Made To Order: Food-business Strategies For An Evolving Industry

Amy Lombard, Shelby Moore, Gab Bonghi and Scott Shuman for BI

Entrepreneurs in the restaurant industry must perform a balancing act between passion and pragmatism. The realities of running a food business involve analyzing razor-thin margins, bracing for economic uncertainty, and weathering quick shifts in consumer behaviors, which are often fueled by the latest trends.

Business Insider's "Made to Order" series explores the inventive strategies chefs, owners, and hospitality leaders are using to navigate this turbulent and quick-to-change market.

There's a paired-down Los Angeles ghost kitchen operation that keeps a family's longtime business alive; a bevy of local restaurant owners partnering with hospitality groups to set up shop in their home airports; side hustlers who are on a mission to bust intergenerational loneliness with dinner party-style dining; and owners who build their business models with employee retention in mind.

These innovators are up to the challenge of reinventing the food industry. "Made to Order" shows how they're making it happen.