Rising labor, food and real estate costs. New technologies. Fast-changing consumer tastes. Restaurant owners face more challenges than ever. This panel of super-smart restaurant folks was recorded at Smart Kitchen Summit 2025 on July 28th 2025. Speakers: Ben Leventhal (Blackbird), Elizabeth Tilton (Oyster), and Tom Cortese (Counter Service). Perrin Davidson (LA Eats) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode's guest is Brian Canlis, a third-generation co-owner of the famed Canlis restaurant in Seattle. Brian's last day at Canlis was last week as he looks to launch a new adventure with his college roommate Will Guidara, owner of Eleven Madison Park and author of Unreasonable Hospitality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reimagining Restaurants Podcast: Bringing Noma into the Future with Kevin Jeung Episode Summary: In this episode of Reimagining Restaurants, host Michael Wolf sits down with Kevin Jeung, Chef of Research and Production at the legendary restaurant Noma. Kevin shares his journey from washing dishes in Toronto to helping innovate at what many consider the world’s greatest restaurant. They discuss his early culinary experiences, his time in San Sebastian, his role in Noma’s evolution, and the restaurant’s transition towards product development and global pop-ups. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Kevin’s unconventional path from university dropout to fine dining innovator. His experiences working in renowned kitchens around the world, including Noma, Mugaritz, and Gramercy Tavern. Why Noma is shifting from a full-time restaurant to a product and research-driven food lab. The philosophy behind Noma’s pop-ups and how they approach new culinary landscapes. How Noma is using fermentation and product development to bring its flavors to a broader audience. The role of AI and technology in culinary innovation and research. Kevin’s personal cooking habits, favorite kitchen tools, and his newfound appreciation for Cantonese cuisine. Resources & Links: Noma Projects Taste Buds Membership – Join to get exclusive early-access products. The Spoon Podcast Network – Explore other great food tech and restaurant innovation podcasts. Subscribe & Follow: Love this episode? Make sure to subscribe to Reimagining Restaurants on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. And if you enjoyed it, leave a review—it really helps! Join the Conversation: Join our Spoon Slack to let us know what you think about this episode and get early peaks at other episodes. Thanks for listening—stay tuned for more conversations with industry pioneers shaping the future of restaurants! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Reimagining Restaurants podcast, Michael Wolf sits down with a panel of industry innovators to explore how technology is reshaping the dining experience. From robotics-enhanced kitchens to gamified customer engagement and immersive dining concepts, this discussion dives into the key technologies changing the restaurant business. Panelists include Tom Cortese (Kernel Foods), Chef Kelly Anderson (Future Food), Lee Kindell (Moto Pizza), and Shelly Rupel (Devour). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike sits down with Robbie Cape to talk about his mission to end factory farming, and the restaurant business. The Spoon brings you daily analysis of the food tech revolution. Want more of the Spoon content? Check out: https://thespoon.tech/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talking to Tom Cortese went from co-founding Peloton to working with evolving fast casual dining Want more of the Spoon content? Check out: https://thespoon.tech/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MOTO Pizza's Lee Kindell on taking chances and making pizzas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this first episode of the Reimagining Restaurant podcast, we talk to Geoff Alexander, the CEO of Wow Bao, who's built a hugely successful restaurant career by embracing change. In this episode, Geoff shares his journey from a college bartender to becoming the CEO of Wow Bao, one of America's fastest-growing restaurant concepts and a pioneer in the fast-casual business. Geoff has embraced innovation throughout his career, helping to navigate Wow Bao through strong growth, launching a branded CPG business, and leveraging new technologies and operating models along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices