REWIND — New Orleans Treats Meet Luxury Eats: The Sucré Story

07/23/24 • 37 min

In today's episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” are joined by James Vitrano, Chief Executive Officer of Sucré.

They discuss James' background, from his early ambitions to getting into the restaurant industry and working for major chains like Ruby Tuesday's. They talk about his current role as CEO of Sucré, a high-end New Orleans-inspired dessert chain that he and his partners acquired and are now focused on growing. The three discuss topics such as franchising models, use of technology in restaurants, what's right and wrong with the hospitality industry, along with James' vision for bringing Sucré to new markets.

Key Takeaways:

[00:08 - 03:19] Live from ICR Conference in Orlando Florida, introducing a conversation with James Vitrano, CEO of Sucré
[03:20 - 04:44] Two Truths and a Lie
[04:56 - 06:26] James talks about his background and journey, buying Sucré and becoming its CEO. The original New Orleans patisserie, originally founded by Joel Dondis
[06:27 - 10:40] Sucré is opening up its 15th store, and reflecting on James' background at Louisiana Tech with an interest in pursuing law, but going into hospitality with Noah Restaurant Group, Ruby Tuesdays, among others
[10:04 - 10:40] Ruby Tuesdays and being head of international, that taking James to Iceland, Romania, and Guam
[10:42 - 13:37] Jimmy gives background on the fragmented nature of food service and hospitality, and asks James about leveraging tech. Thinking about the "tech stack"
[13:42 - 15:42] Engagement, opportunity, and an explosion of software solutions. NOLA as a unique market.
[15:52 - 16:38] New Orleans fusion of culture and heritage
[16:39 - 19:18] Learning franchising and taking Noah's Bagels from 7 stores to 2 million. Currently focusing on corporate franchising.
[19:47 - 22:17] Talking Back — How Jimmy and Schatzy met
[22:17 - 24:54] Talking Back follow up — What's right with the hospitality industry?
[24:54 - 27:16] Talking back part three — what's missing in the hospitality industry and needs fixing?
[27:23 - 29:38] The Spice is Right — Disney World edition, the price of Chef Mickey character breakfast buffet
[29:38 - 32:35] Trivia Tuesday answers
[32:35 - 36:38] Branded Quickfire — Orlando edition

In today's episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” are joined by James Vitrano, Chief Executive Officer of Sucré.

Key Takeaways:

[00:08 - 03:19] Live from ICR Conference in Orlando Florida, introducing a conversation with James Vitrano, CEO of Sucré
[03:20 - 04:44] Two Truths and a Lie
[04:56 - 06:26] James talks about his background and journey, buying Sucré and becoming its CEO. The original New Orleans patisserie, originally founded by Joel Dondis
[06:27 - 10:40] Sucré is opening up its 15th store, and reflecting on James' background at Louisiana Tech with an interest in pursuing law, but going into hospitality with Noah Restaurant Group, Ruby Tuesdays, among others
[10:04 - 10:40] Ruby Tuesdays and being head of international, that taking James to Iceland, Romania, and Guam
[10:42 - 13:37] Jimmy gives background on the fragmented nature of food service and hospitality, and asks James about leveraging tech. Thinking about the "tech stack"
[13:42 - 15:42] Engagement, opportunity, and an explosion of software solutions. NOLA as a unique market.
[15:52 - 16:38] New Orleans fusion of culture and heritage
[16:39 - 19:18] Learning franchising and taking Noah's Bagels from 7 stores to 2 million. Currently focusing on corporate franchising.
[19:47 - 22:17] Talking Back — How Jimmy and Schatzy met
[22:17 - 24:54] Talking Back follow up — What's right with the hospitality industry?
[24:54 - 27:16] Talking back part three — what's missing in the hospitality industry and needs fixing?
[27:23 - 29:38] The Spice is Right — Disney World edition, the price of Chef Mickey character breakfast buffet
[29:38 - 32:35] Trivia Tuesday answers
[32:35 - 36:38] Branded Quickfire — Orlando edition

Previous Episode

New Orleans Treats Meet Luxury Eats: The Sucré Story

In today's episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” are joined by James Vitrano, Chief Executive Officer of Sucré.

Key Takeaways:

[00:08 - 03:19] Live from ICR Conference in Orlando Florida, introducing a conversation with James Vitrano, CEO of Sucré
[03:20 - 04:44] Two Truths and a Lie
[04:56 - 06:26] James talks about his background and journey, buying Sucré and becoming its CEO. The original New Orleans patisserie, originally founded by Joel Dondis
[06:27 - 10:40] Sucré is opening up its 15th store, and reflecting on James' background at Louisiana Tech with an interest in pursuing law, but going into hospitality with Noah Restaurant Group, Ruby Tuesdays, among others
[10:04 - 10:40] Ruby Tuesdays and being head of international, that taking James to Iceland, Romania, and Guam
[10:42 - 13:37] Jimmy gives background on the fragmented nature of food service and hospitality, and asks James about leveraging tech. Thinking about the "tech stack"
[13:42 - 15:42] Engagement, opportunity, and an explosion of software solutions. NOLA as a unique market.
[15:52 - 16:38] New Orleans fusion of culture and heritage
[16:39 - 19:18] Learning franchising and taking Noah's Bagels from 7 stores to 2 million. Currently focusing on corporate franchising.
[19:47 - 22:17] Talking Back — How Jimmy and Schatzy met
[22:17 - 24:54] Talking Back follow up — What's right with the hospitality industry?
[24:54 - 27:16] Talking back part three — what's missing in the hospitality industry and needs fixing?
[27:23 - 29:38] The Spice is Right — Disney World edition, the price of Chef Mickey character breakfast buffet
[29:38 - 32:35] Trivia Tuesday answers
[32:35 - 36:38] Branded Quickfire — Orlando edition

Episode Credits:

Produced by: Branded Hospitality Media
Hosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy Frischling
Producer: Julie Zucker
Creative Director: Adam Levine
Show Runner: Drewe Raimi
Post Production: Three Cheers Creative

www.thehospitalityhangout.com

Next Episode

Ecolab's Game-Changing Innovations in Food Safety and Restaurant

Lisa attended Michigan State University, where she completed her undergraduate studies and later earned a Master’s degree in Food Safety. Her academic focus laid a solid foundation for her career in the industry. At Ecolab, she is known for her data-driven approach to improving food safety practices and has extensive experience across various prominent food and beverage companies, highlighting her expertise in the field. Her role ensures that Ecolab remains a leader in providing innovative solutions for food safety, supporting restaurants, hotels, and other food service establishments in maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. Lisa’s career is defined by her dedication to enhancing food safety and public health.

Key Takeaways:

Ecolab is described as a gold standard in the hospitality and food service industry, particularly for their behind-the-scenes contributions, including water safety, hygiene, infection prevention, and overall food safety.
Lisa elaborates on Ecolab’s efforts to build trust in the industry by ensuring that their products are easy to use, efficient, and meet regulatory standards globally.
Lisa emphasizes Ecolab's significant role in the restaurant industry, focusing on innovation, data-driven insights, and comprehensive solutions to enhance food safety and operational efficiency.
Ecolab's comprehensive approach to enhancing food safety in the restaurant industry includes advanced technology, robust training programs, and a strong focus on building a culture of safety.
EcoSure, a notable program offered by Ecolab, includes assessment tools to evaluate food safety culture within organizations. This program helps businesses understand how associates, team members, or partners view food safety and how the organization is addressing it. The EcoSure program involves using data to make plans for improvement and build a strong food safety culture within the organization.
Lisa shares statistics on foodborne illnesses, highlighting the importance of stringent food safety practices.
Talking Back: The hosts express their admiration for Ecolab's innovative products and services, highlighting the company's significant impact on the restaurant industry's safety and efficiency.

Enjoy engaging segments like “What’s Hot and Not,” where the latest industry trends are discussed, “Branded Quick Fire,” which provides rapid-fire insights into key topics, and “Trivia Tuesday,” a fun and informative game that tests your insight on guests.

Episode Credits: