Restaurant Rockstars Podcast

You know a really great restaurant the minute you walk in the door. It’s attention to detail, the way you’re greeted and made to feel comfortable, the ambiance, service provided and of course the food & drinks. Hitting all these marks is a continual challenge, but my guests today aren’t missing a beat! In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast. I’m speaking with family operators Joe, Nic...

Pride and passion run deep in the restaurant business no matter the size of the organization. Some may be fulfilled running a single independent restaurant while others aim to grow their concepts to multiple locations. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I speak with Anthony Ackil who co-founded and grew a 70+ unit restaurant chain, then exited to become the Founder of www.streetl...

Everyone is searching for solutions to today’s restaurant “big issues” ie: labor, prices, shortages… In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Sam Zeitz, CEO of www.grubbrr.com Grubbrr offers one such solution with their self-ordering technology and digital restaurant kiosks. Listen on as Sam tells us: - What the “restaurant of the future” looks like - How this technol...

To build a great business, it takes not only a clear vision but a relentless pursuit to stay ahead of your competition. As restaurateurs, we are competitive by nature, and to play our best game, we need to always strive to stay fresh, innovate and dazzle our guests. In this week’s episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Mark Setterington, the Co-Founder and CEO of Island Fin...

A 20+ year run in this business holds hard-won experience and many stories! In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Eric Scheffer of www.thescheffergroup.com. Eric is a true industry leader, visionary, and builder of five dynamic concepts in Asheville, NC. Listen as Eric shares with us: - The “secret sauce” of a truly great restaurant and what it takes to get there -...

I had great success by incentivizing my entire team to strive for maximum performance and guest service. You might say it was my “secret weapon” for over 20 years running restaurants. Now, it’s more important than ever to keep your good people happy and create a culture that attracts new team-players. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Andrew Duffy, the CEO and...

These are crazy times for all of us, and now more than ever it’s up to you to deliver dining experiences that WOW your guest, make them forget their daily routine and give them a memorable escape. This is the “key” to loyalty, repeat business and the pride that comes from making guests happy. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Bob Ray, the C.O.O. of Margaritas a...

Imagine the know-how and experience you would have after building 1,500 restaurants. Would you then have the Golden Touch? In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I speak with Kevin King, President of www.donatos.com, Kevin’s long career has taken him some of the most successful franchises in the business including Dominos, Papa Murphys, Smoothie King and others. Listen on as Kevin te...

An “A-Player” is someone with great personality, stellar product knowledge, a true understanding of service and a strong desire to please the guest. Imagine if your entire team took this approach! In this week’s episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Zaylan Jacobsen. Zaylan is a veteran server, bartender and team leader who saw a gap in staff training and service. He not on...

This is a FUN episode. I’m speaking with a food writer, podcast/ television host and all-around colorful guy Chef Joe Ricchio. He is a big personality around the food scene in the state of Maine, as well as in the culinary world at large. Joe has written for Bon Appetit, The Food Network, The New York Times and has appeared on Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations”. He is all about food trends, new...

As a restaurant leader, your employees need confidence in your post-pandemic plan and to know what their role is in it. During these challenging times, it’s more important than ever to be cognizant of the difference between managing and leading. It’s also critical that you empower your staff versus delegate to them. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast I’m speaking with Matt Rolfe....

Chefs are the “Heart” of the Heart of the House. They run our kitchens, nurture, and develop the skills of prep and line cooks, and most important create and deliver the cuisines that bring guests to our restaurants. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Brandon Boudet, Co-owner and Executive Chef of Little Dom’s of Los Angeles and the new Little Dom’s Seafood in C...

Hospitality defines our business and delivering amazing guest experiences is the name of the game. It’s about leveraging a true competitive advantage. Why? Because you’re passionate and proud of your operation, your people and the products you serve. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Chris Adams, CEO and Founder of the Ellis Adams Group, an international hospit...

Chefs are the heart of our kitchens. They work with passion under the most challenging of conditions, heat, and pressure. They certainly deserve our thanks and our recognition. This episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast is all about the James Beard Foundation and most importantly, the famous awards each year. Our guests are Dawn Padmore and Tanya Holland who lead the awards committee. Listen...

Pride and passion run deep for all of us in this business. but rising from a deep personal tragedy to open multiple successful concepts takes something more. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Lisa Dahl, the CEO and Executive Chef of www.dahlrestaurantgroup.com Lisa found Sedona, Arizona to be an especially healing and inspiring place to build her concepts. She...

I’ll bet restaurants spend and lose billions of dollars on marketing that just doesn’t work. They try this campaign and try that, all on a hope and a prayer. Unless you can track where your business is coming from, you’re wasting your time and precious marketing dollars. Have you tried Direct Mail? I know what you might be thinking... “that’s so old school” or “I tried that once and I didn’t reall...

I’m always impressed by visionary leaders who innovate and transform our industry. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with T.K. Pillan Founder and Executive Chairman of the largest, most influential vegan/vegetarian restaurant company in the U.S. His restaurants include The Veggie Grill, Mas Veggies Vegan Taqueria, and Stand Up Burgers. T.K.’s mission is to stop anim...

Success in the Hospitality industry requires passion, drive, commitment, and innovation. To stay relevant, you must also have a forward-thinking strategy. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with James J. King, the Founder, and CEO of Titan Hospitality. He has built a world-class operation that includes multiple concepts. His success is likely attributed to his focus...

There are things you love about your restaurant, but I’ll bet Sales Tax is not one of them. It’s one of those things you must do each month, but if you forget, there are penalties. In these crazy times, your restaurant might not even have the cash to pay it when it's due. What’s a restaurant to do? Well in this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with David Joseph and Peter M...

What do a classically trained chef, entertainer and Wall Street trader have in common? A fast-growing restaurant concept born from humble beginnings, and a consistent commitment to simple high-quality ingredients that taste like a warm hug feels… In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast I'm speaking with Pace Webb & Chris Georgalas the founders of “Daddy’s Chicken Shack”. This concept o...

The industry continues its struggle with the labor crisis. Good people come and good people go, but maybe we’re looking in the wrong place. In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Chef D. Brandon Walker (better known as Chef D) creator and owner of growing Los Angeles concepts. Before we get into that, let me tell you that Chef is uplifting the industry, his restaura...

This is perhaps the most revolutionary time in the restaurant world. With more available ready-to-go spaces and the food truck opportunity exploding, now may be the time to start your own business, to go boldly ahead with a dream, a strong vision, and people you may already know with talents to help make your vision a reality. This episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast is all about the entre...

Staying ahead of the curve and your competition is critical. As an independent restaurant, you need every advantage! Today now more than ever, the focus is on guest convenience and safety. What if you could add a virtual Drive-Thru to your business without adding an actual drive-thru lane and window? You Can! In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I’m speaking with Carl and Javier wh...

I love talking shop with “in the trenches” operators. So much to learn, so much in common. We’ve covered quite a few fast-moving franchises lately, but this one stands out as my guest is not only a 20-year veteran operator of this concept, she’s also the C.E.O. Sit down with us in this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast as I speak with MJ Riva of www.pizzafactory.com She’s a down-to-earth...

Few restaurant operators are marketing geniuses. We think we’ve got it covered, but, we sometimes make poor decisions when it comes to marketing. We try this and try that, throw money out the window, and hope for the best, but the results are rarely there. Why? Because the bottom line is unless you can rock-solid track every ad and campaign you run, you’ll never know if it’s bringing in the busine...