FOOD
INSIDE THE CULTURE AND CULINARY INNOVATION BEHIND FIRST WATCH’S GROWTH A tour of the breakfast-and-lunch concept’s Bradenton, Florida, headquarters, led by Senior VP of Culinary Strategy Shane Schaibly, reveals how company culture powers creativity and success for the 630-unit chain.
F ARM is the heart of First Watch company headquar - ters in Bradenton, Florida. But this isn’t the kind of farm that grows produce for the menu’s breakfast bowls or coffee for its sustainable beverage pro- gram—important as those are to the First Watch mission. FARM stands for First Watch Academy of Restaurant Management, a space where every month, 25 managers are brought in from around the country for a week at a time for training and interactive sessions with all the different de- partments. “They get to hang out with us and on Friday af- ternoon, Chris [Tomasso, CEO] comes down and talks a little about First Watch history and they all graduate,” said Shane Schaibly, senior VP of culinary strategy. There’s a chalkboard positioned at the entrance to the “classroom” and each graduate is asked to jot down an “aha” moment or takeaway from their week. The feedback is al- ways a highlight for the First Watch team. The compact test kitchen is also located in this area. Schaibly’s right hand, Senior Manager of Culinary Opera- tions Michael Tomassini, can often be found here trying out new equipment and products. He also loves to bake and may be whipping up a batch of banana bread or another treat. But many of the actual menu items are developed in part- nership with The Culinary Edge, a food and beverage innova- tion agency based in San Franciso, where Schaibly spends a good chunk of time working on R&D. And a lot of the recipe testing is done in First Watch restaurants, with locations in nearby Tampa a popular testing ground. Everything is tested a year ahead of its launch.
PATRICIA COBE
PATRICIA.COBE@INFORMA.COM
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RESTAURANT BUSINESS APRIL 2026
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