A diverse group of Tampa Bay restaurateurs and hospitality professionals gathered for an “Accelerate” event hosted by What Now Media Group at BellaBrava. The event offered a valuable opportunity for Tampa’s restaurant community to connect, exchange ideas, and discuss strategies for navigating an increasingly competitive market.
BellaBrava, a contemporary Italian-inspired restaurant located at 1015 Gramercy Lane in Tampa, served as the host venue for the free event, bringing together more than two dozen representatives from businesses featured on What Now Tampa. This included local restaurant operators and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Attendees networked while enjoying refreshments before participating in a presentation focused on strategies for growth, scalability, and long-term success in today’s evolving hospitality landscape.
The event was hosted by Mariah Medley, Director of Events and Partner Engagement at What Now Media Group, and featured a wide range of restaurant owners, chefs, and franchise operators. Among those in attendance were Ula Chladek, Owner of BellaBrava, along with Mike Faustini and Hillary Faustini, Franchisees of Better Blend, a growing smoothie and wellness-focused concept preparing to expand across the Tampa Bay region.
Also in attendance was Osyamil Millian, Executive Chef and Partner of D’Rose Gastrobar, a modern Colombian-influenced gastropub bringing elevated flavors and creative dishes to Ybor City. Joining her was Victor Lopez, Owner and Chef of the same concept, highlighting the team’s shared vision for expansion.
Downtown Tampa concept La Victoria was represented by Gus Thieken, Co-owner, who is helping shape the restaurant into a vibrant dining destination in the heart of the city. Cheivia Fennell, Owner of Lazy Jerk Caribbean Eats, also attended, showcasing her Caribbean-inspired menu rooted in bold island flavors.
Additional attendees included Maddie Basler and Todd Basler, Franchisees of Crispy Cones, known for their freshly made, cone-shaped desserts, as well as Robert “Rob” Bair, Owner of Sodough Square, a Detroit-style pizza concept expanding its footprint into St. Petersburg.
Also present were Mark Heltman, Franchisee of OddFellows Ice Cream, bringing artisanal and inventive ice cream flavors to Wesley Chapel, and Matt Burgin, Franchisee of The Fresh Monkee, a health-focused shake concept expanding into Palm Harbor. Omer Khan, Co-Franchisee of Arwa Yemeni Coffee, also joined, representing the growing Yemeni coffee movement in Tampa.
Representatives from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners were also in attendance to provide operational guidance and industry expertise. Eric Abrams of Shifty: Training and Scheduling shared insights into workforce scheduling and staff optimization, while Jacob Eide of Auto-Chlor System discussed sanitation and operational efficiency solutions tailored to restaurant environments.
George Gammon of Champion Ordering offered strategies for improving digital ordering systems, and Robert Jann and Shawn Cannon of Easy Ice highlighted scalable ice machine rental solutions designed to reduce maintenance costs for operators.
From SpotOn, Kevin Agren and Nicole Patten led sessions on integrated point-of-sale and merchant services, while Andreas Hingsamer and Michael Cutts of Global Payments spoke on modern POS systems and payment solutions tailored to restaurant operations. Additionally, David Chmikarski of Restaurant Technologies, Inc. shared expertise on automated cooking oil management systems designed to improve safety and efficiency in commercial kitchens.
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 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 served as a valuable platform for both restaurant owners and industry partners to collaborate, brainstorm, and form new connections. It’s clear that the Tampa 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.
