Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

In this episode with Chef Anthony T Head, we discuss: How Chef Head got into cooking. How cooking can be used to heal. The benefits of working for a restaurant hat has just opened. Having the freedom to fail. The role humility plays as a chef. Having high standards. Why serving your guest should be an intimate experience. The value of educating your team. Using media to educate your guest. Using fear and anger to lead NOT being a solution. Leadership in what you do. Working with people who need a second chance. Mentoring and teaching your people not only what to do, but how to be. Born and raised in Dayton, OH, Chef Anthony T Head is a graduate of Ball State University school of Business. Chef Anthony T Head is the son of the City on the mission to raise up the city and the next generation of restaurateur. Today he's the director of the Culinary Program at Ponitz (PO-NITS) Career Technology Center. Show notes… Favorite Success Quote or Mantra. "A good cook, cooks. A better cook reads. The best cooks write." Today's Sponsor Gusto- "The best payroll, benefits, and HR for the small business owner." It is time to let Gusto do the heavy lifting. Sign up today, and once you run your first payroll you'll get 3 months FREE on Gusto. Click Here to get started bentobox- Bring your restaurant's hospitality online with BentoBox. Get in touch to learn more and save up to $1500 on initial setup when you mention Restaurant Unstoppable. Click Here to get started Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Communication his passion. His passion for serving others. What is your biggest weakness? Patience. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? Ask, "Why do you cook?" Then keep asking why. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Getting the next generation of young people to fail safely. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. Safety and sanitation. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? Respect for humanity and family. Empathy. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Perfromance If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be? I love you. I believe in you. I believe in your dreams. Contact Info Facebook/ChefAnthonyHead Instgram: @GemCityChef Twitter: @ChefAnthonyHead Thanks for Listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Chef Anthony T. Head for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

In this episode with Shane Anderson, we discuss: Having a "just do it" mentality. Mission driven operations. Letting your intentions be known. Being a part of your community to create opportunities. Existing to create change. Charging enough for your product or service. Constantly evolving and getting better. Taking items off your menu if they're under performing or require too much manpower to support. Using a mobile units to test markets Never under valuing your customers. In 2011 Shane Anderson opened Ghostlight Coffee. Six years later they launched the #GhostTruck, their mobile coffee house. On top of this, Shane's wife, Lezley is in the process of planning a new start-up to develop curriculum and provide training in Ohios emerging Medical Marijuanna industy. The couple also owns Little City Love, an online and wholesale greeting card and home goods company. Show notes… Favorite Success Quote or Mantra. "Just do it." Today's Sponsor Gusto- "The best payroll, benefits, and HR for the small business owner." It is time to let Gusto do the heavy lifting. Sign up today, and once you run your first payroll you'll get 3 months FREE on Gusto. Click Here to get started bentobox- Bring your restaurant's hospitality online with BentoBox. Get in touch to learn more and save up to $1500 on initial setup when you mention Restaurant Unstoppable. Click Here to get started Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Just-do-it-tiveness . What is your biggest weakness? Paperwork. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? Ask, what it is they love about their favorite brand and then ask how they can apply that to our brand." What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Paperwork. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. Don't underestimate the power of being nice. The power of not being pretencious What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM Anything Malcolm Gladwell The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference Share an online resource or tool. What's one piece of technology you've adopted in your restaurant and how has it influence operations? Shoeboxed Soundtrack Your Brand If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be? Work hard. enjoy it Surround yourself with people you love. Contact Info www.GhostLightCoffee.com [email protected] Thanks for Listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Shane Anderson for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

In this episode with Eric Soller, we discuss: The significance of positive reinforcement. Using systems to develop attention to detail. Problems being meant for solving; not for getting in your way. Empowering your team so you can gain work-life-balance. How to leverage Pareto's Princle (aka the 80/20 rule). Relentless pursuit for improvement. Not systematizing your restaurant at the expense of losing the human element. How convertible notes work. Controlling the flow of people at your register to pace your kitchen. How to get involved with your community. Eric Soller is a graduate fo the New England Culinary Institute. After graduation he served as operations manager for Solganik Food Group for six years until 2006. He'd go on to serve as Director of Marketing for Hobart, until 2016 which is when he opened Old Scratch Pizza along side wife, Stephanie Soller.

In this episode with Thad and Jessica Kittrell, we discuss: How Thad and Jess got into the industry. Leading by example. Acknowledging your people when they are good at what they do. Knowing you're only as good as your people. Focusing too much on the numbers and not enough on your people leading to failure. Taking jobs to learn specific skills. Using systems, and checklists to stay organized. The power of delegation and using delegation to educate. Finding and communicating your brand. The cons to taking on investors. Finding a partner that compliments you. Getting outside help from those who are strong where you're weak. Opening more restaurants for the purpose of creating opportunity for your team. Constantly growing by teaching people how to do your job. Thad and Jessica Kittrell met in 2002 while working at the Capital Athletic Club, in Columbus, OH. Thad was the Executive Chef. Jessica was the Banquet Managers. From the time they met, they started envisioning what their future would look like as owners of their very own brew pub. In 2012, that vision materialized in the form of 101 Beer Kitchen. 6 years later they're operating three location around the Columbus, OH area.

In this episode with Jeni Britten Bauer, we discuss: Your name being more than just letters and sounds; your know is your reputation. Don't take no for an answer. Keep trying. How Jeni got her start making Ice Cream. Starting small. Collaborating with your community and cross branding products. Continuous improvement. Why you need to be consistent to develop loyalty. Hand picking the people you want on your team. How trusting in others leads to them rising to the occasion. Diversify with retail if possible. Small local community markets serving as incubators. Understanding that your business is able the food; its all about the people. The influence of mail order. The benefits of growing slowly and not taking outside investment. Have great communication skills. Jeni Britten Bauer has been making ice creams professionally for two decades. The first Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams opened in 2002. Her ahead-of-the-trend vision—using whole ingredients and dairy from grass-pastured cows—coupled with inspired flavors sparked the artisan ice cream movement more than a decade before it would become a top food trend. Jeni is a James Beard Award-winning author of two cookbooks and has been recognized by Fast Company as one of the most creative people in business.

In this episode with Zach Weprin, we discuss: How growth comes from living in that place of discomfort. How Fusian came to be. The process of opening a restaurant with ZERO experience. Leveraging technology in place of skilled positions to streamline processes. Acting like a national brand; even if you're not. How giving your guest fewer options serve both the operation and the guest. Using your sales mix to determine what menu items to focus on. Educating your team and guest on your menu. Growing too fast and how to recover. Being careful to not promote people before they're ready. Getting the right people on your team with the skills you're lacking. The power of just starting and being comfortable being uncomfortable. Childhood friends Zach Weprin, Josh Weprin and Stephan Harman love sushi. It was during their college careers that they saw a need for a simple, fresh, and affordable sushi dining option. with this as their inspiration, they set out to create that experience. Fusian opened in may of 2010 as a place where discerning diners can customize sushi rolls in a fun, interactive, and energetic environment. 8 years later they're operating 10 locations throughout Ohio State.

In this episode with Krystle Mobayeni, Co-Founder and CEO of BentoBox, we discuss: Constant never-ending improvement. Why Krystal went into business for herself. What it was about the restaurant industry that drew Krystal in. How restaurant websites and BentoBox, in particular, have evolved over the years. How BentoBox makes it possible to invest in fewer 3rd party tools. The importance of good photography on your website. Why you do not want music playing on your website. Why you need to look at your website as an extension of your brick and mortar property. How a dynamic restaurant website can help you save time. Using your website to complete transactions What the Future of Restaurant Websites look like. Not using technology to replace the human experience. The time you save using a website platform like BentoBox. Krystle Mobayeni is a graduate of Philadelphia University, and the Co-Founder and CEO of BentoBox. BentoBox offers restaurants beautiful, mobile friendly websites that drive revenue and customers — complete with a simple, hospitality-focused management system, hosting and exceptional customer support.

In this episode with Jeff Excell and Lauren Culley, we discuss: Chasing happy. Living with the intent to learn and grow. Being mindful of being a "jerk barista". Focusing less on the product and more on the people purchasing the product. Asking for what you want. Creating a culture of teamwork and pride in your work. How to get FOH and BOH to work together. Setting the professional standard. Creating a feeling of ownership for your team. Keeping a visual catalog of design. How to approach investors. Staying lean, and growing slowly. Building your team and growing internally. Letting your customers decide what your restaurant becomes. knowing you can't please everyone. After experiencing a life altering moment while eating bread at a NYC flea market, Lauren Culley fell in love with baking as a volunteer. She would eventually leave her cushy desk job in editing to pursue baking. It was also around this time she met Partner, Jeff Excell. While in NY the Duo realized that wanted to bring the NY Cafe experience back to Columbus, OH. In 2014, along with Excell, they recreated that experience with Fox in the Snow Cafe. 4 years later they've grown the operation to 2 locations and a third on the horizon.

In this episode with Chris Doody, we discuss: The significance of surrounding yourself the best. Giving people a shot. Having fun at work. Success being contagious. The power of recognizing your people by name. Giving loyalty before receiving loyalty. Having a partner that balances you well. Tips for taking over a failing restaurant. Letting cashflow determine you success. The importance of staying in your lane. What makes a successful fast-casual concept. Being proactive with the pre-launch "leg work". The best marketing being "internal". Culture being what holds your business together during growth. How your culture does not exist until it is on paper. Growing up in his mothers restaurant, and being mentored by one of the best family names in the industry, the Brennan's, Chris Doody spent most of his early years being groomed for greatness in hospitality. In 1992, with a degree in business, Doody, along side brother, Rick, started the Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, with remarkable success. 2008 Doody sold his share of the Bravo Brio restaurants and 2010 the first Piada Italian Street Food fast-casual concept was open. 8 years later they've grown the brand to 42 locations.

In this episode with David Scott Peters we discuss: How your menu is like the heart of your business. How menu engineerING all starts with menu costing cards. What a yield test is. Factoring in spice/consumable. Using batch recipes. Using software in place of continuing updating recipe cards. What is meant by a weight average. Why being great at a few things, is more impactful and profitable than trying to be all things to all people. Making small incremental changes to your menu when raising prices. Where your guests eyes go when they look at a menu. The fonts you should be using on your menu. Where to list the prices on your menu. How to sell the largest margin items on your menu consistently. Aside from being the founder of TheRestaurantExpert.com and serving as a Member coach, David Scott Peters is also a dynamic and engaging speaker. His specialized knowledge targets the independent restaurant owners, whether they own one location or a multi-unit chain.

In my 2nd interview with Cameron (click her to listener to the first episode) we discuss: How to create win-win situations. How loyalty drives partnerships. How building your reputation is continual work. Serving your community by paying it forward with your knowledge. Examples of how Cameron Mitchel is paying it forward. Cameron Mitchell is CEO and founder of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. A lifelong entrepreneur, Mitchell is an accomplished businessman, culinary expert and nationally recognized restaurateur. With an entrepreneur's energy, vision and passion, Mitchell's sights are set on the development of new restaurant concepts, and the expansion of concepts currently in his company's portfolio.

In this episode with Troy Allen, we discuss: Putting yourself in uncomfortable positions. How marketing and branding starts with your audience. How to deliver your personal brand to an audience. Getting clear about what your brand attributes are. Why Troy Allen developed the 16 Bit brand. Finding concepts that exist in the world and doing them better. What makes for a successful bar-cade. How Educating your employees on how the business works has a huge impact on the business. Building concepts that also do well with corporate events. The importance of getting your employees to buy into brand culture. Growing talent from the inside. Great people helping other great people. Letting your team members individual brand flourish. The value of being first to market. The impact connecting influencers can have on your community. After leaving Kent State, Troy Allen started his career in marketing, specifically with design and branding. In 2013 Troy decided it was time to apply what he learned with a few of his own assets, and Rise Brands was formed. Today, Rise Brands currently has 3 concept in the market consisting of 6 location.

In this episode with Jonathan Plowright, we discuss: The power behind knowing you can choose how you respond to the world around you. Typsy's mission to empower restaurant owners, operators and professionals. The story behind Typsy. The increasing trend of sharing knowledge online. How younger generation learn better with multimedia versus the traditional operations handbook. The impact and benefits of using multi-media learning platforms. The impact of having mass access to information is having on traditional education. Where to learn more about Typsy.com. Jonathan Plowright is the founder and CEO of Typsy, which specializes in providing online video training from the world's best hospitality instructors. They recorded over 300 short skills training videos. Typsy's mission to empower you with access to insider tips and knowledge so you and your teams can skill up, serve the world better and make every hospitality moment exceptional.

In this episode with Joe Deloss, we discuss: Creating Social change with your business. The concept that your idea is bigger than any one person on the team. How the idea for Hot Chicken Takeover came into frame. The benefits of hiring people with a criminal record. Starting with the end experience you want to create and working back from there when developing your brand. Starting where you can. Dinner parties with friends- Dinner parties with friends of friends- popups- brick and mortar. Creating brand awareness along the way. Getting clarity on your brand. Owning your mistakes, and listening to the feedback on how you can improve. How creating a brand that focuses on doing good will result in getting more support from your community. Especially when getting started. When its time to grow- grow your team and team infrastructure, first. The benefits of hiring people with a criminal record, providing them with opportunity, and investing in their needs. Laying down clear paths for growth for your team members; d on't offer your people a job, offer them a career. Joe Deloss is a graduated from Capital University. After graduating he took the path of investment baker turned entrepreneur. In 2013 Deloss discovered Nashville Hot Chicken, and it was instant love. By 2014 his entrepreneurial spirit had take full grasp, and he, along with his wife, opened Hot Chicken Takeover. 4 years later they've expanded to 3 locations.

In this episode with Chef Brian Pekarcik, we discuss: How the team dynamic of a kitchen filled the void after Pekarcik's baseball dreams ended. Making your employees feel valued. If you want to be the best you need to work for the best. Taking a step back in position, if it means being on a better team. Planning each day out to increase productivity. Being the standard you want your team to live up to. How working under a corporate umbrella can limit the creative freedom of a chef. Using your experience, knowledge, and expertise as leverage when finding partners. Taking time to get to know your partners and to create the SAME visions. The dynamics of Chef Pekarcik and Rick Stern partnership. Pushing through your fear. Building a team of strong mangers around you by teaching them how to think. Why now it is more important than every to not burn bridges in this industry. Dialing back scheduled hours to 50-55 a week. Raised in Pittsburgh, Chef Brian Pekarcik is a graduate of John Carroll University in 1997. Pekarcik then moved out to, CA to fine tune his craft while working in some of the most well know kitchen at the time. In 2007 he moved back to PA and would eventually team up with Rick Stern in 2009 to open S + P Restaurant Group. To S+P restaurant Group consist of Spoon, Brgr, G&G Noodle Bar and Willow.

Don't forget to check out Part 1 In this episode with Chef Justin Severino we discuss: What it was like for Severino owning is first restaurant, Cure. What Severino meant by "opening his restaurant for himself" during the Anthony Bourdain, Parts Unknown Feature. The process of evolving Cure's physical space. The process of evolving Cure's people. Not lowering the standard for the people you hire. Growing your people to ultimately replace yourself. Checking your ego at the door. What was different about opening Morcilla, Severino's second restaurant. Justin Severino is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. Severino made his move west to Santa Cruz, CA where he worked for many staples in the industry and opened Severino's Community Butcher. He would go on to serve as executive chef at Element Cuisine and Sous Chef to at Eleven Restaurant in Pittsburgh. In 2011 opened Cure with national recognition and accolades. In 2015 he opened Morcilla with the same result.

In this episode with Chef Justin Severino we discuss: The power of a team working to serve the same mission. Speaking up if you need help. How school helped Severino stay on one path. Taking a job for what you're going to learn. Pushing your driven team members to their limit, for the sake of their personal growth. Being Fair. Food values. How being good doesn't mean shit... if you can't make money while you do it. How the most important thing in a restaurant is how you make your people feel. What led Severino to open Cure. How to open a restaurant with no money of your own. Awakening the creative part of your mind with a can do attitude. Justin Severino is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. Severino made his move west to Santa Cruz, CA where he worked for many staples in the industry and opened Severino's Community Butcher. He would go on to serve as executive chef at Element Cuisine and Sous Chef to at Eleven Restaurant in Pittsburgh. In 2011 opened Cure with national recognition and accolades. In 2015 he opened Morcilla with the same result.

In this episode with Raji Sankar, we discuss: Freedom by way of discipline. Anything being possible. The story behind Choolaah. Creating jobs where people meet their full potential. Buying into a franchise model to learn the business. What Raji learned from operating a 5 Guys Burgers and Fries franchise. The result of growing too fast and desperately. Not sacrificing your values. Growing slowly outward. Growth from within. Using competency charts with monetary incentives. Never ending learning. Outsourcing and surrounding yourself with the best. Getting people aligned with the same cause. Creating systems and tracks for training. Educating your guest especially when you're doing something strange or unfamiliar. Educating your team. The importance of everyone buying into your mission, vision, and values when scaling. Using success stories from your team to grow your brand. Raji Sankar left a life of science, tech, and consulting to pursue the life of a restaurateur. In 2004 they started Wholesome International, the business entity that would start opening 5 Guys Burgers and Fries throughout PA, and Oh. It didn't take long before her own vision for Choolaah began to sprout. Today, Wholesome International operates a total of 20 5 Guys locations and they're opening their 5 Choolaah Indian BBQ Location.

In this episode with Chef Keith Fuller, we discuss how the people of this industry are what drew him in, establishing a culture of continuous work, never saying no to your guest, getting rid of the friends who pull you in the wrong direction, how being a dick gets you nowhere, properly pricing menus, being careful with media, the depression that comes with closing a restaurant, what makes a good partnership, and getting the ball rolling on permits and inspections as soon as possible. After working in kitchens such as the award-winning L'Auberge in Dayton, Ohio and Jake's in Manayunk, Pennsylvania, Fuller settled down in Pittsburgh, opening up his first restaurant, Root 174, in 2011. Today, with over 20 years of experience, Keith Fuller is the Chef/Owner of Pork & Beans, a new concept in collaboration with Chef Richard DeShantz.

In this episode with Chef Bill Fuller, we discuss: how Chef Fuller got his start in the industry, where the culture of being "hard" in the restaurant industry comes from, correcting the behavior, not the person, as sous, how to handle an executive chef that is less qualified than you, being mindful of your mood and how you influence those around you, the impact of promoting from within, transitioning from working on the business to in the business, hiring people who are better than you at things, the value of annually self-reviews, and the result of limiting hours worked to 40-45 hrs for line staff and 5-55 hrs for management. Hitchhiking his way from his hometown of Dubois at 18 to venture the country, Bill settled in D.C. as a line cook while studying for his B.S. in Chemistry at GMU. He abandoned his scientific pursuits, trading his lab coat for a chef's jacket. Bill eventually made his way back to Pittsburgh and into the kitchens of Big Burrito Restaurants, and has served as the Corporate Chef since 1997. Today Chef Fuller has garnered the additional title of partner of the Big Burrito Restaurant Group and oversees a total of 19 locations.

In this episode with Mikey Sorboro, we discuss how he got his start in hospitality with a pedicab service; building momentum with low-cost/low-risk opportunities, using youtube to learn; the dynamics of a 3-way partnership; why trust and common goals are the glue to any partnership; how systems and processes are critical to your freedom and expansion; diversifying with bar kitchens, corporate venues, concert venues, and food trucks; recreating yourself with core values, visions, and missions; why he decided not to go the franchise route; how to pull off a fast-casual, full liquore model; using video with social media to share the story behind your restaurant and to make people laugh. Mikey Sorboro is the "Mikey" in Mikey's Late Night Slice. Mikey had an epiphany one night gallivanting about town. With a grumble in his belly and nothing to choose from but gyros and hot dogs, he realized there was a pizza slice shaped hole in the heart of downtown Columbus, OH. It was enormous, and he intended to fill it. By the time Late Night Slice celebrated its five year anniversary, the company consisted of 9 locations and 2 award-winning trucks. On top of these locations and trucks, Mikey is also the owner of Oddfellows Liquor Bar, Located right next to the original Late Night Slice, and Joes Corner tavern.

In this episode with Joe Fontana, we discuss the power of small daily improvements, how it all begins with making the choice to start, what Joe loves about the industry, advice on recruiting/staffing team members, finding and following your why, finding a mentor, how to start a business plan, going to experts for help, testing your concept with popups, setting up a successful Kickstarter campaign, hiring on values, not promoting your opening, starting as lean as possible with low monthly cost, and focusing on cash flow. A product of Chicago, IL, Joe Fontana gave up his cush office lifestyle to pursue his passion for hospitality and food. At the time, this specific passion was meatballs. So he started where he could, selling meatballs at a farmers market, which lead to a Kickstarter campaign to support his brick and mortar. The meatball thing didn't work out, but it created opportunities, specifically, an opportunity for FryTheCoop.

In this episode with Brian and Brad Wasik, we discuss the history of Wasik's Cheese Shop, what growing up in a family cheese shop was like, never "aim an unloaded gun", the results of treating the assistants, secretaries, and truck drivers of the world well, changing and evolving with time, improving with every day, taking care of your people being the most important thing, having the same common goal within an organization, the struggles that come along with owning a family business, the importance of location, creating value added experiences, and being great without being pretentious. Wasik's Cheese Shop in Wellesley is a family business that has specialized in selecting and maturing cheeses since it was established by the late Stephen Wasik in 1979. Now run by Carol Wasik and her sons, Brad and Brian, the shop offers cut-to-order cheeses, wines, charcuterie, specialty foods, and other gourmet items.

In this episode with Dave Allred, we discuss how he got his start in the industry, always growing, creating habits, listening to your employees, the importance of standards, not standardizing personality, making sure your managers care, how franchises and corporations limit creativity, becoming an expert, empowering your team with system, the 10 steps of customer service, the difference between running a business versus a bar, why you can't make your people wait, a culture of teamwork, keeping processes as simple as possible, creating a complete experience, finding the best way to do something, giving away free stuff strategically, the rule of 3, spot checking, and selling your most proffitable items. When he was 16 years old, Dave Allred got his start bussing tables at a Chinese restaurant. He continued working in restaurants during and after college, and before long he was immersed in the world of bartending. After 15 plus years of industry work, Allred decided it was time to move in the direction of management and teaching. Today, in addition to being the author of 5 bar industry books, Allred is the founder and CEO of Bar Patrol, which helps owners and managers run more profitable bars.

In this episode with Juliette Gust, we discuss how the moral and behavioral standards trickle from the top down, how employees should handle being sexual harassed, how employers should handle sexual harassment, what NOT to do when someone reports sexual harassment or fraudulent behavior, using the ethicssuite.com platform to report these fraudulent reports, and the benefits of documenting these reports. Juliette Gust has led over 1,300 investigations spanning 74 countries and advised on close to 10,000 whistleblower reports. She is a former PwC Regulatory, Forensics and Hospitality & Leisure Advisory Services manager, and later developed and served as the Director of the global Fraud & Investigations team and Project Manager of the Anti-Corruption Compliance Program for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Juliette also spent 15 years in industry operations from line positions to operations manager and general manager in high-volume hotels, casino hotels, convention centers and restaurants in top U.S. tourism destinations. On top of all this, she is the Co-Founder of Ethicssuite.com

In this episode with Bobby Marcotte and Bobby Buivid, we discuss how both Bobbys got into the industry, being original, changing the game, creating something from nothing, immersing yourself in the industry to get ahead, living in the moment, planning your next move, existing to care for your team, hiring people who care, how shared desires lead to partnerships, treating it like you own it, focusing on the experiences, knowing your story, and living to love the process. Marcotte, Buivid crossed paths a few years back. At the time, Marcotte was at the helm of the highly success Tuckaway Tavern serving as Executive Chef (which he continues to do), while Buivid was in Chicago consulting on restaurant design. About a year an a half ago they decided to join forces and began collaborating on a new vision that would "change the game". That vision would become Hop and Grind located in Durham, NH.

In this episode with Maria Campbell, we discuss focusing less on titles and more on "just being", the story behind Cooks Who Care, adaptability, sharing knowledge, putting yourself out there, why connecting people is important, knowing that you're not alone, the culture within the industry changing to support better quality of life, redefining what success looks like, and how to get involved with Cooks Who Care. Maria Campbell is the founder of Cooks Who Care. Cooks Who Care offers the food industry a new way to connect! With their unique digital platform, they provide management and staff with a way to meet others in the same field and to share leadership learning through online resources.

In this episode with Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, we discuss the inspiration for their eleven books, following your curiosity, common habits of successful chefs and restaurateurs, the significance of listening, how creativity is the #1 skill or strength people attribute their success to, how creativity leads to competitive advantage, the 3 stages to the creative process, the 5 inner senses that guide the best chefs, and how meditation, yoga, and reading impact the creative process. Karen Page along with husband, Andrew Dornenburg, are James Beard Award-winning authors of numerous culinary and restaurant industry themed books including Becoming a Chef, Culinary Artistry, Dining Out, Chef's Night Out, The New American Chef, What to Drink With What You Eat, The Flavor Bible, The Food Lover's Guide to Wine, and The Vegetarian Flavor Bible. This past year, Karen and Andrew published their latest book, Kitchen Creativity where they shine a light on the creative process.

In this episode with Kate Edwards, we discuss 1) The unaware customer service rep: folks in open kitchens who are now customer-facing and have to deliver some sort of customer service. 2) How being decent to your fellow man is more powerful and actionable than trying to be amazing. 3) #metoo in the restaurant business and how to handle being sexually... harassed. Throughout her 30 years in the service industry, Kate has learned first-hand how to manage high volume and high standards, as well as how to fix operations that were poorly managed or on their way out. With the mission to bring excellent service to patrons of the service industry, Kate launched her full-service hospitality consulting business in 2007. In addition to being an instructor and writing for many publications, Kate is the author of Hello: and Every Little Thing That Matters.

In this episode with Jonathan Blakeslee, we discuss doing something better every day, being patient when waiting for good things to happen, how Blakeslee got his start, calmness, focus, presence, following your passion, selling your passion, starting where you can, scaling from wholesale to retail, choosing transformative relationships over transactional relationships, knowing who you are, focusing on who you are, letting your team weigh in on the decision making and creative processes, becoming a person of value, and using small business centers. After serving in the United States Coast Gaurd, Jonathan Blakeslee fell in love with Japnese culture and tea. Upon finishing his service, Blakeslee attended the Western Culinary Institute in Portland Oregan, and would eventually find himself working at the Toa of Tea also located in Portland, OR. Homesickness slowly crept in, and Blakeslee moved bake to the east coast where he would start his own wholesale tea operation, White Heron. Today he has scaled that operation to include 40 seat cafe and White Herons own house-roasted organic coffee.

In this episode with repeat guest Anese Cavanaugh, we discuss how to create a positive holiday experience for yourself and those you love, how taking care of others starts with taking care of yourself, the 5 steps of intentional impact, how to close out the old year, and start the new year on the right foot. Anese Cavanaugh is devoted to helping people show up and bring their best selves to the table in order to create significant positive impact in their lives. She is the creator of the IEP or (Intentional Energetic Presence®) method, an advisor and thinking partner to leaders and organizations around the world, and author of Contagious Culture: Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization That Thrives

In this episode, Richard Celler dives deep into the topic of common wage violations. Specifically, how tip crediting works, why you need to track your employee's tips, qualifying factors of paying someone a tip credit, the amount of non-tip credit work your employees are allowed to do (20%), tip pooling, whos allowed to share in the tip a pool, and what you need to know about off the clock and pre/post shift work. Richard Celler is the Managing Partner of Richard Celler Legal, P.A., a/k/a the Florida Overtime Lawyer. Mr. Celler's practice focuses on all areas of the employment context from discrimination, harassment, Title VII, the Family Medical Leave Act, and other employment-related statutes. Additionally, Mr. Celler represents individuals in whistleblower and wage and hour litigation.

In this episode with guest, Mario Del Pero we discuss how you need to get better every day, starting with the core customer when opening a restaurant, being a student of the business, creating systems around "wow" experiences, owning your brand, finding a business partner that balances you, selling happy, scaling culture, recruiting/filtering the right people, coaching culture, creating process around R & D, and doing what you already do better. Mario Del Pero grew up in his family's meat processing business. He would go on to study International Relations at the University of Southern California and was on the path to becoming a career lawyer. Instead, he took a job at a Mexican grill where he started as a barback's back. He eventually became the Director of Operations. In 2005, Mario, along with wife, Ellen Chen, opened Mendocino Farms Sandwich Market in Southern California. 12 year later they've grown their business to 17 locations.

In this episode with Roger Beaudoin, we discuss building your dream team staff, the three key elements of service, how to get your customers to be your best marketers, educating customers, informing customers, entertaining customers, using your "A" players to attract more "A" players, Using "A" players to bring up your "B" players, what types of questions you can ask during the interview process to get more "A" players, doing things for someone VS to someone, conditioning fun behavior into your staff, never asking your guest yes-no questions, giving your guest options, and providing the same level of quality with counter service as with full-service. Roger Beaudoin's 18 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry is backed with a business degree from Bryant College and an MBA from Babson College. He has headed four restaurant and hospitality operations in all. His most recent restaurant, The Matterhorn Ski Bar, a seasonal, 4-month restaurant and bar, which generated 1 million dollars in annual sales. Today, with all of his knowledge and experience at RestaurantRockstars.com.

In Today's episode, we're joined by repeat guest, Jennifer Desrosiers. Jennifer and I discuss controlling your focus and energy, hiring good people, putting good people in the right place, getting clear on your mission, writing your mission down, code of ethics VS core values, the transition from working on the business VS working in the business, implementation of a checklist, going from me to we, the mindset of "working with what you got.", knowing when to expand your business, the ripple effect, some tools and services Jen recommends, and making time in your life to recover. Jennifer Desrosiers founded Laney & Lu in September 2015 inspired by her own journey to holistic health and wellness and commitment to living her soul's purpose. Jennifer wants to live in a world filled with french press coffee, luxurious car camping, and effortless handstands. As a holistic wellness and lifestyle coach, yoga teacher, and self-proclaimed real food junkie, Jennifer believes great health is a synergistic balance of a healthy diet, tons of self-love, passionate relationships, and powerful movement.

In this episode with Chef Tim Boyd, we discuss what drew him to the industry, following passion not paychecks, not sacrificing quality, greatness attracting greatness, the dilution of passion with bigger operations, not letting your ego get the best of you, staying focused, having a balance of skill between FOH and BOH, being someones exit strategy, becoming a part of the community, having too many big egos under one roof, defining roles, getting sober, being the average of those you surround yourself with, and picking yourself up when you fall down. Chef Tim Boyd got his start at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. After moving to South Florida and meeting his wife Lara, Tim's resume went from Executive Chef to owner of the well-known Upper Crust. Tim would go on to create Milk & Honey Cafe. Today Tim is the Executive Chef of The Mustard Seed Bistro with wife and owner Lara Boyd.

In this episode with Mark Chase, we discuss where to start when deciding whether to lease or buy a restaurant, the pros, and cons of leasing and buying, things to consider when negotiating a lease, first right of refusal, leasing with option to buy, how to give yourself control if your leasing, vetting your landlord before signing a legal document, what to consider if using a consultant to find a location, zoning, parking, and licencing. Mark Chase is the President of Restaurant Real Estate Advisors. He specializes in providing site selection and real estate advice to restaurateurs. He works directly with growing brands and provides coaching, consulting and training to first-time restaurateurs. Mark is also the author of How to Open a Restaurant at a Great Location at a Great Price. Today we're here to discuss the ins and outs of leasing VS Buying a space for your restaurant.

In this episode with Dan Margolis, we discuss why Dan fell in love with the industry, the importance of having a mentor, setting goals, humility, controlling your anger, recognizing your staff, the threat in redefining your brand too often, staying fresh, trusting your managers when transistioning to the role of Director of Operations, what to do when you get complacent, transitioning from DO to CEO, the responsibilites of a CEO, how to turn a struggling restaurant around, leveraging technology, leveraging data, and the importance of being a mentor to someone else. Dan Margolis earned a Bachelors Degree in Hotel and Administration from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, and an MBA from California Lutheran University. Over the past 11 years, Dan has held the title of Assistant GM, GM, and Director of Operations, for a number of restaurant groups. Today Dan holds serves as of CEO for Brendan's Irish Pub & Restaurant in Ventura County California.

In this episode with Sandra Arnerich we discuss, how she got her start in the industry, the power of surrounding yourself with the influence of great people, never accepting that your dream is not possible, discipline, getting everyone to believe in your culture, having fun at work, having your team established before your restaurant opens, the challenges Nick and Sandra went through in opening their first restaurant, determination, patience, hope, the difficulties of having a scratch kitchen, having a common vision, the challenges of having your name tied to the french laundry, and how hard it was to be named the best restaurant in Oregon after just opening. Sandra Arnerich sharpened her teeth in some of the industries most well-known restaurants, Thomas Keller's, The French Laundry and Corey Lee's Benu. It was at The French Laundry where Sandra met her future husband Nick Arnerich, (episode 403). In 2013 discussion of opening their own restaurant began to reverberate. Shortly after Renata was born. Today Sandra and her husbands are the owner/operators of two restaurants with the addition of Figlia.

In this episode with Sean McGrath, we'll shine a light on what should be considered when trying to get our products on retail shelves. What are the pros? What are the cons? We'll also be discussing the trends you should be aware and how you can take advantage of these trends. Sean McGrath holds a Food Science degree from Virginia Tech, and a Culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu. Sean managed the Sara Lee Culinary Department for 10 years and then started his own company Chef2Shelf.com after realizing there was a need for fellow chefs, restaurants, and food companies to extend their product lines.

In this episode with Ouita Michel, we discuss how she got into the industry, cooking for people you know and love, the meaning of hospitality, manifesting destiny by letting your intentions be known, visioning your goals, creating a solid business plan, knowing your numbers, being financially stable, the impact of a great mission statement, not being so blinded by the numbers that you lose sight of the mission, Living your mission every day, when its time to call it quits on a concept thats not working, implenting systems, creating opportunity for your team, and openbook managemnt. Growing up in both Louisiana and Kentucky, Chef Ouita Michel is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Wanting to cook food for those she knew and loved, combined with a desire to be more assessable, Ouita returned to Kentucky where she would start her career as a chef & restaurateur. Today, Ouita, alongside her husband, Chris, is the Chef-Owner of 7 restaurants located in and around Lexington, KY.

In this episode with Gail Hopps-Page, we discuss getting out of your comfort zone, how gail got her start in the restaurant business, being the best you can be in any given moment, building on your experience if you have no formal culinary education, why people burn out in the restaurant industry, identifying key employees, investing in key employees, embracing food values, keeping it simple, not taking short cuts, always moving forward, teaching what you know, replacing yourself, regulations limiting small farmers, subsidies, certain etiquette when sourcing from local farms, and the importance of food culture. Gail Hobbs-Page spent 26 years as a professional cook, working in restaurants including Magnolia Grill and the Fearrington House, both in North Carolina, and Hamiltons' at First & Main, in Charlottesville. Eventually, the restaurant business burned her out. Today Gail is the Owner, Farmer, and Cheesemaker at Carmont Farm located just outside of Charlottesville, NC.

In this episode with James Eling, we discuss the death of facebook for business, discovering your unique selling proposition, using your USP to create unique experiences/impact, Facebook live, and Facebook ads. James Eling is the Founder and Host of Secret Sauce: The Restaurant Marketing Podcast, where they discuss marketing ideas, strategies and tactics with restaurant marketing experts. In addition, James is the founder of Marketing4Restaurants.com where he helps restaurant owners master all things online.

In this episode with Nick Arnerich, we discuss how he got into the industry, creating opportunity for those on your team, discipline, never stop believing, surrounding yourself with people that will encourage you to grow, humility, visioning, planning, learning the culture of a restaurant no matter how good you are, Nick's biggest lessons learned from Thomas Keller, the importance of knowing and breaking down the numbers, challendges of transitioning from a GM to a Direct of Ops, asking questions before jumping to conclusions, the benefits of starting as a pop-up, how to create an "impactful" restaurant, the challenges of running a scatch kitchen, the importance of hanging onto your "core" employees, supporting your community with your restaurant, and advice on openign a restaurnat with a significant other. Nick grew up in Portland, Oregon and spent most of his first years at his parent's restaurant Delevan's. Over the last 15 years, Nick has worked in some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the country including The French Laundry. Most recently Nick was Director of Operations for the Delfina Restaurant Group in San Francisco. In 2013 Nick relocated to Portland to pursue his dream of owning his own restaurant, and the Renata was born. In addition to the Renata, Nick and his wife, Sandra, also own the Figlia.

In this episode we discuss how Chef Jeff Deloff got his start in the industry, why you need to follow your heart and "go for it", the importance of finding a mentor, hard work paying off, every role in a restaurant being critical, how being young, inexperienced, and hungry can hinder and help you, how to handle people, not taking a closing restaurant personally if you're a young executive chef, the impact of running a sustainable restaurant, emotional sustainability, knowing when you're wrong, and trusting in your employees. Born and raised in Oswego, NY, Jeff Deloff, at 16 Jeff took a job as a dishwasher and has never left the restaurant business. He enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in 2005. After graduating he worked in several restaurants in NY, the most recent as Executive Chef at Bistro 197 in Oswego. In the fall of 2015, Jeff left for Charlottesville to take the position of Executive Chef at Threepenny Cafe. Jeff is committed to developing relationships with area producers and to spearheading Threepenny's mission to source locally, sustainably, humanely and healthfully.

In this episode with Seth Worby we discuss what makes Seth an authority on SEO and internet marketing, what SEO is, the 3 core things to focus on when increasing your search ranking, what effects the searchability of your website, what a "keyword" is, using "natural" or "organic" keywords within your website, getting "authoritative" sites to link to you, providing value instead of self-promoting with content on your website, how analytics play into SEO, making data drivin' decisions, the role social media plays on SEO, and the "cirlce of trust". Backed by a decade of experience in the SEM and SEO fields, Seth Worby founded Champ Internet Solutions in March 2009. A pioneering SEO strategist and web marketer, Seth's breadth of technical and business knowledge help drive results in terms of SEO, e-commerce, marketing and integrated solutions for Champ's clients, including many prominent restaurants and bars in Boston, MA

In this episode with Chef Jason Alley, we discuss working for the best- even if it means taking a lower ranked or position, getting experience to find your voice, doing work that fulfils you, finding your business partner, the pros of leasing VS owning, benefits in hiring close friends, helping open other people's restaurants before opening your own, being undercapitalized, asking "what am I really doing?", paying attention to guest needs and requests, leaning on trust to extend your operation, sharing a vision, molding your employees into partners, how to stay humble, how to stay humble after failure It is said that Chef Jason Alley started cooking at the young age of 4. After a few short stink at Hardee's, a Quaker-owned orchard and country club, Chef Alley started to find his passion. Fast forward multiple Sous and Executive chef positions later, in early 2000's Chef met his Business partner Chris Chandler and by 2003 the pair were opening their first restaurant. Today, Alley is the chef/partner of 3 restaurants Comfort Pasture and Flora.

In this episode with Salvador Sanchez and Allen Warford, we discuss saving and investing 10% of your income, visioning, planning, location selection, being lean, starting where you can and scaling up, being people focused, leaning on your community to get started, staying honest and transparent, forgiveness, going from working IN to working ON your business, the hiring process, planning your work, managing your ego, selecting a partner, creating culture, and creating structure. Salvador Sanchez always wanted own his own business. So... he started saving and getting clarity on what that business would be. In 2013, After getting some experience in the world of coffee and cafes, Sanchez opened A Cup of Commonwealth. In 2016 Sanchez acquired magic bean roasters. At the end of 2016, Allen Warford joined the team as a partner and they have since expanded again with the opening of Chocolate Holler.

In this episode with restaurant marketing expert, Nick Fosberg we discuss if this is the death of Facebook for small business. Facebook is breaking up the newsfeed into two separate segments; public(what you, your friends and family see) and business (the posts you create on your business pages). If you want your business page posts to get seen, you'll have to "pay to play." Nick also takes us through how to get the most ROI from your social media marketing. Nick Fosberg has become a leading authority on restaurant and bar marketing and promotions. He has helped hundreds of bar owners all over the US and Canada take their business to the next level by applying radically different direct response marketing strategies.

In this episode with Michael and Heather Harrell, we discuss how Michael and Heather got there start in the industry, why they love the work they do, having a well balanced partnership, staying in your lane, having a daily regimen or routine, not losing the human element as you expand your business, working for a chain or franchise to learn operations, the transition from a corporate operation to mom and pop, where to get help with your business plan, testing your menu, never under-valuing your knowledge, treating everyone with respect (they could be your future investor), and much more! Michael Heather Harrell got his start in the restaurant industry working in and opening Outback Steakhouses and Carraba's. As Carraba's grill started expanding and cutting corners, Michael began to lose interest and passion for the brand. The Harrell's decided to break out on their own and in 2014 they founded 11th and Bay Located in Columbus, GA.