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Full Comp Podcast

Full Comp host, Michelin-rated restaurateur Josh Kopel, invites hospitality professionals and thought leaders from outside the industry to offer a new perspective on an old business. Hear Seth Godin, Will Guidara, and others share their opinion on the state of hospitality.

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Meet your host

Josh Kopel is a restaurateur and tech pioneer. Throughout his 20-year career, he’s managed venues ranging from the Alligator Bayou Bar to Hollywood nightclubs, bars, and ultra-lounges. He opened New Orleans-inspired bar, Five0Four, in the heart of Hollywood in 2010. He then opened Michelin-rated fine dining concept, Preux & Proper, and South City Fried Chicken. In response to the devastation he saw in the industry, Josh created Full Comp in partnership with Yelp for Restaurants in 2020.

josh kopel bio image on full comp podcast page

Season 12

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Luke Reyes on how narrowing focus leads to profitable restaurants

Chef Luke Reyes is a master of mastery. I’ve worked with Luke in the past and I’ve followed his career as he’s worked to reinvent himself and contemporary cuisines over the last almost two decades. We’re both a bit older and wiser and today we sit down to discuss what’s worked and what hasn’t over […]
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Hamed Mazrouei on transforming your POS data into a marketing machine

Today is a great day because today I got to sit down with my friend, Hamed. There are so many things that I love about this guys but–above all others–Hamed is relentless. In another life, I’m sure he was a prolific restaurateur. In this life, he’s a technologist and an entrepreneur working to solve the […]
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Jack Sanders on building raving fans

Most days we’re talking about food and beverage. Today we’re talking about baseball. Enter Jack Sanders, an entrepreneur who answers the question “What if the movie Field of Dreams was a person?” We’re discussing what it took to build community and a baseball field in his own backyard and the lessons we can learn as […]
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Weesie Newton on how to truly step away from day to day operations

Today you’re going to hear about how a first time restaurateur not only built a profitable business but also set it up so that she could move across the country for three years and have it operate seamlessly without her. It wasn’t all roses but Weesie Newton sits down today to share the path that […]
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Brandon Boudet on mastering second generation concepts

It’s hard enough to open our own restaurant concepts. It takes a creative mind to reimagine someone else’s concept and breathe new life into a tired old restaurant. Today we sit down with Chef and restaurateur Brandon Boudet to discuss how on more than one occasion, he’s taken ownership of a money pit and transformed […]
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Follow These Steps to Scale Your Restaurant

Sign up for this next week's 5-Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting ⁠www.joshkopel.com⁠ Here's a Preview of the Amazing Stuff You’ll Learn: Day 1: You’ll learn the 3 Keys to Profitability that scale your restaurant’s cash flow without increasing your expenses so that you can stop worrying about money. Day 2: You’ll learn how to Master Margins, […]
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Kassady Wiggins & Sammy Monsour on scoring a lucrative cookbook deal

The band is back together. Today, we sit down with my old partners in crime from my restaurant group, Executive Chef Sammy Monsour and Beverage Director Kassady Wiggins. We’re discussing how to score a lucrative cookbook deal, what we would do differently if we could start all over again, and how to create a company […]
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Sujan Sarkar on elevating cultural cuisine for the masses

What does it take to win a Michelin star in the midst of a global pandemic? It’s easy to look at Chef Sujan Sakar’s success today and see a charmed life but this is a man who has paid his dues. Sujan spent decades traveling the globe to hone his craft. Today we sit down […]
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Anthony Mangieri on the path from restaurants to the grocery aisle

It feels like it would be glamorous to be a pioneer of a new cuisine in a new city but rarely does that translate into success. It’s hard enough to sell something someone has heard of before. Today we sit down with the exception to the rule. Chef Anthony Mangieri is almost singularly responsible for […]
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Duke Harten on how to go viral on social media

Before he was repping underwear for Shinesty on social  media, Duke Harten was repping wine at a local Los Angeles restaurant. Today, with millions of views under his belt, Duke seems to have cracked the code for viral marketing online. Today we sit down to discuss the formula he’s developed for Shinesty’s social media success […]
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Hunter Evans on winning awards without losing yourself

I can’t tell you how many folks reach out to me with struggling businesses. Interestingly enough, they’re not interested in learning how to run a better business, they’re interested in learning how to win awards. Something as significant as a Michelin star or as simple as a James Beard Nomination can mean the difference between […]
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Zachary Engel on building a high performance team

Building a restaurant is hard. Building a high performance team to work in that restaurant is harder. Today we sit down with chef/owner Zach Engel to talk about how the culture he grew up in informed the culture of his company. We discuss the merits of mutual investment, how to hire correctly, and how to […]
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Rosalie Guillem on the growth strategy from one to 67 locations

There’s power in focus and I can’t provide a better example of how that power translates to success than Rosalie Guillem. She took a simple cookie and turned it into a national brand. Today we sit down to discuss how she’s methodically grown this focused brand over the years and the decisions she’s made that […]
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Renee Guilbault on transforming your restaurant career

Your employees deserve a career they can get excited about, and so do you. Today we sit down with Renee Guilbault, an industry expert, to discuss how intention, modeling, and roadmapping can give us a clear path forward for ourselves and our teams. As it turns out, a clear vision of the future reveals the […]
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Tomer Blechman on the path from chef to entrepreneur

If only knowing how to cook was enough to guarantee success as a restaurant owner…In today’s competitive environment, our industry requires excellence in both menu development and business strategy but I have yet to find a school that teaches both. Those that make it, like Tomer Belchman, pick up culinary skills in culinary school and […]
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Fabio Viviani on crafting a concept guaranteed to succeed

The pandemic taught many of us many different lessons but it taught Chef Fabio Vivani how to fight back. The chef spent the years rebounding from the pandemic curating a concept that he believes is not only recession proof, it’s pandemic proof. Today we sit down to discuss the formula he’s crafted for guaranteed success […]
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Nikita Seal on the joyful path to restaurant success

Nikita Seal shares many qualities with the average restaurateur. She’s smart, hard working, and focused on serving her guests to the best of her ability. But there’s one quality that makes her stand about amongst the rest: she’s one of the happiest people I’ve ever met. Nikita has cracked the code on how to transform […]
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Kevin Beary on how to create an iconic bar program

You may not know Kevin by name but you definitely know Kevin’s work. As Beverage Director of Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago, Kevin has helmed a cultural revolution in Tiki cocktails over the last decade. Today we sit down to discuss the essential elements of an iconic beverage program, the value in a […]
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John Manion on succeeding in a major market

Two decades in our industry would equate to 80 in any other industry so there’s something to be said for getting to the top and staying there. Today we chat with John Manion, a chef who has dominated the Chicago dining scene for almost 20 years. We sit down to discuss the long road to […]
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Becca McIntyre on the right way to launch a limited time offer

There’s an art to creating a perfect limited time offer. It has as much to do with the offering as it does with the messaging around the offering. Becca McIntyre of Craveworthy Brands is an LTO expert, having created an endless series of limited time offers for the biggest brands in the country. Today she […]
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Obadiah "Obie" Ostergard on the evolution in mindset from chef to restaurateur

I’ll be the first one to say that if you’re looking to achieve greatness in our industry, focus is the key. Today’s guest, Obie Ostergard, may just prove me wrong. A trained chef turned operations guru, Obie has mastered the hardest parts of our industry in both front and back of house. In our conversation […]
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Mistie Boulton on the risks and rewards of dynamic pricing

Misite Boulton has had the inside track on our industry for years. As a consultant and secret shopping agency, she’s seen the best and worst that our industry has to offer. Her vantagepoint also gives her the ability to see trendlines in our industry that wouldn’t be readily obvious without such a large client base. […]
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David Dittenber on AI’s Game-Changing Role in Restaurants

All anyone wants to talk about today is AI and the way that it’s going to change our industry in the future, but I find it nearly impossible to see how it’s impacting day to day operations today. That’s why I called my friend and fellow restaurateur Dave Dittenber to discuss his latest project MABEL. […]
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Jonathon Sawyer the keys to sustainable success

There’s this old curse I remember hearing when I was younger, “May you get what you wish for.” What if you do get it all…the locations, the accolades, the attention and it’s not all it’s cracked up to be? Then what? Today we sit down with celebrity chef and restaurateur Jonathon Sawyer to discuss what […]
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Andrew Zimmerman on how patience can be a competitive advantage

Chef Andrew Zimmerman has been a fixture in Chicago’s fine dining scene for almost two decades now. In his quiet pursuit of excellence he has collected a lifetime’s worth of Michelin stars, forgetting the dozens of other accolades. We sat down today to discuss what has set him apart from his competitive set and the […]
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Justin Egan on creating a scalable restaurant brand

In my humble opinion, the world has enough restaurants. What the world lacks are new ideas and, sometimes those ideas manifest themselves in the form of a new restaurant concept. Today we sit down with Justin Egan of Wing It On to discuss the big ideas behind the blockbuster brand. Justin walks us through the […]
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The Secrets to Growth & Scale

Sign up for this month’s 5-Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting www.joshkopel.com   Here’s a Preview of the Amazing Stuff You’ll Learn: Day 1: You’ll learn the 3 Keys to Profitability that scale your restaurant’s cash flow without increasing your expenses so that you can stop worrying about money. Day 2: You’ll learn how to Master […]
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Neal Foard on the Art of Crafting an Irresistible Brand Story (Part 2)

This is where the conversation turns actionable. We sit down again with master storyteller, Neal Foard, as he walks us through the step by step process he uses to craft stories that resonate. We discuss the essential elements of virality and how to build those elements into the stories we tell. Grab a pen and […]
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Neal Foard on the Art of Crafting an Irresistible Brand Story (Part 1)

What is great marketing? If we distill it down to its simplest form, it’s great storytelling. But, for most of us, there’s hesitation in putting ourselves out there. What would we talk about? Who would care? Today we sit down with master storyteller, Neal Foard, a marketing executive turned social media guru who’s collected close […]
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Darshak Mehta on the Fast Track to Scaling Profitability

For most of us, our career as restaurateurs is defined by making due with what we can afford. Sure it would be fantastic to bring on a Chief Financial Officer, a director of HR, and a day to day bookkeeper, providing real time analysis of our restaurants, but who can afford all of that? Well, […]
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Season 11

Episode 157_Steve Brown

Steve Brown on how to build a restaurant on social media

Steve Brown talks with Josh about his rise to resounding success after the rock bottom lows of the pandemic.
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Episode 312 Joth Ricci

Joth Ricci on how to make the most of a crisis

Joth Ricci and Josh Kopel discuss how Joth used the pandemic as an opportunity to innovate and scale his family business.
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Episode 311 Mark Birnbaum

Mark Birnbaum on how to create exclusivity

Mark Birnbaum talks with Josh about tested strategies to creating a sense of exclusivity and buzz around your restaurant concept.
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Episode 310 Sammy Monsour

Sammy Monsour on building the career you want for yourself

Sammy Monsour sits down with Josh to discuss what it means to be successful in the restaurant industry, and how to celebrate the wins when they come.
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Jason Fullilove on the business of being a chef

Jason Fullilove and Josh discuss the many career opportunities available to chefs these days, and how to take advantage of each.
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Episode 308 Betsy Hamm

Betsy Hamm on becoming the leader your company needs

Betsy Hamm sits down with Josh to discuss the importance of marketing to growing your business and owning your market.
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Episode 307 Daniel Shemtob

Daniel Shemtob on crafting the blueprint for repeatable success

Daniel Shemtob and Josh Kopel discuss non-linear paths to business success, inside and outside of restaurants.
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Episdoe 306 Ari Weinzweig & Natalie Reitman-White

Ari Weinzweig & Natalie Reitman-White on crafting a legacy business

Josh talks to Ari Weinzweig and Natalie Reitman about crafting a business, and what it truly means to leave a legacy.
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Episode 305 Clint Hughey

Clint Hughey on creating impact in our communities

Clint Hughey, Director of Impact at Snooze, talks to Josh Kopel about what it means to create a bond between a restaurant, staff, and community.
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Episode 304 Geoff Alexander

Geoff Alexander on leveling up leadership skills

Geoff Alexander and Josh Kopel have a far reaching conversation about leadership, restaurant branding, and how to outsmart your competition.
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Omer & Jennifer Horev on transforming a restaurant into a lifestyle brand

Omer and Jennifer Horev chat with Josh about the intersection of restaurants and lifestyle branding, and how they've successfully scaled through branding.
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Episode 302 Natasha McIrvin

Natasha McIrvin on mastering surprise and delight

Natasha McIrvin, or Eleven Madison Park, talks to Josh about her methods for delivering a truly world class guest experience.
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Full Comp episode 301 Udi Hershkovitz

Udi Hershkovitz on reinventing the restaurant concept

Josh talks with Udi Hershkovitz about how he finds inspiration and daring to experiment with new restaurant concepts.
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Episode 300 Lauren Fernandez

Lauren Fernandez on perfecting restaurant profitability

Lauren Fernandez talks with Josh about the investment engine she's built, and how it helps independent restaurateurs achieve profitability.
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Episode 299 Russ Hawkins

Russ Hawkins on using data to become an agile business

Russ Hawkins speaks with Josh Kopel about how restaurants can leverage data to make their business successful.
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Episode 298 Sanjiv Razdan

Sanjiv Razdan on the rebirth of a brand

Sanjiv Razdan talks to Josh Kopel about his experience of taking on a major business while it was already in motion.
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Episode 297 Miguel Hernandez

Miguel Hernandez on how to dominate our industry

Miguel Hernandez talks Josh through his incredible rise in the industry, and how to plan for restaurant success.
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Episode 296 Lisa Dahl

Lisa Dahl on building an empire and a legacy

Lisa Dahl chats with Josh Kopel about her career journey and what it took to build a successful restaurant group.
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Episode 295 Carolyn Walker

Carolyn Walker on building a compelling restaurant brand

Carolyn Walker talks to Josh Kopel about common restaurant marketing misconceptions, and what it takes for your brand to win.
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Full Comp episode 294 Bryce Fluellen

Bryce Fluellen on setting your team up for success

Bryce Fluellen talks with Josh Kopel about what it takes to train your staff to be the next generation of restaurateurs.
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Full Comp episode 293 Charles Bililies

Charles Bililies on scaling sensibly

Charles Bililies sits down with Josh to discuss what drives restaurant owners to want to scale, and how to do so successfully.
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Full Comp episode 292 Matt McAllister

Matt McAllister on influencing consumer perception

Josh Kopel and Matt McAllister discuss the power of storytelling, and what it takes to positively influence consumer perspective.
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Federico Castelluci on episode 291 of Full Comp podcast

Federico Castellucci on how family values create a valuable business

Josh chats with Federico Castellucci about his success in growing his family business into a prosperous network of restaurant concepts.
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Bob Ray Full Comp podcast episode 290

Bob Ray on scaling from “mom and pop” to regional giant

In Josh and Bob Ray discuss the kind of leader Bob became in order to scale a small restaurant into a big company.
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Ricky Richardson Full Comp podcast episode 289

Ricky Richardson on selling more than eggs

Ricky Richardson sits down with Josh to talk about the blueprint for building a truly scalable restaurant brand.
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Full Comp episode 288 guest Paul McEnany

Paul McEnany on your 2023 restaurant marketing strategy

Paul McEnany talks Josh through the changes in restaurant marketing over the past few years, and what your strategy needs to look like in 2023.
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Full Comp episode 287 guest Tyler Simmons

Tyler Simmons turning waste into profit

Josh Kopel talks to Tyler Simmons of Too Good To Go, a company dedicated to eliminating food waste from restaurants through tech innovations.
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Episode 286 Steven Salm

Steven Salm on making vegan food cool

In this episode, Steven Salm and Josh Kopel unpack Steven's strategy to bring veganism into the mainstream on a national level.
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Full Comp podcast episode 285 guest Cyrus Batchan

Cyrus Batchan on becoming a better restaurateur

Josh Kopel and Cyrus Batchan chat about the things to do and the things one should avoid in an effort to become a better restaurateur.
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Full comp podcast episode 284 with Jack McGarry

Jack McGarry on becoming the best and the aftermath of excellence

Jack McGarry has redefined what it looks like to be an excellent bar owner. In this episode, we discuss what that looks like in practical application.
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Season 10

Episode 282 Che Ramos

Che Ramos on building an inclusive environment and a beverage program

In today’s conversation, Che Ramos tackles diversity, inclusion, and what it takes to make a damn good drink and a memorable cocktail list.
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Episode 281 Sam Fonseca

Sam Fonseca on the science of scaling

Sam Fonseca sits down with Josh Kopel to talk about the lessons he's learned from industry greats, and how those helped him scale his own concept.
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Episode 280 Cousins Maine Lobster Part 2

Sabin Lomac & Jim Tselikis on the skills required to build a restaurant empire (Part 2)

Part 2 of Josh's conversation with Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis of Cousins Maine Lobster on their journey to building a restaurant empire.
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Episode 279 Cousins Maine Lobster Part 1_v2

Sabin Lomac & Jim Tselikis on the skills required to build a restaurant empire (Part 1)

Part 1 of Josh's conversation with Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis of Cousins Maine Lobster on their journey to building a restaurant empire.
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Episode 278 Ben Kaplan

Ben Kaplan on expanding your niche

Josh Kopel sits down with Plnt Burger's Ben Kaplan to discuss what it takes to go beyond on a niche concept to win in the restaurant industry.
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Episode 276 Chef Jamie Lynch

Jamie Lynch on the transition from chef to restaurateur

In our conversation today, we chart Jamie Lynch's transition from esteemed chef to an acclaimed restaurateur.
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Episode 275 Andrew Dana

Andrew Dana on developing a beginner’s mindset

Today we go through how Andrew Dana, industry outsider, is challenging the way we look at our restaurants and our industry.
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Episode 274 Susan Sarich

Susan Sarich on how to plan for success

Susan Sarich of SusieCakes walks us through her meticulous plan that brought grew her business to dozens of locations.
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Episode 273 Ken Grossman

Ken Grossman on beating the competition

Ken Grossman and Josh Kopel discuss what it takes to carve out a niche for your concept and beat the competition in the long term.
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Episode 272 Kim Freer

Kim Freer on mastering restaurant marketing

Kim Freer and Josh Kopel discuss what marketing looks like in practical application–outside of social media.
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Episode 271 Michael Tipps

Michael Tipps on scaling service standards

Michael Tipps runs Josh Kopel through his proven process for executing high level restaurant service at scale.
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Episode 270 Phillip Baltazar

Phillip Baltazar on using analytics over instincts

In this episode, Phillip and Josh cover everything from hiring your replacement to hiring a server.
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Robert Greene on the laws that rule all industries

Robert shares how he's internalized the lessons he's written about to help athletes, executives, and world leaders. 
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Episode 268 Ellen Bennett

Ellen Bennett on the gritty side of entrepreneurship

Today, we chat with multi-million dollar culinary clothing maven, Ellen Bennett. We run though what the past 10 years has been like for Ellen, bringing to light the leadership lessons that have made her company so successful.
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Episode 268_Paul Pruitt_

Best of: Paul Pruitt on holistic hospitality

In this episode, Paul and Josh discuss the future of our industry and how holistic hospitality could be the solution to all that ails us.
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Best of: Chef Robert Irvine on our industry's leadership crisis

Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine specializes in overcoming the impossible. Today we discuss how this career soldier from a modest background built an empire and the lessons in leadership he learned along the way.
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Kim Malek, founder of Salt & Straw

Best of: Kim Malek on the new rules of the restaurant industry

In this episode, we chat with Kim Malek, the founder of Salt & Straw. Kim's ice cream company abides by every foundational business principle while breaking every rule in the restaurant industry. Tune in to learn how to thrive using the new rules of the restaurant industry. 
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Episode 159_Wolfgang Puck

Best of: Chef Wolfgang Puck on overcoming failure

In today's conversation with Wolfgang Puck, we unpack the critical decisions he made to get to the top and the obstacles he overcame along the way.
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Candace MacDonald and Andrew Freeman full comp

Candace MacDonald and Andrew Freeman on 2023 restaurant trends

Candace MacDonald and Andrews Freeman sit down with Josh to give their insight into the coming trends for restaurants in 2023.
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Episode 263 Eric & Alex Adler

Eric and Alex Adler on the power of restaurant branding and marketing

Josh Kopel chats with Eric and Alex Adler about how they've used the power of branding to scale their family restaurant chain.
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Episode 262 Thomas Harvey

Thomas Harvey on community as a marketing strategy

Josh talks with Thomas Harvey about what it means to be a part of your community, and how that can lead to big gains for your restaurant.
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Episode 261 Dale Willerton

Dale Willerton on getting a great restaurant lease

Dale Willerton shares his expertise on getting a great restaurant lease, and how to avoid common mistakes.
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Episode 260 Ahmet Erkaya & Anastasia Koutsioukis (1)

Ahmet Erkaya & Anastasia Koutsioukis on breaking the rules of our industry

Ahmet Erkaya and Anastasia Koutsioukis chat with Josh about when and how to trust your gut and break the rules.
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Full Comp Episode 259 Grant Kneble (2)

Grant Kneble on mastering SEO

Josh talks to Grant Kneble about how he mastered SEO for his restaurant to drive diner traffic.
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Full Comp episode 258 Mark Bitterman

Mark Bitterman on building a business to last

Mark Bitterman sits down with Josh to discuss how to stay true to your vision and build a business to last.
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Full Comp episode 257 Greg Provance

Greg Provance on solving your people problem

Greg Provance shares his thoughts on how to retain and build up great restaurant staff.
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Full Comp episode 256 Kwini Reed

Kwini Reed on building an intentional restaurant

Kwini Reed sits down with Josh to discuss what it means to build a restaurant with intention.
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Full Comp episode 255 Izzy Karasch

Izzy Kharasch on lessons learned from 30 years of restaurant consulting

Izzy Karasch shares his thoughts on the evolution of the industry, and the wisdom he's gained through 30 years of restaurant consulting.
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Derek Brown on mindful mixology

In this episode, we speak with mixologist, Derek Brown, who’s advocating for responsible mixology and a new take on an old vice.
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Troy Hooper on optimizing for growth

In this episode, Troy Hooper shares his optimizing for growth blueprint from creating eight different restaurant concepts under one roof.
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restaurant-lessons-learned_full-comp_mark-braver

Mark Braver on the lessons learned opening 30 restaurants

Mark Braver has opened over 30 locations. Those restaurant lessons learned led to a formulaic view that can make us better owners & operators.
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Jabin Troth on building an audience on social media

Want 1,000,000 Instagram followers? Jabin Troth of Licensed to Distill gives his step-by-step process to building a social media audience.
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independent-restaurant-coalition_erika-palmer_full-comp

Erika Polmar on the present and future of the Independent Restaurant Coalition

A pandemic blessing was the Independent Restaurant Coalition. CEO, Erika Polmar, discusses what’s next for the coalition and the industry.
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Season 9

building-restaurant-brand_aaron-noveshen_full-comp

Aaron Noveshen on building a better restaurant

Aaron has 30 years experience building restaurant brands. We discuss the lessons he’s learned from building countless brands for others.
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Chef Quentin Garcia on bringing big city cuisine to a small town

What’s up with big chefs opening restaurants in small markets? The quest for my small town cuisine answer led me to Chef Quentin Garcia.
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Restaurateur Will Guidara on delivering unreasonable hospitality

Will Guidara is famous for the service at Eleven Madison Park and there was a clear method. Hear how he produced unreasonable hospitality.
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owning-your-niche_ray-garcia_full-comp

Chef Ray Garcia on owning your niche

Chef Ray Garcia discusses owning your niche and how challenging his community’s perceptions of food created multiple landmark restaurants.
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unique-restaurant-concepts_melissa-martin_full-comp

Chef Melissa Martin on unique alternatives to the traditional restaurant model

Chef Melissa Martin shares the inspiration behind unique restaurant concepts and how she built a national audience at Mosquito Supper Club.
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how-to-win-the-game-of-business_vitaliy_full-comp

Vitaliy Katsenelson on how to win the game of business

If you want to know how to win the game of business, you need to be a better businessperson. Improve business by getting our soul in the game.
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why-your-story-matters_timm-chiusano_full-comp

Timm Chiusano on why your story matters

Why do half a million people follow Timm on TikTok? Because stories matter. In this episode, learn why your story matters just as much.
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Sergio Perez on creating an omnichannel brand

Sergio Perez made Bojangles a national name. If you’re curious about creating a restaurant brand guests care about, listen to this episode.
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restaurant-plan_worleys_full-comp

Karl & Sarah Worley on building a better business plan

Every great restaurant starts with a great restaurant plan. In this episode, the couple who created Biscuit Love walks you through theirs.
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LA Chef Conference on how to build community within our industry

Brad Metzger knows restaurant community. Hear him and his partners discuss creating community and why it’s desperately needed.
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restaurant-profit_bruce-nelson_full-comp

Bruce Nelson on the numbers behind profitability

Hear Bruce Nelson talk about losing his restaurant to bad math. Learn the math behind restaurant profit so you don't make the same mistakes.
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scaling-a-restaurant_david-morton_full-comp

David Morton on the formula for successful scaling

David Morton knows the formula for scaling a restaurant. In this episode, we discuss his family’s legacy and his influence on the future.
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Season 8

Mark Echeverria of Musso & Frank Grill

Mark Echeverria of Musso & Frank Grill

How to Survive 100 Years

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Episode 218 Craig Blum

Craig Blum of Johnny Doughnuts

The Hub & Spoke Restaurant Model

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Catherine Tindall of Dominion Enterprise Services

Catherine Tindall of Dominion Enterprise Services

Free Money Exists

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Aman Narang of Toast

Aman Narang of Toast

Building the Future

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Ryan Wilson of Lawry's Restaurants

Ryan Wilson of Lawry's Restaurants

Building a Family of Brands

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Greg Bleier & Terri Robison of Studio UNLTD

Greg Bleier & Terri Robison of Studio UNLTD

Designing a Restaurant That Works

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Katie Poppe of Blue Star Donuts

Katie Poppe of Blue Star Donuts

Changing with the Times

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Carrie Luxem of Restaurant HR Group

Carrie Luxem of Restaurant HR Group

Mastering Soft Skills

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Chef Amber Caudle, Cindy Van Pelt & Beth Hannemann of Source Collab

Chef Amber Caudle, Cindy Van Pelt & Beth Hannemann of Source Collab

Creating a Perfect Partnership

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Matt Rolfe of Westshore Online

Matt Rolfe of Westshore Online

You Can’t Do It Alone

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John Kolaski of K2 Restaurants

John Kolaski of K2 Restaurants

The Future of Food Halls

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Gavin Kaysen of Soigné Hospitality Group

Gavin Kaysen of Soigné Hospitality Group

Owning Your Market

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Season 7

Mike Michalowicz

Bestselling Author Mike Michalowicz

Profit First & The Art of Delegation

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Madelyn Alfano of Maria's Italian Kitchen

Madelyn Alfano of Maria’s Italian Kitchen

Personal Growth is Professional Growth

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Taking the Retail Market by Storm: Billy Bosch of Iconic

Billy Bosch of Iconic

Taking the Retail Market by Storm

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T.K. Pillan of Veggie Grill

T.K. Pillan of Veggie Grill

The Food in Mouth Strategy

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David Dressler of Tender Greens

David Dressler of Tender Greens

The Leadership Required to Scale

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David LeFevre of Simms Restaurants

David LeFevre of Simms Restaurants

The Business of Being a Chef

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Matt Kirschner of Red Knapps

Matt Kirschner of Red Knapps Dairy Bar

An Old Restaurant with New Tricks

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David Birzon of Snooze

David Birzon of Snooze

Scaling a Family Business

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Michael Dorf of City Winery

Michael Dorf of City Winery

A Bulletproof Business Model

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The Art of Selling Out: Founders of of Biite Club

Alex Jacobs, Guto Araki and Joey Rubin of Biite Club

The Art of Selling Out

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Celebrity Chef Gregory Gourdet

Celebrity Chef Gregory Gourdet

The Prince of Portland

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Benson Tsai of Stellar Pizza

Benson Tsai of Stellar Pizza

The Robots Have Arrived

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Season 6

Jonah Bliss of Curbivore

Jonah Bliss of Curbivore

Figuring Out the Future

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Clare Reichenbach of the James Beard Foundation

Clare Reichenbach of the James Beard Foundation

Foundational Support

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Celebrity Chef Edward Lee

Celebrity Chef Edward Lee

Serving Hope

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Kevin Boehm of Boka Restaurant Group

Kevin Boehm of Boka Restaurant Group

The Three Keys

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Joseph Szala of Vigor Branding

Joseph Szala of Vigor Branding

A Bull-Hearted Brand

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Chris Hemmeter of Thayer Ventures

Chris Hemmeter of Thayer Ventures

Investing in the Future

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Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine

Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine

Lessons in Leadership

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Lance Graulich of Ion Franchising

Lance Graulich of Ion Franchising

Built to Scale

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Mind the Gap: Melina Shannon-DiPietro of MAD

Melina Shannon-DiPietro of MAD

Mind the Gap

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Mindy Segal founder of Mindy's Bakery

Mindy Segal founder of Mindy’s Bakery

Success Ain’t So Sweet

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John Tallichet of Specialty Restaurants Corporation

John Tallichet of Specialty Restaurants Corporation

The Generational Shift

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Melissa Koujakian of Republique

Melissa Koujakian of Republique

Creating a Culture of Winners

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Season 5

David Scott Peters of the Restaurant Prosperity Formula

David Scott Peters of the Restaurant Prosperity Formula

The Magic Bullet is You

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Andrew Dana of Call Your Mother & Timber

Andrew Dana of Call Your Mother & Timber

The Advantage of Knowing Nothing

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Miles Canares of the Family Style Food Festival

Miles Canares of the Family Style Food Festival

The Power of Relationships

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Sarela Herrada of Simpli

Sarela Herrada of Simpli

How to Prevent Food Fraud

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PJ Oleksak of Slice

PJ Oleksak of Slice

Doing Delivery Right

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Dina Samson, co-founder of Regarding Her

Dina Samson, co-founder of Regarding Her

Building a Better Industry

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Joe Jackman, founder of Jackman Reinvents

Joe Jackman, founder of Jackman Reinvents

How to Disrupt & Innovate

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Steve Samson & Hans Luttman, co-founders of Rossoblu

Steve Samson & Hans Luttman, co-founders of Rossoblu

Leading by Example

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Dennis McKinley, founder of The Original Hot Dog Company

Dennis McKinley, founder of The Original Hot Dog Company

What We Can Learn From a Franchise Model

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Nick Brune, founder of Full Time Chef

Nick Brune, founder of Full Time Chef

The Business of Being a Chef

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Kevin Tan, founder of Snackpass

Kevin Tan, founder of Snackpass

The Power of Focus

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Chip Klose of Restaurant Strategy

Chip Klose of Restaurant Strategy

The Shortest Route to Profitability

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Season 4

Sahra Nguyen of Nguyen Coffee Supply

Sahra Nguyen of Nguyen Coffee Supply

Beverage Trends Mirroring Social Trends

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Cameron Herold of the COO Alliance

Cameron Herold of the COO Alliance

Mastering Delegation & The Blueprint for Excellence

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Anthony Myint of Zero Foodprint

Anthony Myint of Zero Foodprint

Moving Towards Sustainability

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Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada

Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing

Turning a $3000 Investment Into a Billion Dollar Company

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Dustin Valette on Full Comp

Dustin Valette of The Matheson

Doubling Down on Industry Fundamentals

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John Cappasola of Del Taco

John Cappasola, CEO of Del Taco

Scaling Core Values

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Mark Kelegian of Randy's Donuts on Full Comp

Mark Kelegian of Randy’s Donuts

Single Location to International Brand

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Author Ken McGarrie on Full Comp

Author Ken McGarrie

Mastering Management During a Labor Crisis

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Jason Vincent of Giant

Jason Vincent of Giant

A Hard Look in the Mirror

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Michel Falcon of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen

Michel Falcon of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen

People-First Culture and the Labor Crisis

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Jacob Bindman of SF New Deal

Jacob Bindman of the SF New Deal

The Path to Predictable Income for Restaurants

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Full Comp Robert Greene

Robert Greene, 5x NYT Bestselling Author

The Laws of Power, Mastery, War & Human Nature

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Season Three

Patrick Kim of Worth Network

Patrick Kim of the Worth Network

We’re all influencers

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Ellen Bennett of Hedley & Bennett

Ellen Bennett of Hedley & Bennett

Dream First, Details Later

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Chef David Meyers

Michelin-Rated Chef David Myers

Everybody Loves a Winner

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Tressie Lieberman of Chipotle

Tressie Lieberman of Chipotle

A Digital Transformation

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Jay Livingston CMO of Shake Shack

Jay Livingston of Shake Shack

Restaurant Marketing Masterclass

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Chef Curtis Stone

Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone

Leaning Out and Leveling Up

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Tim Brown of Oracle

Tim Brown of Oracle

The Restaurant of the Future

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Tucker Max of Scribe Media

Tucker Max of Scribe Media

The Value of a Great Story

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Noel Brohner of Slowrise Pizza

Noel Brohner

The Art of Mastery

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Martha Hoover of Patachou

Martha Hoover of Patachou, Inc.

The Case for Change

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Roger Avats Full Comp

Roger Avats of InHouseDelivery.com

Disrupting Food Delivery

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Ben Leventhal eater and resy

Ben Leventhal of Eater and Resy

Influencing the Industry

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Season Two

ep66_JuliaConey

Full Comp - Episode 66: Julia Coney of BlackWineProfessionals

Using Wine as a Tool for Change

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ep65_johnSeymour

Full Comp - Episode 65: John Seymour of Sweet Chick

Building a Brand to Create an Empire

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ep64_sarujay

Full Comp - Episode 64: Saru Jayaraman of One Fair Wage

Taking the High Road

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ep63_sampolk01

Full Comp - Episode 63: Sam Polk of EveryTable

The McDonald’s of Nutritious Food

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ep62_ireneLi

Full Comp - Episode 62: Irene Li of Mei Mei

The Restaurateur of Tomorrow

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ep_61_weinzweig

Full Comp - Episode 61: Ari Weinzweig

The $50 Million Deli

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ep60_egger

Full Comp - Episode 60: Robert Egger, founder of the LA & DC Kitchens

The Business of Bravery

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ep59_jjjohnson

Full Comp - Episode 59: JJ Johnson founder of Field Trip

The Education of a Celebrity Chef

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ep58_maxsheets

Full Comp - Episode 58: Max Sheets, founder of Chick N Max

Building the Next Fried Chicken Empire

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ep57_shaundevries

Full Comp - Episode 57: Shaun de Vries of Open Pantry

Pandemic Lessons From the Australian Winter

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ep56_sethGodin

Full Comp - Episode 56: Seth Godin

12 Things Every Restaurateur Needs to Hear

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ep_55_DanGiusti

Full Comp - Episode 55: Dan Giusti

Feeding the Future

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Season One

ep43_sabato

Full Comp - Episode 43: Sabato Sagaria

The Anatomy of Success

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ep_42_EduardoRallo

Full Comp - Episode 42: Eduardo Rallo of the PCV Fund

Defining The Best Investments

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Ep41_willSlickers

Full Comp - Episode 41: Wil Slickers

Reimagining Your Future

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ep40_Linkletter

Full Comp - Episode 40: Brett Linkletter of Misfit Media

Marketing Masterclass

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ep39_PhilipCamino

Full Comp - Episode 39: Philip Camino

A Holistic View of Hospitality

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ep38_AndreaDrummer

Full Comp - Episode 38: Celebrity Chef Andrea Drummer

The Case for Change

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ep37

Full Comp - Episode 37: Christy Vega of Casa Vega

Keeping it in the Family

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Celebrity Chef Rick Bayless

Full Comp - Episode 36: Celebrity Chef Rick Bayless

Fighting the Good Fight

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Eric Cacciatore of Restaurant Unstoppable

Full Comp - Episode 35: Eric Cacciatore of Restaurant Unstoppable

The Value of a Beginner’s Mindset

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Chef Jet TIla Full Comp

Full Comp - Episode 34: Celebrity Chef Jet Tila

Becoming a Brand

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Shawn Walchef of Cali Comfort BBQ

Full Comp - Episode 33: Shawn Walchef founder of Cali Comfort BBQ

Transform Your Restaurant Into A Media Company

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BMRS Hospitality Recruitment

Full Comp - Episode 32: Brad Metzger + Jacqui Leanza of BMRS Hospitality Recruitment

Where are the Jobs?

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