In this Restrocast episode, Ashish Tulsian sits down with Jil Assaf, COO at Shawarmer, to trace a career built on grit and reinvention. Jil recalls launching a teenage snack counter in a Beirut billiards hall, the Lebanese hustle shaped by instability, and operating across the Middle East. He describes building the hospitality arm of Qatar’s Pearl Island, why a policy shift forced an exit, and how founding a 15-country consulting firm led to burnout, a reset in Saudi, and a renewed focu...
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In this Restrocast episode, Ashish Tulsian sits down with Jil Assaf, COO at Shawarmer, to trace a career built on grit and reinvention. Jil recalls launching a teenage snack counter in a Beirut billiards hall, the Lebanese hustle shaped by instability, and operating across the Middle East. He describes building the hospitality arm of Qatar’s Pearl Island, why a policy shift forced an exit, and how founding a 15-country consulting firm led to burnout, a reset in Saudi, and a renewed focu...
A Journey of Innovation, Leadership, and Scale in the Restaurant Industry || Phil Friedman
Restrocast
54 minutes
1 year ago
A Journey of Innovation, Leadership, and Scale in the Restaurant Industry || Phil Friedman
In this episode of Restrocast, Phil Friedman, shares his remarkable journey over four decades. From his beginnings as a dishwasher to managing food distribution in Vietnam and scaling major brands like Panda Express and McAlister's Deli, Phil offers invaluable insights into leadership, innovation, and resilience. He discusses the challenges of navigating economic downturns, including the 2009 recession and the recent pandemic, and how adaptability has been key to his success. Phil emph...
Restrocast
In this Restrocast episode, Ashish Tulsian sits down with Jil Assaf, COO at Shawarmer, to trace a career built on grit and reinvention. Jil recalls launching a teenage snack counter in a Beirut billiards hall, the Lebanese hustle shaped by instability, and operating across the Middle East. He describes building the hospitality arm of Qatar’s Pearl Island, why a policy shift forced an exit, and how founding a 15-country consulting firm led to burnout, a reset in Saudi, and a renewed focu...
