“I had a vodka shot with live fish in it in Japan. It’s supposed to be good luck.”
— Andrew Pudalov, founder and CEO, Rush Bowls
In her monthly “Grab Bag” column, Editor in Chief Laura Michaels asks the tough questions—What superhero power would you most like to have? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?—to show a side of franchising execs you don’t normally see.
Who would play you in the biopic about your life?
Harrison Ford, hopefully when he was younger. It’s just his demeanor. He’s practical yet swashbuckling in a way. He has those qualities of adventure and taking risks, but also being thoughtful, or at least that’s how he seems in his roles.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
People not doing what they say they’re going to do. Not following through or finishing. Talk is cheap, basically.
If you could be a member of any TV show family, which would it be?
‘Ted Lasso.’ I think we could all learn a lot from him in certain ways. I like the approach the show has. When there’s so much negativity out there, it doesn’t hurt to have that positivity. And OK, I know it’s not really a family, but I view the team as a family, too. That’s how I think about my team.
What’s something you would seriously stockpile if you found out it wasn’t going to be sold anymore?
I like pretzels—I love pretzels. Of all the things I could stockpile, it would be pretzels. It’s a little weird. And weirdly, I would also do Greek olives, the giant ones.
What chore do you absolutely hate doing?
Organizing my closet—I hate that. I always have to get help; my wife helps me. It’s the whole process, the folding … or it’s deciding what to keep, what to donate and having to try stuff on. It just kills me.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
Turtle soup. Or I’ve eaten alligator, but that’s not that weird. I had a vodka shot with live fish in it in Japan. It’s supposed to be good luck or good for you somehow. It’s not the most pleasant.
What’s one restaurant or food trend you wish would die?
Donuts. I know people love them, but it’s fried dough. I think we could make it a more upscale situation, like a croissant. Make it more like a European experience. And they’re horrible for you.
What’s the most useless talent you have?
I have tons. Trivia. I read a lot, so I have a lot of useless trivia knowledge. And you know, I’m a really good pool player. That’s not totally useless though. I actually used to make some money at pool halls in New York. It’s all about the angles; I’m a math guy.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Hot fudge sundaes with nuts. And I like a deep tissue massage. But not both at the same time.
Who or what did you have posters of on your bedroom wall as a teenager?
Farrah Fawcett. I’m probably dating myself a little bit with that one. That came to mind right away. She was really quite the star.
Which time period in history would you want to visit?
The Roman Empire, right before Julius Caesar. The Roman Empire was ruthless, but it was also really sophisticated. They had a sewer system in the city, for example. So to just see it at its height and glory.
What superhero power would you most like to have?
Easy: Superman. So I could avoid all the flight delays I’ve been dealing with. I’d put my cape on and cruise around.
Editor in chief Laura Michaels asks the tough questions—What superhero power would you most like to have? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?—to show a side of franchising execs you don’t normally see. To suggest an industry professional, email lmichaels@franchisetimes.com.