Restaurant Owners Uncorked - By Schedulefly

Patrick is helps run the very highly regarded HK Hospitality, with eight locations in the NYC metro area. We talked extensively about the benefits and challenges of running successful restaurants in New York City. There are 20,000 restaurants in the five boroughs, with hundreds opening all the time. If you own or plan to own a restaurants in New York, this is an excellent episode to tune into. Patrick is sharp, focused, and shares a lot of insight on how to get it right in one of the most competitive restaurant markets on the planet. Enjoy...

Elle is awesome. Let's start with that. She began as a server as age 16 and has grown into a very polished, thoughtful, caring, genuinely hospitable team member at Kitchen No. 324, where she's been the last four years. I am always inspired listening to people who "get it," and Elle does. Listen to Elle talk about the philosophy of "Extreme Hospitality" that's part of the culture in her awesome restaurant group, A Good Egg Dining Group. There's a wonder story that comes with it. Enjoy...

Martha is so fun to speak with, and that makes sense because she's part of a very fun organization. Bull City Burger and Brewery and Pompieri Pizza in Durham, NC are known for taking a stand on issues they care about (all ingredients, except ketchup, are made in house) and doing things in a fun, memorable way (you'll find out in this episode what you can do for a 26% discount). We've had owner Seth Gross on the podcast and in one of our books, and we were delighted to have the chance to catch up with Martha. Enjoy...

Julian Brizzi owns Celstine, Rucola, and Grand Army Bar in NYC. And he's a badass. He started cooking for his family at home when he was nine, and hasn't looked back. This is a great interview and we learned ton from Julian about raising money from investors, learning from trial and error, the upcoming $15 minimum wage in NYC, what hospitality means to him, "imposter syndrome," and a lot more. He's humble and genuine and you'll enjoy learning from Julian...

When Jax director of operations Adam Reed recommended Bekah for this podcast, he said she is "epic-ally positive." Having spoken to her, I can't think of better way to put it! Bekah is new to the hospitality business, but has quickly become a phenomenal server at Jax and is both inspiring and fun to speak with. She has a natural instinct for what great hospitality is all about, and you'll enjoy listening to her talk about why she loves what she does. Every restaurant owner I know would love to have Bekah on their team. Don't miss this episode!

Noah is the new GM at Leon's, an extremely busy, successful, well-respected restaurant in the highly competitive Charleston market. Noah has a lot of experience in very well-run restaurants, and is very dialed into how to run a restaurant successfully and create an atmosphere where both his guests and his staff thrive. He's sharp, committed, motivated, and is absolutely on his game. Enjoy...

In our second in-person podcast, I had the honor of speaking with Sean Lilly Wilson, who founded Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, N.C. Sean started Fullsteam to help craft the "Southern Beer Economy." Through the act of commerce, he and his team aim to foster community and agricultural pride, create wealth, and encourage entrepreneurship within the post-tobacco South. And though their mission is lofty, they aim to keep it all fun. It's beer, after all! This was a very wide-ranging conversation. I learned a lot from Sean, and could have easily spoken with him for a few hours. Enjoy...

Amie is the Chef de Cuisine at Barrios Fine Mexican Dishes in Oklahoma City, OK. She started as a busser at age 16, went to culinary school, and has had lots of really cool experiences over the years. We talked about the chef quitting her first night as a busser and how she stepped onto the line to help, igniting her passion right away! We also covered "extreme hospitality," why being vulnerable is good, her biggest challenges, and more. Amie is a dedicated, intentional, thoughtful person who loves her craft. Enjoy...

Two and a half years ago, Graham left the world of investment banking to become a partner at The Common Market. TCM has three locations in Charlotte, NC, each with it's own feel but all sharing the common thread of being a "neighborhood living room." I've been to one location, and that's exactly how it feels. Very welcoming, very relaxed, full of hospitality. I really enjoyed talking to Graham about everything from what he and his team hope to do with The Common Market, the transition from corporate America to entrepreneurship, and much more. Graham and his partners have an absolutely killer business, and you'll enjoy learning why it's working out so well...

Scott has been in the business since he was a fifteen year old dishwasher, and it was fun hearing him talk about the importance of every role in a restaurant, including the dishwasher, who matters much more than you might think. This was wide-ranging interview, covering a lot of ground from the importance of strong employee benefits, to three things you need for your restaurant's first year, to the shift in our culture to consumers appreciating independent restaurants now more than ever. Scott left a long career in corporate restaurants three years ago, taking on a big risk with a wife and four kids at home, but he's found fulfillment and is working both smart and had as he builds a business he intends to be around for decades. I have tons of respect for Scott, and and soaked in a lot of wisdom while speaking with him. Enjoy...

When I asked Adam Reed, who runs the Jax Fish House locations for Big Red F, for some folks on his team who are great at what they do, love their work, and would enjoy sharing the passion for hospitality, he told me Jake Hunka, the AGM, has done every you can do and would be great on a podcast. He was right! Jake talks about hustle gaining respect, not putting on blinders, and the importance to him of working for an organization like Big Red F that cares so much about the communities they serve. Jake is fun and energetic and authentic in his love for his work. Enjoy...

Wow, this was a fun experience! Kate and I sat on a coach in Bida Manda while lunch service was winding down, and we had a great conversation about her story, what she loves about hospitality, what she has learned from Van and Vanvisa (the brother and sister who own Bida Manda), the challenge of learning to be the new GM, and much more. Sitting in person with Kate enable us to connect on a deeper level than we could have over the phone, and the conversation was much better for it. This went so well I'm now planning to start doing as many in-person interviews as possible. Enjoy...

Sophia and her business partner Sunny Lin won season six of "The Great Food Truck Race" on The Food Network. Now they own the popular and highly-respected MOFU Shoppe in downtown Raleigh, N.C. Listen to Sophia tell the story of going from working for a Big Four accounting firm to food truck to brick-and-mortar, while also sharing why staff always come first, what we can all learn from Millenials, and more. Sophia is interesting, engaging, smart, caring, and fun to talk to and respect for her time is the only reason I didn't keep rolling with this chat for a couple of hours. Enjoy...

Our first episode with two people features Jonathon (GM) and Casey (Manager) of Ten Crows BBQ in South Lake Tahoe, CA. We cover a lot of topics, but one really sticks out, which is the acronym they use within their group of restaurants: ROTS (Ridiculously Over-the-Top Service. I love the approach they take to hospitality, and they share some great examples. This is a fun interview. Enjoy...

Chris has been around the restaurant business in southern California his whole life (his father is a Burger King franchisee). He learned a lot about the business from his dad, but he loved surfing and considered turning pro. However, after college and then business school, he found himself interviewing in suit-and-tie, about to go down the path to corporate America. Fortunately, he realized that wasn't what he was meant to do, and The Rockefeller was born. Chris and his team have done a tremendous job building a group with several successful brands, and he talks about everything from learning to delegate, making his team members believers, choosing locations, leasing vs. owning, and much more. A wide-ranging conversation with a guy who has his finger on the pulse of what it takes to make it in the tough restaurant business. Enjoy...

Erin is in Tuscaloosa, AL and manages not one, but two killer restaurants: Chuck's Fish and FIVE. These are sister restaurants, and part of a really incredible group co-owned by Cris Eddings, who has been on this podcast. Erin talks about her passion for hospitality, juggling two restaurants, her management style, what she's learned from the two owners, systems she has put into place, and more. Erin is very sharp and it was a pleasure to learn from her. Enjoy...

Tyler has been in hospitality since he was a teenager, though he nearly went down the suit-and-tie route after college. He talks about why he realized that wasn't the right career path; the importance of clear goals, communication, and discipline; who he admires and learns from; what he likes to read; and what he hopes to accomplishment within his group of restaurants. Great interview with a great guy. Enjoy...

Adam has been in the hospitality business since two weeks prior to his 16th birthday, and he's learned a ton about it over the last fourteen years. He talks about what he's learned on the job vs. what he learned while getting a hospitality & tourism degree, the saturated and competitive hospitality market in Charleston, S.C., how to keep good staff, his leadership style, and more. A great interview! Enjoy...

Wil shares some observations from the challenges his favorite local breakfast restaurant is facing, challenges faced by every restaurant at some point in their life cycle.