A variety of Washington DC-area restaurateurs and industry professionals gathered for an “Accelerate” event hosted by What Now Media Group at Moxies. The event provided a valuable opportunity for the region’s restaurant community to connect and share ideas on navigating the competitive market.
Moxies, a modern-casual dining restaurant located in downtown Washington, DC, at 1111 20th Street NW, hosted the free event on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, bringing together dozens of representatives from businesses featured on What Now Washington, DC. This included local restaurants and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Attendees networked and enjoyed time together before participating in a presentation on strategies for growth and success 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 operators from across the region actively expanding their concepts and preparing new openings.
Among those in attendance was Riley Janeway, Development Manager at Emma’s Torch, which focuses on community-driven culinary training and social-impact dining programs. Also present were Michael Sina and Jasmine Karshenas, representing Cielo Supper Club, an Arlington nightlife and dining concept known for its elevated social experience.
Teddra Burgess and Crystal Glover of Taste Buds Kitchen also attended, highlighting their hands-on cooking school concept and expanding programming in Loudoun. Mustafa Durran, owner of Ravenna Pizza, was also present, representing a neighborhood-focused pizza concept that serves Arlington and has a growing local following.
Other attendees included Alyssa Sobecki and Jason Sobecki of The Difference Baker, a specialty bakery known for offering inclusive, allergy-conscious baked goods, as they continue expanding their Sterling footprint. Chris Van Jura of Catalyst Hot Dogs also joined the event, representing a popular DMV food truck concept that is preparing to transition into a brick-and-mortar location.
Alemayehu Abebe, owner of Deluxe Bar / Chercher Ethiopian Cuisine, attended to provide updates on the Columbia Heights concept that blends bar culture with Ethiopian culinary traditions. Laurel Fisher, representing Cubbies / Del Ray Public House, was also in attendance, highlighting the Alexandria-based neighborhood destination combining casual dining and community gathering space. Brent Kroll, co-owner of Canton Disco / Maxwell / Trouble Bird, brought attention to his Navy Yard concept inspired by retro Hong Kong flavors.
On the preferred partners’ side, several of What Now Media Group’s network partners joined the event to provide guidance and support to operators preparing for growth.
Howard Joseph from Auris was on hand to discuss draft system installation and maintenance solutions that help operators improve beverage quality and operational efficiency. From Global Payments, Bill Wang and Stephen Berry shared insights on streamlining payroll and HR systems for growing restaurant groups.
Lane Allen and Patricia Smith of OpenTable also engaged with operators on reservation management and guest flow optimization in high-volume dining rooms.
Meanwhile, SpotOn representatives Brad Quint and Shira Andres discussed integrated marketing and POS solutions that support independent operators, and Ken Black from Restaurant Technologies shared how automated oil management systems can improve kitchen safety and reduce operational costs.
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 served as a valuable platform for both restaurant owners and industry partners to collaborate, brainstorm, and form new connections. It’s clear that the Washington, DC 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.
