What happens when your two obsessions, movies and food, become a business?
In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace talks to Amy, the founder of Taste Film, about building a cinematic dining concept that pairs full film screenings with menus inspired by the movies. From the seed idea in 2017 to pop-ups, COVID pivots, viral growth, and expansion into new cities. Amy walks us through the messy, thrilling reality of turning nostalgia into a scalable hospitality experience.
They discuss:
• The moment the idea came to life (Goodfellas + garlic = epiphany).
• Moving from TV runner → college teacher → entrepreneur.
• Prototyping: pop-ups, borrowing friends, borrowing kitchens, and buying a projector.
• Keeping the brand alive during COVID (Taste Film at Home, cook-alongs, delivery boxes).
• Operational lessons: menu development, working with venue chefs, and protecting the guest experience.
• Growth pains: viral moments, hiring too fast, learning finance, and building a team.
• Expansion strategy: Manchester, Edinburgh, B2B / studio premieres, and international options.
• Practical tradeoffs: safety nets, part-time vs all-in, funding risk, and the emotional cost of scaling.
Amy also shares honest entrepreneurial advice: start small, learn event ops, know your numbers, protect the product, and lean on people who believe in you.
Amy proves the thing you keep coming back to as a fan can become the thing you build.
Resources:
Taste Film: https://tastefilm.co.uk/
The book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/entrepreneur-revolution/daniel-priestley/9780857089731
🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨
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