What's Cooking? | A Podcast from Nory

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What's Cooking? is the podcast for hospitality operators scaling smart. Hosted by Conor Sheridan – CEO and co-founder of Nory, and a former operator who built and ran multi-site restaurant brands himself – each episode goes behind the scenes of fast-growing restaurant groups to explore the operational challenges that actually matter - like disconnected systems, staffing chaos, and margin pressure. Through honest conversations with industry leaders you’ll get practical insight into what’s working on the ground right now - from automation and AI to culture, data, and waste reduction. No fluff. No forecasts. Just the blueprint for better hospitality operations at scale. New episodes every two weeks.

Episodes

  1. Inside Nory’s Series B: disrupting hospitality with AI

    SEP 18

    Inside Nory’s Series B: disrupting hospitality with AI

    In this special episode of What’s Cooking?, host Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, is joined by Jose Gaytan de Ayala, Investment Manager at Kinnevik, to unpack Nory’s recent $37 million Series B raise. They dive into what attracted Kinnevik to Nory, how AI is revolutionising restaurant operations, and what it takes for a hospitality tech company to win in a legacy industry. This is a candid conversation about capital, culture, and creating real-world impact. Nory is on a mission to put restaurants back in control of their own profitability. More sites opened, more jobs created, more money pocketed. What You'll Learn in This Episode >> How Nory plans to double profitability for restaurant partners >> The power of permanent capital in venture investing >> How AI is becoming a proactive force in hospitality operations >> Why legacy industries like hospitality are ripe for tech disruption Meet Our Guest Jose Gaytan de Ayala is an Investment Manager at Kinnevik, where he leads SaaS and AI investments. With a background spanning Credit Suisse, NFX, and Kibo Ventures, Jose brings a systematic and growth-oriented approach to venture investing in Europe and the U.S. About the Host Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality. Enjoyed the Episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible! Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations. Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn Follow Jose Gaytan de Ayala on LinkedIn Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

    50 min
  2. Prezzo Italian: ​why ​brand ​is an ​operating ​system, ​not a ​campaign

    SEP 4

    Prezzo Italian: ​why ​brand ​is an ​operating ​system, ​not a ​campaign

    What does it take to align brand, culture, and operations in hospitality? Mark McCulloch, Founder of Hospitality Marketing Guru and CMO of Prezzo Italian, joins Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, on the latest episode of What’s Cooking? to share how he led a successful brand repositioning at national scale. From Pret to Prezzo Italian, Mark dives into building brand DNA, strategic marketing leadership, and navigating the friction between vision and operational reality. What You'll Learn in This Episode >> Why a brand is more than just a logo—it’s your business operating system. >> The strategic process behind Prezzo’s rebrand to Prezzo Italian. >> How to align culture, product, and reputation for scalable growth. >> The role of AI in marketing planning and personalisation in hospitality. >> How to measure marketing success in a margin-conscious industry. Meet Our Guest Mark McCulloch is a veteran hospitality marketer and CMO of Prezzo Italian. He’s helped shape iconic brands like Pret A Manger and YO! Sushi, and now leads marketing strategy at Prezzo Italian while training the next generation through Hospitality Marketing Guru. About the Host Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality. Enjoyed the Episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible! Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations. Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn Follow Mark McCollough on LinkedIn Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

    52 min
  3. Inside Rosa's Thai's playbook

    AUG 21

    Inside Rosa's Thai's playbook

    What does operational excellence really look like in the real world of hospitality? In this episode of What’s Cooking? Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, sits down with Jonny Bramwell, Regional Head of Operations at Rosa’s Thai, to explore how the brand scaled a transformative internal programme—Rosa’s Done Right. Jonny shares leadership lessons, key challenges, and how to balance beautiful chaos with brand consistency across 46+ locations.  Discover how aligning culture with systems drives results in team retention, guest sentiment, and commercial performance. What You'll Learn in This Episode >> How Rosa’s Thai used the "Rosa’s Done Right" framework to embed consistency across 46 locations >> Why bottom-up leadership and team empowerment are critical for successful operational transformation >> How focusing on guest sentiment and team turnover can unlock long-term profitability >> What “beautiful chaos” means and why it’s a strategic asset, not a liability >> Why new openings now require faster, more impactful rollouts—and how Rosa’s is leading the way Meet Our Guest Jonny Bramwell is the Regional Head of Operations at Rosa’s Thai and a hospitality leader known for blending operational rigour with creative energy. With a career spanning venue launches, content creation, and strategic leadership, Jonny is passionate about building engaged teams and delivering consistent, memorable guest experiences. About the Host Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality. Enjoyed the Episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible! Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations. Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn Follow Jonny Bramwell on LinkedIn Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

    37 min
  4. Blacklock's people-first growth strategy

    AUG 7

    Blacklock's people-first growth strategy

    In this episode of What’s Cooking? Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, sits down with Maria McCann, Operations Director at Blacklock, to uncover how the brand has grown without compromising its people-first ethos. From retaining team culture across regions to transforming chef training, Maria shares tactical insights that have helped Blacklock scale smartly and sustainably.  Discover the role of radical candour, local community integration, and leadership development in building hospitality teams that thrive. What You'll Learn in This Episode >> How Blacklock retains and exports its culture as it expands outside London >> Why succession planning across venues fosters internal growth >> The impact of bespoke training like Radical Candour on kitchen culture >> How Blacklock uses local engagement to ensure new venue success >> Why investing in people lowers turnover and improves profitability Meet Our Guest Maria McCann is Operations Director at Blacklock and a hospitality veteran with over 17 years of experience. From Shake Shack to Blacklock, she has built a reputation for creating people-first cultures that fuel operational excellence and sustainable growth. About the Host Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality. Enjoyed the Episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible! Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations. Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn Follow Maria McCann on LinkedIn Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

    41 min
  5. How chaos helped Giggling Squid thrive

    JUL 24

    How chaos helped Giggling Squid thrive

    In this episode of What’s Cooking? Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, sits down with Darko Salaj, Operations Director at Giggling Squid, to uncover the unconventional strategies behind the brand's rapid expansion.  From thriving amid Covid to rejecting corporate rigidity, Darko shares his unique approach to operations, leadership, and scaling sustainably. Tune in to discover how embracing individuality and structured chaos can be a winning formula for hospitality. What You'll Learn in This Episode >> Why "slow down to go fast" became Darko’s mantra for growth. >> The surprising benefits of structured chaos in hospitality operations. >> How Giggling Squid kept scaling through Covid while maintaining culture. >> Why personal connection beats metrics in spotting operational red flags. >> The role of resilience and individuality in building strong restaurant teams. Meet Our Guest Darko Salaj is Operations Director at Giggling Squid, where he brings over 25 years of hospitality experience across major brands like Prezzo and Chimichanga. Known for his hands-on leadership and candid insights, Darko has helped scale Giggling Squid to over 50 sites while preserving its founder-led spirit. About the Host Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality. Enjoyed the Episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible! Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations. Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn Follow Darko Salaj on LinkedIn Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

    33 min
  6. Change management lessons from Bill's Restaurants

    JUL 10

    Change management lessons from Bill's Restaurants

    Tom James, Managing Director at Bill’s Restaurants, joins Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, to share how he led the brand through record-breaking growth over the past 4 years by doubling down on guest experience, change management, and technology.  With decades of experience and a deep operational background, Tom shares how he’s led Bill’s Restaurants through significant transformation, balancing heritage and innovation while maintaining a relentless focus on the guest experience. Listeners will gain insights into how Tom approaches change management, builds alignment across teams, and integrates new technologies without losing sight of what makes a hospitality brand thrive. From piloting initiatives at select sites to rethinking training and communication across 47 locations, this episode is a masterclass in the leadership strategies and operational tactics that helped a legacy brand adapt and thrive in a dynamic hospitality landscape. What You'll Learn in This Episode >> How to lead a successful change management programme in hospitality >> Why guest experience is the single most important operational metric >> The value of frontline team empowerment through tech and training >> What it takes to trial and scale innovation across multiple sites >> How data-driven decisions improve team engagement and profitability Meet Our Guest Tom James is Managing Director at Bill’s Restaurants, where he has led the brand to record sales and a 100% increase in EBITDA. With over 30 years in hospitality, Tom has held leadership roles at Jamie’s Italian, Coppa Club, and Harbour Hotels, known for his operational excellence and people-first approach. About the Host Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality. Enjoyed the Episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible! Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations. Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn Follow Tom James on LinkedIn Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

    45 min

  7. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Trailer

    What's Cooking? is the podcast for hospitality operators scaling smart. Hosted by Conor Sheridan – CEO and co-founder of Nory, and a former operator who built and ran multi-site restaurant brands himself – each episode goes behind the scenes of fast-growing restaurant groups to explore the operational challenges that actually matter - like disconnected systems, staffing chaos, and margin pressure. Through honest conversations with industry leaders you’ll get practical insight into what’s working on the ground right now - from automation and AI to culture, data, and waste reduction. No fluff. No forecasts. Just the blueprint for better hospitality operations at scale. New episodes every two weeks.

    1 min

Trailer

About

What's Cooking? is the podcast for hospitality operators scaling smart. Hosted by Conor Sheridan – CEO and co-founder of Nory, and a former operator who built and ran multi-site restaurant brands himself – each episode goes behind the scenes of fast-growing restaurant groups to explore the operational challenges that actually matter - like disconnected systems, staffing chaos, and margin pressure. Through honest conversations with industry leaders you’ll get practical insight into what’s working on the ground right now - from automation and AI to culture, data, and waste reduction. No fluff. No forecasts. Just the blueprint for better hospitality operations at scale. New episodes every two weeks.

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