From Italy to LA: How Francesco Bacco Built Pizza Fling

From Italy to LA: How Francesco Bacco Built Pizza Fling

In this episode of Dine & Grind [https://dineandgrindpodcast.podbean.com/], Daniel Shemtob [https://www.instagram.com/daniel.shemtob/] sits down with Francesco Bacco, founder of Pizza Fling [https://www.instagram.com/pizzafling/]. Francesco shares how setbacks became fuel, from losing his dream of becoming a professional basketball player due to injury, to moving to Los Angeles without speaking English, to losing work during the pandemic and the Palisades fire. Each challenge ultimately pushed him to take a leap and start Pizza Fling in Santa Monica. Francesco also breaks down his approach to making great pizza, from crust and sauce to toppings.   04:57 Finding Passion in Hospitality 07:11 Adversity, Grit, and Moving Forward 10:35 First Hospitality Job Experience 13:40 Pizza Entrepreneurship and New Opportunities 18:45 Unexpected Call from Police 19:58 Observing People at Work 22:37 Pizza Chef's Green Card Journey 28:33 Grateful Amidst the Fire 31:26 Starting Our Own Business 33:46 Resilience, Reinvention, and Pizza 37:55 Exceptional Ingredients, Unmatched Details 41:20 Celebrating Passion and Hustle 44:18 Gratitude, Pizza, and Snibbs 45:31 Warm Welcome, Great Pizza   🎧 Listen now on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/67IqNn9uOINfVfxO3fR2Hr?si=0fc95182693b43a6], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/tz/podcast/dine-grind-podcast/id1845926969], or visit Dine & Grind [https://dineandgrindpodcast.podbean.com/] for show notes and more inspiring chef interviews.

Canter's Deli: How Alex Canter Is Reinventing a 90-Year-Old LA Restaurant

Alex Canter [https://www.instagram.com/deliboyswag/?hl=en], fourth-generation member of the family behind the legendary Canter's Deli [https://www.instagram.com/canters_deli/?hl=en], joins Daniel [https://www.instagram.com/daniel.shemtob/?hl=en] on Dine & Grind for a candid conversation about legacy, reinvention, and what it takes to keep an iconic institution alive. Alex opens up about growing up inside the business, the realities of running Canter's and how to honor tradition while also building something sustainable for the future.   00:00 Canter's: LA Icon Since 1953 06:01 Playground of Experimentation 13:06 Family Legacy and Restaurant Changes 18:52 Cooking by Feel and Respect 24:08 Night Market's Rise and Shift 31:11 Restaurant Tech's Tablet Hell 34:11 Streamlining Restaurant Ordering Systems 40:00 Think Bigger, Build Globally 46:01 Leadership Challenges and Layoffs 51:03 Entrepreneurship: Resilience and Lessons 57:11 Reimagining Everyday Essentials 01:01:18 Transforming Pain into Comfort   🎧 Listen now on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/67IqNn9uOINfVfxO3fR2Hr?si=0fc95182693b43a6], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/tz/podcast/dine-grind-podcast/id1845926969], or visit Dine & Grind [https://dineandgrindpodcast.podbean.com/] for show notes and more inspiring chef interviews.

Beyond Bizarre Foods: How Andrew Zimmern Overcame Homelessness & Addiction to Become a Food Icon

In this episode of Dine & Grind [https://dineandgrindpodcast.podbean.com/], four-time James Beard Award [https://www.jamesbeard.org/awards] winner and host of Bizarre Foods [https://www.travelchannel.com/show/bizarre-foods-with-andrew-zimmern-travel-channel-atve-us], Andrew Zimmern [https://andrewzimmern.com/], sits down with Daniel [https://danielshemtob.com/] to share the raw, untold story behind his rise. He opens up about his struggle with severe addiction and homelessness, and how he rebuilt his life from rock bottom to become the food icon he is today. In this episode, Andrew reflects on the moment everything changed, how service and sobriety reshaped his foundation, and why empathy became the core of his life and work.   00:00 From Comfort Food to Sneakers 03:21 Summer Job at Seafood Restaurant 07:38 Chef's Passion for Cooking 12:14 Global Cooking Journey to Success 17:18 Opportunity & Giving Back Wins 21:33 Day One of Service 25:20 Grace in Business Management 27:56 Overcoming Self-Focus Challenges 29:55 Building a Storytelling Career 38:24 Empathy and Happiness Explained 45:29 Spirituality Takes Daily Work 49:41 Kaiser Roll Egg Sandwich Staple 50:52 Snibbs Collab with Andrew Zimmern   🎧 Listen now on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/67IqNn9uOINfVfxO3fR2Hr], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-hollywood-to-beverage-founder-inside-aisha-tylers/id1845926969?i=1000738195007], or visit Dine & Grind [https://dineandgrindpodcast.podbean.com/] for show notes, chef interviews, and more stories at the intersection of food and entrepreneurship.

How Don Fox Built Firehouse Subs Into a $1 Billion Sandwich Empire

In this episode of Dine & Grind [https://dineandgrindpodcast.podbean.com/], Daniel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielshemtob/] sits down with Don Fox [https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-fox-0919033/], the CEO who helped transform Firehouse Subs [https://www.firehousesubs.com/] from a small 65-store regional brand into a powerhouse with more than 1,200 locations nationwide.  Don shares the unlikely story of how he entered the restaurant world, the moment he realized Firehouse had something truly special, and the leadership lessons that shaped the brand's explosive growth. He also breaks down the real economics behind franchising and reflects on mistakes learned along the way.   00:00 Don Fox: Industry Legend 04:46 Early Lessons of Hard Work 06:12 Proactive vs Reactive Workplace Mindset 10:15 From Music Dreams to Management 15:31 Musical Journey of Uncertainty 16:42 Embrace Passions, Adapt in Life 19:33 From Field Ops to R&D 24:51 Fast Food Industry Evolution 26:53 Early Franchise Leadership Experience 31:00 Optimizing Leadership and Systems 32:43 First Job: Manual Dishwashing 37:27 Learning Through Observation and Ambition 41:02 Work Ethic Learned by Example 43:43 From Music to Management 50:16 Passion, Paths, and Unexpected Joys 53:39 Operations to R&D Transition 57:38 Supporting First Responders' Impact 58:14 Rapid Fire Success Questions 🎧 Listen now on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/67IqNn9uOINfVfxO3fR2Hr], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-hollywood-to-beverage-founder-inside-aisha-tylers/id1845926969?i=1000738195007], or visit Dine & Grind [https://dineandgrindpodcast.podbean.com/] for show notes, chef interviews, and more stories at the intersection of food and entrepreneurship.

From Hollywood to Beverage Founder: Inside Aisha Tyler's Premium Margarita Brand

In this episode, host Daniel Shemtob [https://danielshemtob.com/] sits down with the multitalented Aisha Tyler [https://www.instagram.com/aishatyler/?hl=en] —comedian, actor, director, and founder of an award-winning ready-to-drink cocktail brand Losophe [https://www.instagram.com/losophe/?hl=en]. Aisha shares how she went from working as a teenage dishwasher and bartender to becoming a Hollywood powerhouse and innovator in the craft cocktail and spirits industry. She opens up about the relentless drive, creativity, and joy that fuel her success across entertainment, hospitality, and brand building. Listeners get an inside look at her journey from Dartmouth to Hollywood, including how her passion for food culture, bar programs, and hospitality inspired her to create an organic margarita that's shaking up the RTD cocktail market. She also delivers candid, behind-the-scenes stories—from setting bars on fire in college to embarking on global foodie pilgrimages to navigating the grind of growing a mission-driven beverage company. Grab a drink and get ready for an episode loaded with laughter, lessons, and serious inspiration.   00:00 Aisha Tyler's Cocktail Journey 05:11 Hospitality with Heart and Humility 06:40 Bartenders: Purveyors of Joy 11:15 Transforming Communities with Green Spaces 18:45 Building a Bar at Home 24:17 Recipe for Heartfelt Success 26:34 Learning Business Through Experience 34:23 Confidence in the Product 37:19 Better Than DIY Cocktails 40:11 Simple Calendar-Based Workflow 43:17 Inbox Zero Efficiency Method 47:04 Balancing Growth and Passion 48:48 Epic Culinary Journey in Sweden 52:14 Margaritas and Boulevardiers 57:29 Passion, Hustle, and Vision   🎧 Listen now on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4WTC9y78n4PwIEjpxDT1yT?si=6bc80c5f9a26424d], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-hollywood-to-beverage-founder-inside-aisha-tylers/id1845926969?i=1000738195007], or visit Dine & Grind [https://dineandgrindpodcast.podbean.com/] for show notes, chef interviews, and more stories at the intersection of food and entrepreneurship.