When restaurant leaders talk about speed, reliability, and guest experience, the conversation often stops at applications and devices. But behind every digital kitchen is a network that determines whether those systems deliver or break down under pressure.

In this episode of Go Beyond the Connection, we sit down with Chris Demery, Chief Technology Officer at Blaze Pizza, to explore how the digital kitchen has become the operational and revenue backbone of modern fast-casual dining.

Chris brings a rare blend of experience across military leadership, restaurant operations, and enterprise technology. Having worked with brands like Domino’s, Bloomin’ Brands, P.F. Chang’s, and now Blaze Pizza, he has seen firsthand how disconnected systems create friction for both guests and operators, and how integrated, real-time data changes everything.

At Blaze Pizza, the digital kitchen is not just about efficiency. It is the command center where marketing promises, operational execution, and guest expectations converge. Chris explains why predictability matters more than raw speed, especially as off-premises orders continue to grow, and how restaurants must rethink performance metrics when the majority of their “tables” now exist outside the four walls.

Throughout the conversation, Chris breaks down how technology leaders can earn a true seat at the table by speaking the language of operations and finance, not just IT. He also shares how Blaze Pizza evaluates technology investments, builds business cases for franchisees, and uses real-time insights to protect top-line revenue.

1. Why the digital kitchen has become the epicenter of restaurant operations
2. How real-time data enables predictable speed of service across dine-in and off-premises orders
3. What it takes for technology leaders to earn trust with operations, marketing, and finance teams
4. How integrated systems reduce guest friction and protect revenue at scale
5. Why network resiliency is now a business requirement, not just an IT concern

Whether you are a restaurant technologist, an operator, or a business leader responsible for growth and guest experience, this conversation offers practical insight into how connectivity, data, and execution intersect inside today’s digital kitchen.

Listen to the full episode to hear how Chris Demery is helping Blaze Pizza deliver consistent, predictable experiences in a fast-changing dining landscape.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. P F Chang's
2. Domino's Pizza
3. Woolman Brands
4. Lemon Brands
5. Bloomin Brands
6. CKE

Restaurant operations have changed. Data has replaced cash, technology touches every step of service, and disconnected systems now create more friction than progress. In this episode of Go Beyond the Connection, Tom Seeker, Chief Technology Officer at Ziggi’s Coffee, explains why the connected kitchen has become the operational heartbeat of the modern restaurant.

Tom brings a rare perspective shaped by experience across the Navy, restaurant operations, and executive technology leadership. He breaks down how today’s kitchens are no longer collections of isolated tools, but living ecosystems where front-of-house, back-of-house, and back-office systems must work together in real time. When those systems fail to communicate, teams lose clarity, decisions slow down, and margins suffer.

Throughout the conversation, Tom shares how integrated technology changes the way restaurants operate at every level. From guest ordering to payment reconciliation, each interaction generates data that can either become noise or be transformed into actionable intelligence. The difference lies in whether leaders design their technology stacks to work as one environment rather than a patchwork of vendors and devices.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Why the connected kitchen is now central to restaurant performance and scalability
2. How real-time data visibility replaces guesswork during busy shifts
3. Why too much data can slow teams down if systems are not integrated
4. How innovation labs help operators test, certify, and deploy technology with less risk
5. Why CTOs who understand the business model earn a real seat at the table

Tom also dives into his approach to innovation labs. Instead of changing systems blindly, his teams test multiple POS platforms, kiosks, sensors, and back-office tools together before rollout. This end-to-end testing uncovers conflicts early, reduces downtime, and helps operators avoid costly mistakes that often appear only after deployment.

“The connected kitchen today is the tech stack within the restaurant that impacts how things flow between front of house and back of house, and the ability for all of your electronics to communicate in a singular world and allow data to be intelligently gathered, manipulated, and displayed so you can act in real time.”

— Tom Seeker, Chief Technology Officer at Ziggi’s Coffee

This episode is not about chasing the latest technology trend. It’s about building clarity. When every system speaks the same language, teams act faster, stress decreases, and leaders gain confidence in their decisions. The connected kitchen becomes a strategic advantage that protects both guest experience and profitability.

If you lead technology, operations, or innovation in restaurants or multi-location environments, this conversation offers a practical framework for simplifying complexity and turning real-time information into better outcomes.

Listen, watch, or explore the full episode:

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Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Long John Silver's
2. Papa John's
3. Wendy's
4. Chili's

When everything is running smoothly, customers rarely think about their network. But behind every seamless experience is the work, care, and visibility that make reliability possible. In this episode of Go Beyond the Connection, Bjørn Jensen, CEO and Founder of WhyReboot, explains why service excellence has become the defining advantage for technology leaders — and why the human connection still matters most.

Bjørn has spent two decades designing resilient networks for high-performance homes, professional gamers, traders, and organizations where uptime is non-negotiable. His perspective is clear: technology alone doesn’t build trust. People do. And the companies that blend technical precision with genuine partnership create loyalty that automation simply can’t replace.

Bjørn shares how his team approaches service as an extension of each customer’s IT department, offering direct access to experts who understand their environment without hold times, ticket escalations, or scripted interactions. That accessibility isn’t a perk — it’s the foundation of reliable experience. As he puts it, “People are always going to want to know there’s an actual human on the other end, even if you do make mistakes. What makes us successful is that people feel like we’re actually a part of their team.”

He also digs into how reliability becomes a measurable business advantage when partners can make invisible performance visible. Tools like Bigleaf help WhyReboot show exactly how networks behave — which connection dropped, how optimization protected a call, how much uptime was preserved, and why an issue was the ISP rather than on-site equipment. That level of clarity changes conversations. It reduces frustration, builds confidence, and demonstrates real value long before a problem escalates.

Bjørn explains why simplicity matters just as much as sophistication. Customers don’t want to manage complex configurations or navigate multi-layer troubleshooting. They want systems that “just work,” supported by partners who listen, guide, and make their jobs easier. That philosophy underpins every WhyReboot design decision, from redundancy and failover strategies to proactive communication and lifetime service guarantees.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How reliability becomes a competitive differentiator when customers can see its impact
• Why service quality often matters more than technical specs in long-term loyalty
• How visibility transforms outages from stressful guesswork into confident action
• Why empathy, responsiveness, and transparency outperform automation alone
• How making support effortless generates referrals, repeat business, and sustained growth

Throughout the conversation, Bjørn emphasizes that service excellence isn’t a cost center — it’s a growth engine. Companies that invest in relationships, simplify complexity, and prove value through clear data cultivate trust that lasts. Whether you support residential networks, enterprise teams, or integrator partners, his insights reveal how reliability, visibility, and human connection come together to create a customer experience people remember.

Ready to see how service becomes your strongest differentiator?

Listen to the full conversation with Bjørn Jensen and explore how resilient design, proactive reporting, and human-first support set the foundation for smooth, dependable connectivity.

Explore more:

• Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjornjensensr/
• Company Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/whyreboot/
• Company Website:

Takeaways:

• The podcast illuminates the significance of managed connectivity services in today's network landscape, illustrating how they enhance customer experiences.
• Julian Jaquez emphasizes that wireless connections are increasingly viable and can match the reliability of wired counterparts in modern infrastructure.
• Dave Idle discusses the competitive landscape among wireless carriers, highlighting ongoing investments that improve connectivity options available to businesses.
• The conversation underscores a critical transition from legacy copper services to resilient wireless solutions that support essential business operations.
• Both speakers advocate for organizations to embrace dual connectivity solutions, combining wired and wireless to ensure uninterrupted service and optimal performance.
• The imminent advancements in wireless technology are set to redefine connectivity standards, offering businesses unprecedented flexibility and reliability in their operations.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• BCN Network
• bigleaf Networks
• Verizon
• AT&T
• T Mobile
• Starlink

What if you stopped optimizing for today and started building from 2040 backward? That’s the challenge Claus Torp Jensen, Chief Technology Officer at the University of Texas Medical Center and Dell Medical School, brings to this conversation with host Steve MacDonald.

A technologist turned storyteller, Claus has served as a Chief Innovation Officer and advisor across industries. He believes the best technology leaders don’t just react to change—they prepare for it. In this episode, he explains how to anchor strategy in a clear future destination, then engineer the steps that make it real.

Together, Steve and Claus explore how future backwards thinking reshapes long-term planning for hospitals, networks, and people-centric innovation. Claus shares examples from his work designing a next-generation academic medical center, where the building itself becomes part of the care team. He discusses robotics and human collaboration, individualized therapies created at the point of care, and why waiting rooms may soon give way to functional lounges that onboard patients into follow-up programs.

This future-first mindset also applies to infrastructure. Claus outlines how generalized sensors paired with smart algorithms can simplify data collection while edge computing filters out noise so teams act faster on what matters. He argues that connectivity is no longer just business-critical—it’s mission-critical—and that healthcare networks must be engineered with double or triple redundancy across wired and wireless paths to ensure patient safety and operational continuity.

Yet technology alone isn’t enough. Claus emphasizes that leadership and storytelling are the glue that hold complex programs together. Knowing who your “chief storytellers” are—and empowering them to share the why behind the work—helps sustain culture and momentum over years of transformation.

“Nobody can predict the future, but you can prepare for it. Ask yourself, where do you want to be in 2040? It’s mind-boggling how it changes the conversation if you start with the future and then you try to go backwards.” — Claus Torp Jensen

• Start with 2040, then work backward. Define the end state first so roadmaps, standards, and budgets line up with where you need to be—not just what’s possible today.
• Design for blended teams and care. Plan spaces for people and robots to share corridors, build labs for individualized therapies, and turn waiting rooms into active engagement lounges.
• Build wide sensing with smart interpretation. Combine generalized sensors with specialized algorithms and edge computing to deliver faster, more accurate insights.
• Treat connectivity as clinical risk management. Engineer redundant paths and measure continuity, not just uptime, with clinicians and operations as partners.
• Lead with people and story. Identify storytellers who connect vision to daily work and make long-horizon change feel tangible.

If you’re responsible for networks, applications, or facility programs, this episode offers a practical way to prepare for what’s coming while improving reliability today.

🎧 Listen now, share it with your team, and subscribe to Go Beyond the Connection for more conversations with leaders building for resilience, performance, and human impact.

University of Texas Medical Center, Dell Medical School, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Six Sigma

• Claus Torp Jensen on LinkedIn

Links referenced in this episode:

• linkedin.com/in/chris-inkarvar

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Jack's Family Restaurants
• Legal Seafoods
• Panera