Fast Casual Executive Summit

From homelessness to restaurant heroes: Power couple keynoting Fast Casual Executive Summit

Chef Bryant "Baul" Williams and Daniella Williams are keynoting the Fast Casual Executive Summit. Photo: Williams and Williams

April 7, 2025 by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

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Chef Bryant "Baul" Williams and Daniella Williams, the husband-and-wife founders of Atlanta-based Binky's, specializing in soul food, and brunch hot spot Betty Sue's, are keynoting the 20th annual Fast Casual Executive Summit, Oct. 5-7 in Austin and will share how they overcame adversity to build two popular restaurant brands.

Baul is a former tour chef for music icons Migos, Cardi B and Kendrick Lamar, and Daniella is a former celebrity hair stylist and financial literacy powerhouse, who founded The Ivy League Academy, a mentorship program and network hub for women.

The keynote, "From Homelessness to Hospitality Hero: Building a Culinary Legacy Through Resilience and Financial Savvy," is at 4 p.m., Oct. 5, and will delve into:

The power of heritage: Discover how Chef Baul's grandmother, Betty Sue, a former chef to Leon Spinks, instilled the culinary passion that fuels his creations and the importance of preserving culinary heritage.
Resilience and recovery: Learn how Chef Baul and Daniella turned setbacks, including homelessness and a failed restaurant deal, into a foundation for triumph.
Financial foundations for restaurant success: Daniella Williams, founder of The Ivy League Academy, will provide invaluable insights into building strong business credit, securing funding and navigating the financial complexities of the restaurant world.

Join restaurant leaders at the Fast Casual Executive Summit, October 4–6 in Arlington, TX. Hear from Scott Deviney of Chicken Salad Chick, Geoff Alexander of Wow Bao and many others on what it takes to grow and lead a fast casual brand. Register now: https://fastcasualsummit.com/

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Fast Casual Executive Summit

October 4-6, 2026 | Arlington, TX

The fast casual industry's BIGGEST event is back! Join industry leaders for game-changing ideas, powerful networking and serious fun.

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About Cherryh Cansler

Cherryh Cansler is Publisher of FastCasual.com and Vice President of Connect Food. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

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