Women in Restaurant Leadership

Thank you to Foodbuy, our sponsor for this episode. Strategic procurement supports effective menuing and operations. Foodbuy Foodservice resources its Members to develop effective procurement strategies. Learn more at https://www.foodbuy.com/.  There's a kitchen in Chicago where it all started. A kid running home from school instead of playing sports. A mom cooking dinner. Afternoons spent wa...

30 years. That's how long Jane McPherson has been shaping brands in the restaurant industry—and she's still innovating, still evolving, still pushing forward. In this episode, I'm sitting down with Jane, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Penn Station Sandwiches, to trace her remarkable career journey across franchising, the sandwich category, and multiple periods of massive indu...

When a restaurant's fryer breaks down, or the refrigeration system fails, there's a critical moment of truth: a skilled technician walks through the door and fixes it. But we rarely talk about that workforce. In this bonus episode, I'm joined by Kristen Nowak, President of Field Service at Unlimited Service Group, who oversees a nationwide network of service and repair organizations...

Confidence isn't about being the loudest in the room. It's about knowing the value you bring and owning it. But here's what nobody tells you: in rooms where women are still underestimated, interrupted, and expected to prove themselves twice, claiming that space takes strategy, presence, and a whole lot of intentionality. In this episode, I'm joined by Olivia Ross, a WiRL adviso...

There's a difference between scaling and scaling thoughtfully. Between growth that happens to you and growth you actually architect. This week on WiRL, I'm in conversation with Jennifer Folger and Chrissy McKinney from Eggs Up Grill—two leaders who embody that distinction. Jennifer leads franchise growth. Chrissy leads brand and communications. Together, they're navigating one of th...

We spend a lot of time talking about menus—what's trending, what's next, what guests want. But what we don't always talk about is what actually makes those menus work . In this episode, I'm joined by Chef Awo Amenumey —a Chopped competitor and culinary strategist whose work bridges creativity and execution. From celebrating her Ghanaian roots through pop-ups to supporting opera...

What does it take to grow an 81-year-old brand… without completely melting what made it special in the first place? For Hillary Frei, it’s not about reinventing the wheel — it’s about knowing which parts of the recipe you don’t touch. Founded in 1945 by Alice Handel, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream has gone from a single backyard-inspired stand to one of the fastest-growing concepts in the country — a...

From crunching numbers at J.P. Morgan to running one of Florida’s hottest steakhouse brands, Kassidy Angelo is rewriting the rules of what it means to pivot into hospitality. In this bonus episode, she shares how she went from finance to the front lines of the restaurant floor, building award-winning Daniel’s Steakhouse alongside her family. Tune in for stories about taking bold risks, scaling a n...

Before women could lead restaurants, build brands, or take up space in boardrooms, they had to fight for something much simpler: a seat at the table. In 1868, a group of women gathered at Delmonico's for what became known as the Ladies’ Luncheon—the first time women publicly dined together without male escorts. Organized by journalist Jane Cunningham Croly, the moment made international headl...

Sometimes the best conversations are the ones where you get to reconnect—and realize just how much has changed. When I first spoke with Christina Vaughan, she was already making a major impact behind the scenes at Slim Chickens. Fast forward to today, and she’s stepped into a brand-new role as the company’s first-ever President, while continuing to serve as COO. In this episode, we catch up on eve...

Ever dreamed of running your own business but felt overwhelmed by the “whole picture”? Michele Carlton knows exactly how that feels—and she’s here to show that entrepreneurship can start with just one small step. Michele is the franchisee behind PJ’s Coffee in Pensacola, Florida, where she works side by side with her son, building a café that’s as much about community as it is about coffee. From e...

Everyone has a marketing playbook. The real question is… does it actually work? In this episode of the WiRL podcast , marketing maven Alice Crowder breaks down what foodservice marketing is supposed to look like—and where so many brands quietly go off the rails. We talk about the four pillars that should anchor every strategy: culinary, brand, creative, and digital. Why insights aren’t optional. W...

What if success wasn’t something you climbed toward — but something you designed? In this episode of the WiRL podcast, Casey Halbach, Founder of Intentional Talent Solutions and a WiRL Advisory Board Member, joins us for a deeply human conversation about leadership, timing, and the pressure women carry to “do it all” in the right order. Casey shares why the myth of perfection keeps so many women s...

Somewhere between the test kitchen and the supply chain spreadsheet is where the magic happens. In this WiRL Day-in-the-Life episode, we sit down with Jax Sperling, Vice President of Culinary & Supply Chain at Craveworthy Brands, and the woman behind Big Chicken’s reimagined menu. From Shaq Snacks and buttery garlic toast builds to the real decisions that make big food executable, Jax shares h...

Leadership in hospitality isn’t just about managing a team or hitting numbers. It’s about people, culture, and resilience. In this episode, I sit down with Christin Marvin, who started her restaurant career as a line cook at just 15 and went on to become a managing partner, helping scale brands to 48 locations. She’s the founder of Solutions by Christin, author of Multi-Unit Mastery and The Hospit...

2026 is here, and we’re starting the year with intention, gratitude, and community. In this solo (and mini) kickoff episode, Senior Editor Satyne Doner reflects on the WiRL community’s incredible growth in 2025, shares a grounding reminder that it’s okay to ease into the new year, and looks ahead at everything coming for Women in Restaurant Leadership in 2026. From our biggest Women in Restaurant...

Listener note: This episode includes sensitive conversation around grief and loss. We invite you to listen in the way that feels most supportive to you. Grief doesn’t stay at home—it often comes to work with us. Yet many leaders are never taught how to recognize it, respond to it, or create space for it within their teams. In this episode of the WiRL Podcast, we’re joined by Elizabeth Meltz, found...

What happens when you combine restaurant-floor instincts, deep empathy, and industry-defining CX strategy? You get Jessica Kwa, Head of Customer Experience Strategy at Qualtrics, who helps some of the world’s biggest brands truly understand what customers need —and how to design experiences that turn insight into action. In this episode, Jessica breaks down: Why guest expectations are skyrocketing...

What happens when a woman with zero preconceived notions steps into the food world and builds a 30-year culinary powerhouse? Last week, I sat down with Susan Wilcox, founder of The Herb Box , whose fearless leap into catering in 1995 sparked one of Scottsdale’s most beloved restaurant brands. Susan shared how she turned a whole-foods vision (long before it was cool) into a thriving business with t...

In this special episode, we’re diving into the brand-new WiRL x GLEAM Mentor Program, a first-of-its-kind partnership reshaping how women in restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality leadership grow, develop, and rise. You’ll hear directly from the leaders behind the program about why this mentorship model works, what women truly need to advance, and how this six-month experience will pair emerging...

Edible has been a household name for decades, but under CEO Somia Farid Silber, it’s no longer just a gifting brand. Today, Edible Brands is evolving into a multi-disciplined platform that spans fresh food and beverage, e-commerce, and fast casual dining. In this episode, Somia shares how she’s leading one of America’s most recognizable legacy brands through transformation, expanding opportunities...

What if a restaurant could change a life? In this episode, I sat down with Kerry Brodie, founder of Emma’s Torch, a Brooklyn-based café and culinary training program that empowers refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking through the power of hospitality. Kerry shares how her background in policy and human rights led her to the kitchen, why food can be a tool for belonging, and what it...

Pumpkin fatigue is real... but don’t tell its loyal fans. While nearly half of consumers say they’re over pumpkin, it’s still one of the most craved seasonal flavors. Meanwhile, apple is staging a comeback, and consumers are split down the middle on whether they want the classics or crave something new. In this bonus episode, I sit down with Shannon O’Shields, VP of Marketing at Rubix Foods, to di...

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re spotlighting Yessica Perez, Chief People Officer at Ojos Locos Sports Cantina—a brand built by and for the Latino community. Yessica’s story is one of representation, resilience, and results. From her own career journey to overseeing teams where more than half of management roles are filled through internal promotions, she is proving what’s possible when...

In this bonus episode of the WiRL Podcast, we sit down with two women shaping the future of pizza: Laura Meyer, award-winning pizzaiola and owner of Pizzeria da Laura, and Stephanie Swane, publisher at Modernist Cuisine and global pizza advocate. Together, they’re helping launch Fork to Future’s inaugural Pizza Industry Empowers conference—a first-of-its-kind gathering designed to educate, connect...