We are happy to share with you this list of 15 restaurant influencers who are changing the food and restaurant industries one plate at a time. To become a restaurant influencer is a lot of hard work in an industry already know for long days. Say hi to them on Twitter and tell them @SolinkCorp sent you!
Why should you follow restauranteurs?
The restaurant business isn’t easy, and to succeed you’ll need all the help you can get—and inspiration too. It takes long hours and sleepless nights to get a restaurant open, and even more to keep it open.
You’ll also need a team behind you, and we think Solink is a key element of that team. We’ve helped many restaurant managers and owners. You might think Solink’s benefits are limited to security, but that’s just the start.
15 restaurant influencers you need to follow
Here’s the list. Please let us know what you think of these 15 top restaurant influencers.
1. Danny Meyer
@dhmeyer
Danny Meyer is a New York City restaurateur and the CEO of the Union Square Hospitality Group. After studying cooking as a culinary stagiaire in both Italy and Bordeaux, he opened his first restaurant Union Square Cafe at just 27 years old. The restaurant is still running strong after 30 years in business.
2. Kat Cole
@KatColeATL
A true businesswoman and humanitarian, Kat Cole is now the President and COO of Cinnabon, Inc. She got her start in the restaurant industry at Hooters where she became an Executive Vice President at just 26 years old. Cole oversaw the growth of Hooters from approximately 100 locations and $300 million in revenue to 500 locations in 33 countries and $1 billion in revenue.
3. Dana Cowin
@fwscout
Dana Cowin is the Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine magazine. In 2012, Cowin was an inductee into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who in Food & Beverage in America. Currently she is on the Board of Directors of Hot Bread Kitchen.
4. Jonathan Grahm
@Compartes
Jonathan Grahm, named one of Forbes “30 Under 30”, is known for his over 100+ varieties of gourmet chocolates found in Compartes Chocolatier. Grahm, who started making chocolate at 19, transformed Compartes Chocolatier into one of the most notable and celebrated artisanal chocolate destinations in the nation blending chocolate, art, style, design, fashion and food.
5. Paul Barron
@paulbarron
Where do we even begin? Paul Barron is the CEO and Executive Producer of Foodable Network, the founder of Fast Casual publication and Fast Casual Nation as well as the author of The Chipotle Effect. Simply put, if you’re in the fast casual industry you should be following him.
6. Vani Hari
@thefoodbabe
A passionate food activist, writer and speaker, Vani Hari is on a mission to make the food industry less processed and more transparent. Her work has lead numerous large brands including Starbucks, Subway and Panera Bread to remove chemicals from their ingredients.
7. Jon Taffer
@jontaffer
Jon Taffer is the unapologetic but caring host and Executive Producer of Bar Rescue and Hungry Investors on Spike TV. He is also the President of The Nightclub & Bar Media Group and Taffer Media.
8. Liza de Guia
@SkeeterNYC
Liza de Guia combined her two passions, food and storytelling, to create Food Curated. Through video and blogs, she tells the story behind good food. Guia is also a NYTimes partner/host and has been nominated 4 times for a James Beard award.
9. Natanya Anderson
@NatanyaP
When she’s not eating, drinking, or blogging about food, Natanya is the Director of Social Media at Whole Foods Market. She is also a founding member and past President of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance, a non-profit organization established to promote blogger philanthropy and education in the food industry.
10. Ben Leventhal
@benleventhal
As the co-founder of both Eater and Resy, Ben knows a thing or two about mixing food, tech and digital media. He’s worked with companies like the Food Network, Kitchensurfing, and Cover. In addition, he is on the Board of Directors of Hot Bread Kitchen and is on the James Beard Awards restaurant voting committee.
11. Richard McCarthy
@RichardSlowFood
Richard McCarthy is the Executive Director of Slow Food USA, having previously served as Executive Director of Market Umbrella, a non-profit organization for farmers markets, community building and sustainable economic development. Through his work, Richard embodies the phrase “think globally; act locally.”
12. Cheryl Bachelder
@CABachelder
Cheryl Bachelder is a passionate restaurant industry executive serving as the CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. She is known for her crisp strategic thinking, franchisee-focused approach, superior financial performance and the development of outstanding leaders and teams. She shares her knowledge in Dare To Serve.
13. Hattie Hill
@HattieHillWFF
Hill is an international leadership development expert, business owner, best-selling author and globally renowned thought leader. She currently serves as the President and CEO of the Women’s Foodservice Forum, a leadership development organization that for over 25 years has helped women advance in the foodservice industry.
15. Jessamyn Rodriguez
@HotBreadKitchen
After years of working with non-profits, Rodriguez married her passion for social justice with her talent for baking. In 2008, she launched Hot Bread Kitchen, an incubator that helps immigrant women and men to successfully transition to a career in the food industry. The incubator generates more than $3 million in revenue from customers such as Whole Foods, Dean & DeLuca and the Plaza Food Hall and even rents space to 45 startups.
14. Jason Wang
@jwang815
It’s only fitting that this self-proclaimed tech geek and culinary jet setter is the Co-Founder and CEO of Caviar, a premium food delivery service. Jason was named one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” in the Food & Wine category. You can follow his food explorations on his blog City Foodsters.
See how Solink can help your restaurant
Solink can do a lot for a restaurant, from helping you acquire, install, and monitor security cameras to unlocking the data in your POS.
To see how Solink can optimize your restaurant, sign up for a demo today.