In this episode of Restaurant Catering Smarts, Michael Attias sits down with George Westberry, Director of Marketing Initiatives at Red Hot & Blue Barbecue. With 13 years at the brand and a career that began in the back of the house as a chef, George has a unique perspective on how marketing, hospitality, and operations come together to grow both dine-in and catering sales.
George shares how Red Hot & Blue has leveraged community connections, consistent branding, and strategic campaigns to expand catering while staying true to their barbecue roots. He explains why gratitude and kindness are powerful business tools, how cross-functional collaboration fuels growth, and why marketing must have a dedicated focus on catering to succeed.
Michael and George also dive into the evolution of restaurant marketing—from grassroots efforts to the role of technology—and the importance of creating a seamless guest experience across every touchpoint.
If you want practical insights into building catering awareness, aligning marketing with operations, and turning brand values into sales, this conversation is packed with takeaways you can put into practice.
Restaurant Catering Smarts is sponsored by CaterZen Catering Software.
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✅ Marketing with Heart: Kindness, gratitude, and authenticity build trust and strengthen customer relationships.
✅ Community Matters: Red Hot & Blue leverages local connections and events to drive both brand awareness and catering growth.
✅ Catering Needs Focus: Marketing must include a clear and consistent catering strategy—not just a dine-in message.
✅ Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong ties between operations and marketing keep campaigns effective and executable.
✅ Consistency Across Channels: Aligning messaging from in-store to digital reinforces brand identity and keeps catering top of mind.
✅ From Chef to Marketer: George’s back-of-house perspective ensures catering initiatives stay grounded in operational reality.
✅ 13 Years of Lessons: Longevity with one brand creates insights on how catering growth evolves over time.
✅ Hospitality First: Recognition and appreciation go a long way—for staff, guests, and catering clients.
🔹 “Getting complimented for being kind always goes a long way.”
🔹 “Our industry is one where a simple ‘thank you’ makes a big impact.”
🔹 “Catering growth doesn’t happen by accident—you’ve got to dedicate part of your marketing efforts to it.”
🔹 “Consistency in branding keeps your catering top of mind for customers.”
🔹 “Collaboration between operations and marketing is the glue that makes campaigns work.”
🔹 “Marketing isn’t just about flashy campaigns—it’s about connecting with people in your community.”
🔹 “After 13 years with one brand, I’ve learned that catering growth is an evolution, not a sprint.”
