In this episode of The Catering Cage, Erle Dardick welcomes Mike Sudermann, CEO of Ascent Select, for a deep dive into what it takes to recruit top-tier leadership in the restaurant and catering industry. Mike shares how his data-driven approach, what he calls the "Moneyball" of executive search, is helping brands build winning teams with precision and purpose.

Join the fastest growing catering community for restaurants. It’s free and built to help you grow smarter and faster. Sign up at www.caterlinked.com.

Step inside the Catering Cage as we welcome Claudie Newman, Director of Catering Sales at Founders Table. In this episode, Claudie brings energy and real-world perspective to some of the industry’s toughest questions — from building confidence in catering sales, to creating a culture where teams thrive, to navigating the challenges of scaling hospitality in today’s market.

👉 What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How to turn setbacks into stepping stones for catering growth
• Why confidence and culture are non-negotiables for success
• Claudie’s personal lessons from the front lines of hospitality

In this episode of Catering Cage, host Erle Dardick sits down with Alyson Schill, Co-Founder and CEO of Careit, the digital platform that makes it easy for restaurants, caterers, and businesses to donate surplus food to local nonprofits.
Alyson shares her journey from “waste nerd” to food recovery innovator and explains how Careit helps operators cut disposal costs, unlock tax advantages, reduce environmental impact, and strengthen community ties while fighting hunger.

Key takeaways:

• Why about 40% of U.S. food goes to waste, and practical steps operators can take
• The business case for donation: cost savings, tax benefits, and brand goodwill
• Field stories of Careit rerouting leftover catering food to those in need
• How to weave food recovery into daily operations and team culture

Sustainability, social responsibility, and smart business all come together in this conversation, showing why food recovery should be on every operator’s radar.

Join the fastest-growing catering community for restaurants. It’s free to join and built to help you grow smarter and faster. Sign up and download the app at CaterLinked.com.