The Somification of Everything: Why soft skills are the future of AI-Driven hospitality

#119.

Josh sits down with regulars Matthew and Michael Jacober, along with special guest Eli Feldman, a Boston-based restaurateur and AI advocate. The group dives into a wide-ranging conversation that starts with the prestige of 17th-generation winemaking and quickly shifts into the high-stakes world of modern hospitality. They explore the Noma pop-up in LA, debating whether a $1,500-a-head experience funded by American Express is a genuine culinary event or a "state of mind" marketed for brand clout.

Eli shares a fascinating deep dive into his "Bite" and "Fails" philosophies, detailing how he used AI to analyze kitchen line movements and KDS data to slash ticket times by 75%. The conversation takes a serious turn as the group shares legal war stories involving real estate disputes, blood on the walls, and the emotional complexities of employee-employer breakups. They close with a sobering look at the "Barbell Economy"—the disappearance of mid-tier restaurants in favor of private equity-backed groups and the impending wave of white-collar workers entering the hospitality industry out of necessity.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey

Visit Blanket: https://www.blanket.app/

Visit The Tippling House: https://thetipplinghousechs.com/

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Follow Matthew: @conbeazie

Follow Eli's Substack: https://shybird.substack.com/

Timestamps

01:56 The history of Domain Jean-Louis Chave and 17th-generation winemaking

03:23 Introducing Eli Feldman: Restaurant operator and AI strategist

06:54 The $1,500 Noma pop-up and the role of Amex in exclusivity

10:35 Is Noma a place or a concept that can travel?

22:43 The "Somification" of everything: Why contextual knowledge is the ultimate commodity

25:41 Using Meta glasses for hands-free recipe development in the kitchen

27:58 How Eli used Claude to reduce ticket times by 75% in Fenway

31:19 The $200-a-month digital leadership team for restaurants

33:47 Real Estate War Stories: MJ’s nightmare with blood on the walls

39:37 Josh’s lawsuit over tenant improvement allowances

41:38 Matt’s legal battles over parking spots and partnership breakups

59:02 The "Barbell Economy" and the homogenization of the restaurant industry

01:03:00 Youth unemployment and the coming wave of tech workers entering hospitality