A vibrant mix of Chicago restaurateurs and food industry professionals came together for What Now Media Group’s latest “Accelerate” event, hosted at Electric Shuffle, at 488 N La Salle Drive, on Tuesday, October 21. The evening offered a prime opportunity for local restaurant operators to network, share growth strategies, and gain expert insights tailored to Chicago’s dynamic hospitality scene.
Electric Shuffle, a high-energy bar and social venue in River North, set the tone for an engaging evening by welcoming dozens of attendees from across the What Now Chicago community. This included restaurateurs featured on What Now Chicago and key representatives from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Guests enjoyed a lively networking atmosphere before participating in a presentation centered on scaling, streamlining, and sustaining success in today’s competitive market.
The event was led by Mariah Medley, director of events and partner engagement at What Now Media Group, and included a diverse roster of Chicago restaurant owners and operators. Among those in attendance was Aisha Haire, president and owner of Haire’s Gulf Shrimp, a seafood-focused restaurant expanding to its third location on the Riverwalk. Sheila Morrison, owner of Morrison Soul Food, which specializes in Southern-style comfort food with a dessert bar, was also present. Adrienne Lo, owner of Noodlebird, shared insights on their casual Asian-inspired eatery and upcoming bakery concept next door.
Other restaurant owners included Eric Reid and Zach Heller of Apothecary Cocktail Lounge, a speakeasy-style lounge bringing craft cocktails to Lakeview, and Alfredo Guzman of Lazy Dog, a growing chain known for its casual American menu, who attended with Matthew Mitroff, general manager. Robert Fitzpatrick, owner of Dewey’s BBQ Market, joined the discussion about his fast-casual BBQ brand expanding to Skokie, along with Sambasiva “Samba” Rao Movva of Vanam Indian Vegetarian, an Indian vegetarian concept. Chloe Gould, chef and owner of DixiePura, was also in attendance.
Several members of What Now Media Group’s Preferred Partners network participated, with more than eight business support providers offering guidance to help restaurants optimize operations and grow. Ed Arl and Valerie Dys from Astound shared solutions to improve internet and telecom services for busy hospitality operations. Michael Nitchman from Global Payments provided insights into merchant services and POS systems that streamline payment processing.
Representatives from Heartland, including Michael Carmignani and Yannie Zepeda, discussed integrated HR and payroll solutions designed specifically for restaurant operators. Chloe Chai of Hostie highlighted AI-driven phone automation that improves customer engagement and order accuracy. Reza Ispahany and Jeff Janus of Republic Services shared strategies to optimize waste management and sustainability practices in restaurant operations.
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 Chicago 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 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.
