Episode 23: Scrappy, Smart & Scaling — Catering Growth with Amanda Quinn of Viva Chicken
Release Date: 11/19/2025
Episode 26: From the Pit to the Party — How Central BBQ Wins at Catering
Barbecue Catering Smarts
In Episode 26 of , Michael Attias sits down with Linda Bogach, Catering Director at —one of the most iconic barbecue brands to ever come out of Memphis. Linda brings a true operator’s perspective to catering. Her path wasn’t linear—restaurant management, bartending, raising a family, and eventually stepping into catering leadership. That real-world experience shapes how Central BBQ delivers high-volume catering while protecting the food quality and guest experience that built the brand. In this episode, Linda shares how Central BBQ successfully takes barbecue from the pit to the...
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Episode 25: The Fast Casual Formula for Catering Growth with Erin Childs
Barbecue Catering Smarts
In this episode of , Michael Attias sits down with Erin Childs, restaurant consultant, coach, and long-time catering operator who cut her teeth in Boston’s fast casual scene. From pounding the pavement with samples in hand to building systems for national brands like Beloco and Fresh City, Erin shares her journey from boots-on-the-ground catering sales to strategic leadership. You’ll hear how she: Grew catering sales by literally walking the streets of Boston and calling companies like they were old friends Transitioned from late-night event chaos to a scalable, Monday-through-Friday...
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Episode 24: Inside Primo Partners’ Off-Premise Playbook with COO Phillip Scotton
Barbecue Catering Smarts
In this episode of , Michael Attias welcomes Phillip Scotton, President & COO of —one of the most successful multi-unit, multi-brand franchise operators in the Ben & Jerry’s system, and a rapidly growing partner within the Starbucks licensed store network. Phillip shares his remarkable journey from unpaid intern to executive leader, helping Primo Partners scale from a single Ben & Jerry’s shop in Chapel Hill to more than 20 locations across the Southeast. Under his leadership, Primo became the #1 Ben & Jerry’s franchisee globally for off-premise operations, fueled by a...
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Episode 23: Scrappy, Smart & Scaling — Catering Growth with Amanda Quinn of Viva Chicken
Barbecue Catering Smarts
In this episode of , Michael Attias sits down with Amanda Quinn, Director of Catering at —one of the fastest-growing Peruvian rotisserie brands in the U.S. Amanda brings years of experience building off-premise programs across hotels, franchise concepts, and now a multi-unit restaurant group. She shares how Viva Chicken has scaled catering by focusing on people, process, and good old-fashioned hustle. From her early days taking catering orders with pen and paper to leading a modern off-premise program, Amanda breaks down the strategies that actually move the needle—like hiring for...
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Episode 22: Listening, Leadership & Luxury Events with Lauren Laurent at Levy Restaurants
Barbecue Catering Smarts
In this episode of , Michael Attias welcomes Lauren Laurent, the powerhouse Director of Catering Sales & Marketing at — based at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. With 15+ years in hospitality, Lauren brings a rare blend of operational excellence and heartfelt hospitality to some of the nation’s largest events and conventions. From serving thousands at once to curating elevated experiences that feel personal, she’s mastered the art of listening — not just hearing — to understand client needs and deliver flawlessly every time. Michael and Lauren discuss: How to...
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Episode 21: Leadership That Lasts with Christin Marvin, Founder of Solutions by Christin
Barbecue Catering Smarts
In this episode of , Michael Attias welcomes Christin Marvin, founder and CEO of . With over 20 years in the hospitality trenches—from line cook to multi-unit operator—Christin now helps restaurant owners and leaders create sustainable success without burning out in the process. They dive into what it really means to build resilient teams, retain top talent, and lead with clarity—even when the kitchen is on fire (literally or metaphorically). Christin opens up about her early days in a small Missouri town slinging tacos at her favorite Mexican restaurant, and how that journey led to her...
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Episode 20: Collaboration Over Competition — Inside the CaterLinked Movement with Terry Matthews
Barbecue Catering Smarts
In this episode of , Michael Attias welcomes Terry Matthews, Co-Founder of , a fast-growing community built to connect, educate, and empower catering professionals. Terry shares how CaterLinked was born out of one big idea: that caterers don’t have to compete alone—they can grow stronger together. Through online groups, in-person meetups, and the newly launched CaterLinked Academy, Terry and his team are creating a space where operators can collaborate, share best practices, and accelerate their success. Michael and Terry talk about the power of curiosity, connection, and community, and...
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Episode 19: Marketing That Moves the Needle with George Westberry, Director of Marketing Initiatives at Red Hot & Blue
Barbecue Catering Smarts
In this episode of , Michael Attias sits down with George Westberry, Director of Marketing Initiatives at . With 13 years at the brand and a career that began in the back of the house as a chef, George has a unique perspective on how marketing, hospitality, and operations come together to grow both dine-in and catering sales. George shares how Red Hot & Blue has leveraged community connections, consistent branding, and strategic campaigns to expand catering while staying true to their barbecue roots. He explains why gratitude and kindness are powerful business tools, how cross-functional...
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Episode 18: Community, Culture and Catering Growth with Kevin Reading, VP of Sales at Luna Grill
Barbecue Catering Smarts
In this episode of , Michael Attias welcomes Kevin Reading, VP of Sales and Community Engagement at . Kevin shares his journey from hotel catering to leading national catering at Qdoba, and now helping Luna Grill scale its off-premise and catering programs. He dives into the advantages of working in a nimble, entrepreneurial organization, where testing ideas and pivoting quickly drives results. You'll learn how Kevin focuses on: Community engagement as a sales driver Building catering programs with flexibility and speed The importance of removing friction for customers Aligning purpose-driven...
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Episode 17: Packaging, Process, and Profit—Catering Strategy with Jenn Saunders-Haynes
Barbecue Catering Smarts
In this episode of , Michael Attias welcomes Jenn Saunders-Haynes, Owner & Chief Catering Strategist at . Jenn shares why the three P’s—Packaging, Process, and Profit—are the foundation of catering success. From avoiding the trap of copying your full restaurant menu, to choosing functional packaging that protects food quality, to building systems that scale without chaos, she brings decades of hospitality and catering expertise to the conversation. Michael and Jenn also dive into the importance of data over gut instinct, how to leverage third-party platforms as marketing tools (not...
info_outlineIn this episode of Restaurant Catering Smarts, Michael Attias sits down with Amanda Quinn, Director of Catering at Viva Chicken—one of the fastest-growing Peruvian rotisserie brands in the U.S.
Amanda brings years of experience building off-premise programs across hotels, franchise concepts, and now a multi-unit restaurant group. She shares how Viva Chicken has scaled catering by focusing on people, process, and good old-fashioned hustle.
From her early days taking catering orders with pen and paper to leading a modern off-premise program, Amanda breaks down the strategies that actually move the needle—like hiring for personality, reading the room, adapting your pitch on the fly, and building relationships one conversation at a time.
She also reveals how she’s using AI tools to identify high-value catering prospects, map out sample-drop routes, and save hours of manual prospecting time—giving her team more time to sell.
Plus, hear Michael and Amanda dive into:
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Why great catering salespeople think on their feet
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How to approach offices where no one wants to talk to you
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What she learned selling catering without any marketing budget
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Why chasing the “big dogs” in your market (Chick-fil-A, Jason’s Deli, Jimmy John’s) leads to gold
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How AI and tools like GPT are accelerating catering growth
If you’re looking for real-world strategies to build catering sales, strengthen relationships, and work smarter—not harder—this episode delivers gold bar after gold bar.
Restaurant Catering Smarts is sponsored by CaterZen Catering Software, the all-in-one system that saves restaurant teams time, increases sales, and brings sanity back to catering operations.