From Broadway to Culinary School: It's Midnight Pasta! | Part 2

Описание: Midnight Pasta Philadelphia | From Broadway & Culinary School to a Sold-Out Experience (Part 2)

In Part 2 of our conversation with Natalia Lepore-Hagan, founder of Midnight Pasta Philadelphia, we dive into how this immersive pasta experience actually came to life—from pandemic pivots and culinary school to chaotic early events and the moment everything clicked.
Natalia shares how the shutdown of Broadway led her back to pasta-making, late-night phone calls with her grandfather, and ultimately enrolling in Escoffier School of Culinary Arts—not to fit into a traditional restaurant mold, but to deepen her craft while building something entirely her own.
We talk about:
Transitioning from Broadway to culinary school during the pandemic
Learning classic techniques while intentionally breaking the “restaurant box”
Why humility and self-critique matter in online culinary education
Opening Midnight Pasta Philadelphia out of a shared kitchen
What those first events were really like (chaos included)
The influencer moment that changed everything
How one viral reel led to sold-out classes and thousands of followers
Finding the gap in the market for immersive dining experiences


Natalia also reflects on the complicated relationship between chefs and influencers, why Midnight Pasta fits into a different category than traditional restaurants, and how intentional influencer partnerships helped introduce the experience to new communities in and around Philadelphia.
This episode is perfect for:
Hospitality founders and restaurant owners
Creators building experience-based businesses
Anyone curious how culinary concepts go viral
Fans of Midnight Pasta Philadelphia who want the origin story


📍 Midnight Pasta — Philadelphia, PA
🍝 Immersive pasta-making experience
🎭 Broadway roots • Culinary training • Community-driven

This show is brought to you by Back of House.io, the foodservice industry's most trusted resource for restaurant tech. Learn more at: https://backofhouse.io/

Season 5 of So You Want to Run A Restaurant is proudly sponsored by RestauRent, the no-fee booking platform helping restaurants book private and group events. Try it risk-free with 3 free months at https://bit.ly/soyouwanttorestaurent.

⭐ Follow Us
Podcast: https://linktr.ee/soyouwanttorunarest...
Claudia:   / claudia.saric  
Spencer:   / restaurantspenny