Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Josh Sharkey is the founder and CEO of Meez . Meez is a current sponsor of Restaurant Unstoppable! Josh was previously on the show for episode 780. Meez is a recipe and back-of-house training tool for professional chefs and organizations. It's one part recipe tool, one part costing tool, and one part e-learning platform. Meez has evolved much since the last time Josh was on the show. We will talk...

Today's guest is Emeritus Faculty of The Hotel School of Cornell University, Stephani Robson. Until her recent retirement, Dr. Stephani Robson was a member of the faculty at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration for almost 30 years, where she taught literally thousands of students and executives about development and planning for hotels and restaurants. Prior to joining academia, s...

Nick Yee is the COO and Partner at Bean Restaurant Group. Nick grew up in the industry in his parents' restaurants in western Massachusetts alongside his siblings. He got a business degree and worked as a claims adjuster in Cambridge, MA before realizing he wanted to be back in the restaurants with the family business. His brother, Edison Yee, is the CEO and was featured on episode #1064! The Bean...

Today's guest is Emeritus Faculty of The Hotel School of Cornell University, Stephani Robson. Until her recent retirement, Dr. Stephani Robson was a member of the faculty at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration for almost 30 years, where she taught literally thousands of students and executives about development and planning for hotels and restaurants. Prior to joining academia, s...

Scott Lawton is a Co-Founder, former CEO, and Chairman at Bartaco . We have previously featured Andy Pforzheimer, co-founder of Bartaco (episode #829), and Anthony Valleta, President of Bartaco (episode #976) on Restaurant Unstoppable. Scott is from Atlanta originally and attended culinary school before working for industry giants such as Drew Nieporent at Tribeca Grill in NYC. Today, there are 35...

Today's guest is Emeritus Faculty of The Hotel School of Cornell University, Stephani Robson. Until her recent retirement, Dr. Stephani Robson was a member of the faculty at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration for almost 30 years, where she taught literally thousands of students and executives about development and planning for hotels and restaurants. Prior to joining academia, s...

Will Gilson is the Executive Chef and Partner at Cambridge Street Hospitality Group , based in Cambridge, MA. Will started as a cook in Boston at the age of 15 and has never left the industry. He attended culinary school and then travelled the world to learn about cooking in various cities. He opened his first restaurant with a partner in 2012 called Puritan and Company and now has 8 concepts in a...

This is a very special episode. We are showcasing some of the amazing benefits of joining the live events over at Restaurant Unstoppable Network. Eric and two network members are joined by Dillas CEO Kyle Gordon for some mentoring on scaling a QSR business. Want to join the live events to ask the experts your questions and gain valuable knowledge and mentorship? Click here: restaurantunstoppable.c...

Tom Boucher is the CEO and Owner of Great NH Restaurants. Tom was previously on the show for episode 108 back in 2015. Tom became the CEO of Great NH Restaurants in 2004 and bought out the then owners in 2007 to become an owner and partner. Today, Great NH Restaurants has 9 restaurants all in New Hampshire under its ownership and operation, including T-BONES and Copper Door . Join the Restaurant U...

Michelle Corry is the Co-Founder and Owner of 555, Petite Jacqueline, and 555North . Michelle graduated from Boston University with a Hospitality Management degree and headed out to San Francisco to work FOH in breweries there. She met her husband (and business) partner while there and worked at places such as The French Laundry in her early career. Eventually, in 2003, Michelle and her husband op...

Tom Barthelmes is the Chef and Co-Owner of Finestkind in Saco, Maine. Tom grew up in New Hampshire and knew he wanted to be a chef in his very early teens. He attended the Culinary Institute of America in NY. In school he met his wife and business partner, Victoria. He worked in NYC for three years after graduating in such restaurants as Per Se. He then moved to the Portland, Maine area to work in...

Haven Hot Chicken was previously featured on the show for episode 1151 when Jason Sobocinski, President and Co-Owner of Haven Hot Chicken, was a guest! All three of our guests today are co-owners of Haven hot chicken today. Haven Hot chicken is a hot chicken concept based in New Haven, CT with 9 locations. Etkin Tekin is the CEO, Craig Sklar is the CIO, and Rob LaTronica is the CGO!  Join the Rest...

Damian Sansonetti is the Chef and Co-Owner of Chaval and Ugly Duckling , both located in Portland, ME. Damian is the husband of previous guest Ilma Lopez, who was featured on episodes 1148 and 1156. Damian's father was a chef and he grew interested in the profession while in college. He attended Pennsyvania Culinary Institute and quickly began working in well-known restaurants and for high profile...

This is a very special round table conversation with 4 restaurant owners in the Portland, Maine area. Eric sits down with Piage Gould, owner of Central Provitions , Tipo , and Finestkind , Ilma Lopez, owner of Chaval and Ugly Duckling , Michelle Corry, owner of Fifty Five-Five , and Theresa Chan, owner of Empire Chinese Kitchen . They will be dscussing the importance of finding a group friends/men...

Paige Gould is the Co-Owner of Central Provisions , Tipo , and Finestkind , all located in or near Portland, Maine. Paige was previously on the show for episode 547 back in 2018, when she only owned Central Provisions and Tipo. In September of 2024, she and her husband/partner opened their newest venture, Finestkind. Join the Restaurant Unstoppable NETWORK ! Restaurant Unstoppable - EVOLVE! - Eric...

Emily Curry is the Co-Founder, GM, and Head of Marketing at Big Trouble , located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Emily began working in restaurants in the early 2010's, when she was in her very early 20's. She worked at Southern Prohibition , a brewery in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and became their CEO from 2018-2022 when she and her 4 partners began the process of opening Big Trouble. Big Trouble is...

Robert St. John grew up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. At age 19, Robert entered the restaurant industry at a delicatessen where he became the manager. During his very first shift at that job, he decided that he wanted to make restaurants his career. After struggling with substance abuse in his early adulthood, Robert got completely clean in 1983 and went to school to study the industry and in 1987...

Fred Langley is the CEO of Restaurant Systems Pro . Fred got his first job in the restaurant industry at the age of 12 as a dishwasher. He worked his way up the ranks and became a restaurateur, opening his first restaurant at the age of 27. He opened his second restaurant only 4 years later. Fred joined Restaurant Systems Pro, formerly known as The Restaurant Expert, in 2004, and became the compan...

Jason Sobocinski is the Co-Owner and President of Haven Hot Chicken . Jason grew up loving food and business. He got two degrees, travelled the world, then returned to New Haven, his hometown, and opened his first business in 2008. He then opened several businesses over the years, partnered with various people who operated those businesses, and in 2020, he opened Haven Hot Chicken in New Haven, Co...

David Vargas was previously on the show for episode 755 back in 2020. David Vargas is a chef who co-owns Vida Cantina, a Mexican restaurant in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He is also a partner in Ore Nell's, a Texas BBQ restaurant in Kittery, ME with a brand new location in Biddeford, ME. David is also the Vice President of a non-profit called Cultivate. Restaurant Unstoppable - EVOLVE! - Eric of Re...

Deb Simmons went studied nutritional science and biology in college and went on to work with Americorps and the Peace Corps. When she left those jobs, she started working in restaurants in the seacoast NH area. She worked for Row 34 and became a GM and then for The Green Elephant, becoming a GM there as well. Then, in 2019, she started cake. vegan bakery. Restaurant Unstoppable -  EVOLVE! - Eric o...

Ilma Lopez is from Venezuela and moved to the US in 2001 to go to school. She ended up going to culinary school in NYC and worked there for high profile chefs like Daniel Boulud and others. She worked in Spain for a year and then worked a cruise ship for a year as well. She and her husband moved to 2011 and opened their first restaurant, Piccolo, in 2013. She then opened Chaval and closed Piccolo...

Terry O'Brien is the owner of The Red Parka Pub in Glen, New Hampshire. The Red Parka is a 53 year old restaurant housed in a building from the 1800s in the White Mountains of NH with 250 seats during peak season and does about 600 dinner per night. Terry took over the business from her father in 2000. Her family has previously owned 5 restaurants over the years but today just the original remains...

Genn Anzaldi is the Co-Owner of J-Town Deli & Country Store in Jackson Village, New Hampshire. She is also the Director of Marketing of The Valley Originals. The Valley Originals is a group of restaurants in the Mount Washington Valley who banded together in the mid-80s to repel the invasion of big chain restaurants from their area of northern New Hampshire and western Maine. J-Town Deli & Country...

Dick Delaney is the Owner of Delaney's Hole in the Wall located in North Conway, New Hampshire. Dick Delaney originally wanted to open a ski and snowboard shop in NH but started working in restaurants in the White Mountains area around 1981. In the late 80s, he and his wife decided they wanted to open a restaurant instead. Delaney's opened in 1994 is brings in over 4 million in total gross with a...