Texas Restaurant Association CEO Dr. Emily Williams Knight on Reenergizing the Restaurant Industry

In her recent appearance on Rooms for Seconds ( • Room For Seconds Podcast ) , powered by Craveworthy Brands (www.craveworth...) , Dr. Emily Williams Knight ( / emily-williams-knight-... ) , President and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association (www.txrestaura...) , engaged in a powerful conversation with Gregg Majewski ( / greggmajewski ) on the current state and future of the restaurant industry.
As a trailblazing figure, Dr. Knight shed light on pressing challenges, the importance of education, and the transformative leadership needed to propel the industry forward.
The Importance of Education and Advocacy
The pandemic was unprecedented and had some negative effects on the restaurant industry as a whole. However, according to Dr. Emily Williams Knight, there were some lessons that could be gleaned from that experience, including employers staying abreast of wage legislation and being able to educate employees while finding solutions to any problems that may arrive.
Supporting Women in Leadership
It’s no secret that staffing in the restaurant industry has been an issue as of late. For a variety of reasons, the restaurant industry appears to have become less appealing to those entering, and currently a part of, the workforce. Dr. Emily Williams Knight attributes that waning interest to
Connecting with the Next Generation
For Dr. Emily Williams Knight, tapping into the next generation is extremely important to the lifeblood of the restaurant industry. Instead of a campaign, Williams Knight believes that connecting the youth with industry leaders, such as Gregg Majewski, would serve them well and spark interest in what a career in hospitality has to offer.
Episode Links:
• Visit the Texas Restaurant Association Website (www.txrestaura...)
• Follow Texas Restaurant Association on Instagram ( / txrestaurants )
• Subscribe to Texas Restaurant Association on UA-cam ( / @txrestaurants )
• Connect with Dr. Emily Williams Knight on LinkedIn ( / emily-williams-knight-... )
About Dr. Emily Williams Knight
Dr. Emily Williams Knight is the CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association, where she leads an industry of over 50,000 restaurants employing 1.3 million Texans. Since taking the role in 2019, she has been a key figure in navigating the restaurant industry through the COVID-19 pandemic, securing vital state and federal support. With over 20 years of leadership experience, including senior roles at Study Group, Kendall College, and Laureate, Dr. Knight is a recognized advocate for education, workforce development, and the restaurant and hospitality sectors. Her career spans global initiatives in culinary education and partnerships with government and industry to address workforce challenges.
About Gregg Majewski
Gregg Majewski has a vast amount of experience as a corporate executive in the restaurant industry. As the former CEO of Jimmy John’s, he played a major role in expanding the franchise from 33 to 300+ stores in just 5 years by surrounding the company’s marketing strategy around the innovative approach of delivering sandwiches and being “freaky fast”. Majewski has worked to develop restaurant concepts over the last two plus decades, before starting Craveworthy Brands in 2023, which currently includes a growing portfolio of restaurant brands.
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