Restaurant Podcast Guide: Our 9 Current Favorites

Update: Our very own Brian Wayne has made an appearance on the Shandeeland podcast. Read on to learn about their chat. Editor’s note: This post was originally published on February 19, 2021, and has been slightly updated for accuracy, relevance, and comprehensiveness.

Podcasting has grown from a niche hobby to a must-have marketing tool. There are currently around 1.75 million podcasts around the world, and more are coming every day. Topics for podcasts vary from celebrity interviews to science to music and, of course, to the food and the restaurant industry. Our very own Brian Wayne, the Vice President of Customer Service at QSR Automations, was featured on The Main Course podcast to discuss how the company has promoted technological solutions to off-premise dining trends and curbside pickup. Recently, Wayne made an appearance on the Shandeeland podcast to explore how restaurant technologies can enhance the customer experience. His interviews are a great example of the restaurant podcast’s power to enlighten, inform, and entertain. With so many great restaurant podcasts to choose from, where do you start?

The Main Course 

We have an obvious bias for The Main Course restaurant podcast, but their acclaim is well earned. Speaking with host Barbara Castiglia, Wayne examined the company’s efforts to provide the tools to help restaurants thrive during difficult times. For Wayne, the pandemic “forced people to focus on off-premise and their kitchens.” QSR developed an off-premise order management system that helps streamline operational efficiencies for delivery, takeout, and curbside to tackle that problem. 

Each episode of the series sees Castiglia interviewing industry leaders to get their perspective on the behind-the-scenes magic that animates your kitchen. It’s a great way to gain insight into the world of restaurant technology, which is especially valuable for aspiring or evolving restaurateurs looking for fresh solutions. 

Restaurant Technology Guys 

Like The Main Course, the Restaurant Technology Guys look at all tech that enriches eateries around the world. Hosted by Jeremy Julian, COO of Custom Business Solutions, Inc., the series looks at everything from the automation that powers the front and back-of-house, but everything in between. For example, their latest episode discusses how including televisions in your dining area can increase your revenue. Episodes are consistently released every week, with Julian joined by a who’s who of industry professionals. 

Butter Pecan Podcast

The new restaurant podcast on the block, the Butter Pecan Podcast, explores the intersection of race and food, from coca-cola to ice cream. Hosted by Louisville Cream, this restaurant podcast is so named for the relationship between the black community and butter pecans, which opens up into examining race and class and how that influences what we eat. Each episode picks a topic and uses historical documentation to trace how certain foods became synonymous with particular cultures. 

Shandeeland

Hosted by CertiStar CEO Shandee Chernow, the Shandeeland podcast is a deep dive into industry insights, food allergies, and all the little things that happen on and off the clock in the restaurant world. Throughout the series, Chernow centers her conversations on the human experience, whether that’s the guest experience or just the little moments that everyone who’s worked in a restaurant lives for. There is a humanity and kindness here that makes it a light listen, though always informative and thoughtful.

Restaurant Unstoppable

The Restaurant Unstoppable restaurant podcast tops of many lists, and for good reason: it’s great! Hosted by Eric Carricatore, the podcast is a melting pot of ideas meant to inspire growth and creativity in the industry. Carricatore is a great conversationalist, taking industry professionals from the kitchen to the philosophies that empower their vision. His work is empowering and thought-provoking, unveiling the reciprocal relationships between restaurants, technology, and the people on your staff.

Home Cooking 

A cooking show, the Home Cooking podcast is an exploration of food in isolation. The host of Song Exploder Hrishikesh Hirway and best-selling author Samin Nosrat team up to help listeners figure out how to cook with what’s on hand. This is a sweet podcast obviously made by two friends. Home Cooking was named one of the best new podcasts of 2020 by Rolling Stone, Vulture, and more, and for a good reason, it’s good-spirited, informative, and funny! Episodes explore foods that are a little off the beaten path but in a way that makes them seem approachable, the perfect inspiration for restaurateurs considering re-engineering their menu. 

A Deeper Dive 

Each week, A Deeper Dive delivers on the promise at the heart of the premise: a closer look into the world of the restaurant industry. A weekly podcast, A Deeper Dive, is a news-oriented series that uses topical current events to see what’s moving and shaking. Whether that’s examining how a coffee chain has grown throughout a tumultuous year or stories on restaurant branding and marketing, this restaurant podcast is a must for owners and operators to garner the tips of the trade as events are happening. 

Opening Soon 

The Opening Soon restaurant podcast is an earnest look at a restaurateur’s journey from getting started in their kitchen to bringing their guests back for seconds. Hosts Alex McCrery and Jenny Goodman use restaurant operations as a lens to look at the world around them. A wonderful example of that explores how the pandemic and the surrounding community fostered some fresh ideas in New York City. Episodes come out regularly, although not to a strict schedule, mirroring other restaurant podcasts by featuring a variety of movers, shakers, and the staff that brings it all together. 

Doughboys 

Doughboys is a restaurant podcast hosted by comedians Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger that celebrates chain restaurants in all their glory. Each episode features a different franchise, from Subway to Panera, and everything in between. A guest comedian often joins Mitchell and Wiger in their discussions, which often go off-topic. This is a great, albeit not always safe for work podcast to gauge what restaurants are in the zeitgeist or not while having some laughs. 

Restaurant Podcast Conclusion

As you can tell, podcasting is limited only by the hosts’ imagination, even when the focus is on restaurants and the food on the plate. Podcasts are 54% likely to influence listeners through their advertisements and topics, and a fantastic way to help build your brand. Did we miss any amazing podcasts? Have you ever learned anything that stuck with you, restaurants or otherwise? We want to know. Sign off in the comments section below!

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About the Author

Syd was a content marketing specialist, which are fancy words for writing pretty to tell a good story. He likes writing things about food, drinks, and music. He’s a musician himself, a father of two, and loves his wife a whole lot.