Founders of Haven Sizzling Hen, Mahana Recent, Pizzawala, Pucci Brothers Recent Italian and Sankranti Indian Kitchen will take the stage on Oct. 9 to pitch their ideas to FCES attendees.
Following a worldwide contest, 5 ideas have been chosen to take part in The Excellent Pitch, FastCasual’s “nicer” model of “Shark Tank,” the place restaurant founders attempt to persuade attendees of the Quick Informal Govt Summit, being Oct. 8-10 in Louisville, that their idea is prepared for development.
After listening to a five-minute pitch from every founder, and listening to advisers grill the founders about their enterprise plans and development methods at 9 a.m., on Oct. 9, viewers members will vote on their favourite pitch. The winner will obtain bragging rights, a $3,500 prize and 6 months of free service with Ovation, a visitor suggestions platform particularly designed for eating places.
The 2023 finalists, which have been required to have between one and 10 places and be based after 2018, are:
havenhotchicken.com
Based: 2020
Areas: 4 in New Haven, Orange, Norwalk and North Haven, Connecticut
From the restaurant founders: Haven Sizzling Hen brings Nashville-style Sizzling Hen and Not Hen to Connecticut as one of many first totally devoted Nashville-style Sizzling Hen ideas in New England. Serving rooster and its “not rooster” vegetarian choice starting from not spicy to very spicy, the menu is rounded out by conventional southern sides and seasonal limited-time choices.
mahanafresh.com
Based: 2019
Areas: 7 in Brandon and Stuart, Florida; Toms River, New Jersey; Fargo, North Dakota; Idaho Falls, Idaho, Atlanta and Charlotte.
From the restaurant founders:Affords a big number of make-your-own or chef-curated healthful bowls that faucet into international flavors. Every bowl consists of a base that may meet any way of life selection resembling lower-carb cauliflower rice, veggies resembling honey Sriracha Brussel sprouts or garlicky cilantro inexperienced beans in addition to a number of proteins like ahi tuna. The bowls are completed with house-made sauce with various taste profiles that vary from creamy wasabi to newly added Mediterranean-influenced tzatziki.
thepizzawalas.com
Based:2019
Areas: 4 in Michigan and Illinois and India; a fifth will open in Ohio and a sixth in New Jersey by the tip of the 12 months.
From the restaurant founders: Whereas we predominantly deal with fusion pizzas, we do supply classics resembling cheese, pepperoni and margarita. Our crust line-up contains Pizzawala’s Unique, and we have not too long ago launched New York-style and Detroit-style pizza crust choices to carry our flavors to our clients in additional methods than one. We additionally promote quite a lot of wings, each conventional American-style in addition to fusion, Indian-inspired flavors. To spherical out our menu, we provide a variety of breads, together with veggie puffs, a savory puff pastry made with a potato-based filling. A very good majority of the menu might be vegetarian and/or vegan-friendly as effectively.
puccibrothers.ca
Based:2022
Areas: 1 in Ontario Canada
From the restaurant founders: With the rising curiosity in ethnic delicacies, we consider that an improve is required to the Italian section of the foodservice business, particularly close to quick informal. The essence of most Italian delicacies is rooted within the peasant expertise. Due to this fact, by emphasizing made-in-house merchandise and using conventional recipes which might be fast and straightforward to breed, Pucci Brothers is making an attempt to present our company a extra genuine eating expertise, with out the pom and circumstance of an upscale, full-service eating institution.
sankranti.com/
Based: 2022
Areas: 2, in Dunwoody and Atlanta, Georgia
From the restaurant founders: The menu boasts curry bowls, kathi rolls, pulao, kabobs, conventional appetizers like samosas, salads and desserts impressed by each the northern and southern areas of India. Protein choices embody classics like tikka rooster, malai rooster and lamb. Vegetarian choices resembling paneer tikka masala and combined vegetable kurma additionally can be found.
Who’s doing the grilling
Advisers embody:
- Matt Friedman, CEO, Franchise Founders.
- Zack Oates, founder and CEI, Ovation.
- Rick Timmons, founding accomplice, Flake Pie Firm/ROCTACO and winner of the 2022 Excellent Pitch.
Cherryh Cansler is VP of Editorial for Networld Media Group and senior editor of FastCasual.com. She has been masking the restaurant business since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas Metropolis Star and American Health journal, amongst many others.
