VBS #114 – To Franchise or Not to Franchise…That Is the Question

VBS #118- Food Education- Culinary is covered, but who’s teaching the business end?

A well-built kitchen staff is like a Roman arch, with the chef serving as the keystone holding an impossible structure upright. The chef must balance creativity, skill, consistency, and business sense. Many chefs see themselves as artists, yet they also run kitchens that must stay profitable. When art and money collide, the result can be burnt toast. In researching this show, we found chefs at all levels struggle to price dishes correctly. In today’s tight margins, why do some lack this essential skill? This gap points to a flaw in culinary education: chefs are trained to cook, but not always to manage finances. Watch our panel on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify as experts explore how culinary education must evolve. Panel: 1. Stephen Zagor – NYU Adjunct Associate Professor- Nutrition and Food Studies, Columbia University – Business School, CIA- Senior Instructor Restaurant and Culinary Business Management 2. Tara Berman – Managing Partner of Tara Paige Group 3. Fred Klashman – Publisher of Total Food Service and Co-Producer of the VBS 4. Larry Sashin – President of L. Sashin & Assoc, Creator and Co-Producer of the VBS virtual breakfast sessions [https://totalfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/virtual-breakfast-sessions-400x400.jpg] April 15, 2026 · Season 1 : Virtual Breakfast Sessions [https://totalfood.com/vbs/] · Episode 118 VBS #118- FOOD EDUCATION- CULINARY IS COVERED, BUT WHO'S TEACHING THE BUSINESS END? 33 Min, 53 Sec · By Total Food Service A well-built kitchen staff is like a Roman arch, with the chef serving as the keystone holding an impossible structure upright. The chef must balance creativity, skill, consistency, and business sense. Many chefs see themselves as artists, yet they also run kitchens that must stay profitable. When art and money collide, the result can be burnt toast.

EDU #1 – The Shape of Modern Culinary – Hospitality Education

We kick off our long-awaited Culinary Education Leaders Series by establishing a clear baseline for choosing the right path to build the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s modern foodservice and hospitality industry. EducationLogo v1 1 [https://totalfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/EducationLogo_v1-1-696x464.jpg] April 10, 2026 · Season 2 : Culinary Education Leaders [https://totalfood.com/vbs/] · Episode 1 EDU #1 – THE SHAPE OF MODERN CULINARY – HOSPITALITY EDUCATION 34 Min · By Total Food Service We kick off our long-awaited Culinary Education Leaders Series by establishing a clear baseline for choosing the right path to build the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s modern foodservice and hospitality industry. In this inaugural session, we break down the who, what, where, why, and how — giving you a meaningful edge in an increasingly competitive field. Panel: * Brian Connors – Director of Innovation & Strategy, Accelerating Learning * Fred Klashman – Publisher, Total Food Service; Co-Producer, VBS * Larry Sashin – President, L. Sashin & Associates; Creator & Co-Producer, ⁠VBS [https://totalfood.com/vbs/]

VBS #117 – Death by a Thousand Costs How Restaurants Bleed Out

Restaurant prices feel just too damn high—at least through the eyes (and wallets) of the average diner. virtual breakfast sessions [https://totalfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/virtual-breakfast-sessions-400x400.jpg] April 9, 2026 · Season 1 : Virtual Breakfast Sessions [https://totalfood.com/vbs/] · Episode 117 VBS #117 – DEATH BY A THOUSAND COSTS HOW RESTAURANTS BLEED OUT 34 Min · By Total Food Service Restaurant prices feel just too damn high—at least through the eyes (and wallets) of the average diner. Restaurateurs insist they have to charge these prices simply to keep the doors open. They’ve changed menus, cut staff, and trimmed costs wherever possible. Yet even after all the cutting, the money still seems to leak out somewhere. So where’s the leak? Where are our dollars really going? The reality is that running a successful restaurant today requires more than yesterday’s playbook. The question is: how do you keep a restaurant afloat without pushing customers away in the process? Watch our panel discussion on YouTube, or listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as our experts dig into this critical issue—breaking down why prices really are so high and what restaurateurs can actually do about it Our Panel: * Guy Salisch- CFO- Vision Financial Strategists * Peter Herrero – Founder and President at New York Hospitality Group * Fred Klashman- Publisher of Total Food Service and Co-Producer of the ⁠VBS⁠ [https://totalfood.com/vbs/] * Larry Sashin- President of L. Sashin & Assoc, Creator and Co-Producer of the VBS

VBS #115 – Coffee with Jane and Dan Meiser

Jane and Dan Meiser raise their family and run a hospitality and farming business in the Mystic and Stonington area of Eastern Connecticut. While they share similar goals with many local business owners, the scope and impact of what they’ve built truly sets them apart. virtual breakfast sessions [https://totalfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/virtual-breakfast-sessions-400x400.jpg] March 19, 2026 · Season 1 : Virtual Breakfast Sessions [https://totalfood.com/vbs/] · Episode 115 VBS #115 – COFFEE WITH JANE AND DAN MEISER 33 Min · By Total Food Service Jane and Dan Meiser raise their family and run a hospitality and farming business in the Mystic and Stonington area of Eastern Connecticut. While they share similar goals with many local business owners, the scope and impact of what they’ve built truly sets them apart. Their hospitality group, the 85th Day Food Community  and their farm, established in 1765, serve as the foundation of a diversified hospitality portfolio that includes four restaurants—two led by James Beard–recognized chefs as well as a celebrated lobster shack recently named to the New York Times list of “Top Restaurants in the USA.” Beyond restaurants, Jane and Dan also operate a scenic wedding and event venue located on their historic farm, along with a charitable organization based on the property. There’s much more to their story—spanning food, farming, hospitality, community outreach, and the core values that guide everything they do. Tune in to Virtual Breakfast Sessions (VBS) #115: Coffee with Jane and Dan Meiser to hear their story firsthand.

VBS #114 – To Franchise or Not to Franchise…That Is the Question

Over the years, I’ve heard countless restaurateurs—some with grandiose visions, others with more reality-based ideas—say, “I think this could become a franchise.” Some concepts are brilliant, some are laughable, but every one of them needs guidance. virtual breakfast sessions [https://totalfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/virtual-breakfast-sessions-400x400.jpg] March 11, 2026 · Season 1 : Virtual Breakfast Sessions [https://totalfood.com/vbs/] · Episode 114 32 Min · By Total Food Service “To Franchise or Not to Franchise…That Is the Question” is a timely, compelling conversation that tackles the questions every would-be franchisor must answer: Is my idea sound? What does franchising really entail? What does it cost? And, most importantly, what’s in it for me? VBS #114 – “To Franchise or Not to Franchise…That Is the Question” is a timely, compelling conversation that tackles the questions every would-be franchisor must answer: Is my idea sound? What does franchising really entail? What does it cost? And, most importantly, what’s in it for me? Listen in as seasoned professionals—those who develop franchise concepts and those who help operators make the leap—break down the step-by-step process of turning a local business into a national or even international brand. Panel: * John Moates- Founder SHCC Brands * Don Bradley- Founder of Lola Beans * Fred Klashman- Publisher of Total Food Service and Co-Producer of the ⁠VBS⁠ [https://totalfood.com/vbs/] * Larry Sashin- President of L’ Sashin & Associates and Creator and Co-Producer of the VBS