A variety of Orlando restaurateurs and industry professionals gathered for an “Accelerate” event hosted by What Now Media Group at Primrose Lanes. The event provided a valuable opportunity for Orlando’s restaurant community to connect, exchange ideas, and discuss strategies for navigating today’s competitive hospitality landscape.
Primrose Lanes, located at 400 N Primrose Drive in Orlando, hosted a free event that brought together dozens of representatives from businesses featured on What Now Orlando. The venue, a modern entertainment and dining destination in Orlando’s Milk District, welcomed local restaurant operators and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Attendees networked throughout the evening before participating in a presentation focused on growth strategies, operational efficiency, and long-term business success.
The event was hosted by Marian Ebhamen and featured a diverse group of restaurateurs and business leaders from across Central Florida. Attendees included Kristina Gaardbo and Greg Gaardbo, partners behind Holy City Zoo BBQ, an upcoming concept bringing barbecue, beer, and community-focused dining to Longwood. Also in attendance was Angela Abbott, operator of Peach Cobbler Factory, which is preparing to expand its footprint in the Orlando market.
Other participants included Miller Johnson, franchisee of MilkShake Factory, which is preparing to open its first Orlando location, and Seraina Hug, co-owner of Wonder Waffle, a European-inspired waffle concept making its debut on Florida’s east coast.
Additional restaurant owners included Vienna Grise, co-owner of The Teahouse, and Noah Nace, owner of the growing tea-focused concept, which recently expanded into a new location. Also present were Marcelo Dias, co-owner of Cosa Nostra Italian Deli, along with Thielli Lapetina, Christopher Taddei, and Eduardo Guedes, who are helping bring the Italian deli concept to Winter Garden.
Other notable attendees included Chester Moore, owner of Follow the Smoke BBQ; Tatiana Anderson, owner of Charcuterie Chateau, a specialty charcuterie business serving Central Florida events and gatherings; Edwin Lurduy, owner of Mecatos Bakery & Cafe, which continues to expand its Colombian-inspired bakery and café concept; and Sathya Sreenivasan, franchise partner of Meltwich, the popular Canadian sandwich brand entering the Orlando market.
Representatives from more than a dozen of What Now Media Group’s Preferred Partners attended to provide guidance and support to operators looking to grow their businesses. Jennifer Rush, senior payroll advisor with Auris, spoke with attendees about payroll and HR solutions designed specifically for growing restaurant groups. Steve Oliver of Broward Nelson shared information about beverage carbonation systems that help operators improve efficiency and beverage quality.
Additional industry experts included Rafael Ogura of Charter/Spectrum, who discussed internet and telecommunications solutions for hospitality businesses, and Jason Hirth of ClarkHirth, who offered accounting and financial guidance for restaurant operators navigating expansion and long-term planning.
From Easy Ice, Horatio Highland and Shawn Cannon connected with restaurateurs about ice machine rental and maintenance programs that reduce equipment-related operational challenges. Nathan Huffman and Topher Jensen of Gas South discussed energy solutions for restaurants, while Victor Scott from OpenTable shared strategies to enhance guest reservations and maximize table utilization.
Also in attendance were John Mbiti and Omar Montalvan from Global Payments, who spoke with operators about payment processing and point-of-sale technology designed for restaurants. Thomas Culbertson of Liquid Environmental Solutions and Kurt Hayden and Luis Lora-Garcia of SpotOn were also available to discuss operational tools and services that help restaurants run more efficiently.
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 Marian Ebhamen to delve deeper into the conversation by discussing critical business points, such as having an exit plan and efficiently managing operations after expanding to multiple locations. After Marian 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 Orlando 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.
