Bar Hacks

Friend of the Bar Hacks podcast Chef Brian Duffy returns to talk about opening concepts during the labor crisis, the incentive economy as it relates to recruiting and retaining staff, transparency in leadership and sharing numbers to motivate team members, and treating staff better. Chef Duffy and host David Klemt also discuss food cost increases, themes and menu development, succeeding with to-go...

Lynn House, national spirits specialist and portfolio mixologist for Heaven Hill, drops by Bar Hacks to speak with host David Klemt about the second annual Old Fashioned Week . Elijah Craig is seeking to raise at least $100,000 for the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation , an advocacy and action nonprofit created by and for restaurant workers. Lynn and David also discuss b...

KRG Hospitality president Doug Radkey shares a real-world example that illustrates the importance of staff empowerment , respecting all roles in your organization equally, and clear communication. An empowered staff can assess situations, target problems, and resolve them quickly and smoothly without involving other team members.

Following a milestone like episode 50 is a tough ask but we have the perfect guest for episode 51. Restaurant and bar marketing guru Matt Plapp drops in on the Bar Hacks podcast to share the tips, tactics and strategies that every operator—regardless of experience level or category—needs to implement to supercharge their marketing efforts. The two also discuss his latest book, Restaurant Marketing...

Episode 50! The only way to celebrate such a big milestone is with an incredible guest. We're excited to bring you Travis Tober of Nickel City and Old Pal . Travis and his partners opened the first Nickel City in Austin in 2017. The Forth Worth location opened its doors during the pandemic in October 2020. Travis then opened Old Pal in Lockhart, TX, just a few months ago. In our 50th episode, Trav...

Meet the man who helped Bob Peters light his Garage Bar! Cinematographer Brooks Quinn comes by Bar Hacks to share lighting hacks that will make your photos and videos look professional. Brooks reveals simple money-saving lighting tips and tricks for food and beverage photography and videography; tips for those who want to invest in professional-grade equipment; how to find and hire a pro to take p...

Hurricane Ida has devastated the South, the destruction reaching up through the Northeast. Tales of the Cocktail CEO Eileen Wayner shares how people can help the city of New Orleans and the hospitality professionals who work and live there. These resources include: Turning Tables , Another Round, Another Rally , World Central Kitchen , Imagine Water Works , and House of Tulip . Eileen Wayner and N...

Tales of the Cocktail CEO Eileen Wayner drops by the Bar Hacks podcast with TOTC board member and operator Neal Bodenheimer. This year's upcoming Tales is a hybrid digital/in-person event taking place September 20-23 . Attendees can expect not only informative education sessions and brand activations but also new elements such as the reinvented Spirited Awards and the all-new Diversity Distilled C...

The legend, the icon, the one and only Tony Abou-Ganim stops by Bar Hacks to chat with co-host David Klemt. The two discuss this year's Helen David Relief Fund at the USBG Foundation fundraising events, Helen David and the Brass Rail's legacy, current drink trends, and more. On September 13, Bally's Atlantic City is hosting a 25-mile bike ride to benefit the Helen David Relief Fund that culminates...

The founder of the Valuegraphics Project , David Allison, stops by Bar Hacks to speak with co-host David Klemt about changing how we view the world. Valuegraphics, as the name suggests, studies what we value as humans, going well beyond stereotypical demographics and psychographics. The findings are fascinating and can truly help restaurant, bar and hotel operators understand their guests, what th...

One of the defining elements of the KRG Hospitality process that sets us apart is our in-depth, hands-on feasibility study. This type of study is crucial for several reasons, which KRG president Doug Radkey explains in this insightful bonus episode.

Revered bar pro Bob Peters swings by the Bar Hacks podcast to chat with co-host David Klemt about a wide array of topics: his love-hate relationship with the words "pivot" and "layered"; lessons learned over more than two decades behind the bar; hiring and training bar staff; how he always seems to have the coolest new bar equipment, including the new Ripples 2.0 and Stündenglass gravity smoker; B...

Bar Hacks co-host David Klemt speaks with Ralph James, general manager of Larry Flynt's Hustler Club Las Vegas. One of the leaders in the gentlemen's club space, this Vegas venue is where previous guest Alexis Monroe ( episode 42 ) is a VIP bartender and feature performer. Ralph shares the struggles Hustler Club Las Vegas faced during the height of the pandemic, hiring for staff and management, th...

When Zechariah Lord moved on from his professional football career (he played in the NFL, XFL and AFL), he entered Las Vegas nightlife. Now, he's a partner and the Chief Marketing Officer of upscale and award-winning cannabis dispensary Jardín in Las Vegas. Zechariah and Bar Hacks co-host David Klemt discuss the cannabis industry's many challenges—including taxes and finances—as well as opportunit...

Want to build a badass team? A crucial step is effective onboarding, and a vital element of that process is the Seven Cs. KRG Hospitality president and Bar Hacks co-host Doug Radkey explains each of the Seven Cs and how they'll help you build a winning team. It's interesting how if you take the time to put systems in place and hire the right people, many operational and labor issues seem to disapp...

How often do you discuss finances with your employees? As an operator or manager, an important element of leadership is making sure your team members know about saving money and paying taxes. That's just one topic co-host David Klemt and guest Alexis Monroe discuss on this episode. The two also talk about Alexis featuring dancing at some of the biggest gentlemen's clubs in Las Vegas and across the...

Why should anyone want to work for you? Doug Radkey , president of KRG Hospitality , addresses the labor shortage, putting a stop to using the pandemic as an excuse for struggling to fill jobs, and the disservice you're doing to yourself with generic job ads. Doug provides tips for supercharging your job listings, winning the war for talent, creating an onboarding process, and building a diverse a...

David Peterson, general manager at the Las Vegas location of Dueling Axes, drops in to discuss what sets this axe-throwing business apart from the competition with Bar Hacks co-host David Klemt. Peterson talks with David about this unique venue located inside a larger one-of-a-kind venue, Area15. Axe throwing has proven to be wildly popular (and therefore profitable) and Dueling Axes Las Vegas, me...

We're excited to present episode 40! For the big four-oh we speak with Trevor Schneider, the United States Reyka Vodka brand ambassador. Trevor shares what sets Reyka apart from other vodkas and brands, lessons learned during a career in which he worked at several types of bars throughout New York City, surviving the weeds with the Bartender Ballet, his preferred Espresso Martini recipe, vodka inf...

KRG Hospitality president Doug Radkey addresses leading an inclusive operation. To do so successfully, you need to go beyond the starting point of hiring people with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles.

Anthony "Terry" Bohlinger, national brand ambassador for new William Grant & Sons whiskey brand Fistful of Bourbon , drops by Bar Hacks . Terry talks with podcast co-host David Klemt about launching a brand during a pandemic, representing an irreverent brand that doesn't take itself too seriously, the hilarious videos Fistful of Bourbon created to introduce the brand, lessons learned during hi...

Bar Hacks host David Klemt sits down with Rahul Faria, president of One Oak Construction operating out of Ontario, Canada. One Oak specializes in restaurant construction and Rahul is also the host of his own podcast, Build Our Future . Rahul shares red flags to be aware of when selecting a contractor, tips for the construction process, building green and other construction trends he's seeing, and...

Karl got his start in hospitality as a busser. He worked his up through every role, at one point investing in a restaurant in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Ultimately, he would become an interior designer who specializes in restaurants, QSRs, hotels and senior living. Karl, now a partner at Hager Design International , stopped by Bar Hacks to chat with host David Klemt about his journey in h...

Global Ambassador and engaging educator for storied brand Hennessy, Jordan Bushell, swings by Bar Hacks to chat with host David Klemt. When he attended a bartending class with a buddy he had no idea it would lead to celebrating three major Hennessy milestones over the course of a decade. The two talk about Master Blender's Selection No. 4, how to share Cognac knowledge with bar teams and consumers...

Knowing that you don't know it all opens up your world and makes you a better leader. There's a reason big brands and successful entrepreneurs view problems as opportunities to learn. KRG Hospitality president Doug Radkey explains how seeking out knowledge, experiences and opportunities to learn makes you a better operator, keeps you sharp, helps you better relate to and mentor others, and improve...