EP 107: Just Keep Swimming. Lessons of a Terrible Year, with Matt Fish

Matt Fish approached the literal zenith of a restaurant career with his concept Melt Bar and Grilled. With 14 stores at its peak, discussions for more, featured tv segments on The Food Network, Melt became one of the "must see" attractions in Cleveland, holding court with the Rock Hall and the West Side Market. And then, over the course of a few years, fueled by changing tastes, a pandemic fallout, labor shortages, and wave after wave of economic challenges, it all ended in December 2024. In this episode, Matt painstakingly chronicles the events, and decisions he had to make to stay afloat and preserve the brand. As you will hear, Matt is starting to look forward and he's thinking about future projects, and also how he can use this experience to help others. This episode, and the CLE Foodcast, is presented with support from Edgewater Hospitality and Kate's Fish.