Roman Desmond reveals what he would change on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, interview
Earning a spot in Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars finale, Roman Desmond showed that business acumen is not age dependent. Although he was the youngest food entrepreneur on the FOX reality competition, Roman proved that good ideas, smart execution, and a mind for innovation will bring success to any endeavor.
Although he did not earn the title or the winning prize, Roman walked away from the Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars experience with many lessons learned. During a conversation with FoodSided after the finale aired, he shared his ups, downs, and what is next for his food truck company, Hot Box Pretzels.
With the season’s first challenge being food truck focused, Roman knew that he needed to step up. Specifically, he took the opportunity to show his fellow contestants that even though he was younger he could hold his own. As Roman said, “I was able to establish myself on that first episode and show that I was a real player.”
Reflecting on the season as a whole. Roman said, “I was pretty happy with my performance on every episode. Maybe the only thing that I would change would be to make a different mocktail on the bar episode. Otherwise, I was very happy with my performance for the whole show.”
While each challenge stood on its own, Roman felt that being part of the total experience has really helped him become more confident, especially with his ability to speak on camera or in front of a large audience.
Roman said, “before the show, I wasn’t really doing too many social media videos or talking to the camera with one-on-one stuff. Since the show, I have stepped up my social media. Overall, it has helped me connect to an audience.”
One of the bigger takeaways from this Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars season is the importance of social media and how it builds a loyal following. Being able to leverage that connection is vital for any business, especially a food business.
With Roman’s business, Hot Box Pretzels is starting to expand. From adding a Southern Florida food truck to building a stand-alone manufacturing facility, Roman is building the foundation for larger growth. In a way, the former collegiate surfer is riding the wave of success for a long time to come.
Even as the business continues to grow, Roman admitted that he is just in the beginning stages and is “still figuring it all out.” But, he has learned that music festivals tend to be more successful than some professional sporting events. Testing the waters and understanding where and when to open is another lesson in creating a successful food business.
While the whole idea of Hot Box Pretzels is to bring great tasting, hot fresh pretzels to people, Roman understands that the flavorful concept is more than just rising to the occasion. He wants to bring that food he loves and twist it into something more. As Roman said, “it is such a simple food, but you can do so much with it.”
As seen in the Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars finale, Roman appreciates that the pretzel business needs to be more than just a handful of food trucks to build a dough empire. Expanding into the retail space is vital. Currently, Roman is open to exploring all options, yet is mindful of how quickly he expands.
Like some of his fellow Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars contestants, Roman appreciates that brand collaborations can help him gain more exposure and capitalize on this experience. Whether it is a new flavor in partnership with Andrew’s Hot Drops or something else on the horizon, there are many ways to keep his pretzel brand in the food conversation.
For now, the Jacksonville area and South Florida can look for the Hot Box Pretzels food truck coming to an event near them. While the pretzel dough might rise to the perfect bite, Roman Desmond is poised to use his Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars experience to take his business to the next level.