Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Robert Mescolotto is the Founder and Owner of Hospitality Construction Services , who specializes in building Michelin Star and Bib Gourmand Star restaurants in DC. They work very closely with the chef/owner to discuss their needs and provide value engineering and other solutions for delivering unbelievable spaces on time and under budget. Today we're here to discuss three topics: 1) How to Select...

In 2003, Paul and Carol Huntsberger purchased Quality Seafood Market from Same Eaves. Under Paul and Carol, the restaurant blossomed from a fried food kitchen into a place where families could gather to enjoy fresh seafood.  In 2010 Carol become the sole proprietor of Quality Seafood Market. Under the Leadership of Carol Huntsberger, Quality Seafood Market has continued expanded it's walls, added...

In 1988, Sharon Watkins closed her Austin ad agency and purchased a defunct little dive, Chez Fred. Her vision was to combine the delectable delights of an old-world bakery with the convivial cuisine of an American-style bistro. She kept the old restaurant's sign, bought a vowel and a 'Z', and in 1989 the newly-christened Chez Zee opened its doors. Their whimsical restaurant has been charming Aust...

  Today we're here to discuss partnerships. Specifically, how to enter partnerships and protect everyone's interests. We'll explore two verticals: 1) strictly financial partners; and 2) partners who will be working in the business with you. You may remember, I recently had Jason Boso on the show . During that interview, Boso stressed the importance of finding a lawyer to help you protect your inte...

Originating from Cypress, TX, Chef Nic Yanes kicked off his hospitality career working FOH while in high school. It wasn't until college when the transition to BOH was made. Yanes went out to study Culinary Arts at Western Culinary Institute. Between 2004 and 20011, Yanes bounced between Dallas TX and Portland Oregon fine tuning his craft. In 2012, found himself in Austin, TX taking on the role of...

Hailing from Fort Worth, TX  Matthew Bolick eventually found his way to Austin were he began working in cafes. While working as a barista at Frank Restaurant, Bolick met Matt and Grady Wright, who were working in the tech and construction industries. Rather naturally, the three started  the conversation around opening their own coffee shop and beer bar some day. In 2012, Bolick left Frank to join...

Nathan Lemley grew up in Katy, TX and attended the The Art Institution of Houston. After graduation, Lemley worked in some of Houston finest restaurants before making the move to Austin where he accept the position of Chef de Cuisine at the newly opened Foreign & Domestic. He spent the next few years traveling and staging across the country, before connecting with Chef Shawn Cirkiel at Parkside on...

Hailing from Houston, TX, Ben Sabin is a Graduate of Edwards University where studied Communication, Advertising, PR, and Marketing. A few years after graduation Sabin did some independent contracting before bartending and managing at the Whip In. Sabin spent the next 5 years serving Thirsty Planet Brewing Company in numerous roles. In 2015 Sabin joined forces with friend and business partner Devo...

Sarah Heard split her time growing up between Conroe and Lockhart, TX. In high schools a way to pay for her first car, she started working at a local restaurant and immediately fell in love with the industry. A few years after, Heard was hired as an executive sous chef at The Mansion at Judges Hill in Austin, Texas, and it has been peddle to the metal ever since. Heard went on to manage kitchens w...

Today, we're here to do a deep dive into the on-boarding process and why standards are so important. By the end of this conversation you'll know what the on boarding process done right looks like.  To lead the discussion I've welcomed back on the show, Harlan Scott. Scott is the founder of  Harlan Scott Hospitality , where he helps people make their dreams profitable and scalable, simultaneously i...

Hailing from Buffalo, NY, Travis came to Austin, TX by way of West Palm Beach, FL and Los Vegas, NV. It was in West Palm Beach where he truly become a professional while working at TGI Fridays. Tober Settled in Austin for good in 2011, where he continued to refine his skill and build his resume at The Four Seasons. In addition, Tober has consulted on beverage programs at Ruth's Chris Steak House,...

Hailing form Austin, TX, Chef Philip Speer fell in love with cooking sweets at a young age. His professional career built momentum at Jean-Luc's Bistro, and Jean George Vongerichten's Bank. In 2005, Speer took the role of Pastry Chef at Uchi in Austin, which is when his career really started to accelerate. Speer would climb the latter to serve as Culinary Director for the Uchi Restaurant Group. It...

Zane and Brandon Hunt hail from Detroit, MI. They came to Austin, almost 10 years ago with the idea to open a pizza joint. In 2011 they started where they could, with a mobile food trailer they named Via 313 Pizza. Their vision was to offer the first Detroit style option outside of Detroit. It didn't take long for their native Detroit style pizza to take center stage within the Austin community. O...

  In the summer of 2000, owner Leslie Martin took her passion for the artsy cafe and love of the service industry and started Bouldin Creek Cafe in a 700 square foot shack. 18 years later Bouldin Creek remains one of the most popular vegetarian restaurants in the country, employs 95 people, supports animal and human rights organizations, promotes local artists, and works hard to be as eco-friendly...

Brooke Greer, a Dallas native & graduate of Baylor University in Waco, moved to Austin in 2004. After working in sales and crafting her management skills in customer-service,  Greer founder her calling in events-planning. Over the years she's worked for Austin's Word of Mouth Catering, and Olive & June. In 2014 Ben Edgerton, Owner of Contigo Restaurant , approach Greer with the opportunity to run...

  Graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Justin Elliot spent his formative years bartending around New York City's Boroughs. Since returning to his home state, Elliott has become one of the most prominent, respected bartenders, operators, and consultants in Texas. Having done turns  at MIDNIGHT COWBOY, as the Head Bartender at QUI (where he was named Eater Austin's 2014 Bartender of the Ye...

Chefs Jason Boso & Quincy Hart met in culinary school, after jobs as stock brokers and telephone line repair men. After paying their dues working the line at The Four Seasons & Pappas Bros, Jason & Quincy finally opened Twisted Root Burger Co . in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas, Texas in 2006. While Twisted Root Burger Co. has seen incredible growth, (19 location in total) Jason & Quincy ha...

Hailing from a family of chefs, Michael Serpa grew up in the restaurant industry living between Miami and Pennsylvania. After dropping political science at Penn State Serpa attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.  In New York, Michael connected with the Olives NY group and worked under chef Michael Crain and eventually would make his way to Boston to work at Olives in Charlest...

Hailing from North Andover, MA Matty Bailey got his start in the industry as a line cook. He would go on to Columbus Hospitality Group and Garrett Harker's family of restaurants. It was at Row 34 where Matty met his to be partner, Kristopher Crowell, and realized something in the draught systems world had to change. In 2016 Modern Draught was born. Show notes… Favorite success quote or mantra: "Pe...

Haley Fortier & Kristie Weiss bring over a 20 years of restaurant experience combined. Haley came up through the Laundry Group and the Barbra Lynch Gruppo. Kristie by way of the Yard House, Blue Ginger, Alta Strada, and No. 9. Park. In 2016 the two came together by fait, a broken ankle, and coffee. Haley was in search of the perfect partner and Kristie was looking for a change. The two joined forc...

Before being one of the most influential Chefs in Portland, ME, Chef Rob Evans was following the family trade of being a electrician. The calling of the kitchen was just too loud. He would go on to work at Goose Cove Lodge, The Inn at Little Washington, and The French Laundry. Evans returned to Portland's restaurant scene in 2000, when he and his wife, Nancy Pugh, took over  Hugo's . In 2009, Rob...

    Today we're here to discuss the 5 most overlooked elements in restaurant design.  Today we're speaking with Belinda O'Kelly and David Kasprak. The Question: What are The 5 most overlooked elements in restaurant design? Belinda and David are behind O'Kelly Kasprak, a full service architecture, interior design and project management firm known for bringing a hospitality perspective to all types...

  Hailing from NJ, Karen Akunowicz started her career as a cook at the beloved Ten Tables restaurant in Jamaica Plain. She would go on to cook at Via Matta in Boston's Back Bay where she met restaurateur, and future business partner Christopher Myers. After living and cooking in Italy for a year, Akunowicz returned to Boston to continue working for the city's finest restaurants, including Meyers +...

  As far back as he can remember, Michael Cooney has always enjoyed being around small business owners. Growing up in a big Irish family, Cooney was no stranger to good food either, as there was plenty of home cooking. Cooney wouldn't REALLY understand food until he moved to California, where he worked for the Malibu Group. Cooney would return to Boston and work for Public House and Sorriso. It wa...

  Hailing from Amesbury, MA, Jeffrey Fournier got his start in the restaurant industry working in Los Angeles, CA. Fournier would return to Massachusetts where he would spend 8 years working under Lydia Shire in her Boston restaurants before he took the role of Executive Chef for the Metropolitan Club. In January, 2007, Fournier opened his first independent restaurant, 51 Lincoln in Newton, MA. wh...