Nashville Restaurant Radio

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, host Brandon Styll sits down with Debra Sunderland, founder of Sunderland Coaching, to explore how conscious leadership can transform not only your business — but your life.

Debra is an Enneagram coach and a certified facilitator of conscious leadership, working with leaders and teams across industries to help them lead with clarity, presence, and self-awareness. In this conversation, w...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, I sit down with Julio Hernandez, the visionary chef and owner of Maiz De La Vida, one of Nashville’s most beloved Mexican food concepts. Julio opens up about the challenges of running and scaling three locations, from staffing and consistency to the constant hustle of keeping quality at the forefront.

We also dive into some big news—Julio shares details about a potential new locatio...

Recorded Live at the GFS Food Show

In this special episode, we took Nashville Restaurant Radio on the road to the GFS Food Show, capturing the voices, stories, and energy of food professionals from across the region. From chefs and owners to tech innovators and vendor partners, the conversations all carried a common thread: this business is tough, but the passion runs deep.

Featured Guests:

• Nick Florek – Head of Back of House (bac...

For the first time in five years, I sat down with my friend Bill Laviolette—this time inside his brand-new Shotgun Willie's location in East Nashville. This episode marks the first-ever recording in the space, and it couldn’t have been more fitting as we dug into the real challenges of opening, owning, and operating a restaurant in today’s Nashville.

Bill shares candid insights on:

• The realities of building and moving into a new ...

In this episode, we dive into the story and mission of the Nashville Area Restaurant Alliance (NARA). Built by restaurant people, for restaurant people, NARA is a community-driven initiative designed to unite independent restaurants across Middle Tennessee.

We explore how NARA helps operators secure better deals on goods and services by leveraging group purchasing power, while holding vendors accountable through a code of conduct th...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Brandon sits down with Kevin Finch, Executive Director of Big Table, and Becky Kinder, City Director for Big Table. Big Table is a nonprofit that exists to care for those who care for us—the people working in restaurants and hospitality.

Together, we dive into:

• What sets Big Table apart from other restaurant and hospitality-focused charities.

• The role of faith and values in thei...

Guests:

• Jacob Steiner – Brand Ambassador, Robert Mondavi Winery

• Jessika Hickman – Field Sales Manager, Constellation Brands

• Jennifer Alexander – Key Account Manager (On-Premise), Lippman Brothers

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Episode Overview

In this episode, we sit down for an impromptu but lively conversation with three people shaping the way wine is experienced and sold in Nashville and beyond. From Napa Valley to Broadway, we dig into the history, tren...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Ryan Reisdorf—founder of Placemat—joins us to explore how healthy, at-home dining and hospitality can foster community well-being. A former nursing student turned entrepreneur, Ryan shares the journey that led him to launch Placemat out of a passion for health and connection.

Episode Highlights

• From Nursing School to Meal Platform

Ryan began studying nursing and metabolic disease a...

Hey y’all, welcome back to Nashville Restaurant Radio — I’m your host, Brandon Styll, and today I have the honor of sitting down with one of the most fascinating and talented chefs in our city — Jake Howell, chef and partner at Peninsula Restaurant here in Nashville, and the 2025 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Southeast.

This is a marathon of an episode — just over two hours — and honestly, I could’ve kept going.

Jake is a t...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Brandon sits down with Tyler Lechtanski, the creative force behind Jambox, one of Nashville’s most talked-about sandwich shops. From his roots in fine dining to launching a concept rooted in nostalgia and bold flavor, Tyler shares the journey that led him to create a neighborhood favorite that’s redefining what a sandwich shop can be.

We dive into:

• Tyler’s culinary background, includ...

In this episode, we’re joined by Aaron Vaccaro, CEO of Liquor Lab, a hands-on, interactive cocktail experience with locations in Nashville and Louisville.

Aaron shares the story behind Liquor Lab’s unique concept — part mixology class, part social event — and how it’s become a go-to destination for team building, date nights, and unforgettable group experiences. We talk about what makes the Liquor Lab model so successful, how his ba...

In this lively episode, we sit down with Janell and Mike Bass, the husband-and-wife duo behind PonyBoy Slings, the ready-to-drink bourbon cocktail that’s quickly taking the market by storm.

We kick things off by learning how they met, the proposal story (yes, it’s a good one), and whatever Bumble is—because, apparently, your host needed a quick dating app tutorial.

From there, we dive into their backgrounds in bartending, acting, and...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Brandon sits down with Mark Waldo, the founder of Waldo’s Chicken & Beer — one of the fastest-growing chicken concepts in the Southeast.

Mark shares the story behind Waldo’s: from opening the first location in Germantown, to now expanding into multiple states with a clear mission — great chicken, cold beer, and genuine hospitality. We talk about what makes Waldo’s different in a cro...

This special bonus episode is a little different. Today, we’re sharing an episode from another podcast — Shut Up and Thrive! — where our very own Brandon Styll was the guest.

Over the past year, Brandon has experienced profound personal loss. Within a single month, he lost his cousin Blake, his grandmother, and his beloved cat, Mr. Business. While he hasn’t talked much about this journey on Nashville Restaurant Radio, the emotional ...

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month and Men’s Health Month — and we’re diving deep into both.

Today’s guest is Dr. Joe Pazona, board-certified urologist and founder of Pazona MD, who joins us to talk about something we all need more of: preventative health.

From prostate health and prostate cancer screenings to erectile dysfunction, GLP-1 medications for weight loss, hormone optimization, and the importance of regular checkups — we co...

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Matthew Clements, Partner at Robins Insurance Agency, and a trusted expert in hospitality-focused risk management. Before we dive into our conversation, I take a moment to share some background on the Nashville Area Restaurant Alliance (NARA) — a growing community of local restaurant owners working together to leverage collective buying power, improve vendor relationships, and support each other ...

In this powerful and practical episode, we sit down with Kristine Mylls, founder of Mylls Hospitality Marketing, right after her return from the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. Kristine brings the heat with her Top 10 actionable tips restaurant operators can implement today to improve their marketing efforts. From current trends to the rise of hospitality influencers, we cover it all—with plenty of laughs and real ...

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Ken Pelletier, Co-Founder of Calexo, to break down the newly signed legislation HB 1376, recently approved by Governor Bill Lee.

Ken brings clarity to what this bill actually means for the Tennessee hospitality and beverage industry, especially for restaurants and bars looking to serve hemp-derived THC beverages.

We cover:

• ✅ What’s changing under HB 1376

• 📅 When the new regulations go into effe...

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, host Brandon Styll sits down with Vince Lanni, a multifaceted leader in Nashville's hospitality scene. Vince wears many hats: he's the General Manager at Greenery Co., a fresh, fast-casual restaurant in Hillsboro Village known for its locally sourced salads, bowls, and seasonal dishes . He's also the founder of Serve Up Strategies, a consultancy dedicated to helping bars and restaurant...