The Cutting Onions Podcast

This is Part 2 of my conversation with author, chef, and hospitality consultant Andrew Craig. We ended Part 1 talking about how important being inclusive is, investing in the next generation, and developing those leaders at a high level. We pick up Part 2 discussing why culture is important and we have such a great conversation about leadership, core values, living your vision, and also what Andre...

This is a bonus episode where I highlight a meeting I co-lead once a month with a group of leaders in Austin, TX. This short teaching piece is from the Emergent Leader Initiative where we work with leaders who are building something and creating economic value. Using the Builder Profile curriculum from Gallup, we are trying to help change the national dialogue from “What do you do? (The question a...

Welcome to the Cutting Onions Podcast with Bobby Shaw, where we Celebrate Culture that Develops Leaders. This is Episode 9. In today’s episode I sit down with author, chef, and hospitality consultant, Andrew Craig for Part 1 of a great conversation. From working as a prep cook to General Manager, to business owner and successful hospitality consultant, Andrew has built a career with a proven track...

Today’s interview is with Myles Gift, Director of Operations of a Five Guys Franchise in Las Vegas. Myles is all about people development and understands team building at such an organic level. He embodies the people first philosophy that all great leaders have. Myles grew up in Mid-Missouri at the Lake of the Ozark’s where he was heavily into sports and that is where his leadership attributes sta...

Welcome to the Cutting Onions Podcast with Bobby Shaw, Episode #7. In today’s podcast I speak with founder, owner, consultant, and restaurant expert, Paul Tran. Paul has an amazing background from starting his first restaurant, The Cajun Corner, as a college student in 2005 to his 10 year run with Fransmart as Senior Director of Development, to his 5 years as an exclusive franchisee for the Halal...

This episode is Part 2 of the conversation with Damon Biggins. We ended the conversation with Damon last week as he was opening Paris for Chipotle. 
This week we pick up with Damon’s return to the US, how that transition looked for him, finding his passion again after leaving Chipotle, and the cosmic reset that helped him realize that everything he had learned, taught, and done still mattered.

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Damon Biggins for Part 1 of a two-part conversation where we discuss his amazing career, creating a culture, reproducing that culture internationally, and why culture matters. In this wide-ranging conversation, Damon discusses his start in the restaurant business with McDonald’s and how that took him to a little known burrito joint in Austin, TX back in 2003...

As I began to interview leaders for my Cutting Onions Podcast, my wife wisely told me I should explain why I am doing this podcast. So, three interviews in, here we go. This is a 3-minute explanation about why I started this podcast and what I hope happens a result. Early feedback has been good and I'm grateful to have this platform to elevate other leaders who have done amazing work around buildi...

I had a chance to sit down with Kyle Hamilton at Rye Leawood for a great meal and great conversation. We talked culture, how restaurant leadership skills are transferable to any industry, how he could put the right person with a hotdog stand out on Johnson Drive in Mission, KS and make a million dollars (I believe him!) and a whole lot more. Kyle talks about the moment he realized he wanted to be...

I had a great time chatting with Danny Azzarello, co-founder of CRACK'D Kitchen & Coffee in Andover, MA. Danny's restaurant story started at age 10 when he worked in his aunt's restaurant, which is where he fell in love with the business. For Danny, restaurants are family and in this conversation, you will hear his commitment to building culture organically, creating opportunities for his team and...

Matt Mitchell, a 37-year burger flipper, former McDonald's executive, and current Culver's franchisee, shares inspiration and real-world experience around a wide range of topics, including building a strong people culture, why culture matters, working a lifetime in restaurants and chasing excellence.