Bonus Episode: Josh Sharkey Talks Menu Engineering, Culinary Entrepreneurship and Innovation at ICE

07/09/24 • 42 min

1 Listener

#67. In this special episode of The meez Podcast, listeners are treated to a captivating talk given at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City between Brian Konopka, Director of Strategic Operations Dean of Restaurant & Culinary Management, and Josh Sharkey, Founder and CEO of meez.

Addressing a business class with a culinary focus, Josh and Brian engage with a dynamic group of students and faculty, discussing the journey of entrepreneurship, the challenges faced along the way, and the experience of building and scaling restaurants and a food tech company.

The episode delves deep into topics such as recipes, food costing, menu engineering, and, of course, meez. The students' enthusiasm and curiosity were truly inspiring, offering a hopeful glimpse into the future of the culinary industry. Tune in to share in the insightful and inspiring conversation.
Where to find ICE:

Where to find host Josh Sharkey:

In this episode, we cover:

(02:50): Josh Sharkey's early career
(07:16): How and when meez was created(12:00): Menu engineering 101
(20:18): Gathering the recipe data for meez
(26:32): How AI is changing the industry
(33:33): Why grandma's recipe just tastes better
(36:11): Balancing work and life

Where to find host Josh Sharkey:

In this episode, we cover:

Previous Episode

Introducing The meez Network

🌟 Welcome to The meez Network 🌟
As hospitality professionals, your time is invaluable. That’s why we're thrilled to announce the launch of The meez Network, a curated content hub designed to bring all the hospitality industry insights you need into one convenient place.
📕 Our Journey: Inspired by the enthusiastic feedback from their podcasts and the industry's call for a centralized resource, Andrew Friedman (Author/Host of Andrew Talks to Chefs) and Josh Sharkey (Founder/CEO of meez and host of The meez Podcast) have combined their acclaimed podcasts into The meez Network’s premiere collection of top-tier hospitality content.
🎙️ Our Edge: The meez Network meticulously curates essential industry content, saving hospitality professionals the hassle of sorting through endless sources. We spotlight the best podcasts and information to ensure your valuable time is well spent.
💬 Our Purpose: We aim to create a community where hospitality professionals can learn from one another, share their stories, and connect over shared experiences and lessons. Whether you’re a chef, restaurateur, mixologist, or simply passionate about hospitality, The meez Network is here to support and inspire you.
🤝Our Collaborators: Our initial podcast lineup includes Andrew Talks to Chefs (Hosted by Andrew), The meez Podcast (Hosted by Josh Sharkey), Industry Only at The Cheese Store (Hosted by Co-Owners Dominick DiBartolomeo and Andy Wang), Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast (Hosted by Eric Cacciatore), and The Simmer (Hosted by Kristen Hawley of Expedite and Brandon Barton of Bite).
🌐 Join Us: Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher to stay updated with our latest episodes.
Where to find Andrew Talks to Chefs:

Where to find Restaurant Unstoppable:

Where to find The Simmer:

Where to find Industry Only At The Cheese Store:

Where to find The meez Podcast

Next Episode

Matt Wampler on Leveraging Predictive Analytics to Revolutionize Food Management

#68. In this episode of The meez Podcast, host Josh Sharkey sits down with Matt Wampler, co-founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, one of the rising stars in the food tech industry. Josh and Matt delve into the fascinating world of predictive analytics, AI, and machine learning in the food sector.
ClearCOGS is revolutionizing the way large-scale organizations forecast sales and manage food prep. By leveraging advanced technologies, ClearCOGS provides daily insights that help businesses like Jimmy John's reduce waste and optimize operations. Josh and Matt explore the practical applications of these technologies and discuss how they make it easy for companies to access vital information.
The conversation also delves into Matt's background in the franchise world, where he managed multiple Jimmy John's locations. Matt shares his experiences of starting from scratch in a franchise, the resources available, and the unique challenges and advantages of having established processes in place.
Listeners will gain insights into Matt's journey from franchise management to co-founding ClearCOGS and learn about the company's mission to minimize food waste. This episode offers valuable perspectives on building a tech-driven company in the food industry and the impact of innovative solutions on sustainability.
Tune in to hear Josh and Matt's engaging discussion and discover how ClearCOGS is paving the way for smarter food management. Enjoy the episode!
Where to find Matt Wampler:

Where to find ClearCOGS

Where to find host Josh Sharkey:

In this episode, we cover:

(02:58): Owning a Jimmy John's franchise
(12:39): All about systems(15:21): In the people business
(20:14): ClearCOGS 101
(35:11): Using AI for ClearCOGS
(39:28): How Matt met Osa
(51:31): What's next for meez?
(59:18): Matt's two questions for Josh
(1:05:53): What makes Matt really angry?

The meez Podcast - Bonus Episode: Josh Sharkey Talks Menu Engineering, Culinary Entrepreneurship and Innovation at ICE

Transcript

[00:00:00] Josh Sharkey:

You're listening to season two of The meez Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Sharkey, the founder and CEO of meez, a culinary operating system for food professionals. On the show, we're going to talk to high performers in the food business, everything from chefs to CEOs, technologists, writers, investors, and more about how they innovate.

[00:00:19]

And operate and how they consistently execute a