A variety of San Francisco restaurateurs and industry professionals gathered for an “Accelerate” event hosted by What Now Media Group at Hungry Tables. The event provided a valuable opportunity for San Francisco’s restaurant community to connect and share ideas on navigating the competitive market.
Hungry Tables, a dynamic dining concept located at 257 3rd Street in San Francisco, hosted a free event on Thursday, January 22, 2026, bringing together more than two dozen representatives from businesses featured on What Now San Francisco. This included local restaurants and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Attendees networked over bites and beverages before a presentation focused on strategies for growing and succeeding in today’s competitive market.
The event was hosted by CEO Caleb Spivak and featured a range of notable restaurateurs and business owners. Attendees included Mohamed Abdelmeguid, owner of Hungry Tables, who shared insights about operating and expanding a locally focused dining concept. Isaiah Madanes, the whole/catering manager at Modo Hawaii, discussed introducing the company’s unique mochi donuts to the San Francisco market. Other attendees included Grégoire Jacquet, owner of Grégoire Inc., a gourmet café in the Inner Sunset; Mackenzie Tran, strategy and operations lead at Palmetto Superfoods/Wildseed; and Julie Frost, Assistant General Manager of Wildseed, who spoke about their plans for multiple locations in the Bay Area. Sara Young, marketing manager at MIXT, highlighted the brand’s expansion into San Mateo, while Nati Ramirez, co-owner of Don Ramon’s Mexican Restaurant, shared insights into opening new locations along the Embarcadero. Ingrid Campos, owner of DeVine Wine & Beer, discussed the debut of their bar and tavern in Redwood City, and Prabh Nijjar, marketing director at Tandoori Pizza, shared plans for their Bay Area expansion.
Representatives from seven of What Now Media Group’s Preferred Partners attended to offer guidance and expertise. James Rowse from Auris discussed HR and payroll solutions for growing restaurants. Dorian Asch from Bluedrop Water Inc. highlighted the benefits of water filtration systems for operational efficiency. Dan O’Connor and Roger Nichols from Global Payments – Genius Point of Sale offered insights on streamlining payment systems and improving customer transactions. Michael Smith from Prudential Overall Supply provided strategies for managing uniforms and linens across multiple locations. Brianna Seals and Robby Skog from SpotOn shared tips for scaling businesses using point-of-sale solutions. Additionally, Larry Anaya and Cameron Koch from Tagrisk LLC discussed customized insurance packages to protect hospitality operators.
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 take the conversation even deeper by discussing critical business points, such as developing an exit plan and managing operations efficiently after expanding to multiple locations. After Caleb and the guests shared their tips, insights, and concerns, everyone quickly became 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 build new connections. It’s clear that the San Francisco 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.
Photo: Official
