Corner Booth Podcast

Hosted by Chris Tripoli

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100

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

Candid Conversations with Today’s Restaurant Entrepreneurs

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60 recent

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.

June 2, 2026Episode 14651 min

Episode 138: Michael Serva with Bordo

Michael Serva brings a rare combination of fine dining training, journeyman experience, and small-town insight into his work at Bordo in Marfa, Texas. His background spans San Francisco kitchens, mentorship under demanding chefs, and years of hands-on leadership in other operators’ restaurants. That journey shapes the perspective he brings to running a compact, high-pressure operation in a remote location where consistency, resilience, and people skills matter as much as technical ability. In this episode, Michael talks about operational seasonality, staff development, quality standards, and guest experience systems as he explains how Bardo grew from a converted Airbnb into a destination with lines out the door. He describes learning by doing, making mistakes under someone else’s roof, and the long process of developing judgment before opening his own place. He also explains how limited supply options, high-volume surges, and a tiny production space reinforced his commitment to craft, patience, and steady improvement. Michael also shares why he built a community-grounded service model in Marfa, how he aligned his concept with local expectations, and why overdelivering on hospitality is a daily practice rather than a marketing tactic. From hiring locally to expanding only when operations demanded it, he illustrates how intentional choices, humility, and genuine care can fuel strong word-of-mouth‑ growth even without traditional advertising.

May 19, 2026Episode 14551 min

Episode 137: Mohammad Farraj with Talkin' Tacos

Mohammad Farraj, cofounder and Chief Marketing Officer of Talkin’ Tacos, joins Chris Tripoli on Corner Booth to share how an unconventional concept scaled rapidly without relying on debt, outside investors, or long‑term franchising. What began as a small food truck experiment during his final year of dental school evolved into a fast‑casual brand operating across multiple states, driven by disciplined reinvestment and hands‑on operational control. The conversation focuses on the realities of scaling through bootstrapped growth. Mohammad explains how early traction created pressure to expand quickly, forcing difficult decisions around capital use, real estate, and systems. Rather than pursuing new construction, the brand leaned into second‑generation locations to reduce risk, preserve cash, and shorten opening timelines. These choices shaped how the company approached expansion without compromising ownership or flexibility. The episode also explores how operational decisions supported growth at scale. Extended hours created meaningful late‑night revenue, while kiosk‑based ordering helped stabilize labor without removing human interaction from the guest experience. A strong emphasis on employee retention and internal promotion allowed the brand to staff new markets with experienced leaders rather than starting from scratch. Throughout the discussion, Mohammad reinforces that sustainable restaurant growth depends on patience, negotiation, and building systems that support long‑term execution rather than short‑term momentum.

May 5, 2026Episode 14452 min

Episode 136: Allison Balfour with Southerleigh Hospitality Group

In this episode of Corner Booth, Chris Tripoli interviews Allison Balfour, cofounder of Southerleigh Hospitality Group, as she shares an operator’s perspective shaped by both hotel management and independent restaurant ownership. Before launching her own concepts, Allison spent years working in full‑service hotels and luxury properties, where she gained exposure to large teams, service culture, and structured operating systems that later influenced how she built her restaurant group. The conversation focuses on the challenges of managing multiple restaurant concepts within a single organization. Rather than scaling one brand repeatedly, Southerleigh developed distinct concepts with different service styles, menus, and guest expectations. Allison explains how this approach introduces complexity around leadership development, brand clarity, and operational consistency. Growth decisions were driven by readiness and opportunity, not aggressive expansion goals, requiring careful evaluation of people, systems, and timing. A central theme throughout the episode is bench strength and internal leadership development. Allison describes how promoting from within allowed Southerleigh to open new concepts without destabilizing existing restaurants, even during periods of uncertainty. The discussion also touches on concept differentiation, operational systems, and the selective use of technology systems to support training, communication, and visibility without replacing hospitality. Taken together, the episode offers insight into how restaurant groups can scale thoughtfully while preserving culture, clarity, and long‑term operational health.

April 21, 2026Episode 14347 min

Episode 135: Mark Greenblatt with Barry Bagels

Mark Greenblatt, Chief Operating Officer of Barry Bagels, joins Chris Tripoli on Corner Booth to share how a family‑run bakery evolved into a growing franchise brand without losing operational discipline. Having grown inside the business and later stepping into leadership, Mark brings a long‑term operator perspective shaped by decades of hands‑on experience across production, expansion, and franchise support. The conversation centers on the decisions required to build a scalable franchise growth strategy. Mark explains how Barry’s focused first on strengthening operational systems and expanding gradually from its strongest markets, rather than pursuing rapid national growth. This deliberate approach allowed the brand to build confidence in execution, supply chain relationships, and training before adding geographic complexity. The episode also explores how Barry’s diversified revenue and adapted its model to changing consumer behavior. Operating as a multi-daypart concept reduced reliance on breakfast traffic, while catering, retail, and wholesale production created multiple revenue streams that supported stability. As occupancy costs and off‑premise demand increased, the brand adjusted its footprint using a hub‑and‑spoke approach, reinforcing restaurant footprint optimization without sacrificing product quality. Throughout the discussion, Mark emphasizes that thoughtful growth depends on selecting the right franchise partners, maintaining system discipline, and aligning expansion decisions with long‑term brand health.

April 7, 2026Episode 14246 min

Episode 134: Otto Othman and Adrian Sanchez with Pincho

Otto Othman and Adrian Sanchez join Chris Tripoli on Corner Booth to share the real operational story behind building and scaling Pincho Burgers and Kebabs, a fast‑casual restaurant brand that grew from a single underfunded location into a multi‑market operation with locations throughout Florida and Texas. As cofounders and hands‑on operators, their perspective comes from navigating growth without institutional safety nets, formal training, or excess capital. The conversation centers on the challenges of restaurant growth and the discipline required to scale responsibly. Otto and Adrian reflect on the early years, when modest performance and trial‑and‑error learning tested patience and resolve. As the business matured, opening a second location exposed the limits of informal management and forced a shift toward documented systems and processes. That transition marked the difference between simply operating restaurants and building a repeatable business. The episode also explores strategic decisions around ownership, pricing strategy, and expansion. After experimenting with franchising, the founders reassessed control and alignment, ultimately returning to a company‑owned growth model supported by experienced partners. Rising costs required thoughtful pricing decisions focused on perceived value rather than blanket increases. Expansion into a new market further reinforced the importance of market localization, from menu adjustments to guest expectations. Throughout the discussion, Otto and Adrian emphasize that sustainable scaling depends on structure, adaptability, and protecting the core of the brand while it evolves.

March 24, 2026Episode 14144 min

Episode 133: Tina Nielsen editor FCSI

Host Chris Tripoli talks with Tina Nielsen, who brings a high-level, industry-wide perspective to this episode of Corner Booth. As editor of Foodservice Consultant magazine, she works closely with restaurant consultants, designers, and operators across global markets, giving her a unique vantage point on how independent restaurants are adapting to shifting customer expectations, labor constraints, and rising costs. The conversation focuses on how value perception in restaurants has changed. Tina explains that guests no longer define value by low price alone. Instead, they evaluate whether an experience is worth their time, attention, and money. As operators serve multiple generations simultaneously, expectations around speed, convenience, and experience have diverged. This creates tension between delivering hospitality and managing the growing dominance of off‑premise dining, where most transactions now occur outside the dining room. Tina also explores how operators are responding through smarter design, automation, and reframed approaches to staffing. Smaller footprints, flexible layouts, and back‑of‑house technology help restaurants operate efficiently without sacrificing connection. At the same time, long‑term success depends on staff retention strategies that treat employees as invested contributors rather than interchangeable labor. Throughout the episode, Tina frames sustainability as a holistic challenge; one that includes financial viability, team stability, guest experience, and environmental responsibility. All of which must be balanced to build resilient restaurant businesses.

March 10, 2026Episode 14037 min

Episode 132: Heather Neary with Tacos John's

In this episode of the Corner Booth Podcast, host Chris Tripoli sits down with Heather Neary, CEO of Taco John’s, to discuss the secrets behind growing a successful quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand. Heather shares her inspiring career journey from working in a cheesesteak shop to leading major franchise organizations, offering valuable lessons for restaurant owners and franchise operators looking to scale their businesses. Heather dives deep into franchise management strategies, including how to select the right franchise partners, maintain brand standards, and foster collaboration for long-term success. She explains the importance of strong operational systems, profitability at the unit level, and how technology, such as AI-driven drive-thru solutions, can optimize labor and improve customer experience. Listeners will gain actionable insights on balancing value-driven menu options with premium offerings to attract diverse customer segments. The conversation also explores Taco John’s brand refresh initiative, focusing on leveraging heritage, freshness, and nostalgia to stay relevant in today’s competitive QSR market. Heather outlines how the company is pruning underperforming units, introducing cost-effective remodel programs, and using data analytics to enhance marketing and menu decisions. Whether you’re a restaurant owner, franchisee, or industry professional, this episode delivers practical strategies for driving growth, improving operations, and building a strong brand identity.

February 24, 2026Episode 13949 min

Episode 131: Doug Willmarth with Beans and Brews Coffeehouse

The Corner Booth podcast dives into the fast-growing specialty coffee and beverage market with guest Doug Willmarth, CEO of Beans & Brews Coffeehouse. Host Chris Tripoli explores how this regional favorite evolved from a single Salt Lake City coffee shop into a thriving franchise network. Wilmarth shares his journey from early restaurant roles to leading major brands like Pizza Hut and Wingstop, offering unique insights into what drives success in the competitive coffee industry. In this episode, listeners will learn about specialty coffee trends, including the rise of Gen Z-driven beverage innovation, cold brew popularity, and the growing demand for energy drinks and refreshers. Wilmarth explains why the coffeehouse franchise model is booming, with projections of 6–8% annual growth in the specialty beverage segment. He also discusses operational strategies, from optimizing drive-thru concepts to leveraging technology for better customer experiences while maintaining the human touch that defines hospitality. For entrepreneurs and operators, this conversation is packed with actionable advice on franchise growth strategies, selecting the right partners, and expanding into nontraditional locations like airports and universities. Wilmarth emphasizes the importance of culture, transparency, and strong support systems in scaling a brand. Whether you’re interested in coffee franchise opportunities, restaurant leadership, or the future of the beverage industry, this episode delivers valuable insights for anyone looking to thrive in hospitality.

February 10, 2026Episode 13846 min

Episode 130: Jamie Adams and Leonardo Moura

In this Corner Booth podcast episode, host Chris Tripoli sits down with seasoned restaurateurs Jamie Adams and Leonardo Moura to explore the art and challenges of managing multiple restaurant concepts. From their humble beginnings in the hospitality industry to building four successful dining establishments in Atlanta, Jamie and Leonardo share their entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of defining a unique restaurant concept and creating memorable guest experiences. Listeners will gain actionable insights on how to scale restaurant operations, manage partnerships, and adapt to changing market trends. The discussion covers critical topics such as concept development, restaurant design, budgeting, and leveraging technology for efficiency. Jamie and Leonardo also reveal how they navigated obstacles like the pandemic by introducing innovative ideas, including a speakeasy-style pizzeria within an existing restaurant. Their story highlights resilience, creativity, and the power of collaboration in the competitive foodservice industry. Whether you’re a restaurant owner, aspiring entrepreneur, or hospitality professional, this episode offers practical advice on growth strategies, marketing tactics, and operational excellence. Learn how to read demographics, build strong culinary teams, and use technology wisely without sacrificing the human touch. Packed with real-world examples and expert tips, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to succeed in the dynamic world of restaurant management and multi-concept dining.