Dark kitchens (also called ghost kitchens) have sprung up in droves over the past year or two. But one Chicago-based restaurant was ahead of the game, with their first dark kitchen launching in California in 2017.
This week on the FoodCrush podcast, we’re talking with Geoff Alexander, president and CEO of Wow Bao about the swift expansion of the Wow Bao brand, which currently has over 400 dark kitchen operations across the U.S. with 200 more on the way.
Alexander chats with us about the history of the company, which specializes in creatively filled bao (baozi), dumplings and bowls. Along the way, he shares key factors in the concept’s success, along with insights and wisdom for owner operators looking to grow their restaurants.
Catch up on our other 100+ episodes here.
Find us and love us
The FoodCrush podcast is available via iTunes, Google,Spotify, Stitcher and more. Just search for us on your favorite podcast platform, subscribe for notifications about each new episode and – better yet – help us out by sharing your thoughts in a review on iTunes.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
