Post by Matthew Vascellaro

The last few days at the National Restaurant Show couldn’t have come at a more important time in my life. Stepping into a brand new chapter alongside my father-in-law, Jeffrey F., with Matty Smokes BBQ & Catering "Chapter II" made me walk this show with a completely different mindset. This wasn’t just a trip to look at food and equipment. This was about vision. Growth. Systems. Hospitality. Branding. Customer experience. Building something that can truly scale while still keeping the heart and soul behind it. One of the biggest takeaways for me was seeing how quickly this industry is evolving. Technology, automation, innovative food concepts, creative service models, everything is moving fast, and it’s exciting to be stepping into this new venture at a time where there’s so much opportunity to think bigger and build smarter. But honestly, more than anything, the people were the biggest takeaway. The conversations, networking, advice, and new relationships reminded me how powerful this industry really is. One conversation can spark a completely new direction. One introduction can open a new door. There’s a quote that kept replaying in my head all week: “If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” Over the last few weeks, I closed a major chapter of my life. Walking this show with Jeff and talking nonstop about the future of Matty Smokes BBQ & Catering made me realize just how many new hellos are already happening. To everybody who reached out, offered support, congratulations, advice, introductions, or simply took the time to talk with us this week, thank you. We appreciate it more than you know. This next chapter feels real now. And we’re just getting started. Big thank you to Mark Hatch for setting things up, really always appreciated Shawn P. Walchef, Laura Wilber, Matt Rosen, Brad Sonnett, Ryan Skrzypczynski, Brendan Leahy, Elizabeth Doss, Benoit D. Sabourin, M.Ed., 🍍 Ian Hoxworth, Matt Wampler, Michael Ungaro, Allen Beck, Dean LaBay, Troy Hooper, Sarah Belyeu, Benjamin Alkire, Naki Ufuk Soyturk, Ty Wilson, Thornton Ellis