Corner Booth Podcast

Hosted by Chris Tripoli

Business Entrepreneurship Management Arts FoodInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

100

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

About the show

Candid Conversations with Today’s Restaurant Entrepreneurs

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 13, 2026Episode 16048 min

Episode 148: Julie Nguyen with Crawfish Cafe

In this episode of Corner Booth, host Chris Tripoli sits down with Julie Nguyen, co-owner of Crawfish Cafe, a five-location restaurant group built around one of the restaurant industry's toughest challenges: a highly seasonal product. What began as a leap from the tech world into restaurant ownership has grown into a multi-unit operation, forcing Julie and her team to continually adapt, solve problems, and rethink how to build a business that can thrive beyond peak season. For many operators, success creates new challenges. Julie shares how Crawfish Cafe evolved from a small family-run concept into a growing organization that depends on strong restaurant systems, structured training programs, and relentless problem-solving to maintain operational consistency across multiple locations. The conversation explores the realities of seasonal staffing, the difficulty of rebuilding teams year after year, and the lessons learned from expansion decisions that did not always go as planned. Chris and Julie also discuss the ongoing effort to reduce reliance on a single seasonal category through menu diversification, strategic product marketing, and thoughtful use of technology. From managing demand during peak season to creating reasons for guests to return year-round, this episode offers practical insights for operators working to build a stronger, more resilient business while preparing for long-term growth.

October 6, 2026Episode 15955 min

Episode 147: Tim Gannon with Outback Steakhouse

In this episode of Corner Booth, host Chris Tripoli sits down with Tim Gannon, co-founder of Outback Steakhouse and creator of the Bloomin' Onion, whose leadership and growth strategies helped shape one of the restaurant industry's most influential brands. While Tim's career includes building one of the restaurant industry's most recognizable brands, this conversation is less about restaurant fame and more about the decisions, relationships, and leadership principles that helped make that growth possible. Every growing restaurant eventually faces questions about leadership, partnerships, talent, and opportunity. Tim's journey offers a unique perspective on each of those challenges, drawing from experiences that range from learning under industry legends to helping build one of casual dining's most successful concepts. Operators thinking about restaurant growth, leadership development, or concept development will find plenty to relate to in the decisions and turning points that shaped his career. Behind every successful restaurant is a team of people who choose to stay, grow, and invest in the business. Tim offers a candid look at the leadership philosophies, organizational decisions, and people strategies that helped support Outback's expansion. For operators looking to strengthen teams, develop future leaders, or build a business positioned for long-term success, his experiences provide plenty to think about. Book a free restaurant financial consultation with the Cerboni team: Cerboni Services. RestaurantOwner.com members receive a special discount when signing up with promo code: ROCERBONI.

September 22, 2026Episode 15846 min

Episode 146: Kyle Gardner with Currito and CityBird

Kyle Gardner has spent the past 16 years growing with Currito, rising from assistant general manager to Vice President of Operations for Thunderdome Restaurant Group's fast-casual brands, Currito and CityBird. Along the way, he's gained a front-row view of what it takes to build strong restaurant teams, develop future leaders, and support growth across multiple locations. In this episode, he shares the lessons he's learned about leadership development and why investing in people remains one of the most important responsibilities of any operator. One of the biggest challenges growing restaurants face is building a reliable leadership pipeline without losing the culture that made the business successful in the first place. Gardner explains how his team approaches promote from within opportunities, why they restructured the assistant general manager role, and how exposing rising leaders to different stores and teams helps prepare them for greater responsibility. The conversation offers a practical look at developing managers before they reach the general manager level instead of waiting until a position opens. The discussion also explores the difference between managing tasks and leading people. Gardner shares why consistent coaching, structured management training systems, and ongoing training and development have become central to the company's success. For operators focused on employee development, stronger manager retention, and creating sustainable growth, this episode provides an honest look at the systems and leadership habits that help teams perform at a higher level. Empower your managers to understand the latest regulatory requirements by getting ServSafe trained. Learn More. RestaurantOwner.com members receive a special discount when signing up through the RestaurantOwner Marketplace .

September 8, 2026Episode 15739 min

Episode 145: Dimitri Fetokakis with Niko Niko’s Greek & American Cafe

In this episode of Corner Booth, Chris Tripoli speaks with Dimitri Fetokakis, owner of Niko Niko’s Greek & American Cafe, about building and sustaining a family‑run restaurant over nearly five decades. The conversation traces the restaurant’s origins in Houston, Texas from a small walkup stand to a high‑volume, multi‑unit operation rooted in community connection, operations consistency, and hospitality traditions passed down through generations. The discussion focuses on how family-run restaurant longevity is shaped by values rather than aggressive growth goals. Dimitri explains how commitment to authentic ingredients, generous portions, and treating guests like family created loyal demand long before formal systems existed. As the concept expanded physically and operationally, decisions were guided by maintaining atmosphere and culture rather than chasing trends or rapid unit counts. The episode also explores culture-first restaurant growth, including employee retention, leadership presence, and the deliberate pace of expansion. Dimitri shares how systems were added only after the business proved itself, and why organizing existing success was more important than reinventing the concept. For independent operators navigating growth, staffing challenges, or second‑generation leadership, this episode offers a grounded look at how consistency, respect, trust and patience can improve performance and sustain brand identity over time. Empower your managers to understand the latest regulatory requirements by getting ServSafe trained. Learn More. RestaurantOwner.com members receive a special discount when signing up through the RestaurantOwner Marketplace .

August 25, 2026Episode 15649 min

Episode 144: Carolyn Haeler with Mightylicious

In this episode of Corner Booth, Chris Tripoli speaks with Carolyn Haeler, founder of Mightylicious, about the realities of developing a packaged food product and bringing it to retail at scale. The conversation follows Hunter’s transition from finance into food entrepreneurship after a medical diagnosis forced her to rethink convenience, nutrition, and product quality. Her experience frames the discussion around why successful food products are rarely accidental. The episode explores the full lifecycle of retail product development, from in‑home prototype development and recipe iteration to securing early store placements and navigating buyer conversations. Rather than focusing on branding alone, the discussion emphasizes product validation in grocery retail, including why tasting, repetition, and consistent quality matter more than perfect packaging early on. The challenges of working with distributors, managing manufacturer relationships, and preparing for regional versus national rollout are addressed with practical tips provided. The conversation also dives into the financial realities behind scaling packaged food brands, including slotting fees, free fill requirements, marketing costs, and cash flow gaps. Hunter explains why retail growth often outpaces profitability in the short term and how operators must plan for capital needs before expansion. For restaurant owners considering packaged products as a brand extension, the episode provides a grounded look at decision points, risks, and misconceptions that can derail otherwise strong ideas. Empower your managers to understand the latest regulatory requirements by getting ServSafe trained. Learn More. RestaurantOwner.com members receive a special discount when signing up through the RestaurantOwner Marketplace .

August 11, 2026Episode 15554 min

Episode 143: Danielle Dobiecki with Carolina Table

In this episode of Corner Booth, Chris Tripoli speaks with the founders of Carolina Table about what it really takes to extend a restaurant brand beyond the dining room. Drawing from deep experience in event planning, grocery operations, and hospitality execution, the conversation examines why brand extension beyond the dining room often looks appealing on paper but proves far more complex in practice. The discussion focuses on the realities of off‑premise catering operations and why success requires entirely different systems than in‑restaurant service. From early planning and site visits to menu design, transportation constraints, and timeline management, this episode highlights how off‑site execution introduces risks that many operators underestimate. Rather than treating catering as an add‑on, the founders explain how disciplined event execution systems and clear standards are required to protect food quality, proper presentation, and ensure successful guest experience. The episode also explores how Carolina Table is using catering as both a revenue stream and a proof point for a future grab‑and‑go retail market concept. By focusing on production and proper event planning with thoughtful pricing for value perception, the conversation offers independent operators a well-grounded look at how successful catering strengthens a brand and improperly implemented, how it can quietly undermine it. Throughout, the emphasis remains on systems, preparation, and decision-making rather than volume for volume’s sake. Empower your managers to understand the latest regulatory requirements by getting ServSafe trained. Learn More. RestaurantOwner.com members receive a special discount when signing up through the RestaurantOwner Marketplace .

July 28, 2026Episode 15446 min

Episode 142: John Terzian and Brian Toll with The h.wood Group

In this episode of Corner Booth, Chris Tripoli sits down with John Terzian and Brian Toll, co‑founders of The h.wood Group, to explore how hospitality concepts are created, refined, and expanded at scale. The conversation traces their early paths into nightlife and hospitality, highlighting how passion for hosting, community building, and creative execution shaped their approach to business long before formal restaurant development. The discussion focuses on the realities of concept creation and what it takes to move an idea from vision to execution. Terzian and Toll describe how early experimentation, frequent failure, and complementary leadership roles helped them define the hospitality brand positioning they now operate within. Rather than chasing trends, they emphasize understanding target audiences, recognizing gaps in the market, and committing to a clearly defined lane that guides decision-making. As the conversation evolves, the founders address challenges tied to scaling concepts across markets, investor alignment, rising costs, and shifting guest behavior. They share how disciplined expansion, selective replication, and a strong internal division of responsibilities support sustainability. Throughout the episode, independent operators are encouraged to think critically about partnerships, capital structure, and whether a given model is truly built to grow without losing identity. Empower your managers to understand the latest regulatory requirements by getting ServSafe trained. Learn More. RestaurantOwner.com members receive a special discount when signing up through the RestaurantOwner Marketplace .

July 14, 2026Episode 15341 min

Episode 141: Randy Sharpe with Wahlburgers

This episode of Corner Booth features Randy Sharpe, CEO of Wahlburgers, whose ownership is comprised of Chef Paul along with celebrity brothers Mark and Donnie Wahlberg. Sharpe shares his perspective after joining the brand during a pivotal transition period, stepping into leadership at a time when the company needed to reassess growth, execution, and brand standards. His background as a multi-unit operator and executive shaped a pragmatic, operations-first approach focused on sustainability rather than rapid expansion for its own sake. The conversation centers on the realities of smart restaurant growth and the operational consequences of expanding too quickly without the right partners. Sharpe explains how Wahlburgers made tough decisions to reduce locations, standardize menus, and remove operators who could not meet expectations, reinforcing the importance of brand consistency and quality-first operations. He outlines how defining clear business models and limiting variation allowed the brand to improve performance while reclaiming control of its guest experience. Sharpe also addresses modern challenges operators face, including franchise vetting, rising costs, labor pressures, and the role of leadership culture in retention. Rather than relying on celebrity recognition alone, the brand emphasizes disciplined decision-making, culture-driven retention, and using technology for insight instead of replacement. The episode offers independent operators a grounded perspective on how deliberate planning, honest self-assessment, and protecting brand value can build long-term success. Sponsored by ServSafe Empower your managers to understand the latest regulatory requirements by getting ServSafe trained. Learn More. RestaurantOwner.com members receive a special discount when signing up through the RestaurantOwner Marketplace .

June 30, 2026Episode 14839 min

Episode 140: Giancarlo Pagani with Mother Wolf

Giancarlo Pagani grew up inside restaurants, learning early from a father who managed one of Los Angeles’ most notable dining rooms. His foundational years exposed him to both the highs of successful openings and the realities of a restaurant bankruptcy. Those early experiences shaped a deep respect for operational discipline, clear concept definition, and the long-game mindset needed to survive in the competitive restaurant business. His later work with major chefs and groups taught him structure, leadership, and the importance of mentorship, helping him rise quickly through management roles before stepping into entrepreneurship. In this episode, Giancarlo explains how a strong concept begins with clarity and intention, not trend-chasing. He discusses how concept focus, guest experience standards, and attention to every sensory detail drive longevity. Through his work on Mother Wolf, he shows why warm, inviting environments outperform moody or overly stylized spaces, and how accessible design can attract everyday diners, business guests, and celebrity clientele without reinventing itself for each audience. Giancarlo also shares lessons from launching and closing concepts, emphasizing site selection discipline, avoiding forced deals, avoiding under-financing, and building restaurants that match their economic realities. He describes expanding through new IP and licensed brands, explaining how strategic growth models allow him to scale thoughtfully while maintaining standards. For operators seeking to grow, his story demonstrates the value of learning from mentors, choosing the right spaces, and building restaurants designed to last.

June 16, 2026Episode 14745 min

Episode 139: Charlie Eblen with Single Tree BBQ

Charlie Eblen of Single Tree Barbecue shares a candid look at building a business from scratch after losing his corporate role in 2020. His background spans Army service, restaurant leadership training, and years shaping future managers, but starting over as a solo operator forced him to relearn everything he thought he knew. His story offers rare insight into the realities of moving from corporate structure to independent ownership, and why operator humility, financial hardship, and entrepreneurial learning curves shaped the foundation of his brand. In this episode, Charlie discusses the challenges of opening during the pandemic, including long days with no events, struggling to sell food in freezing weather, and facing the reality that self-reliance skills and restaurant business operations differ from corporate checklists. He explains how the food truck years built his customer base, taught him consistency standards, and embedded him deeper in the community. That grassroots support ultimately made it possible to transition into a brick-and-mortar partnership and rebuild his menu for a larger kitchen with limited staffing. Charlie also shares how disciplined growth, team development, menu engineering, and a strong commitment to community impact drive both his restaurant and his expanding media platform. From third-party delivery demand to launching a podcast and media company, he demonstrates how independent operators can expand their influence while staying grounded in service, storytelling, and purpose.