Grounded

In this episode of Grounded, Lauren Mitchell sits down with Mandy Muller to explore leadership, operational excellence, hospitality, and the power of people-first culture in foodservice. Mandy shares her unconventional journey from aspiring Macy’s fashion buyer to leading operations and innovation initiatives at Zaxby's, including insights on scaling a 1,000-location brand, evaluating restaurant technology, franchisee relatio...

In this episode of Grounded, Lauren Mitchell sits down with Christopher Rheault for a wide-ranging conversation on AI, leadership, produce management, supply chain strategy, and the future of global sourcing. Chris shares how AI is already creating operational efficiencies inside Produce Alliance and why human relationships, critical thinking, and purpose-driven leadership will matter even more in the years ahead.

Christopher Rheaul...

Episode Overview

In this episode of Grounded, Lauren Mitchell sits down with Billy Itule, CEO of Willie Itule Produce, for an inside look at the fast-moving world of produce distribution, food safety, cold chain logistics, and restaurant supply chains. From operating in Arizona’s extreme desert climate to managing sourcing relationships with growers in Mexico, Billy shares what it really takes to keep fresh produce mov...

In this episode of Grounded, host Lauren Mitchell brings together voices from across the produce supply chain to pull back the curtain on how sourcing really works—from forecasting and contracts to weather risk, communication, and collaboration. The conversation highlights the complexity behind everyday items like lettuce and broccoli and what national brands need to understand about volatility, planning, and partnership.
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Episode Overview

What does it take to win in today’s restaurant landscape—and what mistakes are brands making along the way? In this episode of Grounded, the conversation dives deep into the realities shaping foodservice in 2026, from the “value frenzy” and shifting consumer behavior to the critical role of hospitality, technology, and brand identity.

Danny Klein, Vice President and Editorial Director at WTWH ...

How Great Restaurant Cultures Are Actually Built

In this episode of Grounded, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with Tara O'Neill to explore what it really takes to build a people-first culture in the restaurant industry. Tara shares how her background in counseling psychology shaped her leadership philosophy and how she applies it to hospitality—focusing on culture, career growth, burnout prevention, and the future of pe...

Episode Overview

In this episode of Grounded, Lauren Mitchell sits down with Dustin White to demystify produce pricing, contracts, and quality management in foodservice. From a single case of lettuce to national supply chain strategy, Dustin breaks down how product moves from the field to the restaurant—and where costs, quality risks, and pricing volatility come into play.

Dustin White is part of the Fresh Division at Buyers Ed...

In this episode of Grounded, Lauren Mitchell sits down with Billy Loesch to explore the mindset, risk tolerance, and systems required to scale a modern food brand. Billy shares his journey from Wall Street to founding Baya Bar in 2016, and how he grew the concept from a single Brooklyn location to 41 locations with more in development.
 Billy Loesch is the Founder and CEO of Baya Bar, one of the fastest-growing smoothie and...

Hopdoddy Burger Bar President & CEO Jeff Chandler joins Lauren Mitchell to break down what it takes to scale a fast-casual brand without losing what makes it special. Jeff shares leadership lessons from his University of Washington football days, how Hopdoddy approaches authentic hospitality, and why quality-driven sourcing and true vendor partnerships matter—especially after COVID. If you’re building culture, drivi...

Episode Overview

In this episode of Grounded, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with James Bonanno, Founder & CEO of Upstream Hospitality Group, to unpack how a kitchen dream turned into a fast-growing hospitality portfolio across Long Island—and beyond. James shares the “two weeks to open” origin story behind Tap Room, what it really takes to scale from one location to 20+, and how culture, character, and...

Episode Overview

Chef Chris Decker joins Grounded to share how 30 years of pizza-making turned into a mission-driven craft rooted in community, creativity, and connection. He and host Lauren Mitchell unpack the story behind Truly Pizza—from its name and hospitality philosophy to the culture that keeps guests coming back for life’s biggest moments. This episode is a reminder that great meals tell stories—and the det...

In this episode of Grounded, host Lauren Mitchell brings together an inspiring panel of women leaders in hospitality to explore a question many professionals wrestle with: How do you continue to grow in your career while protecting your physical and mental well-being—especially with a demanding travel schedule?

Joining the conversation are four dynamic leaders, each carving her own path in the industry:

• Julie Zucker, Partne...

Supply Chain Expert Exchange Recap: Freight, Fresh, and the Power of Peer Networks

In this special recap episode of Grounded, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with a powerhouse panel of supply chain leaders to unpack the biggest insights from this year’s Supply Chain Expert Exchange. Joining Lauren are:

Jen Silveira, Vice President of Supply Chain, CAVA

Owen Brady, Executive Vice President, BEP Fresh (Buyers Edge Platform)

Adam Hin...

Explore how modern supply chain leadership goes beyond procurement in this episode with Ken Bianchi, Senior Director of Purchasing at Checkers & Rally’s Drive-In Restaurants. With more than 25 years of experience across leading brands, Ken brings deep insight into operational resilience, supplier partnerships, and data-driven transformation.

From replacing spreadsheets with real-time dashboards to navigating global disrupt...

How does starting on the front lines of a restaurant shape the way you lead at the executive level? On this episode of The Grounded Podcast, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with Cindy Keys, Vice President of Procurement at Snooze A.M. Eatery, to talk about leadership, scaling, and building meaningful supplier partnerships.

From starting as a hostess to now leading procurement for one of the most vibrant breakfast concepts in the coun...

What does it take to run a global supply chain while keeping brand values intact across diverse international markets? On this episode of The Grounded Podcast, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with Will Cash, Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain & Quality Assurance at Church’s Texas Chicken.

With more than 15 years of experience at iconic brands like Popeye’s and Krispy Kreme, Will brings a wealth of knowledge ...

What does it take to grow from flipping burgers at 15 to leading a successful restaurant brand built on people, purpose, and consistency? On this episode of The Grounded Podcast, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with David Youngberg, CEO of Stonefire Grill, to talk about leadership, growth, and staying grounded in the fundamentals of hospitality.

From helping BJ’s Restaurants expand from 20 to 200 locations to now steering S...

What does it take to successfully grow a brand while keeping operations simple, consistent, and people-focused? On this episode of The Grounded Podcast, host Lauren Mitchell sits down with Lori Cominsky, Vice President of Operations and Training at Pancheros Mexican Grill, to explore leadership, training, and scalable growth in the fast-paced hospitality industry.

Lori shares how staying closely connected to frontline employees, emb...

Explore how blending culinary insight with supply chain strategy can create more resilient, guest-centric food operations. Michael Chalmers, Director of Supply Chain Strategy at Levy Restaurants, shares his unique career path from the U.S. Marine Corps to the kitchen and into supply chain leadership.

In this episode, Michael breaks down the power of cross-functional collaboration, how data and forecasting reduce waste, and why direc...