What's Cooking? | A Podcast from Nory – Details, episodes & analysis

What's Cooking? is the podcast for hospitality operators scaling smart. Hosted by Conor Sheridan – CEO and co-founder of Nory, and a former operator who built and ran multi-site restaurant brands himself – each episode goes behind the scenes of fast-growing restaurant groups to explore the operational challenges that actually matter - like disconnected systems, staffing chaos, and margin pressure.

Through honest conversations with industry leaders you’ll get practical insight into what’s working on the ground right now - from automation and AI to culture, data, and waste reduction. No fluff. No forecasts. Just the blueprint for better hospitality operations at scale.

New episodes every two weeks.

Tom James, Managing Director at Bill’s Restaurants, joins Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, to share how he led the brand through record-breaking growth over the past 4 years by doubling down on guest experience, change management, and technology. 

With decades of experience and a deep operational background, Tom shares how he’s led Bill’s Restaurants through significant transformation, balancing heritage and innovation while maintaining a relentless focus on the guest experience.

Listeners will gain insights into how Tom approaches change management, builds alignment across teams, and integrates new technologies without losing sight of what makes a hospitality brand thrive. From piloting initiatives at select sites to rethinking training and communication across 47 locations, this episode is a masterclass in the leadership strategies and operational tactics that helped a legacy brand adapt and thrive in a dynamic hospitality landscape.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

>> How to lead a successful change management programme in hospitality

>> Why guest experience is the single most important operational metric

>> The value of frontline team empowerment through tech and training

>> What it takes to trial and scale innovation across multiple sites

>> How data-driven decisions improve team engagement and profitability

Meet Our Guest

Tom James is Managing Director at Bill’s Restaurants, where he has led the brand to record sales and a 100% increase in EBITDA. With over 30 years in hospitality, Tom has held leadership roles at Jamie’s Italian, Coppa Club, and Harbour Hotels, known for his operational excellence and people-first approach.

About the Host

Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality.

Enjoyed the Episode?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible!

Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations.

Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai

Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn

Follow Tom James on LinkedIn

Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

In this episode of What’s Cooking? Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, sits down with Darko Salaj, Operations Director at Giggling Squid, to uncover the unconventional strategies behind the brand's rapid expansion. 

From thriving amid Covid to rejecting corporate rigidity, Darko shares his unique approach to operations, leadership, and scaling sustainably. Tune in to discover how embracing individuality and structured chaos can be a winning formula for hospitality.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

>> Why "slow down to go fast" became Darko’s mantra for growth.

>> The surprising benefits of structured chaos in hospitality operations.

>> How Giggling Squid kept scaling through Covid while maintaining culture.

>> Why personal connection beats metrics in spotting operational red flags.

>> The role of resilience and individuality in building strong restaurant teams.

Meet Our Guest

Darko Salaj is Operations Director at Giggling Squid, where he brings over 25 years of hospitality experience across major brands like Prezzo and Chimichanga. Known for his hands-on leadership and candid insights, Darko has helped scale Giggling Squid to over 50 sites while preserving its founder-led spirit.

About the Host

Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality.

Enjoyed the Episode?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible!

Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations.

Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai

Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn

Follow Darko Salaj on LinkedIn

Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

In this episode of What’s Cooking? Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, sits down with Maria McCann, Operations Director at Blacklock, to uncover how the brand has grown without compromising its people-first ethos. From retaining team culture across regions to transforming chef training, Maria shares tactical insights that have helped Blacklock scale smartly and sustainably. 

Discover the role of radical candour, local community integration, and leadership development in building hospitality teams that thrive.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

>> How Blacklock retains and exports its culture as it expands outside London

>> Why succession planning across venues fosters internal growth

>> The impact of bespoke training like Radical Candour on kitchen culture

>> How Blacklock uses local engagement to ensure new venue success

>> Why investing in people lowers turnover and improves profitability

Meet Our Guest

Maria McCann is Operations Director at Blacklock and a hospitality veteran with over 17 years of experience. From Shake Shack to Blacklock, she has built a reputation for creating people-first cultures that fuel operational excellence and sustainable growth.

About the Host

Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality.

Enjoyed the Episode?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible!

Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations.

Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai

Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn

Follow Maria McCann on LinkedIn

Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

What does operational excellence really look like in the real world of hospitality? In this episode of What’s Cooking? Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, sits down with Jonny Bramwell, Regional Head of Operations at Rosa’s Thai, to explore how the brand scaled a transformative internal programme—Rosa’s Done Right. Jonny shares leadership lessons, key challenges, and how to balance beautiful chaos with brand consistency across 46+ locations. 

Discover how aligning culture with systems drives results in team retention, guest sentiment, and commercial performance.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

>> How Rosa’s Thai used the "Rosa’s Done Right" framework to embed consistency across 46 locations

>> Why bottom-up leadership and team empowerment are critical for successful operational transformation

>> How focusing on guest sentiment and team turnover can unlock long-term profitability

>> What “beautiful chaos” means and why it’s a strategic asset, not a liability

>> Why new openings now require faster, more impactful rollouts—and how Rosa’s is leading the way

Meet Our Guest

Jonny Bramwell is the Regional Head of Operations at Rosa’s Thai and a hospitality leader known for blending operational rigour with creative energy. With a career spanning venue launches, content creation, and strategic leadership, Jonny is passionate about building engaged teams and delivering consistent, memorable guest experiences.

About the Host

Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality.

Enjoyed the Episode?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible!

Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations.

Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai

Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn

Follow Jonny Bramwell on LinkedIn

Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

What does it take to align brand, culture, and operations in hospitality? Mark McCulloch, Founder of Hospitality Marketing Guru and CMO of Prezzo Italian, joins Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, on the latest episode of What’s Cooking? to share how he led a successful brand repositioning at national scale. From Pret to Prezzo Italian, Mark dives into building brand DNA, strategic marketing leadership, and navigating the friction between vision and operational reality.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

>> Why a brand is more than just a logo—it’s your business operating system.

>> The strategic process behind Prezzo’s rebrand to Prezzo Italian.

>> How to align culture, product, and reputation for scalable growth.

>> The role of AI in marketing planning and personalisation in hospitality.

>> How to measure marketing success in a margin-conscious industry.

Meet Our Guest

Mark McCulloch is a veteran hospitality marketer and CMO of Prezzo Italian. He’s helped shape iconic brands like Pret A Manger and YO! Sushi, and now leads marketing strategy at Prezzo Italian while training the next generation through Hospitality Marketing Guru.

About the Host

Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality.

Enjoyed the Episode?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible!

Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations.

Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai

Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn

Follow Mark McCollough on LinkedIn

Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

In this special episode of What’s Cooking?, host Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, is joined by Jose Gaytan de Ayala, Investment Manager at Kinnevik, to unpack Nory’s recent $37 million Series B raise. They dive into what attracted Kinnevik to Nory, how AI is revolutionising restaurant operations, and what it takes for a hospitality tech company to win in a legacy industry. This is a candid conversation about capital, culture, and creating real-world impact.

Nory is on a mission to put restaurants back in control of their own profitability. More sites opened, more jobs created, more money pocketed.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

>> How Nory plans to double profitability for restaurant partners

>> The power of permanent capital in venture investing

>> How AI is becoming a proactive force in hospitality operations

>> Why legacy industries like hospitality are ripe for tech disruption

Meet Our Guest

Jose Gaytan de Ayala is an Investment Manager at Kinnevik, where he leads SaaS and AI investments. With a background spanning Credit Suisse, NFX, and Kibo Ventures, Jose brings a systematic and growth-oriented approach to venture investing in Europe and the U.S.

About the Host

Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality.

Enjoyed the Episode?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible!

Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations.

Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai

Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn

Follow Jose Gaytan de Ayala on LinkedIn

Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

In this episode of What’s Cooking? Chris Demery, CTO of Blaze Pizza, joins Conor Sheridan CEO and founder of Nory, to unpack the gritty realities of tech transformation in hospitality. From piloting new systems to navigating franchise complexity, Chris shares how Blaze Pizza balances innovation with profitability. Learn why the best restaurant tech isn’t flashy—it’s functional, scalable, and obsessively guest-centric.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

>> Why piloting tech in one, five, twenty, then 100 stores is critical to scale

>> How Blaze Pizza manages tech across franchisees of varying sizes

>> The role of AI in refining speed of service and off-premise convenience

>> Why collaboration—not control—is key to successful tech rollouts

>> Which restaurant metrics matter most to determine ROI

Meet our Guest 

Chris Demery, CTO of Blaze Pizza, brings over 30 years of experience in tech leadership across Domino’s, P.F. Chang’s, and now Blaze. He champions practical, scalable solutions that align with guest needs and franchise goals—delivering real value, not just new features.

About our Host 

Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, a pioneering AI platform helping hospitality brands run smarter, leaner, and more profitably. A former restaurateur himself, Conor blends operational grit with technological vision.

Enjoyed the Episode?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible!

Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations.

Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai

Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn

Follow Chris Demery on LinkedIn

Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

In this episode of What’s Cooking? host Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, chats with Andrew Maxwell, Operating Partner at Imbiba, about what it really takes to scale and invest in hospitality businesses. From growing Boojum into Ireland’s leading Mexican QSR to guiding high-growth brands like House of Gods, Andrew shares practical insights into the inflection points, red flags, and cultural foundations that drive sustainable growth - both on the floor and from the boardroom.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

>> The critical inflection points in scaling hospitality businesses

>> Red flags that signal a company isn't ready for investment

>> Why technology must enable - not complicate - operations

>> How founder mindset and team culture impact long-term success

>> What investors look for beyond the numbers

Meet our Guest 

Andrew Maxwell is Operating Partner at Imbiba, with a track record of building and exiting businesses across leisure and hospitality. He previously scaled Boojum into Ireland’s largest Mexican QSR before moving into investment, where he now supports high-growth brands across Europe.

About our Host 

Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, a pioneering AI platform helping hospitality brands run smarter, leaner, and more profitably. A former restaurateur himself, Conor blends operational grit with technological vision.

Enjoyed the Episode?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible!

Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations.

Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai

Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn

Follow Andrew Maxwell on LinkedIn

Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn

In this episode of What’s Cooking? host Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, chats with Jim Hingston, Digital & Technology Director at Azzurri Group, about what it really takes to make digital transformation stick in hospitality. From integrating across five brands to prioritising projects that actually move the needle, Jim shares practical insights into building tech that delivers operational impact - not just dashboards.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

>> Why “relentless prioritisation” is essential for digital success in hospitality

>> How to manage tech integration across multiple brands with varied needs

>> The pros and cons of building vs buying digital solutions at scale

>> How Azzurri Group uses data to drive decisions across 250 locations

>> Why team engagement is critical to rolling out new systems effectively

Meet our Guest 

Jim Hingston is the Digital and Technology Director at Azzurri Group, leading digital strategy for brands like Zizzi, ASK Italian, Coco di Mama, and Boojum. With 20+ years’ experience in tech and e-commerce, Jim brings deep expertise in customer-first digital innovation.

About our Host 

Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, a pioneering AI platform helping hospitality brands run smarter, leaner, and more profitably. A former restaurateur himself, Conor blends operational grit with technological vision.

Enjoyed the Episode?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible!

Visit nory.ai to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations.

Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform: nory.ai

Connect with Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn

Follow Jim Hingston on LinkedIn

Learn more about Nory on LinkedIn