'Brien from HTC, who brings years of experience in tech innovation to the table. They discuss the importance of strategic business partnerships in the travel and hospitality industry, focusing on how these collaborations can lead to growth and enhanced guest experiences. Skip and Dan explore the role of technology in shaping the future of hospitality, emphasizing the nee...

The Tech Chef Podcast dives deep into the world of augmented reality with Brian Hamilton, the VP of Sales and Marketing at Digilens. He introduces Argo, their innovative smart glasses designed specifically for the hospitality industry. The conversation highlights how Argo stands out with its unique waveguide technology that minimizes light leakage, allowing for better human interaction while using...

Guido Gioioso, the CEO of WEART, shares insights on their innovative haptic technology in this engaging discussion. The conversation centers on how Weart's devices are redefining training in virtual and augmented reality. Guido explains how their technology allows users to experience realistic sensations such as temperature, texture, and pressure, which enhances the training process. Guido emphasi...

The Tech Chef Podcast features a compelling conversation between Skip Kimpel and Geoff Alexander, President and CEO of Wow Bao. They explore Geoff's extensive background in the food industry, which spans over three decades, and his significant contributions to Wow Bao since its inception in 2003. The discussion focuses on the innovative strategies that have propelled Wow Bao's growth, including th...

This podcast features an enlightening discussion between Skip Kimpel and Fabio Zaniboni, focusing on the integration of IoT technology within the hospitality sector and its profound implications for sustainability and energy efficiency. Fabio, with his extensive experience in engineering and innovation, articulates how IoT devices serve as a game-changer for hotels and restaurants aiming to reduce...

Ken Gavranovic joins the podcast to discuss the transformative power of AI and digital tools in the hospitality industry. He highlights how many companies struggle with digital transformation due to a lack of clarity on outcomes and insufficient leadership commitment. Drawing from his extensive experience with iconic brands, Ken emphasizes that technology should enhance human connections rather th...

Skip Kimpel welcomes Brandon McRrill, co-founder and CEO of 5Out, to delve into the transformative role of machine learning (ML) in the hospitality industry. As the conversation unfolds, McRrill shares his extensive background in the restaurant sector, which began at the tender age of 15. His journey through various prestigious establishments laid the groundwork for his current endeavor, where he...

Mike Blake joins Skip Kimpel on the Tech Chef Podcast to share his insights on the evolving landscape of hospitality technology. As Vice President of Information Technology at KemperSports, Mike draws from his extensive experience in the industry, highlighting the critical importance of strategic leadership in implementing technology solutions that enhance operational excellence. The conversation...

The Tech Chef Podcast welcomes Tony Bevilacqua, founder and CEO of Cognitive3D, who dives deep into the transformative potential of spatial analytics and immersive technologies in the hospitality industry. With a focus on maximizing ROI through data collection, Tony explains how Cognitive3D's platform uniquely measures human behavior in virtual and augmented reality environments. By utilizing spat...

Today, we delve deep into the world of hospitality technology, this episode features an engaging dialogue between Skip Kimpel and Michael Cohen, the Managing Partner of Growth Advisors International Network (GAIN). The discussion begins with a reflection on the challenges faced by the hospitality sector in the wake of the pandemic, particularly regarding staffing shortages and a lack of technologi...

This podcast episode dives into the transformative potential of Extended Reality (XR) within the hospitality industry, highlighting how technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality can enhance guest experiences, streamline operations, and drive sustainable growth. Host Skip Kimpel shares insights on the importance of integrating innovative technologies to keep pace with...

Skip Kimpel welcomes John Cunningham to the Tech Chef Podcast to delve into the transformative world of Extended Reality (XR) and its implications for various industries, particularly hospitality. Cunningham, a seasoned expert in the XR field, shares his extensive background, including his military experience and roles in significant tech companies. He emphasizes the rapid evolution of XR technolo...

This podcast episode features an exciting announcement about the integration of Nomad Go's innovative inventory management technology with PAR Technology's Data Central platform. David Greshler, CEO of Nomad Go, and Paul Rubin, Chief Strategy Officer at PAR, discuss how their collaboration aims to revolutionize the restaurant industry's approach to inventory counting. With Nomad Go's solution, ope...

Joining the show today, I am excited to have  Troy Hooper , Chief Executive Officer at  Hot Palette America . Troy Hooper joined Pepper Lunch as one of the three global business unit CEO’s for the brand, and oversees  Pepper Lunch’s  parent company in North America, Hot Palette America. Troy brings 30 years of unparalleled experience in hospitality, operations management a...

Back with us today is Managing Director of  ConStrata Consulting , Mr.  Toby Malbec.  This episode is dedicated to the two hospitality shows that recently happened, the industry standard,  HITEC , brought to you by  HFTP , which was held in Toronto and the brand new  Hospitality Show  put on by  AHLA  in Las Vegas at the Venetian Hotel. Both of these sh...

Joining the show today is our special guest,  Nabeel , CEO and Co-Founder of  Lunchbox . Nabeel was born in Bangladesh, moved to Kuwait 7 years later, and to Queens, New York 7 years after that. Nabeel began his career as the first busboy at the  Bareburger  flagship store in Astoria, and spent his free time devising marketing objectives for the CEO. In 2019 he founded Lun...

Joining the show today is  Aaron Hoffman,  Co-Founder & Head of Strategy at  DeliverThat - a white label, last-mile delivery platform focused on catering delivery and setup. Aaron and I break down what a successful delivery operation looks like for your business: best practices, process changes, considerations for success and so much more.  We will also dig d...

Joining the show today are two individuals who I am sure you have seen all over social media and at conferences if your business is restaurants and technology.   Carl Orsbourn  and  Meredith Sandland  join the show to talk about their new book, “ Delivering the Digital Restaurant; The Path to Digital Maturity .” This falls on the heels of the must have book from last...

I have an unbelievable treat for you today with another industry rockstar; the man, that I have heard many times before, to have the Midas touch because he has the reputation that everything he touches turns to gold. At this point, you are saying to yourself, “who is this person.” Today, the one and only,  Chris Artinian  joins us to talk about technology through the years and his p...

Today, I have another special guest that I recorded while I was at  MURTEC  recently.   Kevin Seo  and I had the opportunity to present a fire chat at the show on the Metaverse 101. I thought it only fair to sit down with him and record, 1-on-1, for all of you, our thoughts on this matter and share it here on this show. Kevin  is truly a superstar in this space.&...