Matt Harding redefines Italian cuisine through fast-casual restaurant chain Piada

Chef Matt Harding has been working with Italian food for more than 30 years, first as corporate executive chef at Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, and later at Piada Italian Street Food, the fast-casual Italian chain started by Bravo Brio cofounder Chris Doody. Piada opened its first location in Columbus, Ohio, in 2010, and has since grown to more than 60 locations in seven states. Originally, Harding designed Piada’s menu to focus on customization, with guests designing their own piadas (flatbread sandwiches) or pasta bowls, choosing from among a variety of high-quality Italian ingredients.

Eventually Piada shifted more to signature menu items, and that pivot earned the chain the MenuMasters Award for Best Menu Revamp in 2019. In this episode of the MenuMasters Spotlight podcast series, from Nation’s Restaurant News and sponsor Ventura Foods, Harding sits down with NRN editor in chief Sam Oches in Columbus to talk about Piada’s ongoing evolution, how the MenuMasters Award validated the company’s unique menu, and where he looks for R&D inspiration.