Celebrity Chef FABIO VIVIANI on Finding Food Fame (Restaurant Influencers - RI032)

Celebrity Chef Fabio Viviani has solidified his stature as a titan in the restaurant industry with hard work and a winning personality. Watch this interview with the food entrepreneur and CEO to learn about how culture should be the number one goal for any business, finding — and using — celebrity, and learning to stick to a specific system.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN on this episode of the Restaurant Influencers podcast, sponsored by the Toast point of sale and restaurant management company? Let us know by leaving a YouTube comment below!

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CHAPTERS:

[04:11] - Fabio Viviani 2-Minute Drill

[07:00] - Opening JARS by Fabio

[15:56] - Hiring Fast, Firing Faster

[21:44] - Connecting with Customers

[28:45] - Private Estate Dining Experience

Fabio Viviani is a Restaurant Influencer —

Hailing from Italy, Chef Fabio Viviani has solidified his spot among the hospitality elite. He moved from his native country to the United States in 2005. Within a year, he was voted “Fan Favorite” on Top Chef, a competitive reality television show that formerly aired on Bravo. His personality and obvious cooking talents landed Viviani more television appearances, including a repeat appearance on Top Chef All-Stars, and catapulted him into becoming a celebrity chef and titan in the restaurant industry.

“We are trying to be at the forefront with our business,” Chef Fabio Viviani said on the Restaurant Influencers podcast hosted by Shawn Walchef of “A better way of doing hospitality.”

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Accomplishing amazing feats is somewhat of a norm for Chef Viviani. Prior to winning the hearts of the American public, Viviani cut his teeth working as a youth in restaurants in Florence. By 16, he worked his way into becoming sous chef of the vaunted Il Pallaio without formal culinary training.

Outside of his illustrious career in the kitchen and opening restaurants, Viviani is also a best-selling author with cookbooks Cafe Firenze Cookbook: Food and Drink Recipes from the Tuscan Sons and Fabio's Italian Kitchen being published in 2009 and 2013, respectively, with the second reaching the New York Times best seller list. His most recent cookbook, Fabio's 30-Minute Italian: Over 100 Fabulous, Quick and Easy Recipes, was published in 2017.

Chef Fabio Viviani’s latest concept is JARS. JARS is a fast-casual dessert franchise that combines quality desserts and creative presentation, into “Instagrammable” and viral food content. Fan favorite desserts include cookies, cheesecake, peach cobbler, “Gooey Butter Cake” and Fabio’s signature Italian Tiramisu.

Along with providing an array of events and hospitality consulting, his company has over 30 restaurants under its current umbrella. Viviani’s life, however, has been one of extreme ambition. That remains the case as Viviani revealed his plans to open 1000 restaurants by 2030.

NOMINATE A RESTAURANT INFLUENCER — Do you know someone or a restaurant who is great on social media? Let us know by emailing influencers@calibbq.media or sending the @calibbqmedia team a DM on social media.

EPISODE LINKS:

• Fabio Viviani Online

• JARS by Fabio Viviani

• Private Estate Dining Experience

ABOUT FABIO VIVIANI (@fabioviviani):

Fabio Viviani has harbored a passion for food since his childhood in Florence, Italy. By the time he was 27, he operated two nightclubs and five restaurants. In 2005, Fabio moved to California, where he opened his first US-based restaurants in Los Angeles. Off-screen, Fabio is a regular headliner at global food events, and he has authored four successful cookbooks. Best known for his participation in Bravo’s Top Chef seasons 5 and 8 — earning the “Fan Favorite” title — his on-screen appearances and off-screen successes have propelled him to become one of the most influential culinary and hospitality names in the country.

• Fabio Viviani on LinkedIn

ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS:

Welcome to the Restaurant Influencers podcast series. Every week host and restaurant owner Shawn P. Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with leaders in restaurant and hospitality about their secrets to Smartphone Storytelling and how to show up and engage where customers are spending time online.

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RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS IS PRESENTED BY TOAST:

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