Restaurant Rockstars Podcast

Episode #122 - Mr. Ian Maksik is a true hospitality “legend” and tireless industry innovator. He’s been called “America’s Service Guru & Professor of Service”. Imagine rising from the kitchen of his family’s humble Brooklyn restaurant at age 4 to professional waiter, manager, event planner, caterer and restaurateur. Remarkably Ian will share how his family transformed their early hot dog stand int...

Episode #121 - One simple word can transform your staff and your business, creating sales and service magic! This one idea may be the most powerful change you make that creates an unstoppable brand and culture within your restaurant. Give today’s episode a listen as Thea and I share the “key” to truly dominating your competition. All it takes is a game plan, consistency and a passion to deliver am...

Episode #120 - The Help Wanted Sign is Dead! There I’ve said it. I’ve always believed that the Help Wanteds are a great way to find someone else’s problems and just because you need a new hire, the wrong person won’t be doing your business any favors. I learned long ago that a C-Player can absolutely sabotage your customer’s experience and your business. Don’t let it happen to you. So here’s a par...

Episode #119 - Why would you spend money on traditional advertising when you can build an unstoppable brand from the inside out? Heres a TWIST many restaurants miss. There are so many ways you can leverage your restaurant’s LOGO while promoting everything that’s special about your place… and don’t forget your restaurant’s unique “Hooks”. Give a listen to today’s episode as Thea and I riff on the p...

Episode #118 - It's rare that a restaurant training idea really blows me away, but this one is pretty AMAZING. Today’s episode is all about Innovation & Empowerment… This powerful combination is helping a Massachusetts restaurant energize its staff, drive new business and take teamwork to a whole new dimension. Your team represent your brand and make or break your operation. Once you hire a great...

Episode #117 - Most restaurants want to turn their tables over and over, but again this one has so much space, they just keep packing them in and keeping them.  So what keeps them busy? EXPERIENCES!   On top of a James Beard Award-Winning Chef and lots of menu variety for both food and drink, this place serves up lots of FUN! Check this out. Here’s a place taking major cities by storm and growing...

I’ve started multiple concepts… some Rock N Rolled right from the get-go. Another needed a total about face and re-branding, while yet another never really got legs and I had to sell it. Point is, there are thousands of details that play into the concept of a restaurant. These details determine whether you catch the public’s imagination, their dining dollar and repeat business, tread water or poss...

Episode #115 - This critical ingredient of any successful long-term brand is something found in every restaurant, but it just comes down to whether we choose to maximize its potential or Not! This decision either leads to stellar success or in some cases, dismal failure. Give this episode a listen. I’m talking about the perfect synergy between building your brand, fostering an unstoppable company...

Epsidode #114 - The headlines today are all too common… Declining Sales and Profits, Labor hard to come by, heavy Competition. The restaurant business is difficult and getting harder every day. But its not just about survival, its about creating and sustaining a lasting legacy. Doing that means building a powerful brand, but more importantly staying relevant in a changing industry and changing wor...

Inspiration and Opportunity are always around the next corner. Imagine you’re living in a foreign country and suddenly the lightbulb goes off. “I love this food, everyone loves this food… I could sell this anywhere”! Next thing you know, you’re setting up shop to test your concept and you’ve got a line around the corner.. Is your idea a temporary trend or a unique new cuisine you can take across t...

Episode #112 - Today’s episode brings you powerhouse Chef, Television Personality, Consultant and Industry Innovator Chef David Burke who needs no introduction. Chef Burke has cooked around the globe in countless countries, has been influenced and mentored by some of the most talented and highly recognized chefs and has opened numerous restaurants in major cities. He continues to push the envelope...

Episode #111 - The restaurant business is never static. To be truly successful, you need to be ever-vigilant for new opportunities and have the ability to instantly capture this opportunity before its gone forever. Case in point: When you’re running restaurants you’re worried about cash flow, training your people, marketing, service & sales and 1000 other critical details to not only succeed, but...

Episode #110 - There are many ways to manage a team. There are leaders, there are managers and everything in between. Successful operators know instinctively that our people are the cornerstone of our business and determine the ultimate customer experience. This in turn determines our success or potential failure. It all begins with how we hire, nurture and develop our team. Once this is in place,...

Staying ahead of the competition, having a vision and finding new ways to increase customer excitement, loyalty and sales is why we’re in business. Its what keeps us going everyday in a highly competitive industry. Unless your place is Rockin and Rolling, what’s the point? Talking about vision, some ideas have great potential and others may never fly, but the one’s that do may launch your restaura...

Episode #108 - I’m all about building a “Brand” and not running a restaurant… going a bit further. I advocate being an entrepreneur, not a restaurant owner. With that said, one of the most powerful brand-builders I know (not to mention staff pleasers) is creating several “Big Events” throughout the year around holidays and big sports events. Whether you have a food truck or a full-serve restaurant...

Episode #107 - Yikes! It's tax crunch time!! What do you need to do throughout the year to put your business in the best tax position before you file. Many of you may be last minute filers and you can still get the job done. But if not, no worries… know that you have until September to file an extension. If you do, you can still take full advantage of all the advice in today’s episode. Listen to M...

Episode #106 - Its no secret, I’m all about dominating the competition! That’s the fun part… a big reason to be in business and that’s what separates the business owners from the entrepreneurs. We’ve all been to those rockin restaurants that have the triple combination of food, service and ambiance. You know, you can feel the magic going on and usually there’s a long wait for a table no matter wha...

Episode #105 Its no secret that your staff hold the “key” to your restaurant’s success.. Whether you run a food truck, coffee shop or sit down place, your team are either building your brand or giving customers reasons to visit your competitors. We all been to those restaurants that are just firing on all cylinders… the place is alive, fun and staff are shining. Let’s call this staff magic. You’ll...

Episode #104 - My wife and I have restaurant conversations all the time.  
Usually, its about a recent dining experience we shared.  We usually agree on the service received, but not always on the establishment’s execution of the critical details.  
 There is no magic formula for restaurant success and certainly no crystal ball to predict the future.  
Sometimes its a matter of opportunity, luck,...

Epsiode #103 - In my book, there are three “Foundational Fundamentals” to running a successful, highly profitable restaurant or hospitality enterprise. Much like the foundation of a building, they are each supportive and reliant upon each other for maximum strength. I rank these three in order of importance as follows: 1) Staff Development, Training, Recognition and Rewards: Your staff are the cor...

I travel the country often, have many opportunities to dine out and formulate many personal opinions. Ambiance usually plays a huge factor in how I first choose a restaurant whether driving by or googling a cuisine, the vibe matters to me. Once I walk in the door and get past the atmosphere, I pay close attention to the interaction I receive from the front of house team, because I am quite biased...

Two “key-foundations” for any successful business are offering Paramount Service and true “Value for the Dollar” with consistency every customer, every time. Unfortunately, missing one or both combined is all too common in service businesses. The end-result is that both the customer experience and the business’ cash register suffer the consequences. This past weekend, my young daughters and I trav...

Episode #100!! WOW guys, this is our 100th episode of the podcast. Its amazing its been 2 1/2 years and there is still so much depth to our industry and so more to bring you. Service, Finance, Marketing & Operations tips to help you Rock Your Restaurant! Thank you so much for your kind words and appreciation. You have to listen to this Big 100 podcast. I have known Mr. Fred Forsley for over 20 yea...

Episode #99 - In the restaurant business, SERVICE is UNIVERSAL. It all comes down to the people you hire, develop & train and the experiences you provide your customer. It doesn't matter if you have a full-serve restaurant with table service, a food truck or a quick-serve concept with a drive through and counter service, the bottom line is the guest experience. Its plain and simple. To be truly su...

Episode #98 - I’m sure you remember the Kevin Costner film “Field of Dreams” and the famous line “If you build it, they will come”. But, in the world of running restaurants, the reality is “If you build it, your work is just beginning”. I work with many new restaurant owners and sometimes I am surprised by their approach and understanding of what it means to be a business owner or further, what it...