Women in Restaurant Leadership

Satyne Doner
  • 5.0 (11)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Women in Restaurant Leadership is a new podcast from the teams at QSR and FSR magazines and the podcasts QSR Uncut and The Restaurant Innovator. It will explore stories and insights from women leaders across the industry, creating a space to share ideas, aspirations, and help progress the sector forward. Join the WiRL movement!

  1. FEB 24

    Alice Crowder’s Marketing Playbook

    Everyone has a marketing playbook. The real question is… does it actually work? In this episode of the WiRL podcast, marketing maven Alice Crowder breaks down what foodservice marketing is supposed to look like—and where so many brands quietly go off the rails. We talk about the four pillars that should anchor every strategy: culinary, brand, creative, and digital. Why insights aren’t optional. Why marketing cannot afford to pick between serving the guest and serving ownership. And how credibility inside an organization is earned—or lost. This conversation is sharp, honest, and just uncomfortable enough to be useful. If you care about growth, performance, and marketing that actually makes sense, this one might challenge you a little. BONUS: A lightning round at the end you can't miss!

    27 min

  2. FEB 10

    Casey Halbach Wants You to Ditch the Career Ladder

    What if success wasn’t something you climbed toward — but something you designed? In this episode of the WiRL podcast, Casey Halbach, Founder of Intentional Talent Solutions and a WiRL Advisory Board Member, joins us for a deeply human conversation about leadership, timing, and the pressure women carry to “do it all” in the right order. Casey shares why the myth of perfection keeps so many women stuck, how the traditional career ladder fails real life, and why alignment, presence, and seasonality matter more than any linear path. We talk about burnout, ambition, motherhood timelines, and the radical idea that women were never designed for just one moment of impact. This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt behind, off-track, or quietly wondering if there’s another way. Spoiler: there is. For more inspiration daily, check out Casey's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its.your.seasons/

    34 min

  3. JAN 27

    Jax Sperling Has Big Dip Energy [Craveworthy Brands]

    Somewhere between the test kitchen and the supply chain spreadsheet is where the magic happens. In this WiRL Day-in-the-Life episode, we sit down with Jax Sperling, Vice President of Culinary & Supply Chain at Craveworthy Brands, and the woman behind Big Chicken’s reimagined menu. From Shaq Snacks and buttery garlic toast builds to the real decisions that make big food executable, Jax shares how creativity, strategy, and leadership intersect every day. We talk about her career path, what it really looks like to lead culinary innovation at scale, and how “big fun” becomes operational reality across a growing brand portfolio. It’s an honest, insightful, and playful look at leadership — with plenty of big dip energy along the way.

    21 min

  4. JAN 13

    Christin Marvin’s Journey From Line Cook to Leader

    Leadership in hospitality isn’t just about managing a team or hitting numbers. It’s about people, culture, and resilience. In this episode, I sit down with Christin Marvin, who started her restaurant career as a line cook at just 15 and went on to become a managing partner, helping scale brands to 48 locations. She’s the founder of Solutions by Christin, author of Multi-Unit Mastery and The Hospitality Leader’s Roadmap, and host of one of the top restaurant leadership podcasts in the world. Christin shares her journey, including: The pivotal lessons that shaped her leadership styleBuilding systems that make growth sustainable, not chaoticStrengthening teams, reducing turnover, and creating cultures that thriveHow mental health and wellness play a role in successful leadershipWhether you’re leading a restaurant, a team, or your own career path, this episode is packed with actionable insights and human-first leadership lessons.

    33 min

  5. SEASON 4, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    Welcome to 2026: A New Year for WiRL [Mini Episode]

    2026 is here, and we’re starting the year with intention, gratitude, and community. In this solo (and mini) kickoff episode, Senior Editor Satyne Doner reflects on the WiRL community’s incredible growth in 2025, shares a grounding reminder that it’s okay to ease into the new year, and looks ahead at everything coming for Women in Restaurant Leadership in 2026. From our biggest Women in Restaurant Leadership Together Summit yet this February in Charleston, to upcoming webinars, podcast conversations, Power Hours, editorial storytelling, and more, this episode sets the tone for a meaningful year ahead. If you’re joining us in Charleston, register here. And as always, this community is built with you. Satyne invites you to share what you want from WiRL this year, who you’d love to hear on the podcast, and what conversations matter most to you as a leader. Here’s to a thoughtful, powerful, intentional start to 2026.

    11 min

  6. 12/16/2025

    Grief at Work: What Leaders Need to Understand (with Elizabeth Meltz)

    Listener note: This episode includes sensitive conversation around grief and loss. We invite you to listen in the way that feels most supportive to you. Grief doesn’t stay at home—it often comes to work with us. Yet many leaders are never taught how to recognize it, respond to it, or create space for it within their teams. In this episode of the WiRL Podcast, we’re joined by Elizabeth Meltz, founder of EM Path, and a longtime leader and advocate in the food and hospitality industry. Drawing from her leadership experience at organizations including Tacombi, Dig Food Group, Eataly, and Genuine Foods—and as co-founder of Women in Hospitality United—Elizabeth explores how grief shows up in the workplace and what compassionate, human-centered leadership can look like during difficult moments. Together, we discuss the many forms grief can take, the subtle ways it may surface at work, and how leaders can respond with empathy, care, and intention—without needing to have all the answers. Support resources: If this conversation brings up anything personal, and you’re looking for support, help is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Additional resources shared by EM Path are available here: https://www.choose-empath.com/about

    21 min

  7. 12/02/2025

    Designing the Future of Guest Experience with Jessica Kwa

    What happens when you combine restaurant-floor instincts, deep empathy, and industry-defining CX strategy? You get Jessica Kwa, Head of Customer Experience Strategy at Qualtrics, who helps some of the world’s biggest brands truly understand what customers need—and how to design experiences that turn insight into action. In this episode, Jessica breaks down: Why guest expectations are skyrocketingHow technology is shifting from “collecting feedback” to anticipating needsWhat operators still underestimate about the modern dinerHow to unify data, amplify frontline teams, and build a culture grounded in real-time listeningThe most exciting ways AI is reshaping CX without losing the human elementWhere leaders can start if they’re ready to transform their guest experienceIt’s a conversation about empathy, clarity, and the power of listening at scale—perfect for anyone leading teams, shaping brand strategy, or building the future of the hospitality industry.

    28 min

  8. 11/18/2025

    The Unscripted Journey of Susan Wilcox and The Herb Box

    What happens when a woman with zero preconceived notions steps into the food world and builds a 30-year culinary powerhouse? Last week, I sat down with Susan Wilcox, founder of The Herb Box, whose fearless leap into catering in 1995 sparked one of Scottsdale’s most beloved restaurant brands. Susan shared how she turned a whole-foods vision (long before it was cool) into a thriving business with two restaurant locations, private dining, and a full-service catering company — all while staying grounded in her mission to feed people well. If you need a dose of entrepreneurial honesty, longevity, and grit — this episode delivers. It's #WiRLPower in action.

    25 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Women in Restaurant Leadership is a new podcast from the teams at QSR and FSR magazines and the podcasts QSR Uncut and The Restaurant Innovator. It will explore stories and insights from women leaders across the industry, creating a space to share ideas, aspirations, and help progress the sector forward. Join the WiRL movement!

Information

  • Creator
    Satyne Doner
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Women in Restaurant Leadership
  • Show Website
    Women in Restaurant Leadership