Tech. Sell. Learn: The Marketing Tech Revolution Driving Growth

SMart Conference Live Bonus Episode

Tech. Sell. Learn: The Marketing Tech Revolution Driving Growth

Aired: August 15, 2025

Guest: Patrick Cairoli, Commercial Segment Lead, Gordon Food Service

Listen Now

LEARN MORE

In a special episode of Crave – The IFDA Podcast, recorded live at the 2025 SMart Conference, Julien LeBlanc sits down with Patrick Cairoli, marketing tech leader at Gordon Food Service and AI evangelist, for a no-fluff conversation on how foodservice distribution professionals can embrace AI to sharpen strategy, boost creativity, and strengthen consultative selling.

From building digital assistants to crafting custom catering menus on the fly, Patrick shares real-world use cases that are reshaping daily workflows for DSRs, DSMs, and food distribution leaders. He also breaks down how to train AI tools to sound like you, think with you, and challenge your ideas, turning every rep into a super-powered strategist.

This is more than just a tech talk. It’s an activation session packed with practical marketing wins and leadership gems.

Topics Covered in This Episode

  • 0:00 How AI Becomes Your Pocket Mentor
  • 0:45 Sharpening Your Creative Edge with AI
  • 1:31 Welcome to Crave – Live from Miami
  • 2:15 Introducing Patrick Cairoli
  • 3:02 From Restaurants to Strategy at GFS
  • 3:44 The Romance of the Industry
  • 4:24 How Patrick Uses ChatGPT Daily
  • 5:06 Personal Productivity with AI
  • 6:15 Building a Custom AI Assistant
  • 7:20 Live Demo: AI Introduces Patrick
  • 8:08 How Patrick Interacts with His AI
  • 9:16 Adoption Trends in AI for Foodservice
  • 10:10 Why You Need to Hone the Tool
  • 11:07 Real Example: AI Builds a Catering Menu in 90 Seconds
  • 12:54 AI in the Car: Creating Promotions on the Fly
  • 13:33 Making Menu Math Easy with AI
  • 14:18 Addressing Fear of Replacement
  • 15:22 Consultative Selling Powered by AI
  • 16:20 Using Competing AI Tools to Stress-Test Ideas
  • 17:05 How to Show Up as a Trusted Consultant
  • 18:26 Quick Wins with Creative Prompting
  • 19:42 Watch Outs: Don’t Lose Your Voice
  • 20:22 Strategy Companion Use Case
  • 21:37 Intern Public Speaking Presentation via AI
  • 22:25 QR Code Podcasts and Interactive Content
  • 22:58 Fresh Leadership Insights
  • 23:15 Mentorship Mindset
  • 23:50 The Power of Reverse Mentorship
  • 24:35 Seeing the Full Picture
  • 25:09 The Book That Changed Everything: StrengthsFinder
  • 26:07 “Grass Kills Weeds” Leadership Philosophy
  • 26:28 One Word Leadership T-Shirt Game
  • 27:08 Individualized Leadership in Action
  • 27:45 Final Reflections and Audience Thanks

More About Our Guest

Patrick Cairoli
Commercial Segment Lead, Gordon Food Service

As Commercial Segment Lead at Gordon Food Service, Patrick’s focus is on developing thought leadership and training strategies, ensuring both operators and sellers align value with customer experience and effective operations. Patrick Cairoli is an award-winning hospitality veteran with a diverse background in the foodservice industry, including restaurant operations, vendor sales, and corporate marketing at Gordon Food Service.

Powered by IFDA

The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) contributes to the growth and success of the foodservice distribution industry through outstanding advocacy, events, research and education.

Learn more

Brought to you by Cut+Dry

Cut+Dry is the nation’s leading e-commerce platform offering the seamless ability for distributors and their partner manufacturers to promote and sell more cases with our best in class operator user experience.

Learn more

Listen & Subscribe