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
630: Drew Nieporent on Tearing Down Walls [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:51
In 1977 Drew Niepornt graduated from Cornell University with a degree from the School of Hotel Management and set out on a career in hospitality that has only been matched by few. Nieporent's first restaurant, the ground…
629: John Stage on Always Under Construction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:49
In 1988, tired of the gypsy lifestyle, John Stage decided to settle in Syracuse, NY, where he opened his first Dinosaur Bar-B-Que restaurant. In the following years, Stage has expanded with locations in Rochester, Manhat…
628: Kim Alter on Pushing Harder to Be Better [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:23
Growing up in Laguna Beach, CA, Chef Kim Alter is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. She went on to work in some of the Bay Area's most notable restaurant kitchens before joining the Daniel Patterson Group wh…
627: Jed Davis on Working Harder Than Everyone Else [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:18
7th generation Vermonter, Jed Davis, Graduated from Cornell University with a focus on Hotel Administration. His formative years were spent in New York City learning from master restaurateurs, Daniel Boulud, and Danny Me…
626: Will McNeil on Staff First/Customer Second [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:55
Born and raised in Burlington, VT Will Mcneil is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. After graduation McNeil cooked at various locations before becoming a FOH manager for Hen of the wood in 2006. By 2011 McN…
625: Eric Warnstedt on Food with Soul and Roots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:18
Originally from Fort Lauderdale, FL, Eric Warnstedt is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University North Miami. Six years after making the move north to Vermont, in October of 2005 alongside business partner William McNei…
624: Michael Kloeti on Keeping an Open Mind [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:49:27
Born, raised, and trained in Switzerland, Chef Kloeti moved to the United States to enrich his classical French cooking background with other cultures. Before make the move to VT, Kloeti absorbed experience from New York…
623: Zeb Stewart on The Importance of Chaos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:20
Zeb Stewart has a history of success in Brooklyn, New York. As designer and owner/ operator of cherished Williamsburg hotspots Union Pool, Hotel Delmano, and Café Colette, Zeb has played a significant role in the growth…
622: Lauren Brie Lynch on The Power of Improvising [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:25
The University of Albany graduate, Lauren Brie Lynch had 10 years food and beverage experience before joining forces with Jay Janawsky, and Chad Vigneulle to open Harlem Public in 2011. With the moment the team went on t…
621: Beejhy Barhany on Following Your Instincts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:01
Born in Ethiopia, Beejhy Barhany made it to the USA by way of Kenya, Uganda, Europe, Isreal, and South America before setting roots in New York City. In 2000 Barhany founded Beta Israel of North America, a non-profit org…