What's Cooking? | A Podcast from Nory

<p>Missed the full episode with Gemma Glasson, CEO of Wahaca? Here's a bite-sized version.</p> <p>Keep an eye out for our next episode, featuring Alasdair Murdoch, CEO of Burger King UK.</p> <p>Hosted by Conor Sheridan, CEO of Nory, the AI operating system for hospitality.</p> <p><b>LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE</b></p> <p>Apple Podcasts: [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevating-experience-with-authenticity-gemma-glasson/id1825066598?i=1000763023446]</p> <p>Spotify: [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4O74zNpqpLjITPb9gAiB4M?si=c87f4fe5a46640ed]</p> <p>YouTube: [https://youtu.be/Z3wBouaBttc]</p> <p><b>CONNECT</b></p> <p>Gemma Glasson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-glasson-452b7475/</p> <p>Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheridanconor/</p> <p>Nory: https://www.nory.ai/</p> <p>All What's Cooking episodes: https://www.nory.ai/podcasts</p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p>

<p>How Wahaca's new CEO rebuilt the guest experience to match the plate — and the partnership campaign that drove £120k of sales without a single discount.</p> <p>Four years ago, newly promoted Wahaca CEO Gemma Glasson launched Wahaca Reimagined: a line-by-line operational rebuild of the guest experience covering bespoke crockery, cutlery weight, chefs on the pass, new uniforms, rebuilt steps of service and even door handles. In this episode she walks Conor through the full playbook — diagnosing the experience gap, investing in hospitality rather than stripping it out, acquiring customers through brand alignment rather than discounting (including the Atis campaign that drove more than £120k of sales), using Mexico trips and five-year sabbaticals as retention tools, and defending scratch cooking as a moat in an era of UPF backlash. Plus her 2026 strategy distilled to a single line: every guest leaves a super fan.</p> <p><b>KEY TAKEAWAYS</b></p> <ul><li>Close the gap between product and experience — in casual dining, every detail is a proxy for quality</li><li>Acquire customers through brand alignment, not margin erosion: the Atis partnership drove £120k+ of sales with zero discounting</li><li>Invest in the fourth and fifth visit, not just the first — loyalty and CRM compound in ways discounts never will</li><li>Pride is a retention strategy: Mexico trips, five-year sabbaticals and a culture people build careers inside</li><li>Scratch cooking is a burden — and an increasingly rare moat as consumers wake up to ultra-processed food</li></ul> <p><b>CHAPTERS</b></p> <p>0:00 Intro — the experience gap in casual dining</p> <p>2:39 Welcome, Gemma</p> <p>3:04 From EY corporate finance to CEO of Wahaca</p> <p>6:31 Leadership: blue energy, yellow energy and clarity built on empathy</p> <p>11:39 Launching Wahaca Reimagined — diagnosing the problem</p> <p>17:47 The operational rebuild: crockery, cutlery, chefs on the pass</p> <p>27:08 Measuring guest experience — the KPIs that actually matter</p> <p>31:06 Reaching a younger, digital-native audience</p> <p>33:49 The Atis partnership and the £120k margarita coaster campaign</p> <p>36:14 The Mexico connection — pride as a retention strategy</p> <p>45:33 Growth strategy: brand momentum over new sites</p> <p>48:41 Reflections on Wahaca Reimagined</p> <p>51:44 The Quick Turn — rapid-fire questions</p> <p>57:27 Fixing VAT for UK hospitality</p> <p>1:01:58 Shift Notes: Conor's closing reflections</p> <p><b>CONNECT WITH THE SHOW</b></p> <p>All What's Cooking episodes: https://www.nory.ai/podcasts</p> <p>Nory: https://www.nory.ai/</p> <p>Nory blog: https://www.nory.ai/blog</p> <p>Nory on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asknory/</p> <p>Conor Sheridan on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheridanconor/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheridanconor/</a></p> <p>Gemma Glasson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-glasson-452b7475/</p>

<p>Missed the full episode? Here’s the highlight reel.</p> <p>In this episode's highlights, Conor Sheridan sits down with Jose Gaytan de Ayala, Investment Manager at Kinnevik, to unpack Nory’s $37m Series B raise - and what it takes to build a category-defining hospitality tech company.</p> <p>From why Kinnevik chose Nory in a competitive round to how AI is shifting from dashboards to decision-making, this is a candid look at capital, conviction, and real-world impact.</p> <p><b>You’ll hear:</b></p> <p>&gt;&gt; Why long-term vision and founder–investor alignment mattered most</p> <p>&gt;&gt; What made Nory stand out in a highly competitive Series B round</p> <p>&gt;&gt; How AI is moving from reactive reporting to proactive decision-making</p> <p>&gt;&gt; Why hospitality is one of the most exciting (and under-served) tech opportunities</p> <p>&gt;&gt; What’s next for Nory across product, AI agents, and global expansion</p> <p>Hosted by <a href="http://linkedin.com/in/sheridanconor?miniProfileUrn=urn%253Ali%253Afs_miniProfile%253AACoAAAsxLQkB8q_og_45xY5sPK6_tYxjMZo6tnI&amp;skipRedirect=true&amp;miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAsxLQkB8q_og_45xY5sPK6_tYxjMZo6tnI" target="_blank">Conor Sheridan</a>, CEO of <a href="https://www.nory.ai/" target="_blank">Nory</a>.</p> <p>Connect with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-gaytan-de-ayala-092280123/" target="_blank">Jose Gaytan de Ayala</a> on LinkedIn. </p> <p>Listen to the full episode on<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/inside-norys-series-b-disrupting-hospitality-with-ai/id1825066598?i=1000727313179" target="_blank"> Apple</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ud6GUoirsrmhYlgHqDWb7?si=92302c7ed1f14d59" target="_blank">Spotify</a> &amp; <a href="https://youtu.be/cUcvsbBGzEo?si=-uuIxDP8L1Q7j5AY" target="_blank">YouTube</a>. </p>

<p>In this season one wrap-up of <i>What’s Cooking?</i>, Conor Sheridan reflects on the standout insights from 12 leading voices across hospitality. From tech to team culture, discover what really drives profitability at scale. Learn how operators are solving frontline challenges with AI, operational clarity, and people-first leadership.</p> <p><b>What you'll learn in this episode</b></p> <p>&gt;&gt; How operators at scale are using data to improve forecasting and guest experience.</p> <p>&gt;&gt; Why culture and people-first leadership are critical to consistent brand delivery.</p> <p>&gt;&gt; What role adaptability plays in menu innovation and site deployment.</p> <p>&gt;&gt; The real ROI behind digital tools and why tech must serve a clear commercial goal.</p> <p>&gt;&gt; How investors assess hospitality ventures and what makes standout founders succeed.</p> <p><b>Meet our guests</b></p> <p>This bonus episode features highlights from all season one guests, including Tom James, Darko Salaj, Maria McCann, Jonny Bramwell, Mark McCulloch, Chris Demery, Neil Remedios, Jim Hingston, Jose Gaytan de Ayala, Andrew Maxwell, Kate Nicholls, and Amy Hom.</p> <p><b>About our host </b></p> <p>Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, a pioneering AI platform helping hospitality brands run smarter, leaner, and more profitably. A former restaurateur himself, Conor blends operational grit with technological vision.</p> <p><b>Enjoyed the episode?</b></p> <p>Subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who are passionate about better hospitality operations at scale. Let’s push the boundaries of what’s possible!</p> <p>Visit<a href="https://www.nory.ai/" target="_blank"> nory.ai</a> to discover how AI can drive smarter restaurant operations.</p> <p>Explore Nory’s AI-powered restaurant ops platform:<a href="https://www.nory.ai/" target="_blank"> nory.ai</a></p> <p>Connect with Conor Sheridan on<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheridanconor/" target="_blank"> LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Follow:</p> <p>Tom James on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-james-5388b256/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Darko Salaj on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/darko-salaj-265ba62/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Maria McCann on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-mccann-b60b86144/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Jonny Bramwell on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-bramwell-091b4759/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a> </p> <p>Mark McCollough on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmcculloch/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Chris Demery on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-demery-25b102307/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Neil Remedios on<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-remedios-9770bb32/" target="_blank"> LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Jim Hingston on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-hingston/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Jose Gaytan de Ayala on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-gaytan-de-ayala-092280123/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Andrew Maxwell on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-maxwell-91992a119/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Kate Nicholls on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-nicholls-obe/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Amy Hom on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyhom17/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></p> <p>Learn more about Nory on<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/asknory/posts/?feedView=all" target="_blank"> LinkedIn</a></p>

<p>Short on time? Here’s the essence.</p> <p>In this episode's highlights, Mark McCulloch, CMO of Prezzo Italian and founder of Hospitality Marketing Guru, breaks down why brand is not a logo, a launch, or a one-off campaign - it’s an operating system for the entire business.</p> <p>Drawing on his experience across Pret, YO! Sushi and Prezzo Italian, Mark shares how to diagnose brand problems properly, align culture with product and reputation, and navigate marketing decisions in a margin-pressured industry.</p> <p><b>You’ll hear:</b></p> <p>&gt;&gt; Why rebrands should be the last lever you pull, not the first</p> <p>&gt;&gt; The difference between brand and branding and why it matters</p> <p>&gt;&gt; How misalignment between culture, product and reputation kills value</p> <p>&gt;&gt; Why consistency in food and service is non-negotiable at scale</p> <p>&gt;&gt; How to think about marketing investment beyond short-term attribution</p> <p>Hosted by <a href="http://linkedin.com/in/sheridanconor?miniProfileUrn=urn%253Ali%253Afs_miniProfile%253AACoAAAsxLQkB8q_og_45xY5sPK6_tYxjMZo6tnI&amp;skipRedirect=true&amp;miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAsxLQkB8q_og_45xY5sPK6_tYxjMZo6tnI" target="_blank">Conor Sheridan</a>, CEO of <a href="https://www.nory.ai/" target="_blank">Nory</a>.</p> <p>Connect with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmcculloch/" target="_blank">Mark McCulloch</a> on LinkedIn. </p> <p>Listen to the full episode on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/prezzo-italian-why-brand-is-an-operating-system-not/id1825066598?i=1000724939581" target="_blank">Apple</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0yhsluzhkyG5votQpRF9kK?si=bdf695b3a12f48b5" target="_blank">Spotify</a> &amp; <a href="https://youtu.be/P8KYgde-HOY?si=uDew0FNEwZlRBXuN" target="_blank">YouTube</a>. </p>