A diverse group of Seattle restaurateurs and hospitality professionals came together Tuesday, July 29, for an “Accelerate” event hosted by What Now Media Group at ROAM, a cozy, design-forward event venue located in the heart of Ballard at 5105 Ballard Ave NW. The gathering provided local restaurant operators and industry insiders with an opportunity to exchange strategies, share challenges, and connect with trusted service providers—all while enjoying a relaxed and engaging atmosphere.
ROAM hosted the complimentary event, welcoming more than 20 guests from businesses featured on What Now Seattle. Attendees included local restaurateurs, hospitality leaders, and representatives from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Guests enjoyed a casual networking session before diving into a panel-style discussion focused on sustainable growth, expansion, and operational efficiency in the competitive dining market.
The event, led by Mariah Medley, Director of Events and Partner Engagement at What Now Media Group, spotlighted several rising stars in the Seattle food scene. Among the attendees was Efrem Fesaha, founder of Boon Boona Coffee, a popular East African-inspired coffee roaster and café expanding into Downtown Seattle later this summer.
Also in attendance were Orphee Fouano and Olga Pipko, co-owners of Mirabelle by Orphee, a forthcoming French-inspired patisserie and café. Parimal Kumar and Anu Kumar, co-owners of The Roll Pod, shared insights on their growing Indian street food concept, which recently announced a new Seattle location.
Emma Chang and Carissa Hoang of Do Si Korean BBQ / Yellow Bee Market & Cafe discussed their upcoming Alki opening and their focus on offering authentic Korean BBQ in a stylish, modern environment.
Attendees also included Dylan Xu, partner at Jiang Nan, a fine dining Chinese concept making its West Coast debut in Bellevue, and Emily Sirisup and Cole Arnesen, co-founders of Nudibranch Coffee, a soon-to-open Thai-inspired coffee bar.
Thiraphan “Ice” Suttabusya and Benjamin “Ben” Evans, partners at 8 at Ping Yang / Thai 22, shared insights into their dual concept blending traditional Thai cuisine with modern dining. Other participants included John De Leo, owner of DeLeo Bros Pizza, and Tawfik Maudah, owner of Cafe Yemen, who is launching a traditional Yemeni café in Renton.
Several representatives from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners were also present to offer their services tailored to the restaurant industry. Bill Holder from Astound spoke about robust internet and telecom solutions for restaurants.
Danny Gutierrez from Global Payments and Paul Montmeny from SpotOn shared POS and payment tools to streamline operations. Jose Rodriguez Sandoval from Heartland discussed payroll solutions tailored for independent restaurants.
Industry experts and restaurant owners shared operational highlights and insights, making for an engaging and informative evening.
Mariah Medley led a deeper discussion about critical business strategies, such as exit planning and multi-location management, prompting attendees to exchange even more knowledge and ideas.
This event provided a valuable platform for collaboration, brainstorming, and connection. Seattle’s restaurant community remains eager to innovate, and What Now Media Group’s Accelerate events support these ambitions.
What Now Media Group shares restaurant opening news in 33 cities across North America and provides timely insights into emerging brick-and-mortar businesses.
Their Preferred Partners help new businesses get started and existing ones expand.
Stay tuned for future Accelerate events in 2025. For more details, visit the Accelerate events page.
Click here for a complete list of partners, or learn more about becoming a preferred partner by clicking here.
