In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “ The Finance Guy” chat with David Bloom, Chief Development and Operating Officer at Capriotti’s and Wing Zone, to discuss his passion for the industry, strategies for scaling brands and the adoption of technology.
Bloom and the guys chat about Bloom’s background in the industry. He talks about his humble beginnings growing up in New York and how restaurant life is a family affair. Bloom shares that he worked in the back of the house growing up, and that he has a brother who is an Executive Chef and a sister who is a Pastry Chef.
Bloom reflects on realizing the tremendous opportunity he saw within the restaurant field, not only for himself, but for anyone wanting a chance to achieve their goals in the industry. He says encouragingly, “First and foremost is, one of the things I love about the restaurant industry is, you know, just talent and hard work go a really long way; if you stick with it, learn from the best and go wherever the opportunity is.”
Schatzberg asks Bloom about his extensive experience working with and scaling major brands, and why he decided to join Capriotti’s. Bloom talks about the significance of working with people he admires, which drew him to Capriotti’s, and how much he enjoys working with an incredible team while creating success together. Bloom talks about his passion for scaling brands and shares some insights into the growth of Capriotti’s, and the acquired brand, Wing Zone. Both brands are experiencing considerable growth domestically and internationally, and when considering current development, Wing Zone will be reaching 170 units while Capriotti’s will be hitting an impressive 500.
Frischling talks about Bloom’s company being one of the most tech-forward operators in the space. Frischling says, “You have this incredible, and I’d say enviable philosophy to try out major tech, so by the time it becomes mainstream you’re already ahead of the curve.” He asks Bloom to share more about the brand’s adoption of technology. Bloom shares that it comes from their investors and board members in terms of a mandate for the brand and what they feel is a differentiator for them, because they own and operate their own stores as well. He adds that having a platform in which they are able to try technology, “on our own dime and figure it out and take the risks”, is not a luxury everyone has, but it’s a critical investment that sets his company apart. He says, “I’ve had the opportunity to work with some, what I would call technology-enabled companies, and they grew at a rate that others just couldn’t, both here and abroad, so we feel like it’s sort of table stakes anymore.”
Tune in to learn more. You can subscribe and listen to Hospitality Hangout Podcast on Spotify or directly on the Foodable Network.
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