World Model · podcast knowledge graph

MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER

2026-10-04 · 52 min · episode 46 · 18 entities

episode page audio

Asserted relationships

  • → appeared on Fell Into Food Podcast podcast
    0.82
    evidence rules-v5
    Guest: Mike Smith, Founder of Rameking
  • → hosted by Jeff Fell person
    0.55
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: Jeff Fell
  • → discusses Arts concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Arts
  • → discusses food concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Food
  • → references @FellIntoFood website
    0.38
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://youtube.com/@FellIntoFood
  • → references G 5kFXie website
    0.38
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://lnkd.in/g_5kFXie
  • → references GS Wu YJ person
    0.38
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://lnkd.in/gS-wu_YJ
  • → references rameking.com website
    0.38
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://rameking.com/

Entities found in this episode

websites 7

  • mentioned @FellIntoFood website
    0.45
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://youtube.com/@FellIntoFood
  • mentioned G 5kFXie website
    0.45
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://lnkd.in/g_5kFXie
  • mentioned rameking.com website
    0.45
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://rameking.com/
  • references @FellIntoFood website
    0.38
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://youtube.com/@FellIntoFood
  • references G 5kFXie website
    0.38
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://lnkd.in/g_5kFXie
  • references rameking.com website
    0.38
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://rameking.com/
  • mentioned SMITH website
    0.35
    evidence rules-v5
    SMITH

persons 5

  • mentioned Mike Smith person
    0.86
    evidence rules-v5
    Guest: Mike Smith, Founder of Rameking
  • mentioned Jeff Fell person
    0.70
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: Jeff Fell
  • hosted by Jeff Fell person
    0.55
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: Jeff Fell
  • mentioned GS Wu YJ person
    0.45
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://lnkd.in/gS-wu_YJ
  • references GS Wu YJ person
    0.38
    evidence rules-v5
    Link in episode "MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER": https://lnkd.in/gS-wu_YJ

concepts 5

  • mentioned Arts concept
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Arts
  • mentioned food concept
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Food
  • 0.42
    evidence rules-v5
    MICHAEL SMITH: RAMEKING / HELICOPTER MECHANIC TO HOSPITALITY HUSTLER
  • discusses Arts concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Arts
  • discusses food concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Food

podcasts 1

Episode description as stored
What happens when a bartender-turned-line-cook sees a better way to organize a walk-in cooler? You get Michael Smith — an operator, inventor, and all-around hospitality grinder. In this episode, Mike shares his path from small-town Ohio to the kitchens of Columbus to running concessions for The Ohio State University , and how a simple idea turned into a full-blown product: Rameking. We talk about finding your purpose, managing stadium events, and the power of creating something useful (and simple) in an industry full of over complication. We also get into his LinkedIn innovation group, the emotional rollercoaster of product launches, and why collaboration beats competition. Guest: Mike Smith, Founder of Rameking Topics Discussed: • Mike’s early days in hospitality and how a banquet setup job led to a career • His time in the military and the shift from stress-heavy careers to foodservice • Bartending burnout and finding purpose in the kitchen • Why he took a 50% pay cut to follow his gut • The epiphany moment that started Rameking (hint: it involves a fridge door) • Lessons from managing concessions at The Ohio State University • How he learned public speaking under pressure • The importance of having people around you who believe in your idea • Prototyping over two decades with trial, error, and persistence • Creating a LinkedIn group for food & hospitality innovators • His next product idea: portion cup automation • Collaboration over competition and building something bigger than yourself Rameking https://rameking.com Rameking on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ramekingdom Michael Smith on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-smith-5a52a938/ 00:00 – Kicking off with grit, grind, and trade show chaos 01:10 – Mike’s start in hospitality & why the bar lifestyle lost its shine 03:30 – The leap to cooking: 50% pay cut, 100% inspiration 05:45 – The walk-in cooler epiphany that led to Rameking 08:00 – Learning by asking: Mentorship in the kitchen 10:30 – Becoming a banquet chef and rising to exec 12:00 – Managing 800 employees at OSU football games 17:00 – Leadership styles in stadiums vs. restaurants 22:00 – Learning public speaking by fire (literally) 27:00 – Burnout, meditation, and why boredom is worse than pressure 30:00 – What a 23-year product journey really looks like 37:30 – The moment Mike knew it worked: NRA Show 2023 41:00 – Advice for inventors solving problems in foodservice 47:30 – What’s next? Mike’s new idea for automating portion filling 50:00 – Building the Global Nova Group to help others succeed 54:00 – Where to find Mike and how to connect Listen to the full episode and more! It would mean the world to me if you could leave a 5 star review on your listening platform to help grow and expand the Podcast. YouTube -  https://lnkd.in/gQM3S5mr   Spotify - https://lnkd.in/g_5kFXie Apple Podcast - https://apple.co/41RoTm4 Pandora - https://lnkd.in/gS-wu_YJ Follow Jeff: YouTube:  https://youtube.com/@FellIntoFood Linkedin:  linkedin.com/company/fell-into-food Instagram:  http://instagram.com/fell_into_food Facebook:  https://facebook.com/fellintofood FellintoFood.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy