A mix of Las Vegas restaurateurs and industry professionals came together for an “Accelerate” event hosted by What Now Media Group at Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse on Wednesday, September 17. The event provided a valuable space for Las Vegas’ food and beverage operators to share insights, build new relationships, and explore strategies for navigating the city’s competitive restaurant market.
Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse, a Colorado-based pizzeria and craft beer bar located at 3752 S. Las Vegas Boulevard, Suite 180, hosted the complimentary gathering that brought together dozens of representatives from businesses featured on What Now Las Vegas. This included local restaurants and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Attendees networked while enjoying delicious bites and beverages before participating in a collaborative conversation focused on growth, innovation, and operational success.
Attendees included a variety of local restaurant owners and food entrepreneurs. Jae Doan and Katie Ray, co-owners of Doanburi Premium Sushi, attended ahead of opening their first brick-and-mortar location, which promises a fresh, elevated take on modern sushi in Las Vegas. Joseph Eckart, franchisee of Le Macaron French Pastries, also joined the event as the brand prepares for its second storefront in the city, offering artisan French desserts in a boutique setting.
Thompson Ly, owner of OMG Pizzeria, was on hand to share his journey with the fast-growing pop-up pizzeria concept, while Donte Savage, co-owner of Savage Soulfuleatz, represented his soulful pop-up brand set to launch at Summerlin Takeout.
Also in attendance were Nikolay “Nik” Poptcheva and Rima Poptcheva, co-owners of both Vileo Coffee Bar and AmeriBrunch Cafe, two concepts offering gourmet coffee and brunch dishes with a downtown edge. Sarah Suarez, owner of Whole Lotta Sweets, also attended ahead of reopening her dessert shop in the Downtown Container Park.
Hector Garcia and Hezi Rossenstein of Joy Burgers joined the event after reopening their popular burger spot in a new location at Meadows Mall. Representing the upcoming Chinatown dining concept Alchemist, Vincent Lam and David Fraile were also in attendance, sharing updates on their progress as they prepare to open their highly anticipated restaurant.
The event was hosted by Mariah Medley, Director of Events and Partner Engagement at What Now Media Group, who facilitated an open forum where attendees shared lessons learned, business goals, and collaborative opportunities. The energy in the room reflected the drive and passion that continues to define the Las Vegas restaurant scene.
Several Preferred Partners from What Now Media Group’s national network also attended the event to provide expert support and strategic guidance. Gene Rotondo of Tagrisk LLC offered insights into risk management and customized insurance solutions tailored for restaurants. Susan Nagi of Our Town America shared direct mail strategies to help restaurants reach new residents in their neighborhoods and build customer loyalty from the start.
Dan Goodwin of Green CO2 Systems introduced cost-effective CO2 solutions designed to improve safety and efficiency in beverage delivery systems. From Global Payments, Lawrence Chavez and Rigo Soltero spoke with guests about modern POS and payment processing tools that streamline front-of-house operations. Janea Sizemore from Heartland was also in attendance, helping operators explore integrated HR and payroll systems to support their staffing needs.
Additional representatives from Cresco Resco, Cox Business, Restaurant Technologies, Inc., and Prudential Overall Supply were available to answer questions and provide tailored business solutions to help restaurateurs scale their operations more effectively.
The restaurant owners and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners shared valuable insights, operational highlights, and expert advice, creating an engaging and informative evening that was both enriching and beneficial for all attendees.
This led Mariah Medley to carry the conversation even deeper by discussing critical business points, such as having an exit plan and efficiently managing operations after expanding to multiple locations. After Mariah and the guests shared their tips, knowledge, and concerns, everyone became quickly interested in learning more about their businesses and how they could help one another.
This event provided a valuable platform for restaurant owners and industry partners to collaborate, brainstorm, and establish new connections. It’s clear that the Las Vegas restaurant community is eager to continue innovating and evolving, and What Now Media Group’s Accelerate events provide the perfect space for these conversations to take place.
What Now Media Group shares restaurant opening news in 33 cities across North America, breaking news, and provides timely insight into yet-to-open brick-and-mortar businesses. The platform shares news of thousands of openings across all 33 cities annually.
The industry-leading experts in What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners help new businesses open and existing businesses grow.
Stay tuned for future Accelerate events from What Now Media Group in 2025. For more details, see the Accelerate page here.
Click here for a complete list of our partners. To learn more about becoming a preferred partner, click here.
