OpenTable CEO Debby Soo Talks Restaurants, ChatGPT, And Entrepreneurship

Radio Cherry Bombe

The Cherry Bombe Podcast Network

Restaurants, 591312, Business, Arts, Food Radio, Interviews, Kerry Diamond, Female Chefs, Radio Cherry Bombe, Entrepreneurs, Society & Culture, Women, Careers, Women In Food, Food, Cherry Bombe Magazine, Talk Radio, Chefs, Restaurateurs

4.6 • 592 Ratings

🗓️ 29 May 2023

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Hosted by Kerry Diamond Produced by Catherine Baker and Jenna Sadhu Edited by Jenna Sadhu Music by Tralala, “All Fired Up” Debby Soo was tapped to be the CEO of OpenTable in August 2020, a perilous time for the hospitality industry because of the global pandemic. Her mandate for the world’s largest reservations platform was straightforward: help restaurants survive. Since then, restaurants have evolved, as has OpenTable, which turns 25 this year. In addition to reservations, the platform now features experiences, access to takeout and delivery options, and the ability to search by categories like women-owned. Debby joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about lessons learned from her travel agent parents, career pivots, and the partnership between OpenTable and ChatGPT parent company OpenAI, which promises to change how we research and book restaurants. Radio Cherry Bombe is a production of The Cherry Bombe Podcast Network. Our show is recorded at Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center. Subscribe to our newsletter and check out past episodes and transcripts here. More on Debby and OpenTable: OpenTable, OpenTable blog, OpenTable and ChatGPT

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, Boys and girls are all fired up.
0:07.0	Boys and girls are all by her.
0:11.0	Oh, world's shaking, breaking, baby, and we're on fire at.
0:15.0	Hi, everyone. You are listening to Radio Cherry Bomb, and I'm your host, Carrie Diamond, coming to you from newsstand studios at Rockefeller Center in the heart of New York City. I'm the founder and editor of Cherry Bomb Magazine, and each week I talk to the most interesting women and culinary creatives in and around the world of food. Today's guest is Debbie Sue, CEO of OpenTable, the reservations platform that is home to more than 55,000 restaurants around the world.
0:46.4	Debbie had been at Kayak for 10 years when she was tapped to take the top job at OpenTable.
0:51.0	She started in August 2020, which, as all of you know, was a very challenging time
0:56.5	for the restaurant industry. She and I talk about why she took the job, what her parents taught her
1:01.6	about entrepreneurship, and what her mandate is today at OpenT. We also chat about ChatGPT.
1:08.4	OpenT has a partnership with ChatGPT's parent company, OpenAI, and it's
1:13.3	going to change how you research and book restaurants. Stay tuned for my interview with Debbie
1:18.4	Sue. We have a big sale underway right now. You can get back issues for $10, and that includes
1:25.0	shipping. Why are we being so generous? Well, we haven't done a sale
1:29.0	in a little while, and we are moving our entire inventory to a new fulfillment center,
1:34.4	so it seemed like the perfect time. If you are new to Cherrybaum Magazine, this is a great way
1:39.5	to acquaint yourself with our beautiful print magazine. And if you already know us, you can catch up on
1:44.9	issues you might have missed, like our Sophia Row issue or Dory Greenspan, Samin Nasrat, Nigella,
1:50.8	Drew Barrymore, and other amazing folks. Head to Cherrybomb.com to start shopping. Our sale
1:57.0	ends June 10th. Also, Cherrybaum is headed to Atlanta. We'll be at Star Provisions on Wednesday,
2:03.3	June 28th. Write that down. To celebrate our Future of Food is You podcast. Podcast host Abina
2:09.7	Anna Samoa will be there. Our managing editor, Catherine Baker, will be there too, and so will I.
2:14.7	We'll have great talks and panels and snacks and drinks and networking.
2:18.5	Of course, thank you to our friends at Carrey Gold and Walmart for making this tour stop possible.
	...

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