In this episode of What’s Cooking? Conor Sheridan, CEO and founder of Nory, sits down with Darko Salaj, Operations Director at Giggling Squid, to uncover the unconventional strategies behind the brand's rapid expansion.
From thriving amid Covid to rejecting corporate rigidity, Darko shares his unique approach to operations, leadership, and scaling sustainably. Tune in to discover how embracing individuality and structured chaos can be a winning formula for hospitality.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
>> Why "slow down to go fast" became Darko’s mantra for growth.
>> The surprising benefits of structured chaos in hospitality operations.
>> How Giggling Squid kept scaling through Covid while maintaining culture.
>> Why personal connection beats metrics in spotting operational red flags.
>> The role of resilience and individuality in building strong restaurant teams.
Meet Our Guest
Darko Salaj is Operations Director at Giggling Squid, where he brings over 25 years of hospitality experience across major brands like Prezzo and Chimichanga. Known for his hands-on leadership and candid insights, Darko has helped scale Giggling Squid to over 50 sites while preserving its founder-led spirit.
About the Host
Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality.
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What's Cooking? | A Podcast from Nory
What's Cooking? is the podcast for hospitality operators scaling smart. Hosted by Conor Sheridan – CEO and co-founder of Nory, and a former operator who built and ran multi-site restaurant brands himself – each episode goes behind the scenes of fast-growing restaurant groups to explore the operational challenges that actually matter - like disconnected systems, staffing chaos, and margin pressure.
Through honest conversations with industry leaders you’ll get practical insight into what’s working on the ground right now - from automation and AI to culture, data, and waste reduction. No fluff. No forecasts. Just the blueprint for better hospitality operations at scale.
New episodes every two weeks.