Craveworthy Brands didn’t just host a conference. They threw a full-on movement. At the first-ever CraveCon 2025, the hospitality powerhouse behind Wing It On!, Dirty Dough Cookies, Genghis Grill, The Budlong, and more unveiled its boldest project yet: Crave University.
And they didn’t stop there, two leaders walked away with $20,000 in scholarships to fuel their dreams. Cue the standing ovation.
Crave university: school never tasted this good
Forget boring textbooks and endless slideshows. Crave University is a first-of-its-kind leadership program built for everyone from shift supervisors to C-suite execs.
Think hands-on training, emotional intelligence, communication hacks, and the kind of leadership skills that actually matter when the lunch rush hits. It’s about creating hospitality leaders who thrive on people-first values and resilience.
Every course level ends with a capstone project (yep, homework still exists) but instead of essays, it’s real-world problem-solving that prepares future leaders for success across Craveworthy’s diverse brands.
Scholarships with star power
Here’s where it gets even bigger. To close out CraveCon, Craveworthy teamed up with none other than Shaquille O’Neal (yes, THAT Shaq) to award two $10,000 scholarships.
Winners included Kianna Turner, General Manager of Big Chicken in Las Vegas, and Klaudia Rudny, Craveworthy’s Head of PR. Both embody the brand’s “unstoppable together” mantra, proof that investing in people pays the biggest returns.
Operators of the year (and beyond)
It wasn’t just about the future. Craveworthy also celebrated today’s rockstars. Among 30 success stories, Carmen Balbi, Area Manager at Taim Mediterranean Kitchen in NYC, was crowned Operator of the Year.
Her leadership style? Dynamic, people-first, and relentless in building guest experiences that feel like more than just a meal. Basically, the blueprint for hospitality greatness.
CraveCon makes waves
“Not everything will go the way we always want, but our values endure because we remain resilient. We face challenges head-on, and even if we fall short, we go down fighting. That determination is what drives us forward to greater things” Gregg Majewski, CEO
That’s not just talk. With Crave University, scholarship programs, and people-first operations, Craveworthy is rewriting what it means to be in the restaurant business. Instead of chasing trends, they’re chasing legacies.
Scholarships, sauce, and success!
At the end of the day, Craveworthy is proving that hospitality is about more than food. It’s about resilience, accountability, and community.
Sure, the burgers, poke bowls, and cookies keep people coming back. But the real secret sauce? Building leaders who turn values into action, inside the restaurant and beyond.
Cooking up hospitality stars
From a groundbreaking university to scholarships with Shaq-level backing, Craveworthy isn’t just feeding people, it’s fueling futures. And in doing so, it’s raising the bar for what hospitality can look like when brands put people first.
Whether you’re scaling your foodservice operations, exploring private label opportunities, or sourcing the next craveworthy ingredient, Source86 is here to help you make it happen. Let’s build the future of food together, smarter, faster, and stronger. Turn your big ideas into unstoppable growth!
Faqs
- What is Crave University?
Crave University is a first-of-its-kind hospitality leadership program from Craveworthy Brands, designed to train restaurant leaders from shift supervisors to C-suite executives through coursework, hands-on practice, and soft-skill development. - Who can participate in Crave University?
Team members across all Craveworthy Brands can enroll, progressing through five levels of education that include scenario-based learning, leadership courses, and capstone projects. - What are the CraveCon scholarships?
CraveCon awarded $20,000 in scholarships to restaurant and franchise leaders, recognizing outstanding performance and commitment to people-first values. - How does Craveworthy support operational excellence?
Craveworthy emphasizes daily habits rooted in core values like resilience, accountability, and people-first leadership, ensuring consistent and high-quality restaurant operations.
