Megan H. 

Employer Brand Co-op

For Cory, a Territory Account Executive at Toast, the restaurant industry is more than just a job—it's a lifelong passion. We sat down with him to learn about his personal connection to the industry, what drives his work in the field, and how he's paying it forward by mentoring the next generation of hospitality leaders through his incredible partnership with the C•CAP program.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

I am the definition of a "restaurant kid." I started working in restaurants when I was 12 years old and continued until I was 25, finishing my MBA at Saint Joseph's University. Anytime I needed money, I was working at a restaurant. I have held every position from fry cook to bus boy to dishwasher to sushi chef to line cook to bartender to manager. After I completed my MBA, I transitioned more to the tech side of restaurants. After three years in restaurant tech, I finally transitioned to Toast and haven't looked back since!

Can you share a little bit about what brought you to Toast?

To me, the restaurant community feels like family. From a young age, no matter what I was going through personally or at home, I sought refuge in restaurants. A good one can feel like the family you get to choose. Early in my restaurant journey, I identified Toast as an industry leader. After my first few interviews, where I was able to learn the company's mission and values, I knew it would be a glove fit. Toast allows you to be the brand in your city, and I passionately believe in our brand.

What does a typical day look like for you as an Account Executive at Toast?

The role is about 40% at home and 60% in the field. My day starts and ends with admin tasks, team calls, and Toast extracurriculars that can be done from my home office. The majority of the week is spent in the field! Normally, between noon and 4 p.m., you'll be able to spot me in the wild of Philadelphia. I eat at the best restaurants, talk with the best and brightest owners, chefs, and managers in our industry, and pull doors to share all of the incredible things we are building. Normally, I'm able to end a busy day of prospecting and demos with a nice happy hour in the city—when all the work is done, of course!

Can you tell me more about your involvement with C•CAP? What kind of work have you been doing with them?

C•CAP is an incredible program that I started working with two years ago. They provide culinary and job skills training for under-resourced high school students to become the next generation of leaders in food and hospitality. Once a year, every summer, I give a full product demo of Toast, followed by resume writing and interview training. I am also featured on a panel every year where we discuss our journey through hospitality. About every two months, I will go to a different high school and demo Toast and the importance of technology in restaurants. The best part: I have hundreds of customers who need staff, and then I have 30 hungry hospitality professionals looking to break into the field. It is truly a win, win, win.

Toasters' partnerships with C•CAP comes to life in many ways. Recently, our CMO Kelly Esten became a C•CAP National Board Member! We are thrilled to see how our communities can work together through various opportunities.

What initially inspired you to get involved with C•CAP?

Volunteering and being an advocate for Philly’s youth has been a huge part of my life since I was in college at Saint Joseph’s University. I see myself in a lot of these kids. I like to focus on all of the different avenues they can take in an ever-changing industry.

What advice would you give to someone looking to join Toast?

Be bold! In this competitive landscape, it takes someone who is bold -- just like our system-- to set themselves apart. You will be representing Toast in your area. This means you have to trust, thoroughly understand, and ferociously advocate for us. Be authentic, be excited, and build a network.