Shawn Walchef is the founder of Cali BBQ Media and a leading voice in the Business Creator Economy. He teaches restaurant owners, tech founders, and hospitality leaders how to thrive in the digital age through Smartphone Storytelling and his Digital Hospitality framework.
As host of Restaurant Influencers (produced by Cali BBQ Media and published by Entrepreneur Media), Shawn has built one of the most impactful shows in the hospitality industry. The podcast and video series has been viewed more than 71 million times and features top executives, operators, and innovators shaping the future of restaurants.
Shawn is also the owner of Cali BBQ, a restaurant brand in San Diego that has grown from a local hotspot into a national example of how hospitality can thrive by embracing technology and storytelling.
A keynote speaker at leading restaurant and technology shows, Shawn has partnered with Toast, Uber Eats, Pepsi, US Foods, Restaurant365, and Google to create authentic content that drives awareness and growth. His mission: help businesses stop being invisible online by teaching them to "Be The Show, Not the Commercial."
More From Shawn P. Walchef
He Was Once Head Writer of ‘The Simpsons.’ Now, He’s the Gordon Ramsay of Fast Food — Here’s How This TV Exec Found an Unlikely Career as an Influencer.
This Chef’s Unfiltered Approach to Food Found Success Online. Now, Her Grocery Store Brings Her Brand to Life: ‘I Don’t Want to Live on the Internet.’
How This Michelin-Starred Chef Overcame Loss and Hardships to Achieve Stardom
How This Beverage Industry CEO Used His Passion for Hip-Hop to Build Partnerships With Jay-Z, Rick Ross and More
This Food Network Mainstay Feeds His Passion for Fast-Paced Restaurant Life in Just 3 Days a Month
These Husband-and-Wife Co-Founders Started a Food Brand to Share Chinese Culture — Then a Smart Rebrand Took Their Company to the Next Level
How This CEO Breathed Life Into a 75-Year-Old California Ice Cream Brand Without Losing Its Nostalgic Identity
This CEO Was Tasked With Helping an Iconic Hawaiian Brand Regain Its Footing. Here’s How He Used Storytelling to Do It.
Shaquille O’Neal Used an Unconventional Strategy to Start His Chicken Restaurant — Here’s Why It Worked
This Chicago Native Wants to Build the In-N-Out of Tacos
The ‘Billionaire Chef’ Wants To Bring West African Cuisine to the World — Here’s How
This Celebrity Chef Got His Start Cooking for His Football Teammates — Here’s How He Turned It Into a Career
New Media Is the Future — That’s Why This Company Is Creating a Podcast Network for Restaurants
Popmenu Started With a Simple Offering for Restaurants — Now It’s Using AI to Help Them Flourish
This Legendary California Fish Market Sold $30 Million in One Year Thanks to Viral Videos – Then Caught Amazon’s Attention
This Fine-Dining Titan Understands the Power of Hands-On Experience and Diversification
Toast’s Most Successful App Launch Happened Because It Listened to What Customers Want
She Started Sharing Her Kids’ Lunches on TikTok in 2020 — And Now Has 5.6 Million Followers. Here’s the ‘Aha Moment’ That Convinced Her to Start.
He Founded a Groundbreaking Employee Management Tool in the Back of a Sandwich Shop. A Decade Later, His Company Has 1 Million Users.
What Happens After You Win ‘Top Chef’? One Former Champion Shares His Story: ‘It Was Just Insane.’
‘I Can’t Pretend to Be That.’ Mayim Bialik on Life After ‘Jeopardy!’ and ‘The Big Bang Theory.’
New York News Anchor Rosanna Scotto and Her Daughter Jenna Ruggiero Share the Secret of Running a Successful Family Business
This Pizza Pioneer Says He Approaches Pies Like an Athlete
How Visionary Leaders Transform Curiosity Into Groundbreaking Ideas
How This Couple Transformed a Gas Station Kitchen Into a Legendary BBQ Destination
The Restaurateur Who Created a Safe Space for Celebrities to Eat in Peace in NYC
How Do You Start a Successful Restaurant? Obsess Over the Tiniest Details, Says This Entrepreneurial Chef.
The Scrappy Origin Story of Toast, the Game-Changing Restaurant Tech Company