A variety of Memphis restaurateurs and industry professionals gathered for an “Accelerate” event hosted by What Now Media Group at Briza Restaurant. The event provided a valuable opportunity for Memphis’ restaurant community to connect and share ideas on navigating the competitive market.
Briza Restaurant, located at 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 181, hosted the free event, bringing together over two dozen representatives from businesses featured on What Now Memphis. 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 presentation focused on strategies for growing and succeeding in today’s competitive market.
The event was hosted by Mariah Medley, Director of Events and Partner Engagement at What Now Media Group, and featured a range of notable restaurateurs and business owners. Attendees included Maggie Murphy-Hernandez and Hunter Williams from Briza Restaurant, a contemporary sit-down restaurant offering approachable fine dining in Memphis. Also present were Alain Suissa and Guy Stockrider from MMI Hospitality, which includes River Inn Harbor Town, Paulette’s Fine Dining Restaurant, Tug’s Casual Bar & Grill & The Roof Top Terrace Lounge.
Other attendees included Kamlesh Patel, Tina Patel, and Rich Winkles from Dunkin’/Buffalo Wild Wings Go, who are expanding their franchise presence in the Memphis area. Greg Diaz from TacosNGanas / Uncle Gyros Mexican Restaurant also participated, sharing his plans to reopen in Olive Branch. Izzy Horton and Lizzy Cooper from Celtic Crossing / Maeve’s Tavern / Bog & Barley highlighted upcoming renovations and new Irish concepts.
Other notable attendees included Deidre Ellis and Carl Douglas from The Studio Karaoke Restaurant & Bar, Ken Allen from Lost Pizza Co., and Brandon Griffin from Harold’s Fish and Chicken. These restaurants represent a mix of sit-down, fast casual, and entertainment-focused dining options, all contributing to Memphis’ evolving food scene.
Several of What Now Media Group’s Preferred Partners attended to provide guidance and support for local operators. Stephen Williams from ADT shared strategies for protecting businesses with modern security solutions. Than’yi Muir from Auris offered insight into payroll and HR management to streamline operations. Travis Fletcher from Global Payments – Genius Point of Sale presented POS solutions to enhance customer experience and efficiency.
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 take the conversation even deeper, 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 served as a valuable platform for both restaurant owners and industry partners to collaborate, brainstorm, and form new connections. It’s clear that the Memphis restaurant community is eager to continue innovating and evolving, and What Now Media Group’s Accelerate events provide the perfect space for these conversations.
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 2026. 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.
