Matty Smokes (Matt Vascellaro) — chef, pitmaster, and restaurant owner

What’s On Fire Podcast w/ Matty Smokes

Business EN ↓ 6 episodes

Step inside the fire with Matty Smokes, chef, pitmaster, and restaurant owner, as he sits down with the people who live and breathe hospitality. From restaurant buildouts to breakdowns, menu design to leadership lessons, every episode uncovers the real stories behind the chaos, creativity, and courage it takes to run a hospitality business. Whether you’re dreaming of opening your first bar or managing a multi-unit operation, What’s On Fire gives you the insights, inspiration, and strategies that keep this industry burning.

Author

Matty Smokes (Matt Vascellaro) — chef, pitmaster, and restaurant owner

Episodes

Restaurant Startup Chaos: Permits, Staffing, Cash Flow with Don McCalla 10.02.2026 38:59

Opening a restaurant can crush you before the first guest ever walks in, permits, inspections, surprise buildout costs, and cash flow pressure that doesn’t care about your vision. In this episode, Matty Smokes sits down with Don McCalla, a CPA and equipment service operator who opened The Guest House Bistro in Levittown, New York. Don brings a rare operator perspective: he understands numbers, bui...

Opening a Restaurant: The Buildout Truth Nobody Tells with Chris Horvath 03.02.2026 45:27

If you’re opening a restaurant (or stuck mid-buildout), this episode is your reality check. Builder, designer, and operator Chris Horvath breaks down what actually makes a restaurant build succeed—budget discipline, fast decision-making, and knowing the hidden costs before you sign a lease. Matt sits down with Chris, a Long Island design-build veteran with 43+ years in the game and a portfolio tha...

Family Business Mastery: San Pedro Fish Market’s Restaurant Secrets with Michael Ungaro 27.01.2026 38:58

Dive into the world of hospitality innovation with this episode of "What’s On Fire with Matty Smokes," featuring Michael Ungaro, the driving force behind the legendary San Pedro Fish Market. As one of the most iconic family-run restaurants in the country, San Pedro Fish Market has become a beacon for restaurant startups, bar owners, and hospitality leaders seeking to master the art of sc...

From Finance to Cannolis: Building a Dessert Brand with Brandyn Williams 20.01.2026 23:27

Hospitality isn’t glamorous, it’s relentless. In this episode of What’s On Fire with Matty Smokes, we sit down with Brandyn Williams, co-founder of Dolce Bella, to break down what it really takes to build and scale a successful restaurant brand in today’s market. Brandyn’s journey started far from cannolis. After working in finance at Northwell Health, he made a bold leap into hospitality, first t...

Staff, Guests and Sanity: Real Talk for Restaurant Owners with Michael Cassano 13.01.2026 57:31

What happens when you walk away from Wall Street, blow your last $30,000 on a dive bar, and somehow turn it into a $30,000-a-week bistro? In this episode of What’s On Fire with Matty Smokes , Michael Cassano, longtime restaurateur and owner of American Beauty restaurants, breaks down the real math, emotion, and chaos behind building and closing restaurants. Michael walks us through his journey fro...

Pool Halls, Bar Fights & Building Business with Brad Turner 01.01.2026 41:18

Ever dreamt of opening a bar, pool hall, or restaurant and living the hospitality dream? In this episode of What’s On Fire with Matty Smokes , Matt sits down with longtime friend and former boss Brad Turner, who left IT sales to open an upscale billiard lounge and bar in Island Park, New York. Brad breaks down the real side of restaurant and bar startups: negotiating leases, dealing with zoning an...