962: Sandy Korem Founder and CEO at Festive Kitchen

962: Sandy Korem Founder and CEO at Festive Kitchen

Author: Inspiring interviews with todays most successful restaurateurs 2-days a wee February 2, 2023 Duration: 1:28:20

Sandy Korem is the Founder and CEO of Festive Kitchen in Dallas, TX. Sandy was a nurse long before she was the CEO of a catering company. She left a nursing career because of the hours and raised two kids. Then she began catering. She began in 1991 by baking brownies in a 100 sq. ft. commissary kitchen for a burger joint. Around 1996 was when she had her first true catering experience cooking for 100 people at a house party. She then moved on to a 1,400 sq. ft. kitchen and grew her business. In 2011 she created a separate retail space for selling her baked goods. Today, Festive Kitchen has 4 locations and 2 of them are retail locations.

Unstoppables! Please consider taking this survey about our listener demographics so that we can better determine how to best serve our listeners. Less than 10 simple questions. Here is the link: CLICK HERE

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Favor success quote/mantra:

  • "Don't panic; punt."

In this episode with Sandy Korem we will discuss:

  • Catering
  • Starting with no experience
  • Starting small
  • A first catering experience
  • Experiencing an egg recall for thousands of products
  • Budget
  • Packaging
  • Systems!

Today's sponsor:

For restaurants, large costs can pop up fast, but traditional loans are too slow. That's why you need Zinch – They're a direct lender that can fund up to $250,000 in less than 2 days. Apply online and you can get a response within 24 hours. Right now, my listeners get their application fee waived by going to financingthatworks.com. Loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Finance Lenders Law license.

Join the 60-day Restaurant Systems Pro FREE TRAINING. This is something that has never been done before. This 60-day event is at no cost to you, but it is not for everyone. Fred Langley, CEO of Restaurant Systems Pro, will lead a group of restaurateurs through the Restaurant Systems Pro software and set up the systems for your restaurant. During the 60 days, Fred will walk you through the Restaurant Systems Pro Process and help you crush the following goals: Recipe Costing Cards; Guidance in your books for accounting; Cash controls; Sales Forecasting(With Accuracy); Checklists; Budgeting for the entire year; Scheduling for profit; More butts in seats and more… Click Here to learn more.

Contact:

Email: sandy@festivekitchen.com

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Sandy Korem for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Eric Cacciatore sits down with the people who actually run the show in the world of food service. Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore is built on conversations with established restaurateurs and seasoned professionals who have navigated the intense realities of the industry. Twice a week, these interviews dig past the surface, focusing on the tangible details of leadership, team management, and effective marketing that separate a thriving venue from a struggling one. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of what worked, what didn’t, and the often-overlooked decisions that shape a restaurant's path. This podcast serves as a direct line to collective experience, whether you're dreaming of your first opening or steering a multi-location group. The dialogue is practical, centered on the daily grind and long-term strategy needed to build something lasting. For anyone invested in the business of hospitality, these regular episodes compile a vital resource, turning shared insights into actionable knowledge for your own journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 1000

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Podcast Episodes
926: Neal Bodenheimer Founder of Cure Co. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:32:48
Get Neal's book Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How To Mix 'Em launching on October 25th! Check out Drunk by Edward Slingerland as recommended in today's episode. Check out America Walks Into A Bar by Christine Sismondo as…
925: Brandon Landry Founder and CEO of Walk-On's [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:51:42
Brandon Landry is the Founder and CEO of Walk-On's, which had its first store open in Baton Rouge, LA. Today, there are 70 Walk-On's locations. Brandon attended LSU where he was a "walk-on" for their basketball team. He…
924: Susan Spicer Chef/Owner of Bayona, Mondo, and Rosedale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:59:14
Susan Spicer is the Chef/Owner of Bayona, Mondo, and Rosedale in New Orleans. She is a highly respected figure and chef in NOLA, and nationwide. Susan got her start in 1979 at the age of 26 as a cook, and soon after that…
923: Chef Brendan Vesey Owner of Botanica Restaurant and Gin Bar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:51:08
Brendan Vesey is the Chef/Owner of Botanica Restaurant and Gin Bar. Upon Graduating the University of Virginia Chef Brendan Vesey found himself serving as an officer in the US Navy. Since finishing service in 2005, his n…
922: Sam Silverman Founder of Bagelfest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:43:51
Sam Silverman is the Founder of Bagelfest. Sam has always had a passion for bagels, as a kid, he practically lived off bagels! When this Worchester, MA native moved to Brooklyn and discovered there was no bagel fest... t…
920: Getting Personal with Eric Cacciatore and Jared Parisi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:29
Check out RestaurantSystemsPro as mentioned in today's episode! Restaurant Unstoppable hasn't published an episode since late August. Here we are in September with a brand new episode. Eric Cacciatore is the Founder and…
919: Dan Sidner and Joe Muench Co-Founders Black Shoe Hospitality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45:44
Joe Muench "started making pizzas at age 17 and hasn't stopped since." After culinary school, Joe Muench worked at Milwaukee's premier fine dining restaurant, The Grenedier Restaurant, from 1990-1994. He was later recrui…
918: Paul Bartolotta Chef & Co-Owner The Bartolotta Restaurants [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:20
Paul Bartolotta is the Chef and Co-Owner of The Bartolotta Restaurants in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Paul got started in restaurants in his very early teens as a dishwasher and eventually became a prep cook. He decided to pur…