Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

In this episode with Chef Elizabeth Wiley, we discuss: Being mindful about how you make people feel.  How hollering and being an shithead doesn't serve you or your team.  How being more organized makes working more fun.  Incorporating a debriefing.   The importance of knowing yourself.  Learning and leveraging a unique skill as point of entry into the industry.  Being positive to attract onto your...

  In this episode with Chef Anthony T Head, we discuss: How Chef Head got into cooking. How cooking can be used to heal. The benefits of working for a restaurant hat has just opened.  Having the freedom to fail.  The role humility plays as a chef. Having high standards. Why serving your guest should be an intimate experience.  The value of educating your team. Using media to educate your guest. Us...

  In this episode with Shane Anderson, we discuss: Having a "just do it" mentality. Mission driven operations. Letting your intentions be known. Being a part of your community to create opportunities. Existing to create change. Charging enough for your product or service. Constantly evolving and getting better. Taking items off your menu if they're under performing or require too much manpower to...

  In this episode with Eric Soller, we discuss: The significance of positive reinforcement. Using systems to develop attention to detail. Problems being meant for solving; not for getting in your way.  Empowering your team so you can gain work-life-balance.  How to leverage Pareto's Princle (aka the 80/20 rule).  Relentless pursuit for improvement. Not systematizing your restaurant at the expense...

In this episode with Thad and Jessica Kittrell, we discuss: How Thad and Jess got into the industry. Leading by example. Acknowledging your people when they are good at what they do.  Knowing you're only as good as your people. Focusing too much on the numbers and not enough on your people leading to failure.  Taking jobs to learn specific skills.  Using systems, and checklists to stay organized....

In this episode with Jeni Britten Bauer, we discuss: Your name being more than just letters and sounds; your know is your reputation.  Don't take no for an answer. Keep trying. How Jeni got her start making Ice Cream. Starting small.  Collaborating with your community and cross branding products.  Continuous improvement. Why you need to be consistent to develop loyalty.   Hand picking the people y...

In this episode with Zach Weprin, we discuss:  How growth comes from living in that place of discomfort.  How Fusian came to be.  The process of opening a restaurant with ZERO experience.  Leveraging technology in place of skilled positions to streamline processes.  Acting like a national brand; even if you're not.  How giving your guest fewer options serve both the operation and the guest.  Using...

In this episode with Krystle Mobayeni, Co-Founder and CEO of BentoBox , we discuss: Constant never-ending improvement. Why Krystal went into business for herself. What it was about the restaurant industry that drew Krystal in. How restaurant websites and BentoBox, in particular, have evolved over the years. How BentoBox makes it possible to invest in fewer 3rd party tools. The importance of good p...

  In this episode with Jeff Excell and Lauren Culley, we discuss: Chasing happy. Living with the intent to learn and grow. Being mindful of being a "jerk barista". Focusing less on the product and more on the people purchasing the product. Asking for what you want. Creating a culture of teamwork and pride in your work. How to get FOH and BOH to work together. Setting the professional standard. Cre...

  In this episode with Chris Doody, we discuss: The significance of surrounding yourself the best. Giving people a shot. Having fun at work. Success being contagious. The power of recognizing your people by name. Giving loyalty before receiving loyalty. Having a partner that balances you well. Tips for taking over a failing restaurant. Letting cashflow determine you success. The importance of stay...

  In this episode with David Scott Peters we discuss: How your menu is like the heart of your business. How menu engineerING all starts with menu costing cards. What a yield test is. Factoring in spice/consumable. Using batch recipes. Using software in place of continuing updating recipe cards. What is meant by a weight average. Why being great at a few things, is more impactful and profitable tha...

In my 2nd interview with Cameron ( click her to listener to the first episode ) we discuss: How to create win-win situations. How loyalty drives partnerships. How building your reputation is continual work. Serving your community by paying it forward with your knowledge. Examples of how Cameron Mitchel is paying it forward. Cameron Mitchell is CEO and founder of  Cameron Mitchell Restaurants , hea...

In this episode with Troy Allen, we discuss:  Putting yourself in uncomfortable positions.  How marketing and branding starts with your audience. How to deliver your personal brand to an audience.  Getting clear about what your brand attributes are.  Why Troy Allen developed the 16 Bit brand. Finding concepts that exist in the world and doing them better.  What makes for a successful bar-cade. How...

 In this episode with Jonathan Plowright, we discuss: The power behind knowing you can choose how you respond to the world around you. Typsy's mission to empower restaurant owners, operators and professionals. The story behind Typsy. The increasing trend of sharing knowledge online. How younger generation learn better with multimedia versus the traditional operations handbook. The impact and benef...

In this episode with Joe Deloss, we discuss:  Creating Social change with your business. The concept that your idea is bigger than any one person on the team. How the idea for Hot Chicken Takeover came into frame. The benefits of hiring people with a criminal record.  Starting with the end experience you want to create and working back from there when developing your brand. Starting where you can....

  In this episode with Chef Brian Pekarcik, we discuss: How the team dynamic of a kitchen filled the void after Pekarcik's baseball dreams ended. Making your employees feel valued. If you want to be the best you need to work for the best. Taking a step back in position, if it means being on a better team. Planning each day out to increase productivity. Being the standard you want your team to live...

Don't forget to check out Part 1 In this episode with Chef Justin Severino we discuss: What it was like for Severino owning is first restaurant, Cure. What Severino meant by "opening his restaurant for himself" during the Anthony Bourdain, Parts Unknown Feature. The process of evolving Cure's physical space. The process of evolving Cure's people.  Not lowering the standard for the people you hire....

  In this episode with Chef Justin Severino we discuss:  The power of a team working to serve the same mission. Speaking up if you need help. How school helped Severino stay on one path. Taking a job for what you're going to learn.  Pushing your driven team members to their limit, for the sake of their personal growth.  Being Fair.  Food values.  How being good doesn't mean shit... if you can't ma...

In this episode with Raji Sankar, we discuss: Freedom by way of discipline.  Anything being possible. The story behind Choolaah. Creating jobs where people meet their full potential. Buying into a franchise model to learn the business. What Raji learned from operating a 5 Guys Burgers and Fries franchise. The result of growing too fast and desperately. Not sacrificing your values. Growing slowly o...

In this episode with Chef Keith Fuller, we discuss how the people of this industry are what drew him in, establishing a culture of continuous work, never saying no to your guest, getting rid of the friends who pull you in the wrong direction, how being a dick gets you nowhere, properly pricing menus, being careful with media, the depression that comes with closing a restaurant, what makes a good p...

In this episode with Chef Bill Fuller, we discuss: how Chef Fuller got his start in the industry, where the culture of being "hard" in the restaurant industry comes from, correcting the behavior, not the person, as sous, how to handle an executive chef that is less qualified than you,  being mindful of your mood and how you influence those around you,  the impact of promoting from within, transiti...

  In this episode with Mikey Sorboro, we discuss how he got his start in hospitality with a pedicab service; building momentum with low-cost/low-risk opportunities, using youtube to learn; the dynamics of a 3-way partnership; why trust and common goals are the glue to any partnership; how systems and processes are critical to your freedom and expansion; diversifying with bar kitchens, corporate ve...

In this episode with Joe Fontana, we discuss the power of small daily improvements, how it all begins with making the choice to start, what Joe loves about the industry, advice on recruiting/staffing team members, finding and following your why, finding a mentor, how to start a business plan, going to experts for help, testing your concept with popups, setting up a successful Kickstarter campaign,...

In this episode with Brian and Brad Wasik, we discuss the history of Wasik's Cheese Shop, what growing up in a family cheese shop was like, never "aim an unloaded gun", the results of treating the assistants, secretaries, and truck drivers of the world well, changing and evolving with time, improving with every day, taking care of your people being the most important thing, having the same common...

In this episode with Dave Allred, we discuss how he got his start in the industry, always growing, creating habits, listening to your employees, the importance of standards, not standardizing personality, making sure your managers care, how franchises and corporations limit creativity, becoming an expert, empowering your team with system, the 10 steps of customer service, the difference between ru...