Conversations at the Pass

These are certainly challenging times for the restaurant industry with restaurant models seemingly evolving on a daily basis. 

“Restaurants will survive,” said Chef Andre Natera. “They’re not going anywhere, but the market can’t support the old models. Restaurateurs need to be nimble.”

Top-of-mind restaurant industry issues will be discussed on the new season of Run the Pass, hosted by Natera, who also serves as executive chef of the Fairmont Austin Hotel. 

In each episode, he shares kitchens, plates and stories with food and beverage industry leaders, preparing a new dish while sharing expert insights on technology, food trends and more. The pandemic will be a key topic. 

“We are having important conversations about how to adapt and figure this out. We’re asking: ‘How did you survive?’”

This upcoming season’s guests include: 

  • Junior Borges, who is taking on managing all of the culinary in a mixed-use project in a section of Dallas that has always had a lot of residential units but no amenities. A market, food hall, and 12+ restaurants will be opening up starting in early 2021.
  • Tiffany Derry, who has raised her profile through Top Chef and Bar Rescue. She will discuss how she is now looking to expand her Roots Chicken Shack through food halls and drive-thrus to reduce the overall cost. Additionally, she is licensing a variety of sauces and spices to be sold in grocery stores.
  • Katherine Klappner, who has shifted her luxury food store to be much more of an ecommerce operation in the age of COVID and she's had to navigate how to choose partner platforms.

Others on the lineup include Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman and Omar Flores.

Run the Pass premieres on Thursday, Jan. 7 at 12 p.m. CST. To register, click here. The next episode will air on January 21.