Steve Sturm, VP of Food & Beverage at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, has been with the polished casual concept for 23 years, steering and evolving the menu from its first restaurant in 2000 to its present-day count of 56 locations.
The concept’s centerpiece is its wood-fired grill, which adds bold flavor, innovative prep and dramatic flair to everything it touches. Firebirds’ signature steaks, seafood and vegetables are all elevated on the grill, and this year, Sturm is using the cooking technique to differentiate the new Bar Bites menu, creating shareables and appetizers to enjoy with cocktails at the bar or the dinner table. The chef is also focusing on changing up the lunch menu to better fit more flexible remote work styles. And he and his team launched a new catering platform serve the needs of workers returning to the office.
Listen as Sturm talks about all these initiatives, describes his strategy for creating limited-time Chef’s Features, shares what Firebirds’ new Menus of the Future panel is all about, and provides a glimpse into the seasonal surprises ahead for the holidays.
Noodles know no boundaries with Nick Graff leading R&D at Noodles & Company
Chef Paul Fehribach showcases the Midwest's culinary diversity through 100 recipes
How Sip Fresh is refreshing the beverage segment with mixology-inspired juice drinks
How Hilton is redefining what hotel food and beverage can be
How Chicken Salad Chick is shaking up the menu with its first warm sandwich
How Eileen Andrade transformed her grandmother's Cuban diner into an elegant fine-dining restaurant
How a new Margaritaville transformed foodservice at a Louisiana campground in mere months
How CEO Jeff Carcara is taking Sixty Vines to 'wherever the wine drinkers are'
As director of culinary for US Foods, Scott McCurdy is a 'constant student of restaurants'
How Mike's Hot Honey sparked the sweet-heat menu trend, starting with Paulie Gee's Brooklyn pizzeria
How Eric Gabrynowicz gave Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar a menu refresh while staying true to its roots
How Spike Mendelsohn is changing up healthy eating in the fast-casual and snack spaces
How True Food Kitchen reimagined its menu with a focus on hyper-seasonality and comfort
How Fabio Viviani is expanding his restaurant empire into the sweet side
117 chefs share their secrets to running a successful kitchen and restaurant
How Robert St. John turned Hattiesburg, Miss., into a dining destination
How Yogurtland's flavorologists push the envelope on what frozen yogurt can be
How Ford's Garage innovative menu and vibe draws guests of all ages
How Jonathon Sawyer’s live-fire cooking passion ignites the menu at Kindling
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
50 Tastes Of Gray
Walk-In Talk Podcast
Gastropod
Great Expectations
Grimms’ Fairy Tales
The Recipe with Kenji and Deb
Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio