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Questioning why you got into this crazy business? Here's a place to find an answer

Though the readers of this website are involved in another sector of the food service industry, many of you still attended the Fast Casual Executive Summit outside Los Angeles this week. It was a great fit, since much of the information was applicable to all restaurant categories, including everything from franchise growth to food safety.

October 13, 2016 by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Though the readers of this website are involved in another sector of the food service industry, many of you still attended the Fast Casual Executive Summit outside Los Angeles this week. It was a great fit, too, since much of the key industry information that was shared over the three-day event was applicable to all restaurant categories, including everything from franchise growth and marketing, to technology, food safety and key menu trends. 

It was, in fact, about a semester's worth of information from the top experts of the industry packed into three days of seaside fun and great food with some of the most creative and intelligent people on the planet. To all who did attend, many thanks for your friendliness and generosity with the volumes of wisdom you shared. For this reporter, it was like an insanely fun and fast course in the intricacies of food service.

For those who were unable to attend, ask around and I think you'll find that this industry event is one that is definitely worth your time when it rolls around next year in the great music city of Nashville, Tennessee. I'm especially excited for that one because the state of Tennessee has been so innovative in its approach to food service as a quality of life issue that is key to the overall health of its population. 

But perhaps even more than that, it's an unmatched opportunity for reminding you why you got in this whole restaurant business thing in the first place. It reminds you that this is a business that mines all the creativity, people skills and overall business sense each restaurateur has. 

For instance, the Perfect Pitch on the final day of the conference is one of the most energizing experiences you can take part in. Listening to the genesis of the concepts of three relatively new players in the restaurant industry is nothing short of invigorating. This year, for instance, we heard how a former corporate technology expert, Kathleeb Raba, turned her love of healthful eating into one of New Jersey's most up-and-coming sandwich concepts at Jersey Girl Cafe. We also heard the unique ways a young Chicago-based husband-and-wife team made true Philly cheesesteak one of the Windy City's favorite new eats at at MoJo's East Coast Eats. And we were floored by the creativity and skills of a father-and-son team who figured out a way to not only make burgers fresh to order but also bake each bun fresh-to-order as well at Rockfire Grill in Santa Ana. 

But everywhere you turned and every event of the conference also reminded me why it's so much fun and so inspiring to cover this "beat." Regardless of the age or experience level, restaurateurs are some of the most energetic individuals around, and they absolutely love their jobs. Yes, there are an immense number of challenges by way of regulations and competition, but there is something so affirming about people who love what they do and always want to do it better.For that, I toast you all and also promise to bring you a report on all the information I learned in coming weeks.

About S.A. Whitehead

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Pizza Marketplace and QSRweb editor Shelly Whitehead is a former newspaper and TV reporter with an affinity for telling stories about the people and innovative thinking behind great brands.