Grounded

From washing dishes at 14 to leading operations for an international brand, Nimesh Patel’s journey is the definition of grounded leadership. Now the Vice President of Operations & Culinary at Boston’s Pizza, Nimesh blends deep frontline experience with a data-forward approach to scale, adaptability, and innovation.

In this episode, he shares the lessons learned from running a successful franchise, why strong vendor relationships matter more than ever, and how AI could be a game-changer for restaurants of every size. For operators, supply chain leaders, and restaurateurs looking to blend practical know-how with strategic thinking, this episode is a must-listen.

Takeaways:
  • How a hands-on career path builds credibility and decision-making strength.
  • Why adapting to market conditions is essential for long-term business sustainability.
  • What a data-driven approach brings to inventory management and cost control.
  • Why strong vendor relationships can prevent disruptions in your supply chain.
  • How AI and emerging tech are creating new opportunities for restaurant innovation.
Quote of the Show:
  • “I learned the hard way on how to run supply chain, and run it lean, and also run it effectively through the hardest time I think we've had in our history when it comes to restaurant supply chain. We've learned to stop being reactive and get in front of it.” - Nimesh Patel
Connect with Nimesh:
Ways to Tune In:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The-Grounded-Podcast 

Creators and Guests

Host
Lauren Mitchell
Lauren Mitchell is the Director of National Accounts and Custom Distribution at Produce Alliance, LLC. She is a dedicated fresh produce spend & spec maximizer for multi-unit national restaurant chains & groups. She gets to know your brand and infuses your expectation for quality, consistency and transparency to create more reliability in your produce category.

What is Grounded?

Join us as we engage with top tier producers in the foodservice industry to hear their perspective from all links throughout the supply chain. Here, we discuss brand development, company culture, global supply chain strategy, culinary innovation and leadership from folks who founded, operate or manage multi-unit restaurant chains. Each show is tailored around the guest to dig deep into their unique journey and how it shapes their current procurement strategy in order to aggregate the best insights toward the future of foodservice.