Friends of Tabletop: Meet Ramy Bahgat from Raleigh Rolls and Big League Waffles!
Friends of Tabletop is a place where we share who we love working with. This can range from a client, influencer/blogger, or special someone who simply means a lot to the Tabletop Team. Colleagues and friends who we’ve met throughout our journey with Tabletop Media Group make us apart of who we are.
This month, we’re featuring Ramy Bahgat, managing partner of Raleighs Rolls and Big League Waffles!
Tell us about Raleigh Rolls and Big League Waffles & Scoops and your positions there.
Raleigh Rolls started three years ago when I got presented with the idea for fresh made from scratch ice cream rolled ice cream that was inspired by my partner from her travel to East Asia! Back then, it was a very new concept and a very new trendy way to make and serve ice cream, and during our journey, we discovered a new way and a new recipe to make and serve Belgian waffles. As we started Raleigh Rolls three years ago and it was a huge success, we started Big League waffles and Scoops this year and hoping it will follow the same footsteps as Raleigh Rolls.
As for my role at both concepts, I am the director of operation, I oversee daily operation and determine menu items as well as new specials.
What's your favorite thing about working in the Triangle?
I love working in Raleigh and can not wait to grow our concepts to other areas in the triangle, it's a very vibrant city that is diverse and has so many talented people and it has grown so much in the last few years without losing that hospitable southern feeling that makes you feel welcome.
What's your favorite dish to eat?
With a background in the restaurant business for almost 17 years, I have to say that Raleigh has some amazing restaurants and talented chefs that makes it hard for me to have one favorite food or dish, some days I am getting tacos from Gym Tacos, and if I feel like middle eastern food, you will find me at Habibi Grill, and when i feel like a bowl of pasta or some authentic Italian food, i have to say that Mulino Italian Kitchen has me covered for that urge.
What's your favorite thing at Raleigh Rolls? What about Big League?
As for our concepts, i have my own personal favorite menu items that I can not get enough of, at Raleigh Rolls, my absolute favorite menu item is the Benelux Biscoffee which is a locally sourced coffee mixed in with Biscoff cookies and topped with whipped cream, Biscoff cookie and caramel drizzle, while at Big League, that tasty yeasted Belgian waffle topped with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream is to die for.
What's your favorite restaurant in the Triangle/other favorite local business to support?
Just like most small local business owners around the area, we like to support each other, so as I mentioned above, i have some favorite spots like Mulino, Gym Tacos, Habibi Grill.
Also if I want to do a quick coffee or cappuccino stop, I have to say Bad Cat Coffee Company.
What's the most useful lesson you've learned from being a small business owner?
I think the most valuable lesson I have learned as a business owner is to never stop and to continue to chase your dream and to know that I am not doing it alone and give credit to the people who help my along the way and be grateful, so if it was not for my family and my team, i would not be in business today.
Who impacted you the most in your career?
As a business owner you always look for guidance and for an advice to help you through out the way, so I always look up to other successful businesses owners, the ones that really created a brand and a system for their business to continue to work whether they are around or not, so I am not looking up or learning from one person but more like a few of them where I try to pick up the good habits and the unique way that each one has that help them build their businesses.