Exiting a Winning Brand and Hatching Something New

Could a pandemic business-plan lesson for a bored kid spark the next breakout fast-casual brand? This episode moves fast — because Rob Gresham’s career has never slowed down. Chris Ressa sits with the restaurant veteran who went from washing dishes at 15 to helping architect the early operational engine behind CAVA’s meteoric growth from zero to 80 stores. Rob shares the wild ride: running a steakhouse kitchen as a teenager, getting recruited by Chipotle to fix troubled locations, learning the business side under industry giants, and joining CAVA before it was a household name — building systems, opening markets, and helping scale a brand that eventually went public. Then the pandemic hit. Consulting work vanished. His son was bored. So Rob turned a homeschool project into something much bigger: a business plan for a scratch-made, allergen-conscious chicken concept. When it came time to name it, Rob’s son delivered the winner: Isaac’s — inspired by Isaac Newton, who invented calculus and discovered gravity while quarantined during the plague. “He changed the world in quarantine,” his son said. “You created a restaurant. Name it Isaac’s.” Today, Isaac’s Poultry Market has two booming locations, a cult following, and the DNA of a future fast-casual standout. Rob’s story is momentum, grit, and timing — the kind Retail Retold was made for. What You’ll Hear: How Rob went from washing dishes at 15 to helping scale CAVA into an 80-unit national powerhouse The pivotal career moves — and mentors — that shaped his operator mindset Why he left CAVA at its peak and walked straight into entrepreneurship The pandemic moment that sparked Isaac’s Poultry Market (and how his son named it) What it really takes to open a restaurant during supply-chain chaos and skyrocketing construction costs How Rob chose his first two locations — and the real-world negotiation battles behind them Why exclusives matter, how fast-casual operators think about competition, and the markets he’s targeting next The scratch-made, allergen-friendly philosophy behind Isaac’s menu And the big question: Is Isaac’s positioned to become the next major fast-casual brand? Chapters 00:00 — From Dish Pit to Drive How a 15-year-old dishwasher discovered his path — and his ambition — in the restaurant world. 02:00 — Learning the Business Beyond the Kitchen The mentors and moments that pushed Rob from chef to full-scale operator. 04:45 — Chipotle, CAVA, and Fixing What’s Broken Rob’s early role in stabilizing stores and helping build CAVA’s operational backbone from day zero. 06:30 — Building a Rocketship Brand Cross-country construction sprints, tiny founding teams, and opening stores at breakneck speed. 09:00 — The Decision to Walk Away Why Rob left CAVA at its peak and refused to transition into an office role. 13:00 — Pandemic Curveball → Entrepreneurial Breakthrough How a business-plan lesson with his son turned into the foundation for Isaac’s Poultry Market. 14:00 — Naming Isaac’s: A Quarantine Stroke of Genius The Isaac Newton inspiration that became a bold, meaningful brand name. 17:00 — Building Location #1 in a Broken Supply Chain Construction chaos, blown budgets, and the reality of opening a restaurant during COVID. 22:00 — The Battle for Location #2 Inside the seven-month negotiation to secure exclusives and protect the emerging brand. 29:00 — The Future of Isaac’s Poultry Market How Rob is approaching growth, second-gen spaces, and the next wave of opportunity.