When it comes to building a brand, the secret ingredient might just be the same one that makes an unforgettable meal: genuine hospitality.
On this episode of Brand Slam, (add)ventures founder and CEO Steve Rosa and Joe Kayata sit down with Steve DiFillippo, the culinary visionary behind Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. With 10 locations from Boston to Atlanta, Davio’s has become a national name, but its commitment to making every guest feel at home has kept the brand deeply personal.
The conversation begins with DiFillippo’s entrepreneurial leap at age 24, when he bought a struggling Boston restaurant and transformed it into the Davio’s we know today. He kept the name but reinvented everything else, from the food and atmosphere to the service, creating a brand rooted in both consistency and creativity.
Listeners will hear how DiFillippo has marketed Davio’s with heart and hustle, using creative grassroots tactics and strategic retail offerings like his signature steak and cheese spring rolls and sausages that are sold in markets.
The episode also explores how Davio’s adapts to evolving customer lifestyles through collaborations like Awaken180° Weightloss, and how exceptional staff experiences and thoughtful, one-on-one service, showcase the brand’s values in action.
DiFillippo reflects on lessons learned from icons like Julia Child and Bruce Springsteen, and emphasizes the importance of weaving personal values into a brand, from supporting community organizations to embracing new technologies like AI without losing the human touch.
This episode goes beyond the kitchen. It's a branding masterclass for marketers looking to turn values into value.
Interested in a particular topic or want to be a guest? Contact us at brandslam@addventures.com.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.