Fast Casual Nation: Recent Episodes
Foodable TV
Introducing a new era of what good food fast, really means. Join Paul Barron, author of the Chipotle Effect, the first book on Fast Casual as host of every episode. We explore this exciting new restaurant segment through exclusive interviews from top chefs, restaurateurs and other industry insiders. Giving you a close up look of the menus that are "Changing the way America eats".
On this episode of Fast Casual Nation, we talk to a concept that has quickly established itself as a loved brand in Miami.
Consumers today are demanding much more from restaurants. They expect clean, locally sourced ingredients, quick service and affordable prices. While many restaurants try to offer all of these things, few can successfully execute without sacrificing their margins.
American Harvest Co., a concept started by Grove Bay Hospitality Group in the Brickell City Center, seems to have found the right balance.
With a menu focused around clean eating, American Harvest serves up minimally processed foods. They use words like ‘GMO-free’, ‘grass-fed’, and ‘organic,’ to support their commitment to sustainable practices and sourcing local.
With decades of experience combined between the top three minds of the leadership team, the Grove Bay Group has perfected every aspect of American Harvest Co. and now they market it as their growth brand.
Watch the episode above for more expert insights into fast casual!
Los Angeles-native Vanessa Jerolmack has been making traditional Mexican tacos all her life, but it wasn't until she moved to Philadelphia that she thought to open up a shop dishing out the craveable bites. Now, on a lot on Baltimore Avenue, Taco Angeleno serves customers fully customizable tacos, burritos and quesadillas with an array of options, even catering to the vegan crowd.
“We make a homemade seitan here, and that's from my vegan days,” Jerolmack explains. “Like, I wanted something meaty tasting that I could eat with all the normal toppings that the other people with a meat taco were eating.”
Using a commercial kitchen 10 blocks away, Taco Angeleno preps all its ingredients before bringing them to the food cart to be served. Customizable toppings like Salvadorian curtido, and staples like onions, cilantro, and lime take the tacos to the next level.
Being an outdoor restaurant, Taco Angeleno is only open from May through October to avoid the cold and rainy Philadelphia weather, but you can visit Taco Angeleno year-round by watching the episode above!
Aside from earning the prestigious title of Iron Chef in 2009, Jose Garces has many other claims to fame such as his many restaurant brands in Philadelphia. Volvér, Distrito, and Amada are just a few of his successful concepts. But you don't have to pay an arm and a leg to get a taste of the chef's famed fish tacos.
The Garces Group’s only fast casual concept, Buena Onda, takes Garces’ culinary excellence and serves it up at affordable prices. Take, for example, their 5-dollar margaritas available on Taco Tuesdays! The Vice President of Culinary Operations for the Garces Group, Gregg Ciprioni, helped Foodable understand how Buena Onda is able to create top level dishes keeping costs low.
“We featured mahi-mahi when we first opened here but there was an issue with overfishing in the past year and so it became prohibitively expensive,” Ciprioni explains. “You have to be really flexible with what you’re serving. You have to find what works right in this concept and we found that [Perch] is super consistent, it’s sustainable and delicious.”
Taking tips from its upscale big brothers, Buena Onda makes its flour tortillas from scratch daily. The tacos are topped with delicious garnishes like pickled purple cabbage, scallions and chipotle remoulade. With all this flavor, Greg also gave us some tips on retaining freshness for delivery. Watch the episode above to see how they’re doing it!
Coming from a number of fast food chains, Kathleen Richardson knew a thing or two about the business, but she wanted to do something a little different. So she dove back into her hometown of Richmond, Virginia and opened a fast casual of her own, The Urban Farmhouse Market & Café. Founded in 2010, the mission behind The Urban Farmhouse is to bring the farm to the city and suburbs while providing customers with local, wholesome food. Though their menu is not outrageously unique, the way each menu item is made is what makes them stand out.
Poké 305 started as an idea by Founder Victoria Chediak. As a food blogger, Victoria was always in tune with food trends and was intrigued by the traditional Hawaiian dish, poké. Although poké has been gaining a lot of attention in the food world, Victoria noticed there weren’t really any poké options in Miami. That’s when she started thinking about what she could offer to the Brickell community.
Consumers today expect much more from restaurants. They demand clean ingredients that are locally sourced. They demand quick service at affordable prices. Many restaurants have tried to offer all of these things but not without sacrificing their margins. However, American Harvest Co. seems to have found the right balance in order to scale their healthy concept. American Harvest is a concept started by Grove Bay Hospitality Group in Brickell with a focus on “Delicious. Clean. Eating.”
With a menu including grass-fed burgers, cage-free rotisserie chicken, and sustainable tuna, American Harvest Co. is a place you can feel good about eating at.
Clove Mediterranean Kitchen was inspired by two partners with different experiences in the foodservice industry. Alex Revynthis has an extensive background in the food and beverage industry, most recently at Costa Coffee as their chief financial officer. Spiro Naos opened a number of Miami Subs sandwich shops before getting involved in other ventures. After meeting in New York, the duo decided to partner up on a Mediterranean fast casual concept.
While fast casual is the fastest-growing segment of the industry, the Clove team noticed the lack of Mediterranean options in the space — especially Mediterranean cuisine that focused on the simple, clean ingredients important to traditional cuisine. After being introduced to Greek Celebrity Chef Andreas Lagos, the pair knew he was the right guy to develop their menu.
As a part of the healthy fast-casual scene, honeygrow has already set itself apart from the crowd with its green menu. Founder Justin Rosenberg decided to make touch-screen ordering systems an integral part of his business plan, and the combination was a hit. With 15 restaurants in just four years, customers continuously come back for more.
We decided to stop in and talk to honeygrow Culinary Director David Katz to see what makes their restaurants so popular —and even Chef Katz had to give props to the ordering system.
Green2Go is a fast-casual concept started by two moms who were having a hard time finding healthy fast food that they felt was good enough to feed their children. After discussing their frustrations, Joulia Hantas-Kalah and Anita Allison decided they would open their own restaurant. Serving only clean, healthy ingredients, green2Go has created a loyal following in California.
What exactly is "clean" food? Anita explained what it means to them in just a few words: “Basically, it’s all natural.” Joulia added, "It’s real food! At the end of the day, we feel someone at some point has to draw that line, and that’s what we chose to do and how we opened in 2012.”
Joulia said some restaurants have tried to provide clean food, but they are often hindered by how difficult it can be to keep clean ingredients fresh because of their lack of preservatives. This leads those restaurants creating modified menus serving only the clean ingredients they are able to control. However, the green2Go duo didn’t want to change what people were eating. They simply wanted to make those dishes cleaner. So they took dishes like burgers, tacos, and rice bowls, and served them — just with better ingredients.
Fast Casual Nation acts as your guide as to what makes a successful fast casual concept. Always on the go, today’s consumer is looking for high-quality meals — with just as much speed. This year, we got the chance to see some fast casuals that have found their groove within the segment. Here are Foodable's "Best of" episodes for Fast Casual Nation in 2016.
Keep an eye out for all of this year's "Best of" episodes to learn more about which industry professionals changed the game in 2016!
The idea for Cava Grill stemmed from the full-service restaurant Cava Mezze, which was founded by three childhood friends aiming to provide high-quality Greek and Mediterranean cuisine to the modern consumer. Cava Grill, the fast-casual spinoff of Cava Mezze, has since exploded. Growing to over 25 units, Cava Grill is primed to be a breakout brand in fast casual. Chef Dimitri Moshovitis shared with us some of the tricks to Cava’s success.
Recently attracting attention with its $500 million franchise agreement, Dog Haus is expecting huge growth in the next seven years. The hot dog chain has found success in taking an American favorite and building upon the nostalgia it brings. Founders Hagop Giragossian, Quasim Riaz, and André Vener have created a menu with elevated dogs, sausages, and burgers that seem to have caught on at their 21 locations. Each location has a bold, edgy look to it — but with its own style. Just ask chef or Würstmacher, Adam Gertler.
Rounding out the menu are some other elevated classics including, fries, tater tots, and coleslaw, items that are often combined. Check out how Dog Haus is taking classic comfort foods and transforming them for more grown up palates on this episode of Fast Casual Nation.
A few steps off Washington Avenue in Miami, Spitfire’s Oliver Yasin Freuen and Co-owner Aaron Hyatt turn out a popular German street food known as the Döner Kebab.
Freuen brought the idea over from northwestern Germany where he grew up surrounded by the traditionally Turkish flavors and Hyatt brought to the table over 20 years of restaurant operation experience. The joining of these partners was a match made in döner heaven.
Opened in early November of 2015, Spitfire was inspired by Freuen’s family history of döner kebab restaurants. The sandwiches have become immensely popular overseas and now they have spread to downtown Miami.
Check out how these partners are combining traditional flavors with modern business operation tactics on this episode of Fast Casual Nation.
Marie Capp and Justin Saplosky met at the Wharton School of business, where one of their first conversations centered around their favorite sandwiches. Their passion for sandwiches and hospitality flourished into a catering business, and just a few weeks after graduating, the pair opened their first brick-and-mortar location in Philadelphia, Matt & Marie’s.
It was a match made in sandwich heaven. When the two began brainstorming their menu, they wanted to modernize the classic Italian sandwiches.
The pair turned to Chef Ryan Smith of New York Vintners to help them create a signature menu of sandwiches that hit on all five flavor profiles in every bite: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami. Their elevated Italian classics have really resonated with their customers.
Check out how Matt & Marie’s is faring in the sandwich city of America on this episode of “Fast Casual Nation.”
What started as an attempt to bring Cajun Country inspired plates to New Orleans has grown into thriving sandwich shop, butcher shop, and wine bar Cochon Butcher. The idea to take an old-world, meat-market-esque concept into the fast casual sphere expanded from its owners', Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski, traditional, Cajun Southern establishment, Cochon Restaurant.
The more casual Butcher breaks down pigs for the main Cochon Restaurant, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it lies in the shadow of its elevated dining brother. In seven years, Cochon Butcher has gone on to receive recognition in its own right as a heightened fast-casual spot. Due to its unique structure, running as a butcher shop, a sandwich shop, and a wine bar all in one, it caters to customers of all types. Its atmosphere varies from bustling sandwich and soda shop around lunch, to a delightful bistro-like setting in the evening.
Their menu offers traditional sandwiches, like the Barbecue Pork served Carolina style, as well as elevated housemade pastas paying homage to Italian salumi and charcuterie. The Butcher specializes in housemade cured meats, terrines, and sausages available by the pound.
In this episode of “Fast Casual Nation,” brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit Cochon Butcher where Chef de Cuisine Hank Shackelford assembles a menu with Cajun Country and Creole influences. Host Paul Barron stops in to discuss the diverse menu and how it’s been received by New Orleans.
You'll find watermelon every season at Spring Chicken, the fast casual baby sister of successful South Beach and Vegas conceptYardbird. Created by the 50 Eggs Group and visionary restaurateur John Kunkel, it's no surprise that this restaurant has found quick success and already boasts a loyal brand following. In this episode of "Fast Casual Nation," brought to you by the National Watermelon Promotion Board, we sit down with the brains behind Spring Chicken and discover how the idea for this fast casual hatched up.
The space immediately invites guests in, if its whole wall painted with a sign that says "Welcome Friends" doesn't already spell it out for you. With its unique design — what Kunkel called the industrial version of your grandmother's kitchen — consumers already have something to feast on as soon as they step through the doors Its sleek wood structure mixed with green plants and windmill-esque fans bring the feeling of farm and fresh before the first bite.
While the brand is well-known for its chicken product, the team didn't expect their watermelons to be a fan favorite. While at Yardbird, the fruit wasn't so kid-friendly due to its cayenne and pepper spices, at Spring Chicken, the watermelon is flavored with tones of mint, lemon, and lime.
Spring Chicken's commitment to its dishes is quite admirable. It's pretty much housemade everything, from the sauce in their mac and cheese, to the produce they chop up, carve, and chunk every day, to the biscuits they bake from scratch. What results are delicious grilled or crispy chicken; colorful, rich, cobb salads with avocado, roasted bacon, and roasted pecans; barbecue sandwiches; veggie or gluten-free sandwiches; chicken and waffles, and more!
Want to bite into this creative fast casual? Watch the full episode now!
The fast casual pizza sector has been taking a slice of the industry. With more than 80 unique, Chipotle-line-service-style concepts emerging in the business, how can a brand stand out? In this episode of "Fast Casual Nation," we visit Two Boots in Nashville and chat with the two big cheeses, Phil Hartman, owner and co-founder, and Sam Boyer, manager of the Nashville location, to see how they set themselves apart.
While most fast casual pizza brands are all about the personal pizza, Two Boots does not focus on customization as much as it does the "whole pizza pie" experience. The brand comes up with unique and quirky combinations, like Hattie B's medium-level heat chicken with housemade ricotta cheese, or the "V for Vegan" pizza, featuring red pepper and basil pesto. All pizzas have a cornmeal crust, which offer a different, white-gold texture and a nutty crunch.
Watch the full episode now and step into the shoes of Two Boots!
The menu of Cemitas Puebla is just as rich and flavorful — and perhaps, a little crazy — as its story.
"I had no money, I had no experience. Everything that I did, you should do the opposite to own and start a successful restaurant," owner Tony Anteliz says in this Fast Casual Nation vignette as he recalled when his doors opened in 2002. "The only thing I had going for me was that I thought 'I had an idea that no one else is doing, and it's gonna be great, and within a a year, we're going to be busy, and everything is going to be fine.'"
So like we said, and as Anteliz admitted that any experienced restaurateur would believe, the restaurant's beginnings were a little crazy. Still, this big risk came with an even bigger reward. What began as what Anteliz calls a greasy spoon or hole-in-the-wall on a shoestring budget, a taqueria or the "equivalent to an American hotdog stand," became a bustling Chicago hot spot.
Uma Temakeria, a fast-casual concept in New York City, specializes in hand-rolled sushi and responsible sourcing, and is known for introducing the first sushi burrito to the Big Apple. We explore the brand in this "Fast Casual Nation" vignette.
Menu development has become one of the most important operational aspects for fast-casual restaurants. But between sourcing consistent ingredients on a scalable level and ensuring top-notch distributors, it takes time, effort, and experience to do so efficiently.
So, we packed our bags for Denver and set out to talk to one of the pioneers of fast casual, who has been in the trenches of menu development for a long time: Tom Ryan, the chief concept officer at Smashburger, a concept that now boasts 350 locations around the world.
In this episode of “Fast Casual Nation,” brought to you in part by Simplot Harvest Fresh Avocados, host Paul Barron heads to Seattle, joining Roz and Kamala to learn how Ma Kai is upscaling fast casual in terms of food, service and ambiance; how the pair overcame challenges of being early adopters in the local food truck scene; why they chose to offer alcohol at this location; and, of course, to give viewers a taste of Ma Kai’s blended menu (kimchi quesadillas! street tacos! oh my!).
Marination Ma Kai is a Hawaiian-Korean fusion fast casual inspired by Roy Choi’s famous L.A. food truck, Kogi. But don’t get it twisted: while both menus are inventive, Marination Ma Kai is certainly doing its own thing. And while the Marination brand does include a food truck, it’s also got some brick-and-mortar locations, the first of which came into fruition about a year and a half after the food truck opened.
The fast-casual segment has become a force to be reckoned with in the restaurant space, and even more so in the past 12 months as more chefs merge into these concepts. Chef-driven fast casuals not only exude heightened flavor on menus but also frequently use carefully selected products and ingredients that diners are comfortable consuming.
For those not yet familiar, “Fast Casual Nation,” is a WebTV show where host Paul Barron (Foodable founder, CEO, executive producer, and author of “The Chipotle Effect”) takes viewers into emerging, innovative and successful fast casuals across the country. And in this season, we explored concepts all over the culinary map.
Check out the video above as we bring viewers back into three of our favorites from 2015 — from a unique, chef-driven spin on fried chicken in Chicago at Honey Butter Fried Chicken; to Chop Shop in Denver, a hybrid fast casual that’s attacking the middle of the market; and L.A.-based Veggie Grill, a concept started by Greg Dollarhyde of Baja Fresh fame that serves up inventive veggie-centric food that doesn’t detract from flavor.
How does a brand withstand the test of time? Wildflower Bread Company may know best, considering its menu staple has had selling success for 19 years. Menu innovation makes or breaks the business, and in this episode of "Fast Casual Nation," brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, discover how Wildflower Bread Company is rising to the top as an upscale fast casual.
Join Paul Barron as President and CEO Louis Bastile walks through Wildflower's creative process. What goes behind the perfect recipes and supplies? How do you establish the most refined procedures and plating? Tune in for a little taste of this brand and leave with a lot of inspiration!
With a flood of competition in the fast-casual space, especially when it comes to categories like the burger segment, innovation is key for success. But how does one stand out? For new fast-casual concept Sliderz, which recently opened units in South Florida, it’s innovative touch points, personal style and design, consistent branding, efficient technology and systems, and an inviting space.
In this episode of “Fast Casual Nation,” brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network and Simplot, we get a first look at Sliderz. Owner and serial entrepreneur Buzzy Sklar (the man behind Burger & Beer Joint) joins us to introduce what space Sliderz is trying to fill in the current marketplace, why size doesn’t always matter, and why he decided to take on fast casual. Dig in as we sample five of the many sliders available on the menu, an array of different proteins housed in a bun. What will set Sliderz apart from other burger fast-casuals in the South Florida market?
Ethnic fast-casual concepts have an advantage in today’s market. Consumers are now, more than ever, willing to discover new foods and flavor combinations, especially ones that are travel-influenced. Also, niches within the ethnic category are less likely to be oversaturated on a market-by-market basis compared to, say, better burger concepts.
In this episode of “Fast Casual Nation,” brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit Bun Mee, a southeast Asia-influenced fast-casual based in San Francisco highlighting — what else? — the banh mi. Joined by Bun Mee founder Denise Tran, host Paul Barron explores what inspired Tran’s jump from attorney to restaurateur, what’s on the menu, and what flavors San Francisco consumers are favoring most.
Sometimes, the best ideas come to us serendipitously. Such was the case for Christine Cikowski and Joshua Kulp, the head honchos at Honey Butter Fried Chicken in Chicago and both chefs by trade. The two developed their fried chicken recipe over the years at their community dining club, Sunday Dinner Club.
In this episode of “Fast Casual Nation,” brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit the much-talked-about fast-casual to discover the chefs’ take on fried chicken, how an “accidental” encounter resulted in the honey butter component of the concept, and how the duo came up with its cool branding aesthetic.
Fast casual has found its way into some unsuspecting places these days — food trucks, airports, malls, and now, grocery stores. Whole Foods, to be exact. A chain that prides itself on supporting local communities and giving consumers access to an array of smaller scale, health-conscious brands, Whole Foods and Millennials go together like a perfect pairing. The Watering Hole, an in-house bar at a South Florida Whole Foods in Pompano, has a Western theme and is custom to this store location. Each Whole Foods store with an in-house bar includes a different concept theme. All of them offer local craft beers by the glass as well as food items like gourmet grilled cheese and charcuterie, and beer-and-cheese pairings.
In this episode, brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network and Sprout Social, host Paul Barron sits down with Diandra Salcedo, marketing team leader at Whole Foods, and Kari McGuiness, regional specialty buyer at Whole Foods, to discuss how these custom, in-store bar concepts at select Whole Foods locations are created and what goes into putting them together. How does each “concept” work toward supporting the local community? What are some of the most popular items on the menu? And will these in-store concepts hit stride during lunch, a highly competitive daypart?
In an open, warehouse-inspired space in South Florida, lives fast-casual pizza spot Blaze Pizza. But unlike other fast-casual pizza concepts we have covered on the show thus far, Blaze is franchise-based. In this episode of “Fast Casual Nation,” we sit down with Adam Cummis, President, Blaze Pizza Franchise for Illinois & South Florida, to talk about the customizable, 40-ingredient-toppings concept and the challenges of a franchise model. How does the Blaze team leverage resources and synergies, like real estate and hiring, between South Florida and Chicago? What does the line experience look like?
What are some of the most popular selections? And most importantly, with so many pizza players on the scene — especially in Chicago — what sets Blaze apart from its competition? Watch the full episode to find out all that, and more!
Which fast-casual concept will be the next Chipotle? According to some industry insiders, including Foodable’s own Paul Barron, it’s somewhere in the fast-casual pizza category. In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, Barron visits &pizza in Washington, D.C. to get a taste of innovation. “Concepts with simple design and simple foods made in a way that ‘wow’ you are ones that will always prevail,” he says. Barron sits with &pizza founder Michael Lastoria, who tells us why he chose the pizza space as his fourth startup business (and first restaurant brand), how his branding background has played a huge part in &pizza, and what the concept is doing that’s completely different than what its competitors are doing. Watch the full episode to learn about Lastoria’s concept, &pizza’s unique beverage offerings, and get a slice of five different pies!
Millennial consumers on social media, according to Foodable Labs, are gobbling down fast casual “better burgers” at a rate of 3.2 burgers per month, 2.4 burgers per month by Gen Xers, and 1.7 burgers per month by Baby Boomers. The better burger business has been booming, but according to Foodable Founder & CEO Paul Barron, there are more concepts trying to jump on the bandwagon than are true innovators of the subsegment. To stay ahead of the game in a competitive market like this, brand stories have become vital.
Atlanta-based Farm Burger knows what’s up. Sustainable burgers on the menu, reclaimed wood interiors, and a partner who is an actual farmer, allows Farm Burger to stand out from the crowd. George Frangos, owner and operator at Farm Burger, joins us in this episode of “Fast Casual Nation” to talk about the brand, background and prior challenges, as well as the future of fast casual and the future of Farm Burger. Host Paul Barron also digs into some of Farm Burger’s prime menu items: a local, seasonal, peach burger; a veggie burger made up of quinoa, mixed greens, roasted beets and yoghurt; and a pastured pig burger with an Asian BBQ twist, with tasty sides to match.
Fast-casual pizza is heating up fast beside the better-burger segment. With consumers' preference for customization, what was once known to be a traditional American staple is now more stylish and flexible than ever.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, Host Paul Barron visits Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint in Atlanta, where he sits down with Matt Andrew, founder and chief pizza maker, and former president and co-founder of Moe’s Southwest Grill.
As one of the first contenders in the fast-casual pizza space, Andrew tells us why he made the jump from burritos to pizza, the benefits of this category, what the most eye-opening thing was about starting the brand, and more!
Watch the full episode as we dig into this thriving build-your-own fast-casual darling and get a taste of Uncle Maddio’s New-York-style crust, with varieties from wheat to gluten-free.
We’re back with another episode of Fast Casual Nation, and today we are in the Big Apple!
In this episode, brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, host Paul Barron explores The Little Beet, a good-for-you, fast farm-to-table concept located in Midtown Manhattan.
We are joined by Operating Partner Andy Huddleston, who fills up in on how the concept got started and where he sees the future of fast casual going, and lays out some of the concept’s most popular dishes.
Watch the full episode to get a taste of how this fast casual is thriving in the dog-eat-dog market of New York City,
On this episode of Fast Casual Nation, brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network and Avocados From Mexico, we are bringing you into Miami’s new upscale casual concept, Burger Taco Whiskey. Created by 50 Eggs Restaurant Group, with John Kunkel of Lime Fresh Mexican Grill fame at the helm, Burger Taco Whiskey (also known as BTW) shows us how concepts innovate around ingredients to create differentiation in the market.
Watch the full episode as Kunkel taps into the biggest challenge in this market right now, why this upscale casual model is great for operators in a tough real estate market and how to get the most value out of your employees.
On this episode of Fast Casual Nation, brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, Host Paul Barron explores Italian coffee company Caffé Nero, a brand that is upgrading the coffeehouse experience in America one location at a time. Caffé Nero's USA Director, Jay Gentile, joins us on this episode to discuss the importance of the brand’s consistently authentic European design, and how each detail translates to creating the best atmosphere possible for the guest experience.
Watch the full episode to discover how Caffé Nero’s service line is set up differently than most, how prime real estate locations are chosen, and how they are sourcing ingredients.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network , host Paul Barron talks to Greg Dollarhyde, Chief Energizing Officer at Veggie Grill about this veggie centric fast casual concept. Veggie Grill caters to a range of consumers, who all want the same thing– great tasting food that is still good for them.
Watch the full episode to learn more about how this concept's style matches the trendy Hollywood location and the creative menu that mimics diner's favorites, but with healthy ingredients and less calories.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network , Host Paul Barron speaks with Jason Boso, owner of the Texas fast casual concept Twisted Root that was one of first "better burger" joints to pop up around 9 years ago. Started by two unlikely friends, the restaurant's story is as compelling as the food.
Watch the full episode to see how Twisted Root still delivers a creatively named menu with higher end products, while still having an approachable atmosphere and price point.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network , host Paul Barron takes a trip to one of Denver's premier chef-driven, fast casual restaurants. Owner Clint Wangsnes worked for high-end establishments, but longed for the intimate atmosphere found in fast casual dining after starting a family. With seasonally crafted beer, wine, all natural cane sodas and a rich menu, the Chop Shop doesn't cut corners in excellent service just because it has to be quick. Foods come from local farms and the Chop Shop uses sustainable items to conserve the planet.
The Chop Shop may be trying to leave the smallest footprint on the Earth, but its taking huge strides in the fast casual industry.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit San Francisco's Craftsman & Wolves, the first ever pastry shop to appear on the show. Chef/partner, William Werner discusses the inspiration for this uniquely styled, chef-driven pastry concept and how every component of the pâtisserie is artistically designed– including the architecture, decor, and food offerings.
Watch the full episode to get a closer look at the beautifully presented pastries, such as their surprising "the rebel within," an item that mimics the look of a muffin, but is anything but sweet– filled with asiago, sausage, green onion, and soft cooked farm egg.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we bring you to City Greens. Host Paul Barron sits down and talks with Abhi Bhansali, Co-founder of the health-conscious fast casual concept, about what influenced the development of the restaurant. The brand takes local sourcing to a whole new level with their own hydroponic farm, which allows them to truly control where the menu's ingredients come from.
Watch the full episode to see some of the flavorful, yet good for you farm fresh menu offerings and their emerging City Juice product.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network , we bring you to Mendocino Farms, the LA fast casual known for their gourmet sandwiches. The growth potential in this market is massive– with Americans consuming on average 9.4 sandwiches per month. We speak to Executive Chef Judy Han about the farm-to-table concept and its comforting and homey atmosphere.
Watch the full episode to learn about the brand's nontraditional approach to sandwiches and the interesting story behind the unique baby blue colored cow mascot.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network , we bring you to Buns & Buns a concept that is defying the fast casual model. Host Paul Barron speaks with Chef Reuven Sugarman about how this restaurant is providing fine dining inspired dishes but with fast service and at an affordable price point.
Watch the full episode to see how some of the signature dishes are uniquely prepared, including Spinach Poofs and Chili Shrimp.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we bring you to Tava Indian Kitchen in San Francisco. Paul sits down with one of the founders of the concept, Hasnain Zaidi and the CEO, Jeremy Morgan as they discuss how the restaurant brings Indian cuisine to Americans in a way they understand in a modern and fun environment.
Watch the full episode to learn about Tava's consumer favorite dishes and how popularity for the brand has primarily spread through word of mouth.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we bring you to District Donuts. Sliders. Brew. in the resurrected city of New Orleans. We talk to the two owning partners, Chris Audler and Aaron Vogler about the Southern styled menu of approachable food.
Watch the full episode to see why the owners decided to open this fast casual concept and how they are continuing to get creative with their menu options.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, Paul sits down with the "Commander in leaf" and owner of Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop. Greenleaf has become a fast casual success and has stayed ahead of the curve, by providing chef-inspired, locally sourced, organic and all-natural dishes to their customers.
Watch the full episode to see why Greenleaf has become so popular among consumers, specifically millennials.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit Giraffas, a Brazilian restaurant that has decided to conquer the fast casual segment in the US. Hector Rodriguez, a culinary trainer from Giraffas discusses what makes this restaurant different, than others in it's segment.
Watch the full episode to find out how Giraffas is excelling by serving a quality menu filled with fresh ingredients, using technology, and focusing on customer service.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we are by the coast at the Mexican fast casual success, Rubio’s. With the founder Ralph Rubio, we take a closer look at some of Rubio’s signature cuisine and learn how fish tacos were the initial inspiration of the brand. Watch the full episode as we discover how Rubio’s evolved from a quick-serve restaurant to a fast casual brand, while serving “Fresh Mex” dishes inspired by the ocean.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network. In this episode we visit Miami's own My Ceviche. A unique concept, especially within the fast casual segment, My Ceviche combines the culinary expertise of fine-dining chef Sam Gorenstein with the ease and accessibility that fast casuals offer. Sam began his career as a prep-cook only to continue training as a fine dining chef in New York City and Miami. Now he has taken his background and applied it to a concept that is fun, inexpensive and approachable by everyone. Because good food shouldn't be limited to only fine dining restaurants, right?
Watch the full episode as Paul dives into what makes My Ceviche a standout in not just the fast casual segment but in the culinary world as well.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we are in Los Angeles at Tender Greens, an elevated fast casual concept that brings farm fresh food to the forefront, with a chef-driven culinary edge. After seeing a gap in the market, Erik Oberholtzer, Matt Lyman and David Dressier decided to leave the fine dining world and take on the concept full-force.
Watch the full episode as Oberholtzer and Santa Monica Executive Chef Rian Brandenburg tell us the Tender Greens story and its connection to farms, and show us some of their favorite dishes on the Santa Monica menu.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we are at chef-driven fast casual Roti Mediterranean Grill in Chicago. Peter Nolan, Roti’s Chief Brand Officer, joins host Paul Barron.
Watch the full episode as we discover what the inspiration was behind creating Roti, and what components keep consumers of all generations — especially Millennials — coming back for more.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we’re visiting XOCO in Chicago, a fast casual that’s more “Mexican street food using seasonal Midwest ingredients” than Fresh Mex. Owned by Rick Bayless, XOCO is a chef-driven concept with a large focus on ingredients, and has been around since 2009.
Watch the full episode as we talk to Arthur Mullen, about how XOCO came to be and what it stands for, and as we indulge in some of the concept’s most notable, historically cultured dishes, including tortas, churros and housemade guacamole!
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we’re checking out Sakaya Kitchen in Miami, a fast casual Asian concept owned by Richard Hales, who also helms the kitchen. The inspiration behind the restaurant came after Hales spent time backpacking — and cooking — in Asia. From pickling their vegetables to curing all meats, Sakaya is applying their ingredients in very sophisticated ways to blend the right balance of flavor.
Watch the full episode to get an inside look on how a fine dining chef translates his experience and street cred into the fast casual playground.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, Paul and the crew head to southern California to visit Bruxie, a chef-driven fast casual centered around a very unique menu item: the waffle. Headed by Chef Dean Simon, Bruxie was inspired by his travels to Belgium where, as you can imagine, waffles are a big thing.
Fast Casual Nation is always about looking for those hidden gems with unique concepts and menus that are changing the way America eats and Bruxie is a perfect example. We guarantee you'll never look at waffles the same again!
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we head to downtown L.A.'s Wurstkuche for a little beer and bratwurst - ok a lot of beer, bratwurst and gourmet sausage as well. Literally meaning sausage kitchen, Wurstkuche is the place to go for unique links (like Duck & Bacon sausage) and good German beer.
Pull up a seat and relax a while as host Paul Barron sits down with owner Tyler Wilson to learn a bit more about this unique fast casual concept.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit fast casual Pitfire Pizza in L.A. Owner & Founder Paul Hibler tells us how the concept came to be and what Pitfire is doing to inject the local market into each of its seven locations.
Watch the full episode as we chow down at this modern-day artisan pizza parlor, and explore – from its ingredients to its unexpected menu offerings – what truly makes Pitfire a standout.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we make our way to Pincho Factory in Miami. Owner Nedal Ahmad walks us through the Pincho experience – an assembly line-type, build-your-own operation with plenty of options. As one of the most unique menus we have seen thus far in a fast casual concept, Pincho Factory serves up “styles,” rather than individual topping selections.
Watch the full episode as we dig in to the concept’s creative food – including some gluten-free options and a croquette burger!
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we head down to Miami taco outpost Huahua’s Taqueria. Co-owned by Chef Todd of Haven Hospitality Concepts, Huahua’s is the perfect mix of cool and spicy for South Floridians, and highlights Chef Todd’s southwestern background – he’s even created his own line of hot sauces.
Watch the full episode as we explore all Huahua’s has to offer, including both playful and traditional dishes like deep fried avocado tacos, fried chicken tacos, and elote.
This episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, is a very special episode. 2013 has been an amazing year: we've traveled the country and met with some of the best of the best in the fast casual segment; enjoyed some great food; and had a lot of fun along the way.
Join us as we revisit all of this year's most memorable moments on the 2013 Best of Fast Casual Nation.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit Joe’s Farm Grill just outside of Phoenix, AZ. The fast casual concept, dubbed a “modern-day burger stand,” has a flexibly innovative menu (hotdog sushi, a fully vegan burger, flatbreads, burgers, chicken – you name it); a cool aesthetic with some quirky touches, and even its own farm on site.
In this episode, we talk to Joe about the perks and challenges of growing their own food, how the Farm Grill came into fruition, and, of course, indulge in some menu items.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, Paul visits Jimmy'Z Kitchen in Miami. Jimmy'Z is a great example of the chef-inspired fast casual restaurants that have gained popularity over the last 18 months. Paul meets with Jimmy, the founder of Jimmy'Z, to discuss how they have moved away from traditional fast casual fare by bringing in many aspects of fine dining such as homemade desserts, craft beers, and fine wines. By revisiting classic Latin and American dishes, and using an eclectic selection of ingredients, they created a robust menu containing over 50 food dishes.
Join Paul as he and Jimmy take a look at some of Jimmy'Z signature dishes and discuss the bright future of the chef-inspired menu in fast casual dining.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit two related, yet independent Chicago-based concepts: Foodlife and Foodease. With 14 distinct kitchens - from pizza to barbeque to smoothies - that all serve fresh food, Foodlife is a fast casual that can meet the consumer's every demand. In this way, Foodlife is the eptiome of what a fast casual is: customization. Foodease is a chef-driven fresh market serving restaurant quality food in a casual setting.
Join Paul as he sits down with Lettuce Entertain You Partner Steve Hofferth and Foodease head chef Janet as they discuss what sets Foodlife and Foodease apart from other fast casual operations.
Welcome to this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network. This week we take to the streets of San Francisco, CA to check out the Soma Streat Food Park. The food truck revolution has really taken off, especially in the Soma Street Food Park, where dozens of startups and tech companies, including Twitter and Zynga, are headquartered.
Join Paul as he visits some unique food truck concepts and really explores the reason behind the movement.
Welcome to Fast Casual Nation . In this very special episode we visit Shula Burger and meet with legendary NFL head coach, Don Shula. Don and his son Dave, President of Shula’s Steak Houses, LLLP responded to the changing economy by spinning there casual dinning experience to fast casual without compromising the quality or the experience.
Join Paul Barron as we learn the plays that make Shula burger a fierce contender in the better burger segment.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit the Fast casual concept: Sweetgreen, that has positioned itself as more than a product, but a lifestyle brand. The salad segment brand came into fruition when Georgetown friends Jon, Nic and Nate decided to create a place they'd want to eat at every day that spoke to consumer trends revolving around healthy, honest food. Transparency, branding and ahead-of-the-curve technology have added to Sweetgreen's success, and the brand's music festival Sweetlife has taken off as an additional way to create relationships with their consumers.
Watch the full episode as Paul sits down with Nic to discuss all things Sweetgreen.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit Cava Mezze Grill in Washington D.C., a fast casual Mediterranean restaurant catered to budget-conscious consumers not willing to compromise on healthy options and quality ingredients.
Using all-natural, hormone-free meats, available local produce, and reclaimed wood, the concept is eco-friendly. Watch the full episode as Paul visits the Grill and dives into how the Cava brand has adapted to a fast casual from a full-service.
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit Hi Lo BBQ is a fast casual concept that was created to fill the BBQ void in San Francisco.Using the highest quality ingredients and best meats around, Hi Lo aims to give its guests the best experience possible - full bar included.
Watch the full episode as Hi Lo Owner Scott Youkilis gives Paul Barron a taste of what sets this finger-lickin'-good joint apart from everyone else in not only the BBQ segment, but the fast casual space.