Corner Booth Podcast Chris Tripoli and Barry Shuster

Chef Emeka Onugha’s passion for healthy food predated his meeting with real estate developer Adenah Bayoh when they launched Brick City Vegan in 2021. “From inception, our approach wasn’t to simply present an imitation of meat, but to create new flavors and textures in popular menu items,” says Emeka of his Montclair, New Jersey counter-service concept. 
Montclair is proximate to Newark, which is known as the “Brick City” for its beautiful brickwork architecture. Emeka’s eponymous concept offers vegan burgers, bowls, sandwiches, and salads for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
“We have established our brand around the popularity of three creative offerings," says Emeka. “The “Black-Eyed Pea”, “Sweet Potato, and “Chickpea” burgers have become our signature items.” 
Emeka’s expansion plans for Brick City Vegan include a second New Jersey location, a unit in Brooklyn NY, and the addition of a breakfast day part. In this episode, he discusses:
Promoting a vegan menu to non-vegans. 
Managing margins with relatively expensive local organic ingredients.
His strategy to bring the signature burger patties to retail.

Kelli Ferrell's dream of a small, limited-menu restaurant serving her favorite Southern dishes started with a vision board, a collage of images that represent and help manifest one’s goals. Eight years later, she purchased a shuttered burger restaurant in her neighborhood and created Nana's Chicken-N-Waffles. “I had no restaurant experience, but I was driven by my passion to serve people, my love for good food, and my marketing ability," says Kelli.
Nana's Chicken-N-Waffles became a popular Atlanta breakfast, brunch, and lunch concept. Kelli is active in the community, has authored a cookbook titled “Kooking with Kelli”, and has been featured on local television programs, including multiple appearances on the Food Network.
With two Atlanta locations. Kelli sets her sights on continued expansion and retail distribution of her concept’s signature waffle mix and syrups. In this episode, Kelli discusses:
Building a brand.
Active social media and community-based marketing.
Why her best managers started as line employees.
The growth opportunities of limited-menu concepts that require less square footage and fewer staff.
How secondary markets and franchising figure into concept expansion.

Seek Hannemann is one of two brothers who assumed the operation of their parents' grill on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. One by one their other five brothers joined the business and Seven Brothers was created. The 2,400-square-foot counter service concept offers burgers with a Hawaiian flair, french fries, salads, and coconut macadamia shrimp.
 
The success of Seven Brothers led to additional locations in the Hawaiian Islands and expansion to the U.S. mainland. In this episode, Seek shares the story of Seven Brothers' creation and discusses:
The decision to expand to the mainland.
The challenges of maintaining a strong family business culture with multiple units.
Why franchising became the concept’s expansion strategy and how it succeeded.
How focusing on the customer and community-based marketing became the concept’s cornerstones of franchisee success.
Why smaller units with drive-thru and delivery services are “What’s Next".
 

Co-founders Jason Sobocinski and Etkin Tekin opened the first Haven Hot Chicken in 2020 and have quickly grown to 8 locations throughout Connecticut. They created a unique blend of marination and pressure frying that provides their chicken with what they call a “Crispy Crust Adhesion," which is flavorful and prevents the crust from separating. These efficient 1200 to 1500-square-foot spaces offer very little dine-in seating and post 90 % of revenue from online order pick up, delivery, and walk-in takeaway.
Jason tells us "Where there is a mission based on passion and a vision that is inclusive, there is success. We win by serving high quality certified Halal chicken, engaging our team members in the business and actively supporting our community” In this episode, Jason and Etkin share their 7 core values referred to as the "Haven Way” as well as provide details on:
Their “Service Physics" culture challenges everyone to view problems as opportunities for improvement
The social media marketing success of Crispy, Crunchy, Juicy, Spicy and Delicious!
Their “On the boat” training philosophy…everyone has an oar but must work together to move forward
The expansion goal of 25 operating units throughout New England by the end of 2025

Hannah McClain is director of culinary and training for Louisville, KY-based Biscuit Belly, a fast-casual regional franchise in the U.S. South, Midwest, and Southeast. McClain has been promoting the company’s motto “Grab Life By The Biscuit!” since 2019. The rapidly expanding counter-service concept offers a wide variety of creative Southern-style biscuit meals such as the Boozy Bird, Biscuit Beenie, Belly Board, and the Love Shack.
"I just knew cooking would be my future,” says McClain, adding, “I started cooking with my uncles and grandmother as a child and haven’t stopped."
McClain discusses Biscuit Belly’s expansion and its franchisee selection, training, and development. She also explains:
Why menu development requires creative staff training practices to ensure consistent operations.
Why customer value is defined by staying true to quality ingredients, consistent portions, and creative presentations.
Why it takes the right people with the right products and following the right processes to be profitable today. (She notes that a recent franchisee opening attracted more than 200 applicants for 35 positions).
Why franchisee selection is like adding family members at the dinner table. (“Closeness and compatibility are what’s most important,” says McClain).
Why franchise field services are more about teamwork and support than supervision and evaluation.

How does a lawyer become the partner of one of the Food Network’s hottest celebrity chefs and restaurant owners? Tune in to find out how attorney Tom Foley met chef Tiffany Derry, selected locations, attracted investors, and launched the business that created Texas’s award-winning Roots Southern Table and Roots Chicken Shak. 
They refer to each other as “Pots-and-Pans Tiffany” and “Pen-and-Paper Tom”, underscoring a unique partnership that Tom believes is the foundation of their success. In this episode, he shares what he learned as the company’s inaugural general manager, how he forged the company’s people-first culture, and his plans for future concepts. Tom also talks about:
How partnering with a celebrity chef raises the level of guest expectations. 
Why learning is a daily experience. Staff and management learn from successes as well as mistakes made.
How cross-training restaurant, bar, and culinary managers build a stronger team and reduce turnover.
How passion, principles, and purpose lead to profitability.
Why staff “bench strength” is a priority when considering expansion.
How to support the community by creating opportunities for social entrepreneurship.