The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki Soyturk sits down with restaurateur, consultant, and author Mike Bausch. Known for founding Andolini’s Pizzeria, Mike shares the story of inventing“Tulsa style pizza” and growing his concepts into multiple thriving operations across Oklahoma. Mike opens up about the hard-earned lessons of scaling a restaurant business and discusses the...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk sits down with Kevin Moll, founder of Restaurant Consulting Services, Inc. Kevin brings over four decades of experience to the table, offering deep insights into the challenges, myths, and realities of running an independent restaurant. From outlining the "Rule of Thirds" — a sobering look at restaurant survival rates — to...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line Podcast , host Naki Soyturk sits down with Arita Matini, co-founder of Sweet Leaf Café — a family-owned fast-casual brand with six thriving locations in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Arita shares her entrepreneurial journey from studying interior design to opening her first restaurant in McLean, Virginia during the 2009 recession. She reveals...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki sits down with Brooks Bassler, founder of BB’s Tex-Orleans, to unpack the origin story and explosive growth of one of Houston’s most beloved restaurant brands. Brooks shares how his Southern roots and experiences in the restaurant industry inspired him to launch the first location with no menu, just a drive to build something unique for lat...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line , Naki Soyturk sits down with Shawn Walchef, founder of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media. What started as a single-location barbecue restaurant in San Diego has evolved into a national brand and thought leader in hospitality tech and digital storytelling. Shawn shares the philosophy behind turning every restaurant into a media company, breaking down h...

Send us Fan Mail Fred Castellucci, founder of Castellucci Hospitality Group, didn't just build a restaurant business; he built an empire on grit. He started by reviving a failed family restaurant with a $10,000 handshake loan and went on to launch his flagship, The Iberian Pig, with a negative bank account, a stolen budget, and a chaotic opening night where 200 unexpected guests showed up. Ye...

Send us Fan Mail How does a recent college grad turn a simple European street food into a thriving six-location brand in the heart of New York City? Annalee Schlossberg, founder of Bel Fries, reveals the strategy behind her fast-growing french fry empire. Inspired by the "frit shops" of Belgium, Annalee didn't just copy a concept—she perfected it for the American market with 16 arti...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk speaks with Seth and Shem Hannemann of Seven Brothers Burgers—a family-run restaurant born in Laie, Hawaii, that’s now spreading the spirit of aloha across the mainland U.S. The brothers share how their father’s uncompromising vision for quality and their family's deep-rooted faith turned a tiny, "hole-in-the-wall" sp...

Send us Fan Mail Episode Summary In this episode of The Bottom Line, your host Naki Soyturk sits down with Joe Fontana, the founder of the wildly successful Chicago-based restaurant group, Fry the Coop. Joe shares the unfiltered story of his journey, starting with the financial pressure that pushed him to leave his corporate job and chase a dream in the restaurant industry. With no money of his ow...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk sits down with Jessie and Ed Kileen, the husband-and-wife duo behind Grassburger, a growing fast casual brand that fuses sustainability, values-driven leadership, and operational discipline. The Kileen’s share their journey building a burger concept with a conscience. They source 100% grass-fed, U.S.-raised beef from regenerative, h...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki Soyturk sits down with Ric Gruber Jr., the attorney-turned-entrepreneur who brought Neapolitan-style pizza to Chicagoland 20 years ago—and never looked back. Ric shares how he and his family bootstrapped Billy   one unique wood-fired oven into a powerful regional brand with seven stores, seven food trucks, and a growing catering operat...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk welcomes Matt Molaski and Rich Dunham from MarginEdge—the industry’s “Swiss Army knife” for inventory, invoice processing, and restaurant cost control. They break down the biggest myths about inventory, why most operators get stuck in spreadsheet chaos, and how MarginEdge helps transform back-office pain into profit. You’ll hear abo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk sits down with Greg Provance—restaurant consultant, former operator, and the founder of GP Hospitality Partner —to talk about the real challenges and rewards of growing a restaurant business today. Greg shares lessons from his own journey, why so many owners stay stuck at one or two units, and how mastering the basics (not chasing t...

Send us Fan Mail Key Quote: "You don’t need to lose your soul to grow—but you do need systems." — Pete Boniface In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki Soyturk sits down with Pete Boniface, co-founder of Yampa Sandwich Company, to dissect what it takes to build and sustain a thriving restaurant business for 25 years. Pete shares the philosophy behind Yampa’s longevity, including ho...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Bottom Line , host Naki sits down with Antonio Gambino, co-founder of Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks, to unpack the real strategies behind one of Minnesota’s fastest-growing restaurant brands. Antonio shares his story, from growing up in a family of pizzeria owners to launching multiple concepts for new restaurants. He explains how he modernized the cheesestea...