Nashville Restaurant Radio

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 restaurants streamline operations, reduce waste, and boost profitability .

Beyond his operational roles, Vince is the voice behind the Talking Chocolates podcast, where he delves into topics ranging from leadership and entrepreneurship to, of course, chocolate.

In our conversation, Vince shares insights on:

• The importance of mindset in hospitality leadership

• Strategies for creating efficient and profitable restaurant operations

• The inspiration behind Greenery Co.'s commitment to fresh, locally sourced ingredients

• Balancing multiple roles in the dynamic world of food service

Whether you're a restaurant owner, manager, or just passionate about the culinary industry, this episode offers valuable takeaways on building and sustaining successful food service ventures.

We’re thrilled to welcome Leesa Leclaire, President & CEO of the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association (GNHA), to the podcast today!

In this episode, Leesa breaks down the important work the GNHA is doing to support and advocate for local restaurants and hospitality businesses. We dive into the current state of the industry in Nashville, the challenges operators are facing, and the exciting ways GNHA is stepping up to make a difference.

From workforce development to legislative advocacy, Leesa is leading impactful initiatives that are shaping the future of hospitality in our city — and we were honored to have her join us in studio for this conversation.

If you care about the restaurant and hospitality community in Nashville, you don’t want to miss this one.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.
📲 Follow us on Instagram @nashville_restaurant_radio for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

We’ve got something truly special for you today! This episode was recorded live from the TN Flavors event at Nashville State Community College, home of the incredible Randy Rayburn School for Culinary Arts. It was an amazing night filled with food, community, and conversation—and we had so much fun capturing it all!

We spoke with a fantastic mix of chefs, entrepreneurs, city leaders, and hospitality pros—each with their own unique story and perspective. It’s a celebration of everything that makes Nashville’s food and hospitality scene so vibrant.

👥 Here’s who you’ll hear from, in order of appearance:

• Lous the Sous & Chef Christopher from Café Margot

• Travis McVey, Founder of Heroes Vodka

• Carmelo & Corrado Savarino, Owners of Savarino’s Cucina

• Tom Druffel, Director of Hospitality at Nashville State & Metro Council Member, District 23

• John Drake, Chief of Police, Metropolitan Nashville

• Leesa LeClaire, President of the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association (GNHA)

• Craig Clift, Partner at Elliston Place Soda Shop & Midtown Café

• Alyssa Gangeri, Partner at Buttermilk Ranch

• Joy Styles, Metro Council Member, District 32

Every conversation brought something fresh—from passion for local ingredients and entrepreneurship to the power of culinary education and community connection.

🎧 Whether you’re in the industry or just love good food and good people, this episode is for you. Tune in, enjoy, and let us know what you think!

🔗 Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow food lovers!

In this episode, we sit down with Henry Roberts, the Founder and Owner of Two Hands in The Gulch and Franklin. Henry shares his incredible journey, from growing up in Sydney, Australia, to traveling to America, opening his first Two Hands location in New York City, and eventually expanding into Nashville.

We dive into the challenges and triumphs of building a restaurant brand, his experiences in the industry, and what led him to Music City. Along the way, Henry reflects on meeting his wife, the lessons he’s learned as an entrepreneur, and what it takes to create a thriving hospitality business.

We wrap up the conversation with a fun rapid-fire round, covering his favorite bands, best concert experience, favorite movies, and more.

This was a fantastic conversation, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Tune in now and join us for an inspiring episode! 🎙️

We’re back with an all-new episode, featuring the one and only Claire Crowell! Claire is the President at A. Marshall Hospitality and the CEO of Hattie Jane’s Creamery. This marks her fourth time on the show, and she always brings incredible insights into the restaurant industry.

Claire also writes The Out of the Weeds Collective, where she shares her thoughts on restaurant leadership and leadership in general.

In this episode, we dive into:
✔️ What brought Claire back to A. Marshall Hospitality
✔️ A behind-the-scenes look at her typical day
✔️ Her best leadership advice
✔️ General industry talk—trends, challenges, and opportunities

Don’t miss this one! 🎧

📲 Follow us on socials: @Nashville_Restaurant_Radio
✅ Hit that subscribe button on your favorite podcast platform!

#RestaurantIndustry #Podcast #Leadership #Hospitality #NashvilleRestaurants #ClaireCrowell #OutOfTheWeeds

On this all-new episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, we’re joined by Ken Pelltier and Ian Colon, the COO and CEO of Calexo!

Calexo is a trailblazing hemp-derived THC beverage available in three refreshing flavors: Cucumber Citron, Citrus Rose, and Semi Tropic (my personal favorite!).

In this episode, we dive into:
✅ The process behind creating Calexo
✅ The science that makes it unique
✅ The brand’s origin story and concept

This is Ken’s second time on the podcast—be sure to check out his first interview from January 2024 for more insights!

You can find Calexo at fine liquor stores—and if they don’t carry it, ask them to stock it! For businesses, Lipman Brothers is your go-to distributor.

Tune in now and enjoy the conversation! 🎧

In this episode, we’re joined by Marta Grumberg, an accountant based in Charlotte, North Carolina, who specializes in restaurant accounting. Marta reached out to share her expertise on the unique financial challenges and opportunities in the restaurant industry.We cover a lot, including:How to identify hidden costs in restaurant operations 🔍Practical strategies to optimize cash flow 💡Why proper cost analysis is crucial for setting menu prices 📊How specialized accounting can drive growth and long-term success 🚀Adapting your financial structures to meet current food service trends 📈BONUS: Special tax strategies to help you maximize savings for the rest of 2025! 🛡️Whether you’re a restaurant owner, manager, or just passionate about the business side of food, this episode is packed with actionable insights you won’t want to miss.🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts!

On today’s episode, we’re kicking off the new year with an incredible guest—Stephen Faust, Chef and Partner at McGuffin Catering. Stephen takes us behind the scenes of life on film sets, sharing fascinating stories from the culinary world of entertainment. We also dive into his inspiring journey of 28 years of sobriety and discuss the challenges he faced evacuating his home during the California fires.

But that’s not all! In the intro, I’ll catch you up on everything I’ve been up to lately, introduce some exciting new sponsors, and share details about a brand-new alliance I’m forming. This initiative is all about helping you increase profits and strengthen relationships with our amazing partner vendors.

There’s so much to cover today—so grab your coffee, settle in, and stay tuned to Nashville Restaurant Radio!

In this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, we’re thrilled to welcome Ray McBride, CEO of Black Sheep Tequila, a Nashville-based tequila brand that’s making waves in the spirits industry.

Ray brings his high-energy style and passion for tequila as he shares:

• The story behind Black Sheep Tequila and what inspired the brand’s unique name.
• Why their tequila is considered the best in the world, with their Añejo earning double gold at the San Francisco Spirits Competition three years in a row.
• How Nashville became the perfect home base for their operation.

If you’re a tequila enthusiast, a restaurant professional, or just someone who loves hearing about bold ideas and big wins, this episode is for you.

About Our Guest:
Ray McBride is the visionary leader behind Black Sheep Tequila, a brand that’s redefining premium tequila. With a commitment to quality and an unconventional approach, Ray has helped position Black Sheep as a standout in the industry, earning accolades and growing a loyal following.

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Miller Chandler and LeeAnn James, the powerhouse duo behind the Chandler-James team at Lee & Associates here in Nashville. Together, they share insights into their work, what drives their passion, and their dedication to helping businesses find the perfect location to grow and thrive. With deep expertise in the Nashville market, they know how to pinpoint the ideal spot for any business.

Miller and LeeAnn discuss the most overrated and underrated areas in Nashville for commercial real estate, giving listeners an insider’s perspective on where to look and where to steer clear. If you're thinking about expanding your business, now is the perfect time to reach out to them to start crafting a strategic plan tailored just for you.

John Stephenson made the difficult decision to close his beloved restaurant Hathorne early this past September. We have never really done an episode where we talk to someone who just closed their place, but John was willing to come on and discuss some of the factors that helped him make that tough decision. We want to say a big thank you to John for the vulnerability to share his experience.

This episode has the longest intro we have ever done, almost 45 minutes. After the intro, we talk with Mike and Marino from Joe Muer Seafood. They tell the story, and a lot of operational content as well. Stay tuned next week for John Stephenson, and The Chandler James Team the following week.

Chris Chamberlain (Nashville Scene Writer) and D. Patrick Rodgers (Editor of the Nashville Scene) join Host Brandon Styll as they talk to Chef's and Restaurant owners about their BON 24 wins, and of course, the acceptance speeches.

Featuring..

Jon and Wilson from NOKO- Best Restaurant (readers pick)

Hrant Arakelian- Owner- Lyra- Best Mediterranean

Andrew and Anne- Owners- The Villager- Best Dart Bar

Andy and Cody- Owners Bad Luck Burger Club- Best Burger. Best Food Truck (with special surprise appearance from Big Daddy Sean Porter of Daddy's Dogs)

Tiffani and Andy- The Catbird Seat- Best New Chef addition

Ben Norton- Chef- Husk- Best Restaurant (writer's pick)

Edger Victoria- Owner/ Chef- Alebrije- Best Chef

Chef V joins the show to talk about his new line of sauces called The Flavorsmith. Crystal and Brandon also taste them all. Chef V also tells his story of coming up through the ranks of Jean-Georges, and moving to Nashville to open Maneet Chauhan's first restaurant Chauhan Ale & Masala house. He left there to pursue a restaurant called the Hook with Dale Levitski, and ultimately opened several restaurants for the Honest company. His story is awesome, and inspirational, and we are so excited to share it with you today!

Morgan Castillo- Owner- Tin Fish- Newburg, IN 3:14

Ed Schwartzman- Owner Gable's Bagels- 17:00

Eric Jones and Jason Smith- Smokeshow BBQ-29:22

Bad Luck Burger Club- Andy and Cody- 40:10

Andrea Chaires- Owner- The Rosepepper- 55:00

Howard Jones- Owner- Kingdom Cafe 1:06"30

Patrick Cairoli- North American Customer Solutions Manager 3:04

Paul Hunter- New Business Development Manager- GFS Nashville- 18:41

Alan Laderman- Owner- Sammies and The Grind -Martin, TN 34:38

Michael Spencer- Owner- Nash Dogs- 49:42

David Parker- Owner- Prime Time Pub and Grille- Newburg, IN 1:01"53

Bill Laviolette- Owner- Shotgun Willies- Nashville 1:15"52

We are talking about the 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership with Debra Sunderland.

Little Bear is an Atlanta restaurant that is a gold certified Farmer Champion by Georgia Organics. Today Jarrett talks about truly being Farm to Table, and why that is important to him. His restaurant is the definition of locally owned and operated, and I personally can't wait to go back to eat there. This episode is also available on Atlanta Restaurant Radio.

Brandon's Book Club is Back!! We are reading the 15 commitment's of Conscious Leadership with facilitator Debra Sunderland. We are constantly talking about leadership, but what does conscious leadership look like? It's about being intentional, and living above the line. Its about being our most authentic selves, leaving judgement and blame in the rearview mirror. This book has changed my life, and now if your chance to take control of your business and keep it moving forward. We will be doing a LIVE episode on Sept 24, and we would love to have you be a part of it.

This episode is VERY important if you are a restaurant Owner or Manager!! Abhinav Founded a company called Bikky, based around his mother in laws (who owns a restaurant) need to market and thank the right people for eating at her restaurant. What he created was a solution to identify who your guest is, and what their behaviors will tell you. I would guess 99% of local, independent restaurants do not use this, and would benefit greatly. The problem is, there is SO MUCH DATA, that only chains really take full advantage as they have the staff to take the information and put it to use. I content that this is why chains flourish, and local restaurants close at an alarming rate. Watch as Crystal De Luna-Bogan and Brandon Styll ask the questions that matter to most small restaurant Owners. We always think it's a compliment when the guest says" that was fun, I haven't been asked those questions before" The actual interview with Abhinav starts at the 19 minute mark.

Kasi is the President, and Dottie is the VP of the Tennesee Association of Farmers Markets. Today they stop by to talk about National Farmers Market week. (this week!) Listen in as they talk about what they do and why it is so important to support your local farmers market. Thier interview starts at around the 45 minute mark.

Jim Hagy has owned the Chef's Market for 27 years, and has been in the industry his whole life! Today we catch up with Jim and he tells us about the ups and downs of operating one of the largest catering companies in the city. We also welcome Crystal back, and get all caught up!

Charley has been the proud owner of the E. 48th St Market in Dunwoody for 37 years. Every member of his family has worked at the market at some point. They proudly serve authentic Italian heroes. According to Charley, an authentic Italian market must have genuine Italian groceries, condiments, and, of course, WINE! After 62 years of marriage, Charley has a wealth of wisdom to share with us today.

Chris Hall is one of the Co- Founder's of Giving Kitchen. He is also a Partner at Unsuckay (UN-SUCK-A) which includes.. Muss and Turner's, MTH Pizza, Roshambo, Local Three, and Warhorse Inventments. In this episode Billy Kramer, Owner of NFA Burger co-hosts the episode which we recorded LIVE at The Distillery of Modern Art. In this episode, we discuss tipping, reviews, service models, storytelling, and lot's of just getting to know you stuff, and a lot about Giving Kitchen. Sponsor Information-

All Star Fire Protection- 615-865-5600- Rob Baughman

Gordon FoodService- 615-945-6753

SuperSource- 770-337-1143- Jason Ellis

Cali Sober- 980-297-6481- Michael Dean

Chandler James team- 615-473-2452- Michael Dean

Robins Insurance- 863-409-9372- Matthew Clements

Campo Bravo-919-624-0113- Ian Cox