Pair of restaurateur-centric video shows, set in beautiful D.C. landscape, to launch in summer 2016 after media company formation, pilots
Rick Zambrano, an Arlington, Va. native and foodservice consultant in Washington, D.C., is announcing a pair of video shows focused on the restaurant scene nationally, and set in the beautiful landscape of D.C. and its restaurants will launch in summer 2016. The educational video series will focus on Millennial restaurateurs and the news commentary series will benefit an audience of multi-unit restaurant executives.
Both shows in this planned restaurant industry video channel will comprise a media venture simply dubbed “Z,” for now, and will launch after a search for a host, a fundraising campaign, a media campaign and the successful execution of pilots.
D.C. as an evolving, emerging epicenter of industry trends, best practices
“D.C.’s evolution as a top foodie scene deserves a loyally-focused industry media channel that pays tribute to what is happening here, and relates nationwide trends to the opportunities and challenges facing restaurateurs here,” says Zambrano, a former publisher and researcher, serving area restaurants currently through marketing and management consulting. “D.C. is the perfect scene.”
Zambrano is hush-hush about the educational series because it is something unique with a seamless interface for the segment of Millennials in restaurant ownership that it will target. He is inspired by state and national efforts in industry vocation and employment, including the ProStart program events, which he has attended at the state and national levels.
“As for the news commentary show, the project is a bit more transparent because it requires a strong support and sponsorship from food purveyors and technology & service vendors,” Zambrano adds. “What can be said now is that the news commentary show will provide two layers of value-add for executives that are not out there currently in most restaurant industry video media.”
“Initially, the project sounds opportunistic to high-level industry influencers who I have talked to and potential sponsors, but we will vet the show through the pilot and the feedback panel. What’s interesting is that there is high interest among media, so there will be distribution agreements in place prior to launch.”
Mapping a course for innovative, first-of-their kind, restaurant industry video series
Zambrano, who is working with a video producer currently, and is in the planning stages, will follow the following project phases for “Z”:
- Plan and research completion (winter 2016)
- Search for host, reflecting audience of shows (spring 2016)
- Fundraising – various sources (spring 2016)
- Pilot execution and panels (spring 2016)
- Distribution commitments in place (summer 2016)
- Media campaign (summer 2016)
- Launch of shows (summer 2016)
The project will return Zambrano, producer and resident analyst for the series, to food industry media after three years, although he will continue to consult for restaurants on retainer. He brings a versatile, analytical background focused on food-related businesses, spanning 15 years, including marketing, content management, food industry media, research, consulting, financial and trend analysis.
He chose D.C. because of his ties and relationship to the city. Zambrano, who is the principal of Trendystia MRC and My Crown-Rio Foodservice, grew up a couple of miles from Georgetown, D.C., and has family roots in Suburban Maryland.
Rick Zambrano is a marketing and management consultant for foodservice operators in the DMV (D.C.-Md.-Va.) market. As a trend analyst, he has worked with research tools, topical experts, forensic experts and trend watchers to develop a strong understanding of today’s most meaningful food themes and the consumer behaviors that are driving them. Zambrano has demonstrated his interpretation of major foodservice and culinary trends is highly meaningful to food industry business owners and executives through his application, written works, consulting, insights in major industry publications and through speaking engagement. His consulting work focuses on customer engagement, digital marketing, business growth and menu management solutions.
