Creating Restaurant Experiences People Remember. Convo w/ Ford Fry

He Lost His Job. Then Started Making Bagels. Convo w/ Jeff Perera

What happens when losing your job leads to an entirely new career? Jeff Perera, co-founder of Jeff's Bagel Run, joins Ty Wilson to share how a layoff in 2019 led him to learn how to make bagels from scratch, despite having no culinary background. What began as a challenge from his wife quickly turned into an obsession, then a Kickstarter campaign, the sale of their family home, and eventually one of the fastest-growing bagel brands in the country. Jeff also shares what he's seeing across the restaurant industry after walking the floor at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. From AI and dirty sodas to protein-packed menus and beverage customization, he explains why successful brands never stop experimenting. He also discusses franchising, creating systems that scale, and the financial metrics every restaurant operator should be tracking to build a stronger business. What You'll Learn - Franchising Tips - Resiliency tactics when moments get hard - What makes Jeff's Bagel Run Special Episode Links - Jeff Perera LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyperera/ - Jeff's Bagel Run: https://jeffsbagelrun.com/

How a Nearly $22 Million Steakhouse Protects Its Profits. Convo w/ Yassine Lyoubi

What if the best way to improve restaurant profitability isn't cutting costs, but making better decisions? Yassine Lyoubi, partner at Barry's Downtown Prime inside Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, joins Ty Wilson to discuss how one of downtown Las Vegas' busiest independent steakhouses balances old-school hospitality with modern technology. Lyoubi shares how relationships with suppliers, forecasting around major conventions and events, and listening to frontline employees have helped Barry's grow to nearly $22 million in annual revenue. From using year-over-year data to guide purchasing decisions to exploring AI tools that reduce stress for restaurant teams, this conversation highlights how operators can improve profitability without sacrificing the guest experience. Recorded live at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. What You'll Learn: - Why forecasting is critical in a city driven by conventions and events - How strong supplier relationships can protect margins - Why AI should support restaurant teams, not replace them - How frontline employees can uncover your best operational ideas - Where Barry's Downtown Prime sees its biggest growth opportunities over the next two years Episode Links: - Yassine Lyoubi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yassine.lyoubi/?hl=en - Yassine Lyoubi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yassinelyoubi/ - Barry’s Downtown Prime: https://www.barrysdowntownprime.com/ - Barry’s Downtown Prime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barrysprime/

Why Guest Experience Drives Growth. Convo w/ Jason Ganahl of GQue BBQ

What if the biggest obstacle to growth isn't money, competition, or real estate, but self-doubt? Jason Ganahl, founder of GQue BBQ, joins Ty Wilson to discuss how a passion for competition barbecue turned into Colorado's only championship barbecue restaurant brand. Ganahl shares the lessons he's learned growing from a single location to nine units, why guest experience drives every growth decision, and how he financed the business without outside investors. From overcoming self-doubt and finding the right real estate to building people and creating demand through hospitality, this conversation offers a candid look at what it takes to grow a restaurant brand one guest at a time. Recorded live at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. What You'll Learn: • Why Jason Ganahl believes growth starts with guest experience • How GQue BBQ expanded without outside investors • Why self-doubt never disappears, even after opening multiple locations • How challenges create opportunities for growth • Why building people is the most important job of a restaurant leader Episode Links • Jason Ganahl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-ganahl-3694044/ • GQue BBQ: https://gquebbq.com/

Building a Modern BBQ Brand. Convo with Duce Raymond

Duce Raymond joins Ty Wilson to discuss building the next chapter of one of barbecue's most recognizable family legacies. As the son of the chef behind Sweet Baby Ray’s, Raymond shares why he's transitioning to the Deuce’s Wild brand, how an $8 million catering business fuels growth, and what goes into launching a new technology-driven barbecue restaurant. From family history and restaurant financing to AI, drive-thrus, and Amazon sales, this conversation explores the balance between honoring the past and building for the future. Recorded live at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. What You'll Learn: • Why Duce Raymond is transitioning from Sweet Baby Ray’s to Deuce’s Wild • How catering became the primary growth engine for the business • Why technology and AI are part of the future of barbecue • How strategic partnerships help operators scale confidently • How Duce is preserving a family legacy while building something new Episode Links: - Duce Raymond LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duceraymond/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/duceraymond/] - Duce Raymond YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEbFPZr-u8_zOKw6wMNZhUA [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEbFPZr-u8_zOKw6wMNZhUA] - Duce Raymond Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duceraymond/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/duceraymond/?hl=en] - Sweet Baby Ray’s: https://www.sweetbabyrays.com/ [https://www.sweetbabyrays.com/] - True Cuisine: https://www.truecuisine.com/about/duce-raymond [https://www.truecuisine.com/about/duce-raymond] - Duce’s Wild: https://www.truecuisine.com/about/duce-raymond [https://www.truecuisine.com/about/duce-raymond]

Building the Next Chapter. Convo w/ Matty Smokes of Matty Smokes BBQ & Catering

What happens when a restaurant operator walks away from a long-term partnership and decides to rebuild from the ground up? Matthew Vascellaro, founder of Matty Smokes BBQ & Catering, joins Ty Wilson to share why he recently exited a nine-year partnership to fully focus on the next evolution of his barbecue business. From live-fire catering experiences across Long Island to exploring franchising, food trailers, and scalable systems, Matty breaks down the realities of building a hospitality business that can grow beyond the founder. This conversation was recorded live at NRA in Chicago. What You’ll Learn: • Why Matty Smokes decided to leave a long-term partnership and start fresh • How live-fire catering experiences create value beyond just the food • Why building systems matters more than relying on individual talent • How restaurant operators can use AI and technology to track profitability in real time • Why understanding food cost, labor cost, and menu engineering is critical for growth • How hospitality and consistency help brands scale beyond a single operator Visit tabcommerce.com to learn how extended terms, higher limits, and smarter controls can power your growth. Episode Links - Matty Smokes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattycooks/ - Matty Smokes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattysmokes/