Restaurant Owners Uncorked

When I asked Adam Reed, who runs the Jax Fish House locations for Big Red F, for some folks on his team who are great at what they do, love their work, and would enjoy sharing the passion for hospitality, he told me Jake Hunka, the AGM, has done every you can do and would be great on a podcast. He was right! Jake talks about hustle gaining respect, not putting on blinders, and the importance to him of working for an organization like Big Red F that cares so much about the communities they serve. Jake is fun and energetic and authentic in his love for his work. Enjoy...

Wow, this was a fun experience! Kate and I sat on a coach in Bida Manda while lunch service was winding down, and we had a great conversation about her story, what she loves about hospitality, what she has learned from Van and Vanvisa (the brother and sister who own Bida Manda), the challenge of learning to be the new GM, and much more. Sitting in person with Kate enable us to connect on a deeper level than we could have over the phone, and the conversation was much better for it. This went so well I'm now planning to start doing as many in-person interviews as possible. Enjoy...

Sophia and her business partner Sunny Lin won season six of "The Great Food Truck Race" on The Food Network. Now they own the popular and highly-respected MOFU Shoppe in downtown Raleigh, N.C. Listen to Sophia tell the story of going from working for a Big Four accounting firm to food truck to brick-and-mortar, while also sharing why staff always come first, what we can all learn from Millenials, and more. Sophia is interesting, engaging, smart, caring, and fun to talk to and respect for her time is the only reason I didn't keep rolling with this chat for a couple of hours. Enjoy...

Our first episode with two people features Jonathon (GM) and Casey (Manager) of Ten Crows BBQ in South Lake Tahoe, CA. We cover a lot of topics, but one really sticks out, which is the acronym they use within their group of restaurants: ROTS (Ridiculously Over-the-Top Service. I love the approach they take to hospitality, and they share some great examples. This is a fun interview. Enjoy...

Chris has been around the restaurant business in southern California his whole life (his father is a Burger King franchisee). He learned a lot about the business from his dad, but he loved surfing and considered turning pro. However, after college and then business school, he found himself interviewing in suit-and-tie, about to go down the path to corporate America. Fortunately, he realized that wasn't what he was meant to do, and The Rockefeller was born. Chris and his team have done a tremendous job building a group with several successful brands, and he talks about everything from learning to delegate, making his team members believers, choosing locations, leasing vs. owning, and much more. A wide-ranging conversation with a guy who has his finger on the pulse of what it takes to make it in the tough restaurant business. Enjoy...

Erin is in Tuscaloosa, AL and manages not one, but two killer restaurants: Chuck's Fish and FIVE. These are sister restaurants, and part of a really incredible group co-owned by Cris Eddings, who has been on this podcast. Erin talks about her passion for hospitality, juggling two restaurants, her management style, what she's learned from the two owners, systems she has put into place, and more. Erin is very sharp and it was a pleasure to learn from her. Enjoy...

Tyler has been in hospitality since he was a teenager, though he nearly went down the suit-and-tie route after college. He talks about why he realized that wasn't the right career path; the importance of clear goals, communication, and discipline; who he admires and learns from; what he likes to read; and what he hopes to accomplishment within his group of restaurants. Great interview with a great guy. Enjoy...

Adam has been in the hospitality business since two weeks prior to his 16th birthday, and he's learned a ton about it over the last fourteen years. He talks about what he's learned on the job vs. what he learned while getting a hospitality & tourism degree, the saturated and competitive hospitality market in Charleston, S.C., how to keep good staff, his leadership style, and more. A great interview! Enjoy...

Wil shares some observations from the challenges his favorite local breakfast restaurant is facing, challenges faced by every restaurant at some point in their life cycle.

Mark has been in hospitality from a young age, and knew early on it was what he wanted to do for his career. He's been in the business for 18 years, he's been an owner for 8.5 years. This is a great interview from a guy who worked his tail off to learn as much as he could early on, willing to do whatever it took for the short term to help set himself up for long term success. He's inspiring to listen to, he's very transparent and sincere, he offers great advice for anybody considering being an owner, he has his priorities in check, and he has big plans for his group. A great interview! Enjoy...