Women in Restaurant Leadership

Chef Adrianne Calvo on the Kitchen That Started It All

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 watching, learning, creating together. That's where Chef Adrianne Calvo fell in love with food—and where her entire life was set in motion. But Chef Adrianne's story goes so much deeper than just becoming a chef. It's about building an empire while staying connected to that original spark. It's about creating a restaurant that's on national "must-eat" lists, reaching 1.2 million followers across social platforms, collaborating with everyone from Formula One to the NFL to luxury brands, and still making time to give back through her Make It Count Foundation. In this episode, we trace Chef Adrianne's journey from that Chicago kitchen to Miami restaurants to YouTube series to global influence. We talk about her philosophy on "Maximum Flavor," what drives her to create across so many platforms, and how she balances ambition with the core values that got her started. More than anything, this is a conversation about staying true to your roots even as you build something big. About remembering that kitchen. About cooking with intention and purpose. If you've ever wondered what it takes to turn a childhood moment into a life of creativity, connection, and impact, this episode is for you. You can learn more about Chef Adrianne, her foundation, and her cookbooks here: https://adriannecalvo.com/

Jane McPherson Is Playing the Long Game

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 industry transformation. We talk about what it means to play the long game—to lead with strategy, patience, and a commitment to building something that lasts. Jane brings deep expertise in unit expansion, systemwide sales growth, and franchise partnership. But what makes her story really compelling is how she's remained relevant and forward-thinking across three decades of change. She's watched the industry transform from pre-digital to tech-enabled, and she's adapted every step of the way. We dig into the pivotal moments that shaped her career, the trends she's witnessed, the lessons from leading across nationally recognized brands, and how she's now focused on enhancing customer experience through technology-driven solutions at Penn Station as the brand approaches their 500th location. You'll hear about her philosophy on supporting franchisees, balancing growth with culture, and what it means to lead with both strategic depth and human awareness across an entire era of restaurant business. This is the story of a leader who knows that real success isn't about quick wins—it's about playing the long game.

BONUS: Why Restaurants Need More Women in Trades (Kristen Nowak)

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 supporting commercial kitchens. Kristen has built her career in the skilled trades—a space where women make up only a small fraction of the workforce—and she's here to talk about why that needs to change. We get into her career journey, the critical role technicians play in keeping restaurants running, and the significant labor shortage the industry is facing. But more importantly, we explore why expanding opportunities for women in skilled trades isn't just the right thing to do—it's essential for the future of the industry.

Olivia Ross Wants You to Do What Sets Your Heart on Fire

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 advisory board member and Director of Growth & Digital Innovation at El Pollo Loco—a leader who's driven profitable growth for billion-dollar QSR brands through marketing innovation, digital transformation, and integrated strategy. Olivia shares what it really takes to speak with authority, build confidence in high-stakes environments, and lead boldly at the intersection of data, technology, and brand. We dig into how she claimed her space early in her career and what shifted when she did. She talks about speaking with authority in technical, high-stakes roles, and why visibility and influence are power skills, not soft skills. We explore strategies for holding the floor and making your voice heard without shrinking, and how to establish credibility when you're pushing organizations to evolve. Olivia also shares the mindset shift that makes the biggest difference for women navigating visibility, and what excites her most about the future of growth and digital innovation. This is the conversation about presence, confidence, and why owning your expertise isn't negotiable. #WiRLPOWER

The Art of Thoughtful Growth: Inside Eggs Up Grill's Leadership

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 the most delicate balances in restaurant leadership: how to expand while staying true to what makes the brand work. #WiRLPOWER