Most restaurateurs don’t start their businesses because they love spreadsheets. But inventory, invoices, and recipe costing are part of the job—and they’re often what breaks people.
That’s where Angelo Esposito comes in.
As the founder of Wisk.ai, Angelo has built a back-of-house platform that handles the messy, monotonous, but mission-critical side of restaurant operations. At the 2025 Bar & Restaurant Expo in Las Vegas, he sat down with Shawn Walchef to explain how Wisk is helping thousands of restaurants save time, money, and maybe even their sanity.
Operations That Don’t Suck Time
Wisk’s promise is simple: give operators time back so they can focus on what they actually love.
The platform tackles inventory, supplier ordering, invoice management, recipe costing—all the behind-the-scenes chaos that eats into a restaurateur’s week. Originally known for its strengths in beverage tracking (liquor, wine, beer), Wisk has now expanded into full food management, bringing the same level of precision to perishables.
“Restaurateurs are the entrepreneurs of the entrepreneurs,” Angelo said. “They have to be good at everything—sales, marketing, hospitality, finance. Our job is to take the stuff they don’t love off their plate.”
Be the Show, Not the Commercial
Angelo isn’t just building software. He’s building community.
“The power of storytelling is real,” he said. “Nobody knows your story unless you tell it. And no one can tell it better than you.”
Angelo credits Shawn Walchef for one key mindset shift: “Be the show, not the commercial.” That philosophy—of sharing authentically rather than selling aggressively—has guided Wisk’s approach to content and community alike.
Tech That Travels
With around 5,000 restaurant partners across the U.S. and Canada, Wisk is proving that operational excellence doesn’t need borders.
The platform is growing fast, but its core message remains the same: tech should serve the operator, not the other way around. By eliminating hours of manual data entry and guesswork, Wisk is helping restaurants protect their margins and stay focused on the parts of the business that light them up.
The Future Is Collaborative
Angelo’s biggest takeaway from the expo? When you call on community, people show up.
What started as a software demo became a movement. Restaurateurs, vendors, creators—they’re not just looking for tools. They’re looking for allies. And platforms like Wisk are stepping into that role by showing up, sharing stories, and solving real problems.
“Be careful what you ask for,” Angelo joked. “But if you’re building the right thing and you’re listening to your community, good things happen.”
