The Fast Casual Nation Podcast offers exclusive interviews with experts ranging from top chefs and brand makers to executives and restaurants who work in one of the fastest-growing segments of the restaurant industry. In this episode, I chat with Kyle Frederick, chief operating officer of Original ChopShop, a fast-casual restaurant based in Dallas.

Frederick’s story is one of growth and dedication, he worked his way from entry-level to C-suite executive in just 10 years. When asked about his start in the industry, he says, “I've been in the service industry for 20 years now, really my whole professional career has been in the service industry. Earned my chops at an oldie but a goodie brand which is Chili's Bar And Grill. That's really it. I learned the foundation of service and hospitality with Chili's as I was getting my business degree at LSU. I'm originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.” He adds he got his business degree and got hooked into the restaurant industry.

Next Frederick worked at Zoës Kitchen, a fast-cast concept for ten years. He shares, “If you are in the right time and you're eager to grow and do a lot of things, you get to do a lot of things and I kept raising my hand for different assignments and different roles and as they came available just really worked myself up the ladder so to speak over the course of those 10 years. So I worked inside the restaurant as a leader, and was a general manager when we started really growing restaurants in 2019 through the heart of the recession. I got my opportunity to open up a lot of restaurants that took a couple years.”

We talk about what customers expect when dining at the Original ChopShop and Frederick says, “Original ChopShop is a neighborhood eatery. We're founded in 2013. We're for those on the go busy people that are still looking for something that's going to be nutritious and flavorful but they don't have to sacrifice in any of those categories to get something on the go. Where everything is chopped in shop. That's where we get our name from the Original ChopShop. We are fast-casual so you order at the counter and bring the food out to you.” You can find protein bowls, salad, sandwiches, juices and more on the menu.

To hear Frederick talk about being a people first business, Original ChopShop benefits package and professional development program that are positively impacting team performance and retention tune into this episode of Fast Casual Nation on Spotify.