Dine & Grind Podcast

In this episode of Dine & Grind, Daniel Shemtob sits down with Francesco Bacco, founder of Pizza Fling. Francesco shares how setbacks became fuel, from losing his dream of becoming a professional basketball player due to injury, to moving to Los Angeles without speaking English, to losing work during the pandemic and the Palisades fire. Each challenge ultimately pushed him to take a leap and start Pizza Fling in Santa Monica. Francesco also breaks down his approach to making great pizza, from crust and sauce to toppings.   04:57 Finding Passion in Hospitality 07:11 Adversity, Grit, and Moving Forward 10:35 First Hospitality Job Experience 13:40 Pizza Entrepreneurship and New Opportunities 18:45 Unexpected Call from Police 19:58 Observing People at Work 22:37 Pizza Chef's Green Card Journey 28:33 Grateful Amidst the Fire 31:26 Starting Our Own Business 33:46 Resilience, Reinvention, and Pizza 37:55 Exceptional Ingredients, Unmatched Details 41:20 Celebrating Passion and Hustle 44:18 Gratitude, Pizza, and Snibbs 45:31 Warm Welcome, Great Pizza   🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes and more inspiring chef interviews.

Alex Canter, fourth-generation member of the family behind the legendary Canter's Deli, joins Daniel on Dine & Grind for a candid conversation about legacy, reinvention, and what it takes to keep an iconic institution alive. Alex opens up about growing up inside the business, the realities of running Canter's and how to honor tradition while also building something sustainable for the future.   00:00 Canter's: LA Icon Since 1953 06:01 Playground of Experimentation 13:06 Family Legacy and Restaurant Changes 18:52 Cooking by Feel and Respect 24:08 Night Market's Rise and Shift 31:11 Restaurant Tech's Tablet Hell 34:11 Streamlining Restaurant Ordering Systems 40:00 Think Bigger, Build Globally 46:01 Leadership Challenges and Layoffs 51:03 Entrepreneurship: Resilience and Lessons 57:11 Reimagining Everyday Essentials 01:01:18 Transforming Pain into Comfort   🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes and more inspiring chef interviews.

In this episode of Dine & Grind, four-time James Beard Award winner and host of Bizarre Foods, Andrew Zimmern, sits down with Daniel to share the raw, untold story behind his rise. He opens up about his struggle with severe addiction and homelessness, and how he rebuilt his life from rock bottom to become the food icon he is today. In this episode, Andrew reflects on the moment everything changed, how service and sobriety reshaped his foundation, and why empathy became the core of his life and work.   00:00 From Comfort Food to Sneakers 03:21 Summer Job at Seafood Restaurant 07:38 Chef's Passion for Cooking 12:14 Global Cooking Journey to Success 17:18 Opportunity & Giving Back Wins 21:33 Day One of Service 25:20 Grace in Business Management 27:56 Overcoming Self-Focus Challenges 29:55 Building a Storytelling Career 38:24 Empathy and Happiness Explained 45:29 Spirituality Takes Daily Work 49:41 Kaiser Roll Egg Sandwich Staple 50:52 Snibbs Collab with Andrew Zimmern   🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes, chef interviews, and more stories at the intersection of food and entrepreneurship.

In this episode of Dine & Grind, Daniel sits down with Don Fox, the CEO who helped transform Firehouse Subs from a small 65-store regional brand into a powerhouse with more than 1,200 locations nationwide.  Don shares the unlikely story of how he entered the restaurant world, the moment he realized Firehouse had something truly special, and the leadership lessons that shaped the brand's explosive growth. He also breaks down the real economics behind franchising and reflects on mistakes learned along the way.   00:00 Don Fox: Industry Legend 04:46 Early Lessons of Hard Work 06:12 Proactive vs Reactive Workplace Mindset 10:15 From Music Dreams to Management 15:31 Musical Journey of Uncertainty 16:42 Embrace Passions, Adapt in Life 19:33 From Field Ops to R&D 24:51 Fast Food Industry Evolution 26:53 Early Franchise Leadership Experience 31:00 Optimizing Leadership and Systems 32:43 First Job: Manual Dishwashing 37:27 Learning Through Observation and Ambition 41:02 Work Ethic Learned by Example 43:43 From Music to Management 50:16 Passion, Paths, and Unexpected Joys 53:39 Operations to R&D Transition 57:38 Supporting First Responders' Impact 58:14 Rapid Fire Success Questions 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes, chef interviews, and more stories at the intersection of food and entrepreneurship.

In this episode, host Daniel Shemtob sits down with the multitalented Aisha Tyler —comedian, actor, director, and founder of an award-winning ready-to-drink cocktail brand Losophe. Aisha shares how she went from working as a teenage dishwasher and bartender to becoming a Hollywood powerhouse and innovator in the craft cocktail and spirits industry. She opens up about the relentless drive, creativity, and joy that fuel her success across entertainment, hospitality, and brand building. Listeners get an inside look at her journey from Dartmouth to Hollywood, including how her passion for food culture, bar programs, and hospitality inspired her to create an organic margarita that's shaking up the RTD cocktail market. She also delivers candid, behind-the-scenes stories—from setting bars on fire in college to embarking on global foodie pilgrimages to navigating the grind of growing a mission-driven beverage company. Grab a drink and get ready for an episode loaded with laughter, lessons, and serious inspiration.   00:00 Aisha Tyler's Cocktail Journey 05:11 Hospitality with Heart and Humility 06:40 Bartenders: Purveyors of Joy 11:15 Transforming Communities with Green Spaces 18:45 Building a Bar at Home 24:17 Recipe for Heartfelt Success 26:34 Learning Business Through Experience 34:23 Confidence in the Product 37:19 Better Than DIY Cocktails 40:11 Simple Calendar-Based Workflow 43:17 Inbox Zero Efficiency Method 47:04 Balancing Growth and Passion 48:48 Epic Culinary Journey in Sweden 52:14 Margaritas and Boulevardiers 57:29 Passion, Hustle, and Vision   🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes, chef interviews, and more stories at the intersection of food and entrepreneurship.

Welcome to Dine & Grind—the podcast where culinary creativity meets real-world entrepreneurship. In this episode, host Daniel Shemtob sits down with trailblazing chef and innovator Chris Sayegh, the visionary behind The Herbal Chef and one of the earliest pioneers of plant-medicine-infused fine dining. Sayegh shares how he fused Michelin-level techniques with cannabis and other plant medicines, transforming a once "gray-area" supper club into a global culinary brand. From sleeping in his car, overcoming family resistance, and battling the stigma around cannabis cuisine to landing features in international magazines, his story is a masterclass in grit, creativity, and entrepreneurial resilience. Together, Daniel and Chris explore: Responsible plant medicine and its role in healing and creativity The culinary grind and what it really takes to innovate in food How to build consistency and discipline as an entrepreneur Why kindness, empowerment, and culture create high-performing teams The behind-the-scenes evolution of The Herbal Chef brand The realities of launching brick-and-mortar restaurants Actionable advice on turning passion into a sustainable career Episode Timestamps 00:00 — Dine & Grind with Chef Chris Sayegh 03:17 — Cooking in Extreme Environments 07:50 — Driven by Purpose and Fire 11:25 — Building, Learning, and Destigmatizing 15:50 — Ayahuasca: Healing Through Darkness 17:49 — Discovering Inner Growth Tools 22:15 — Jordanian Cuisine and Inspiration 24:58 — From Passion to Career Success 27:11 — The Power of Saying No 30:31 — Best New Bar Success 33:09 — Entrepreneurial Growth & Resilience 38:38 — Building Teams Through Empowerment 41:11 — Breaking Rules & Redefining Dining   🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes, chef interviews, and more stories at the intersection of food and entrepreneurship.

In this episode of Dine & Grind, host Daniel Shemtob chats with Chef Rashida Holmes—the force behind Bridgetown Roti and a three-time James Beard Award nominee—about carving her own lane in the culinary world. From her Brooklyn-and-Barbados roots to building one of LA’s most celebrated Caribbean food brands, Rashida opens up about resilience, identity, and community. She shares how family flavors inspired her hospitality philosophy, what it took to launch a pop-up turned powerhouse, and how she’s reshaping LA’s restaurant scene. Packed with culinary insights, cultural storytelling, and entrepreneurial wisdom, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about food, creativity, and building something from scratch. 02:20 – Rashida's Background and Upbringing on the East Coast 07:45 – Why Her Parents Disproved Her Career as a Chef 22:25 – "If you are Stressing you are not Nourishing", Her Motto for Leading a Successful Restaurant Crew 24:22 – Why Rashida Moved to California 36:44 – How She Achieved Success with Bridgetown Roti 46:47 – Rashida Revealed Her 3 Ingredient for Success   🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes and more inspiring chef interviews.

In this high-energy episode of Daniel Shemtob sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur Ellen Bennett — founder of the iconic apron and kitchen gear brand Hedley & Bennett, author, TV personality, and all-around culinary industry game-changer. Ellen shares her incredible journey from her early days as a line cook in Los Angeles to building one of the most recognizable culinary lifestyle brands in the world. Learn how her English-Mexican roots, latchkey childhood, and unstoppable drive shaped her "figure it out" mindset — a philosophy that fuels both her business and creativity. You'll hear behind-the-scenes stories about: The very first Hedley & Bennett aprons — and Ellen's no-discount, hustle-hard sales style How she juggled multiple kitchen jobs to fund her startup dream Game-changing moments like Martha Stewart Café spotting her designs and her first celebrity collab with Alton Brown Lessons on scaling a business with integrity and learning from early mistakes Why she went back to culinary school (and what Gen Z classmates are teaching her about innovation) Plus, enjoy authentic banter on parenting, creativity, entrepreneurship, and the tools that power great kitchens — all wrapped up with laughter, grit, and actionable inspiration. Whether you're a chef, restaurant founder, or creative entrepreneur, this episode delivers raw insight into what it really takes to succeed in the food industry.   00:00 – Opening & Biggest Mistakes 00:25 – Meet Ellen Bennett 02:18 – How They Met & Early Hustle 05:13 – Ellen's Childhood & Entrepreneurial Spirit 08:10 – Breaking Into the Culinary World 11:31 – The Apron Epiphany 13:29 – First Aprons & Hustling Multiple Jobs 16:04 – Selling Confidence, Not Just Aprons 17:27 – Lessons From Early Failures 18:47 – Making the Leap to Full-Time Entrepreneur 22:14 – Pinch Me Moments & Celebrity Collabs 27:33 – Rapid Growth & Hard Lessons 32:36 – Building Brand Love 37:58 – Pivoting & Keeping the Brand's Soul 42:35 – Juggling Family & Nonstop Hustle 45:17 – Productivity & Organization Secrets 48:03 – Lightning Round 51:08 – Closing Thoughts 👉 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or DineandGrindPodcast.com to catch Ellen Bennett and Daniel Shemtob's electric energy and real-talk on culinary entrepreneurship.

He went from sleeping in a warehouse to winning Top Chef and now he’s running some of LA’s hottest restaurants. In this episode of Dine & Grind, Daniel sits down with Chef Charbel Hayek , founder of Ladyhawk and Laya, to talk about his journey from Beirut, Paris to LA. Charbel opens up about the hustle behind his success and the mindset that helped him won Top Chef and achieve success in the restaurant world. 1:51 Daniel’s First Time Meeting Charbel 4:03 How Charbel Discovered His Passion for Cooking 8:09 Charbel’s Early Year in LA Working at Butcher Shop and Sleeping in a Warehouse 15:20 How Charbel Got on Top Chef and Won It 19:14 Opening a New Restaurant and Managing Fear and Stress 26:49 Charbel Reveal the Greatest Thing about Restaurant Business 33:35 Daniel’s Fun Question for Charbel   www.snibbs.co www.danielshemtob.com  

In the second episode of Dine & Grind, we sit down with Ike Shehadeh, founder of Ike’s Love & Sandwiches, to unpack the wild journey behind one of America’s most creative sandwich empires. From turning leftovers into legendary sandwiches, Ike shares how following your passion and selling only what you love, can build a brand that lasts decades. 0:00 Daniel's first time Meeting Ike 3:00 Turning Childhood Experiement into Legendary Sandwiches 7:50 "Turkey sandwich is not your best sandwich" Ike's Rule for Make Sandwich Shop Unique 13:29 "It only matters what you want to sell" Ike's Secret Sauce for Starting a Successful Business 23:32 Ike's Lesson from his Early Failure and working for $20 27:59 Ike explains his life-changing “list” 39:09 How Ike stepped down as the CEO but still Kept the Culture Alive Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dine-grind-episode-1-from-pantry-to-power-nancy-silvertons/id1845926969?i=1000731691313 Follow Me on Social Media! https://www.instagram.com/daniel.shemtob

Chef Nancy Silverton joins Dine and Grind to talk openings, closures, creative grit, the MozzaPlex in LA, and why her closet and personal style mirrors her kitchen.