A dynamic group of Orlando restaurateurs, franchise operators, and industry professionals came together for an “Accelerate” event hosted by What Now Media Group at Ivanhoe Park Lager House at 23 N Orange Blossom Trail on Thursday, April 24, 2025. The evening offered valuable time for Central Florida’s restaurant community to collaborate, learn, and explore ideas to grow and compete in a rapidly evolving market.
Ivanhoe Park Lager House, a well-loved brewery in Orlando’s historic Ivanhoe Village, hosted the free event. It welcomed dozens of representatives from businesses featured on What Now Orlando, including local restaurants and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Guests mingled over drinks and bites before joining a focused conversation on strategy, expansion, and best practices for long-term success.
The event was led by Mariah Medley, director of events and partner engagement at What Now Media Group, and brought together a broad range of restaurateurs and franchisees. Among those in attendance was Michael Collantes, chef and owner of Perla’s Pizza, Asin, and Taglish, known for his cutting-edge culinary approach that blends Filipino and contemporary American cuisine.
Emily “Gadah” Aziz, franchisee of Hummus Republic, a modern Mediterranean fast-casual chain opening in Oviedo, attended to connect with fellow operators before her store’s debut. TaRay White, franchisee of Peach Cobbler Factory, also participated, bringing insight into launching Southern dessert concepts in growing suburban markets.
Also in attendance was Eazy Qiu, owner of the popular dessert spot Light On The Sugar and co-founder of ÔBon Chocolatier, a boutique chocolate venture. Qiu’s dessert concepts have built a loyal customer base thanks to their photogenic sweets and carefully crafted flavors.
Hartim Malkouari and Scott Leffler of Blaze Pizza represented the fast-expanding pizza space. They are driving local franchise growth of the popular build-your-own pizza brand. Juan Angulo, owner of Colombian Bakery, also joined, highlighting the recent expansion of his vibrant Latin café into a full-time location.
Patrick Hamadi, co-founder and CFO of Allure Lounge, connected with peers about the lounge’s forthcoming downtown launch. And Jesselyn Moore and Lowell Moore, co-franchisees of Sweet Rolled Tacos, discussed their plans to introduce their innovative rolled ice cream tacos to Orlando audiences.
The event also welcomed Denisse Guzman and Ericka Parades, owners of Paradise Latin Grill, who are gearing up to open a second location of their Latin fusion concept. Rounding out the attendee list was Suzanne Bonham, CEO of The Yardery, a casual dining destination combining from-scratch cuisine with outdoor community space in Mt. Dora.
A diverse group of Preferred Partners from What Now Media Group’s network also took part, offering professional services and advice to help Orlando restaurant owners thrive. Rafael Ogura of Spectrum Business met with attendees to discuss internet and communication solutions tailored to high-volume restaurant operations.
Jennifer Rush of Heartland provided insights into payroll and payment processing strategies that improve efficiency and reduce administrative headaches. Shawn Cannon from Easy Ice educated restaurateurs on how their ice machine leasing program saves costs while ensuring reliable equipment with full maintenance support.
Representatives from SpotOn, including Nick Zadravec and Kurt Hayden, connected with local operators to showcase their all-in-one platform, which offers restaurants tools for point-of-sale, marketing, and labor management. Thomas, Duke of Liquid Environmental Solutions, also spoke on responsible waste and grease trap services that help restaurants stay compliant and environmentally conscious.
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 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 was a valuable platform for restaurant owners and industry partners to collaborate, brainstorm, and form new connections. 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 2025. For more details, see the Accelerate page here.
