Catering Cage Podcast
Welcome to Catering Cage with Erle Dardick, the ultimate podcast for restaurant operators looking to innovate and excel in the catering industry. Hosted by Erle Dardick, a seasoned expert in catering strategies, this podcast delves into the future of catering with insightful discussions on technology, marketing, culture, sustainability, and more. Each episode features industry experts and successful operators who share their experiences, tips, and predictions for the next wave of catering trends. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the catering scene, Catering Cage is your go-to resource for staying ahead of the curve and driving your business forward. Tune in to discover how you can elevate your catering operations and meet the evolving demands of today's consumers.
Episodes
July 1, 2025 • 34 mins
Join host Erle Dardick and DeliverThat CTO Matt Benzel as they explore the dramatic evolution of catering delivery from simple driver debates to sophisticated hybrid ecosystems. Discover how restaurants are moving toward specialized catering production facilities, leveraging AI for delivery optimization, and why the industry needs dedicated expertise rather than generic solutions. Learn about the operational challenges of managing ...
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June 24, 2025 • 24 mins
Join Erle Dardick and education expert RaVae Beck as they expose the #1 reason most restaurant catering programs plateau at just 12% of sales while industry leaders like Jason's Deli hit 50%+ at top locations. Discover the game-changing training framework that saved one restaurant group during the pandemic, learn why the industry desperately needs its first "Chief Catering Officer," and get exclusive insights into the Off-Premises ...
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April 22, 2025 • 22 mins
In this insightful episode of The Catering Cage podcast, host Erle Dardick interviews Jennifer Saunders-Haynes, Catering Strategist at Elizabeth Jewel Consulting. The conversation explores the critical importance of executive-level catering leadership, with Jennifer emphasizing how a Chief Catering Officer coordinates across operations, marketing, and supply chain departments. They discuss community building in the catering industr...
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April 15, 2025 • 31 mins
In the latest Catering Cage podcast, host Erle Dardick and CaterZen's Michael Attias discuss how AI and automation are transforming restaurant catering while emphasizing the need for specialized management systems, strategic investment during economic uncertainty, and community collaboration. They predict a future with AI order-taking and robot-assisted preparation but stress that investing in catering strategies now can potentiall...
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April 8, 2025 • 8 mins
In this insightful episode of The Catering Cage, host Erle Dardick shares crucial advice for restaurant catering operations facing economic uncertainty. Drawing from 30 years of industry experience, he explains that while corporate spending cuts often impact food budgets first during downturns, these challenges are always temporary. Dardick emphasizes that the most powerful investment during tough times is in people—spreading cater...
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April 1, 2025 • 40 mins
In this insightful episode of The Catering Cage, host Erle Dardick joins catering experts Kelly Grogan and Cherryh Cansler to discuss why restaurants should invest in catering during economic uncertainty. The trio reveals how catering can contribute up to 50% of profits while only representing 20% of sales, making it a strategic focus during challenging times. They preview the upcoming Restaurant Catering Workshop in Austin (Octobe...
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March 25, 2025 • 35 mins
Join Danna Navarro from Boudin Bakery as she reveals game-changing strategies for catering sales in today's challenging business landscape. Learn how to leverage AI, integrate operations and sales teams, and build lasting client relationships through authentic human connection. From technology tools to sales techniques, this episode offers actionable insights for restaurant professionals looking to thrive amid market uncertainty.
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March 18, 2025 • 25 mins
In this insightful episode of The Catering Cage, host Erle Dardick speaks with Andrew Nakkache, Co-founder and CEO of FIRST (YC W19), about revolutionizing catering delivery. Andrew shares FIRST's journey from managing their own delivery fleet to becoming a technology company that connects restaurants with delivery providers through their innovative Delivery Display System. The conversation explores the high-stakes nature of cateri...
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March 11, 2025 • 18 mins
Join Erle Dardick as he interviews Jeremy Hood, founder of Restaurant Results Partners and former restaurant owner, who reveals how independent operators can leverage catering to dramatically increase profits. Jeremy shares his journey from working in his family restaurant to creating systems that allowed for a successful exit, and offers practical advice on menu costing, pricing strategy, and database marketing. Learn how to imple...
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March 3, 2025 • 41 mins
In this eye-opening interview, Garden Catering CEO Frank Carpenteri reveals how his multi-unit restaurant operation transformed their catering strategy from "saying yes to everything" to a focused Monday-to-Friday business lunch model that's driving significant profit margins. Carpenteri shares practical insights on kitchen operations, technology integration, community partnerships, and the coming AI revolution in restaurant cateri...
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February 17, 2025 • 31 mins
In this insightful episode of "The Catering Cage," host Erle Dardick interviews Mary Shillue Goldberg, Director of Catering at Clover Food Lab, who shares her journey from making early morning box lunches to leading catering for Boston's beloved vegetarian restaurant chain. Mary reveals practical strategies for building successful catering operations, including prioritizing operational excellence before aggressive sales, training "...
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February 10, 2025 • 23 mins
Discover how restaurant operator Nick Panos transformed his family's pizza business into a thriving catering operation through innovative technology and operational excellence. Learn his proven strategies for maximizing profit margins, building effective teams, and leveraging unused capacity to scale your catering business. From custom tech solutions to timely delivery systems, Panos shares practical insights on how restaurants can...
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February 3, 2025 • 30 mins
Restaurant industry insider Jason Brooks reveals the shocking truth about why most restaurants are leaving MILLIONS on the table with their catering strategies. Discover the hidden fears, critical mistakes, and game-changing solutions that can transform your food service business from struggling to successful. Whether you're a restaurant owner, manager, or aspiring food entrepreneur, this eye-opening breakdown will show you exactly...
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January 27, 2025 • 41 mins
Dive into the world of professional catering sales with industry veteran Lance VanHemel as he shares invaluable insights on building a successful B2B catering operation. From managing relationships between sales and operations teams across 42 locations to his proven strategies for identifying high-value accounts, VanHemel reveals the secrets behind his impressive track record. Learn about his lightning-fast response time approach, ...
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January 20, 2025 • 27 mins
Join us for an enlightening conversation with Quinn McKenna, co-founder of Byte Kitchen, as he shares his journey from restaurant operations to tech innovation. Learn how this groundbreaking platform is revolutionizing restaurant catering operations by consolidating multiple marketplace channels into a streamlined system. McKenna discusses how small and medium-sized restaurants can compete with larger enterprises, unlock additional...
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January 13, 2025 • 27 mins
In this insightful discussion about the future of restaurant catering, industry experts explore how technology and operations are evolving to meet growing demand. From capacity management challenges to the integration of AI, the conversation reveals how restaurants are adapting to handle multiple revenue streams while maintaining operational efficiency. The discussion highlights the importance of unified platforms that can handle b...
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January 6, 2025 • 56 mins
In this eye-opening industry review, we explore how restaurants revolutionized their catering operations in 2024 through innovative technology and relationship-building strategies. From massive $400,000 single-event orders to AI-driven ordering systems, discover how leading brands balanced automation with personal touch to dominate the B2B catering space. Learn the secrets behind successful packaging innovations, operational excell...
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December 30, 2024 • 30 mins
Meet Szabi Bako, the innovative CEO who transformed a family-run catering startup into Helsinki's largest B2B catering operation in just three years. From launching during the pandemic to hitting million-euro revenue, Szabi reveals the crucial differences between drop-off and event catering, why most restaurants fail at B2B catering, and how the right mix of technology, operational excellence, and flexible service can create a thri...
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December 16, 2024 • 39 mins
Discover how Ryan O'Neil's Curate is revolutionizing the catering industry with cutting-edge technology that transforms event management for restaurants. From AI-powered insights to flexible workflow solutions, this game-changing platform helps food service professionals unlock new revenue streams, streamline operations, and create unforgettable dining experiences. Learn how multi-unit restaurant operators can strategically expand ...
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December 9, 2024 • 46 mins
Discover how modern catering technology is revolutionizing restaurant operations by providing integrated solutions that transform B2B catering from a peripheral service to a strategic, profitable business channel.
Guest: Terry Matthews
RestaurantTech #CateringInnovation #FoodServiceDigital
🫶 Subscribe NOW - Unlock a world of knowledge, innovation, and growth from the largest podcast network in food service! - https://savorfm.substack...
Guest: Terry Matthews
RestaurantTech #CateringInnovation #FoodServiceDigital
🫶 Subscribe NOW - Unlock a world of knowledge, innovation, and growth from the largest podcast network in food service! - https://savorfm.substack...
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