A vibrant group of Sacramento restaurateurs and hospitality professionals gathered on Tuesday, June 24, for an Accelerate event hosted by What Now Media Group at Legend Has It. The event offered a platform for local food and beverage operators to connect, collaborate, and explore growth strategies for distinguishing themselves in Sacramento’s dynamic dining landscape.
Legend Has It, a community-driven bar and restaurant located at 410 L St., hosted a complimentary event that brought together representatives from businesses featured on What Now Sacramento. The evening featured food, drinks, and networking, followed by a focused presentation that highlighted real-world strategies for restaurant growth and sustainability.
The event was led by Caleb Spivak, founder and CEO of What Now Media Group, and welcomed a range of local business owners eager to share their experiences and learn from one another. Attendees included David To Lau and Tom Heng of Banh Mi Mi, a modern Vietnamese sandwich shop known for its bold flavors and loyal following. Also present were Konstantin Baburkin of Gluten Off Bakery and Andray Mikayelyan of Benji’s Woodfire Pizza.
Additional attendees included Aileen Usac and Ruben Usac of Aileen’s Delish, known for their homestyle Latin catering, and Stephen Freeman and Liliette Freeman of Pittador Brews Specialty Teas & Coffees, who are preparing to open their first brick-and-mortar in Old Sacramento. Harman Pannu and Sukhman Pannu of Chip Cookies also joined the event as they continue growing the dessert brand’s presence across the region.
Other standout participants included Sayeah Mayson of AfroEatz, a concept celebrating African cuisine that’s opening a permanent home in Midtown, and Scott Ostrander of both Gami Burger and Concept Coffee, two brands expanding their reach across the greater Sacramento area.
The Sacramento event saw 19 restaurateurs representing 14 different concepts, along with 10 representatives from six Preferred Partner companies. In total, 35 attendees participated in the event, not including Caleb Spivak himself and Victoria, co-owner of Legend Has It, who joined the group near the end of the evening.
Among the Preferred Partners in attendance were Addison Williams and Michael Grubb of Cresco Resco, a regional provider of commercial kitchen equipment and restaurant essentials, and Mo Diminyatz and Nicole Khodabandeh of Heartland, who spoke with operators about streamlining HR, payroll, and labor management systems.
Thomas Pham and Ali Sepehri of SLIQUE Media shared how modern digital marketing continues to elevate restaurant visibility and drive customer acquisition. According to them, the brand has already closed four accounts from previous Southern California Accelerate events and is exploring new growth in Houston, Dallas, and Austin.
From Tagrisk, Larry Anaya discussed how tailored insurance solutions can proactively mitigate industry-specific risks. He added that these events “never cease to amaze” and deliver consistent ROI just by showing up. Meanwhile, Dani Dodge and Rickey Guillory of SpotOn not only booked four new product demos on-site but also confirmed two account wins from the previous Sacramento event—a strong testament to the value of these gatherings.
New to this Accelerate event was the integration of the Editorial Trade Program (ETP) into the main presentation. The program was well received by both Partners and Operators, and is already producing tangible results—including booked demos and closed accounts—reinforcing its role as a value-added component of the overall Accelerate experience.
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 Caleb Spivak to delve even 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 Caleb 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 provided a valuable platform for restaurant owners and industry partners to collaborate, brainstorm, and establish new connections. It’s clear that the Sacramento restaurant community is eager to continue innovating and evolving, and What Now Media Group’s Accelerate events provide the perfect space for these conversations to take place.
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. Their network of Preferred Partners helps new businesses get started and existing businesses expand their operations.
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.
