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Welcome to THE podcast for independent food service professionals, restaurant operators, and anyone who lives-and-loves the world of food! From fast to fine, casual and convenient Dennis Knows Food serves up industry news, insightful conversations, marketing strategies and more - join host Luke LaBree on a journey to "put the foodie back in foodservice!"
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Recorded live from the main stage at Maine-Stay 2023, this episode offers a front-row seat to Luke's insightful discussion on maximizing your marketing impact without breaking the bank. From traditional methods to cutting-edge digital solutions, Luke unpacks a diverse array of strategies designed to elevate your business's visibility and drive grow…
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Recorded live from the main stage at Maine-Stay 2023, this episode offers a front-row seat to Luke's insightful discussion on maximizing your marketing impact without breaking the bank. From traditional methods to cutting-edge digital solutions, Luke unpacks a diverse array of strategies designed to elevate your business's visibility and drive grow…
  continue reading
 
Recorded live from the main stage at Maine-Stay 2023, this episode offers a front-row seat to Luke's insightful discussion on maximizing your marketing impact without breaking the bank. From traditional methods to cutting-edge digital solutions, Luke unpacks a diverse array of strategies designed to elevate your business's visibility and drive grow…
  continue reading
 
This isn’t a how-to guide. Click here for that. This is a breakdown that incorporates real experience and dives deeper into what it means to have a podcast as a business. Discover the often-overlooked challenges of podcasting, such as finding your niche, maintaining consistency, growing and improving, and handling technical hiccups. Michael Mirarch…
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An authentic website instantly adds credibility to your business. When potential customers find your website, they are more likely to perceive your establishment as trustworthy and professional. The benefits of having a website far outweigh the costs, as it enables you to maintain better control of your brand's online narrative, attract new custome…
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Christine is an entrepreneur, engineer, and inventor who focuses on using technology to protect businesses and their customers from the threat of illnesses and outbreaks. Her creation, PathSpot, is a Hand Hygiene System used at thousands of restaurants, airports, schools, offices, and manufacturing facilities worldwide. In just two seconds, PathSpo…
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The start of a new year is always a good time for restaurants to evaluate and update menus for profitability. But, as you'll hear in this episode, given inflation and rising overhead costs, it's best to build this task into your regular workflow, helping ensure your menu consistently meets expectations and desired margins. Menu management is one of…
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In this episode Luke and Samantha go off the rails discussing how restaurants can create and use free QR codes. You’re guaranteed to leave with at least one important takeaway. This episode is also the first of our new two-person format; casual conversation that compliments, shares, and simplifies topics and trends that are valuable to independent …
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In her article "The Smells That Make Shoppers Spend More" Marisa discusses how smell has a strong link to emotion and, therefore, spending. How scent marketing and scent branding are complex strategies involving science and art, intended to enhance customer loyalty and spending. And how using ambient scents to make your business smell good can have…
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Do you need an agency-built website or is DIY for you? What other digital marketing opportunities should you consider? How does your social presence factor in? Why does design affect user experience? If your gears started turning following episode 67 part 1. If questions came to mind. If you’re now motivated to dive deeper… Well, you know what to, …
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In this 2-part episode, host Luke LaBree talks with the website development and marketing experts Peter Anania and Dustyn Bailey about what goes into a well-branded website and how that can lead to better business across the board. The best practices covered in this episode go deep and apply to your business–whether you’re a multi-million dollar op…
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Derek Fasset, Workforce Development Director at HospitalityMaine, recently took the reins of a multi-year workforce development plan. His top priority is building momentum by creating self-filling pools of hospitality workers across the state. As we know, these employees are essential. Whether you're a small independent business or a multi-million …
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Even though you couldn’t be there with us, I promise you’ll take something away from this talk. This episode has been edited down from its original length. Thank you to Chef Tim, he recorded the session on his phone. The video version includes the full discussion, minus round-table portions, and closed captioning for any parts that you might not be…
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Joining the conversation is the gang from Restauranttopia, a fun and informative podcast from Hillcrest Foodservice in Ohio. Get ready to take notes, there’s a wealth of wisdom piled into this pod! Like Dennis, Hillcrest is a member of the UniPro Foodservice cooperative. With over 850 member locations, UniPro Foodservice, Inc. is the largest food d…
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In this episode we’re talking about delivery – getting food from point A to point B... from your kitchen to your customers. In mid 2020, with dining rooms across the country shuttered, the question of “how to get food to customers without a dine-in option” quickly became one of the foodservice industry’s top priorities. Stepping in to address this …
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Maine's statewide ban on disposable polystyrene containers takes effect on January 1st, 2021. UPDATE: The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is delaying its enforcement of the "foam ban" until July 1, 2021. See the news release: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MEDEP/bulletins/2b2649b Given that the change is right around th…
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The most valuable weapon you have in the battle for eyes, ears and engagement online is content. Content is as important to your digital presence and marketing efforts as the food you serve is to your dining room. It shows who you are, what you do and what you’re capable of – but most importantly – it can impact a visitor’s decision to return. Like…
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Six figure sales swings, last minute website launches, loss mitigation, oncological humility and a philanthropic culture… Paul Saval shares how his team never backed down from the pandemic and what he hopes is on the horizon.If you work in the food industry, provide distribution services, conduct sales calls or are at all curious about the chaotic …
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Wisdom nuggets with a twist. We're cross-pollinating podcasts in this episode! Full Comp host Josh Kopel takes the reins and joins Dennis Knows Food host Luke LaBree to discuss some of their biggest takeaways from past interviews. Episode 59 reflects on the experiences and advice of several widely different foodservice professionals. Timeless and r…
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A discussion about using restaurant reopening guidelines as a to-do list for marketing messages.In this episode of Dennis Knows Food host Luke LaBree talks with Cary Weston, partner at Sutherland Weston Marketing Communications. The idea at hand… What if foodservice operations used restaurant reopening checklists as a guide for marketing their busi…
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The New Video Norm - Marketing During the CovidIn this special video and audio dual-edition of the Dennis Knows Food podcast, host Luke LaBree interviews Sal Marotta of SM Media Group on the creation and use of video in the foodservice industry. Video, especially social media video, is a powerful marketing tool that has become increasingly more pot…
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Making the Most of Downtime [During the COVID-19 Crisis]The restaurant industry is in a chaotic and difficult situation due to the coronavirus outbreak. As a result many operations are seeing significantly lighter traffic, or have temporarily closed their doors, and are facing prolonged periods of downtime. In this episode podcast host Luke LaBree,…
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The Takeout Transition [During the COVID-19 Crisis]Following the need for many operations to transition from full service, dine-in establishments, to takeout and delivery only – I joined a Zoom call with 3 other industry experts to discuss 5 important topics pertinent to restaurants and the foodservice industry during this challenging time. The Tra…
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Constructive criticism is not a personal attack.In this episode Chef Tim shares one of the very first lessons he learned in foodservice. A story about teamwork from the unteachable point of view of a dish-pit newbie. Having worked in foodservice for over 31 years, Chef Tim Labonte has done it all and seen it all in professional kitchens... but, eve…
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"If you're not making enough money, it's because you're not making enough money."Joshua Kopel is an entrepreneur, restaurateur and environmental advocate from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. During his 20-plus year career he's managed everything from dive bars to fine dining establishments. Today he runs two successful foodservice ventures in Los Angles, a…
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Creating valuable content that will help build your brand, and inspiration for how to use it.Social media has exponentially increased the opportunity for people to develop an emotional connection with your brand. The Secret Social Sauce is a strategy that will help you identify your brand’s unique marketable attributes for digital content and socia…
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Two pepperoni experts join us to share their thoughts on the lay-flat vs. cup-and-char debate raging in America's pizzerias.Pepperonis with edges that curl and crisp when cooked, leaving delectable pools of grease at the center, are most commonly referred to as cup-and-char. Lay-flat has been the dominant pepperoni among pizza purveyors for decades…
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After a whirlwind month we're back in the podcast studio, joined by Tina Parker of The Dough Co!Our team has been working downright diligently over the past few months to bring the Dennis Difference to more customers, in more places. Part of those pursuits includes the addition of new employees; team members who will help support our mission and ou…
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Steve Hewins, President & CEO of the Maine Restaurant Association and the Maine Inn Keepers Association has some big news... In this episode we're getting details on the merger of these two organizations; a big focus at the Maine Hospitality Summit on October, 29th in Bangor, Maine. Listen in as Steve shares his thoughts on one of Maine's largest i…
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In this episode we're sharing tips for looking like a pro on camera with special guest Brad LaBree. If you get nervous even thinking about talking on camera this episode is for you! Video and cameras are playing an increasingly impactful role in our daily lives; they're also a great tool for getting in front of customers. But, what happens when you…
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If you own or operate a foodservice establishment, you don't want to miss this epic, self-aware restaurant marketing deep-dive with two strategic thinkers from Geaghan's Pub & Craft Brewery.Subscribers to our podcast know that we discuss a wide variety of topics designed to help you grow and improve your business. In this episode, rather than just …
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In this week’s episode we’re sharing some stats from a new report published by the IFDA and we’ve got a few tips to help keep your kitchen running smooth.From the locally sourced products we proudly distribute, to the construction crews we’ve hired to expand our warehouse – twice now – in order to hold thousands of products, to the diesel we put in…
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With our school food show on the horizon, we’re putting an educational twist on this week’s episode – focusing on the importance of paying attention to advances in foodservice. The school of life is the greatest education of all, and in it the learning never stops. Life in foodservice is no exception. As we go about our daily duties, it’s important…
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By listener request we’re chilling out with cold brew. Plus, we’re sharing a MEGA pizza resource, and brand new from McCain – edible emoji! Just how popular is cold brew coffee? We’ve got the stats. What makes cold brew different? We’ll help you understand the steep. What’s the biggest hurdle for foodservice operators? We’ll tell you and share the …
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In this squeaky-clean episode we’ve got tips for spotless tabletops and Dennis Account Executive Jesse Landry joins us for a chemical conversation! Cleanliness throughout an entire operation is an extremely important part of foodservice management. For help with training new employees, or as a reminder to experienced staff, we’re sharing steps to h…
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Episode 44 takes on a life of its own as Dennis Knows Food host Luke LaBree, and special guest Michael Mirarchi, share their thoughts on a number of trending industry topics – paper straws, eco-friendly packaging, branding, the power of Yelp, social media and more – don’t miss this episode! This week’s foodie fact is brought to you by Original Phil…
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In this extra-long episode we’re talking about how to create the perfect brand message for your business, and we talk meat with our Protein Category manager Chris Caler! This week’s foodie fact is brought to you by our friends at Great Lakes Cheese Company. This week saw the celebration of “National Cheese Day” so, for our Foodie Fact we’re asking……
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In this week's episode we’re talking about how well trained servers can help your business grow, things to know about Memorial Day and our latest inventory additions.This coming weekend is Memorial Day weekend, with Memorial day on Monday, May 28th. So, this week we’re forgoing our usual foodie fact in favor of 5 Memorial Day facts. This week we’ve…
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In this episode there’s info about our inventory additions for the week, Google advice to grow your business, and we’ve got BBQ on the brain! Joining us for our discussion on how you can use Google to help grow traffic to your restaurant we’ve got a special guest, foodservice operator and social media guru, Katrina Petersen. National Pineapple Upsi…
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Get your outdoor space ready for hungry patrons looking to take advantage of al fresco dining opportunities.In this week’s episode we’ve got tips to help keep your outdoor dining space pest free, an update on our 2018 food show, this week’s new products and foodie headlines. April 4th is National Cordon Bleu day and for this week’s foodie fact we’r…
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Challenge + Justification = Action. A simple equation to maximize the success.In this week’s episode we’re talking about the “who, what, why and how” important to success. Plus, we’ve got this week’s new products and there’s lobster news in the literary world. We're in the midst of Easter season, a widely observed religious holiday. For this week’s…
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We're breaking from our usual format with this episode and pulling an unpublished segment from the archives!In this episode we're sharing an unpublished portion of our Christmas 2017 podcast that, due to time constraints and bustling activity here in the office, was just never finished. Tune in as your host, Luke LaBree, shares one of his favorite …
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After a brief hiatus we’re back in the studio! Our first podcast of 2018 is a double-length episode with special guest Katrina Petersen.Where has the podcast been for the last 2 months? Under construction! Since completing our most recent major expansion we’ve added over 20 new members to the Dennis Paper & Food Service team. So, we’ve been busting…
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In this week's episode we've 13 new products, a report about c-store predictions for the future and sound advice from a toilet paper salesman. For this week’s foodie fact, revealing the source of our inspiration would give the answer away... Do you think you know what popular dessert first came about as a savory dish in an 18th century France. You'…
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In this Thanksgiving episode of Dennis Knows Food we're talking with a special guest about olfactory senses, the power of pies and more.This week we're going unscripted with a reminder about new products, our foodie fact for the week and new developments in "local" social media exposure from Facebook. Plus, a special guest with extensive small busi…
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In this episode of Dennis Knows Food we've got Maine food news, national coffee news and influences for restaurants in the coming year.Restaurant Business Online just published an article that discusses what restaurants can expect to see as influences in 2018. We're going to discuss some of the insights they've shared, and we've provided a link to …
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In this episode of Dennis Knows Food the IFDA is taking us into the minds of independent operators!This week the IFDA released an in-depth 194 page report, prepared by industry research partner Technomic, about independent restaurant operators. It details market trends, challenges, economic outlooks, changing formats and a whole lot more. We're sha…
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In this special unedited episode of Dennis Knows Food we're talking about convenience foodservice and freshness to-go. When it comes to food from "c-stores" - even with convenience foodservice sales exceeding $34 billion dollars a year - negative consumer perceptions still exist around the category. Recent research has shown that there is plenty of…
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In this episode of Dennis Knows Food we’re sharing tips to help prepare your kitchen for the fall foodservice season. Foodservice operators take tremendous pride in their kitchens and equipment. Now that we’re through the hectic pace of the summer season now is a good time to clean equipment and ensure everything is in proper working order. And, if…
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In this episode of Dennis Knows Food, hungry diners want to know "What's new?" For operators, raising the awareness of new items through any available channel -- website, social media, in-house advertising or on the phone with customers -- can have several benefits; including satisfying regulars who want to try something new, add-on sale opportunit…
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