S1 E15: Stick it in Dry!

In this episode, Christine and Keith welcome their two friends on the show: Anthony Azzara, Corporate IT Manager from The One Group and Jack Copus, a Hospitality Accounting Executive from SpotOn and Behind the Counter’s first ever guest from Episode 2. They reminisce the old days from Pret, the changes and vulnerability they experienced due to the pandemic, and how the restaurant industry will soon change. [00:32] Reminiscing with Anthony and Jack [07:52] Anthony Working in the Pandemic [09:41] Changing Infrastructure [11:41] Feeling Vulnerability and Finding Workarounds [14:14] Culinary is an Art or Standardization [16:43] The Executive Chef Role and The Grind [20:29] The Series D Funding of SpotOn [22:01] Anthony and Jack on The Vaccine Mandate [30:39] Forest Fires and Silver Linings [35:19] Anthony’s Future Predictions [44:36] Jack’s Future Predictions [50:21] Mom & Pop VS Technology [51:57] COV-Hole of the Week Changing Infrastructure and Adapting Because of the pandemic, Anthony and Jack share their experiences with adapting on a global health crisis. Anthony has always dabbled into partnering up with third-party delivery services and POS to streamline their services but was eventually forced to take it seriously when COVID hit. Jack felt vulnerable for the first time after the 2007 financial crisis and how even back then, he felt assured that he was always going to be employed as someone who works in the food industry. The Vaccine Mandate Christine, Keith, Anthony, and Jack are all vaccinated and they’re all on the same page: they’re doing it for other people. Anthony goes candid and thinks that it would have been much better if they weren’t forced to take it or forced to jam the vaccine in there dry. Jack also sees it as a health and hygiene issue because of an experience with a restaurant chain in St. Louis. They all wish it wasn’t so politicized so that they wouldn’t have to deal with adult customers fighting 15-year-old hostesses about vaccine cards, which is what the government requires them to do. Future Predictions Anthony predicts that things will soon go back to normal—2019 normal, rather. Jack also thinks that everything will soon change, and that technology will lead the way because of a shift in dining habits among customers. The pandemic forced the hands of the industry and Jack advises to be more conscious of being profitable and evolve with time. Will there be an Elon Musk for restaurants out there that’s going to come out with something crazy? Where to Find Them: Facebook - DeVita & Hancock Hospitality Group Inc. Instagram - @behind_the_Counter_DHH Official Website - DeVita and Hancock Hospitality Group Christine DeVita on LinkedIn Keith Hancock on LinkedIn [email protected]