Is Your Restaurant Tech Stack Making You Worse? Plus AI Forecasting, Combi Oven Confessions, and the Nokia Phone Problem with Brianne Harvey Artwork

The meez Podcast

Josh Sharkey (Entrepreneur, professional chef, and founder/CEO of meez, the culinaryOS for food professionals) interviews world class entrepreneurs in the food space that are shifting the paradigm of how we innovate and operate in our industry.

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The meez Podcast

Is Your Restaurant Tech Stack Making You Worse? Plus AI Forecasting, Combi Oven Confessions, and the Nokia Phone Problem with Brianne Harvey

March 10, 2026 • Josh Sharkey • Season 4 • Episode 122

0:00 | 1:01:52

#122

Josh sits down with Brianne Harvey, founder of Break Bread Consulting and the newly launched Restaurant Resource, to unpack why so many restaurant teams underutilize the powerful tools they already pay for. Using the analogy of a brand-new iPhone being treated like an old Nokia, Brianne explains how operators often invest in sophisticated systems—from back-office platforms to combi ovens—only to use a fraction of their capabilities. They explore why tech adoption breaks down, how implementation requires ongoing training and reinforcement, and what it really takes to embed systems into daily operations without overwhelming teams.

Brianne shares the story behind Restaurant Resource, a free, national directory built to help operators discover software, service providers, and suppliers without biased paywalls. She discusses Break Bread’s focus on emerging multi-unit brands, the operational inflection point that happens between 10 and 50 locations, and the habits that consistently show up in the best scaling restaurant groups. The conversation also dives into AI—how Brianne uses it daily to triage email, automate workflows, and accelerate research, where it falls short, and why guardrails and critical thinking matter more than ever. Throughout, one theme remains clear: technology should support hospitality, not overshadow it. In the end, the artistry, taste, and human connection at the table are still what matter most.

Timestamps

04:05 Why Brianne Built Restaurant Resource

09:03 Break Bread Consulting And The 10 To 50 Location Inflection Point

14:37 What Restaurants Get Wrong About Tech Adoption

18:39 Inventory, Back Office Tools, And Data Accuracy Challenges

22:00 What The Best Scaling Restaurant Groups Do Differently

26:47 Apicii, Complex Openings, And Operational Mindset

28:13 How Brianne Uses AI In Daily Operations

34:43 Where AI Is Headed In Restaurant Tech

46:51 Guest-Facing AI And The Future Of Admin Roles

50:11 What AI Can’t Replace: Taste, Hospitality, And Relationships

52:22 Brianne’s Grilled Cheese And Memorable Meals