Handling the Heat takes you behind the line and into the heart of the food service industry. Each episode dishes up real stories of operators facing the fire—navigating challenges, making tough calls, and finding a way to keep service going strong. It’s about grit, grace under pressure, and what it really takes to run a kitchen (or a whole operation) when the heat is on.
Stefano Marzano, co-founder of Mighty Meals, shares his journey growing up in a multi-generation restaurant family and building a meal prep business from the ground up. The conversation covers the early grind, scaling challenges, product-first thinking, and how Mighty Meals evolved into a national brand with an increasing focus on purpose and impact.
2 Dec 2025
GreeneFood
Graham and Ali Greene join Zach for a conversation about their path from meeting at the CIA to working inside some of the most respected restaurants in San Francisco. They talk about what originally drew them to cooking, the realities of learning in high end kitchens, and how those early experiences shaped the way they think about craft, creativity, and building a life around food. Along the way, they share stories from the walk-in, moments that pushed them, and the point where they began rethinking what success in the industry actually looked like for them.
Today, Graham and Ali run GreeneFood, their Bay Area based private dining and corporate meal service, and Ali’s Jensen Ceramics studio, whose dinnerware appears in Michelin starred restaurants across the country and abroad. They dig into what it means to create work on their own terms, how they balance artistry with scalability, and why building something small, thoughtful, and sustainable has become more fulfilling than chasing the traditional restaurant path.
18 Nov 2025
Cafe Little Armenia
From growing up in an Armenian household surrounded by food to working in some of New York’s most respected kitchens, Ararat El-Rawi’s journey to opening Café Little Armenia is a story of culture, grit, and craft. We talk about how a small COVID pop-up outside his Brooklyn apartment evolved into one of Greenpoint’s most soulful neighborhood restaurants, driven by a deep respect for hospitality and the belief in getting “better today than yesterday.”
In this episode, Ararat reflects on building a restaurant that feels like home, the realities of turning passion into a business, and why success is measured not just in revenue but in the people who sit at your tables. It’s a conversation about authenticity, community, and the long road toward finding your place in the food world.
21 Oct 2025
Renfro Foods
From sweeping factory floors as a sixth grader to leading product innovation, finance, and marketing, Doug Renfro’s story with Renfro Foods and Mrs. Renfro’s Salsa is one of heritage, reinvention, and scale. After years in corporate finance, Doug returned to the family business - founded by his grandparents in Fort Worth over 85 years ago - and helped guide it into a new era of flavor development and operational sophistication. Known for their bold varieties like Mango Habanero, Ghost Pepper, and the new Spicy Pickle collaboration, Renfro Foods now produces 195 jars of salsa per minute while still holding tight to a family ethos of integrity, quality, and service.
Doug shares how he “cooks with Excel” before he cooks in the lab, the balancing act of R&D creativity with supply chain reality, and how he navigated the chaos of 2022’s ingredient and packaging cost spikes. He opens up about running a business with family, maintaining legacy while pushing innovation, and building lasting private-label and co-pack partnerships with national retailers. Between pomegranate chipotle misfires and viral Taylor Swift–inspired campaigns, Renfro Foods has grown through adaptability and authenticity - anchored by a grandmother on every label and a story that still resonates three generations later.
7 Oct 2025
Tipsy & Baked
From a childhood “baking cabinet” and self-taught experiments to fashion-week brand moments, Amanda’s path with Tipsy and Baked is equal parts hustle and design. After starting an Instagram during COVID to document bakes, a nudge from friends turned into her first paid private-chef gig. The real ignition came with Everything But The Dress, a West Village bridal pop-up where she showcased sculptural display cakes and ran daily tastings. That week of long hours and sheet cakes set off a chain reaction of inbound orders, new relationships, and a growing network of female founders.
Today she juggles brand activations, weddings, and highly designed birthday commissions, often produced in a 200-square-foot studio without a dishwasher. Her process is context driven and trend aware, pulling from interiors, fashion, and bridal publications to create pieces that feel both fresh and timeless. That mindset led to viral moments like a four-tier “gem” prop cake for Pickle’s NYFW dinner and custom cookies for Charli D’Amelio’s closing show for & Juliet, plus work with fitness brands like Solidcore. Looking ahead, Amanda is weighing a future storefront or experiential studio while doubling down on social media, bridal, and large-scale brand work.
23 Sept 2025
Carmella's Wine Bar
Joseph Lapi’s path to the glass runs through family, hustle, and hospitality. Raised in a tight-knit Sicilian household outside Buffalo, Joseph grew up around nightly dinners, clinking glasses, and stories that made food and wine feel like home. A chance correction over Chianti sent him down the rabbit hole, trading a planned legal career for the sommelier track. In Chicago he joined Lettuce Entertain You, opening RPM Steak before moving onto the wine team and, eventually, directing the beverage programs for RPM Seafood and Pizzeria Portofino. When COVID hit, he helped pivot a unicorn cellar into a lifeline for staff, reinforcing his belief that hospitality is about people first.
Today, Joseph is the owner-operator of Carmella’s, a welcoming wine bar along the Erie Canal in Pittsford, NY, named for his daughter and fueled by his mother’s Sunday sauce. We talk about building a list that’s approachable and world-class at once, why service is the true “height of hospitality,” and what he learned pouring for members and players as a guest sommelier at Augusta National during the Masters. From big-city polish to small-town heart, Joseph shares how to create a space where everyone has a seat, whether they’re sipping NA spritzes, crisp Sauvignon Blanc, or a celebratory bottle of Champagne.
9 Sept 2025
Partnerships - Table22
Dannah Strauss, Partnership Lead at Table 22, joins us to share her winding path through the food world - from consulting in Washington, D.C. and writing for a local food blog, to staging at Michelin-starred restaurants, attending culinary school, and building innovative ready-to-eat meals at Territory Foods. Along the way, she’s navigated the realities of startups, the intersection of food and tech, and the challenge of aligning passion with sustainability.
In our conversation, Dannah reflects on the lessons learned at each stage of her career, from plating dishes in fine dining to scaling recipes in food tech. We dive into how technology both connects and distances us from food, and how her work at Table 22 helps award-winning restaurants and specialty shops strengthen loyalty through curated subscription programs. Her story is full of insights for anyone curious about the future of food - and for those looking to find their own place in a fast-changing industry.
26 Aug 2025
TAGeX Brands
Neal Sherman, Founder and President of TAGeX Brands, joins us to share his journey from frozen yogurt machines in supermarkets to building one of the nation’s most trusted marketplaces for surplus and pre-owned restaurant equipment - a business that has thrived for nearly four decades through relentless adaptability and focus.
We talk about how a side service of removing displaced equipment grew into a full-fledged industry solution, the early days of selling through postcards and phone calls before the internet, and how the rise of eBay helped scale TAGeX into a national player. Neal reflects on the importance of testing, failing, and refocusing; the dangers of distraction outside your core expertise; and the leadership mindset required to sustain a company for nearly 40 years. He shares lessons from projects like Red Lobster’s bankruptcy closures, how to build a culture that lasts, and how the business continues to evolve at the intersection of sustainability, technology, and the circular economy.
12 Aug 2025
Brand Director: Maya Geschwind
Maya Geschwind, Brand Director at TSC Hospitality, joins us to share her journey from back-of-house prep kitchens in LA to steering one of London’s most respected hospitality groups - all with a hands-on approach that spans culinary execution, strategy, and leadership.
We talk about growing up in the kitchen, working every restaurant role from lobster prep to high-volume host, and how she earned her “hospitality degree” through lived experience. Maya reflects on moving from the U.S. to the U.K., the cultural contrasts in operations, and how to keep quality and humility at the core as teams scale. She shares what it means to “taste the spreadsheet,” why success demands constant prioritization, and how real-world context builds credibility in an increasingly corporate hospitality landscape.
If you've ever worked a service rush, straddled strategy and operations, or wondered what it takes to build a brand that customers - and teams - believe in, Maya’s story will resonate.
29 Jul 2025
Sushi Maki
Abe Ng, founder and CEO of Sushi Maki, joins us to share how he turned a neighborhood sushi bar into a multi-channel powerhouse with restaurants, university locations, luxury hotel accounts, and over 15 Whole Foods installations — all while keeping quality, approachability, and family values at the core.
We talk about growing up in the family restaurant business, leaving a stable finance job to launch a wrap concept that flamed out, and how that failure paved the way for Sushi Maki’s rise. Abe shares what it takes to scale fresh sushi across different formats, the operational discipline behind serving executive chefs and Whole Foods customers alike, and the role of persistence, partnerships, and people in long-term restaurant success. He reflects on Miami’s culinary growth, lessons from wholesale logistics, and why investing in talent is the secret to sustainable scale.
15 Jul 2025
Food Influencer @eatingallofny
Kat Romneos, the creator behind @eatingallofny, joins us to share why she walked away from nearly 70,000 followers and a growing career in food content — and what she learned along the way.
We talk about the early days of pandemic-era dining, the shift from hobby to side hustle, and how partnerships, platform pressure, and nonstop posting turned something joyful into something draining. Kat reflects on what made her content work, why authenticity matters, and what it takes to stay grounded in a space that rewards growth at all costs.
1 Jul 2025
Franchise Times
Franchise Times President John Hamburger analyzes the restaurant industry's shifting economic landscape in 2025, discussing challenges like declining traffic and rising prices, and this is an interview.
17 Jun 2025
Hurray's Girl Beer
Ray Biebuyck, founder of Girl Beer, discusses disrupting the beer industry by creating a brand that appeals to women through data-driven innovation and a rebellious marketing approach in this interview.
3 Jun 2025
Tavernetta Denver
Mike Tougas, front-of-house lead at Tavernetta, recounts his transition from civil engineering to fine dining, emphasizing discipline and mentorship in Denver's evolving Michelin-recognized food scene; this is an interview.
20 May 2025
The Golden Steer Steakhouse
Nick McMillan, co-owner of the iconic Golden Steer Steakhouse in Las Vegas, joins us to share how he and his wife Amanda stepped in to carry forward one of the city’s most historic restaurants.
After taking over the Golden Steer in 2019, they brought a fresh perspective to a legacy brand — modernizing operations, investing in digital storytelling, and launching a thriving line of consumer products. We talk about navigating a pandemic-era pivot, turning viral moments into menu staples, and bringing the Golden Steer experience coast-to-coast with a new location opening soon in New York City.
4 May 2025
Love Lamp Matcha
Logan and Taylor Amstey, founders of Love Lamp Matcha in Austin, Texas, join us to share how they turned a simple dream into a thriving business. After a two-year permitting journey, they opened their unique pottery studio and matcha shop in early 2025 — and within just six weeks, launched a second location. We talk about overcoming red tape, building an authentic community without paid ads, and partnering with creators and city officials to bring their vision to life.
Who has been a guest on Handling the Heat
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
John Hamburger
Ray Biebuyck
Mike Tougas
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
106
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 45 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
52
Social presence
0
YouTube
64
Engagement
32
Contact Handling the Heat
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
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