Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore 800: Burt Rapoport President of Rapoport's Restaurant Group, Inc.
With excitement, allow me to introduce to you today's guest, President of Rapoport Restaruant Group, Inc, Burt Rapoport. A visionary, third-generation restaurant aficionado, award-winning restaurateur Burt Rapoport has led an impressive legacy in the South Florida restaurant scene for over three decades. Rapoport started his career in New York City, where his family owned and operated a successful kosher dairy restaurant for fifty years. President of Rapoport's Restaurant Group in Boca Raton, Florida, he is recognized for his dedication to providing high-quality cuisine for a good value, a warm and welcoming ambiance, and truly attentive service at all of his restaurants. An industry leader revered for his progressive vision, management style, and hospitality expertise, he was on the board of the South Florida Chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF) and he served on the advisory board for Johnson & Wales, the largest culinary university in the United States, for over ten years. He is also a Trustee for the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce. A Boca Raton, Florida, resident, Burt enjoys traveling, swimming, and surfing. He holds the title of 2017 Power Leader in Hospitality and 2016 South Florida Ultimate CEO by the South Florida Business Journal, 2008 "Business Leader of the Year" by Boca Raton's Chamber of Commerce, 2007 "Restaurateur of the Year" by Gold Life Boca, Gold Coast and Palm Beacher Magazines, and has won numerous Readers' Choice Awards from Boca Raton Magazine for each of his restaurant concepts including Favorite Restaurant, Best Service, Best Business Lunch, Best Dining Entertainment, Best Fine Dining and Best Outdoor Dining. Not only recognized locally but on a national level, Rapoport's Restaurant Group won the 2013 Southeast DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award and the national Community Excellence Award, recognizing a small business' community commitment, presented by the United States Chamber of Commerce. He was also honored by his alma mater, Arizona State University, when he was inducted in their Sun Devil 100 program in 2016, which honors university alumni business leaders and entrepreneurs. Rapoport's Restaurant Group was also recognized by Restaurant Hospitality magazine in 2018 as one of the RH 25: Coolest Multi Concept Companies.
Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!!- Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and connect with my past guest and a community of superfans.
- Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
- Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
- Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)
- The answer is yes. Now, what's the question?
In today's episode with Burt Rapaport we will discuss:
- Third generation restaurateur
- Standards
- Discipline
- Scaling
- Don't grow too fast
- Advice about HR
- Educational speakers for your staff
- Dissolving a partnership
At Popmenu, we know that in today's world, a great hospitality experience usually begins online. Keeping the conversation with guests going beyond the meal also requires simple, powerful, fun technology capable of expression through all kinds of channels. Our team takes pride in helping restaurants put their best foot forward digitally so they can focus on what they do best. We think PDF menus are super boring, we believe 3rd party platforms have had too much say in how consumers find their next dining experience and we deeply feel that sharing your beautiful menu doesn't have to be so difficult, time-consuming and expensive. As a listener of the Restaurant Unstoppable, you'll receive $100 off your first month of Popmenu!
7shifts is a modern labor management platform, designed by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Effectively labor management is more important than ever to ensure profitability and restaurant success. Trusted by over 400,000 restaurant professionals, 7shifts gives you the tools you need to streamline labor operations, communicate with your team, and retain your talent. Best of all 7shifts integrates with the POS and Payroll systems you already use and trust (like Toast!) turning labor into a competitive advantage for your business. Restaurant Unstoppable members get 3 months, absolutely free.
P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.
Knowledge bombs
- Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
- Self-discipline
- What is your biggest weakness?
- Too optimistic
- What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
- Do I like them?
- What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
- Finding enough good team members to staff our restaurants
- Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
- If I have to do your job, what do I need you for?
- What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
- "Drink through it." If the power goes out at 8pm, have a party.
- What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
- Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM
- What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
- Give back to the community
- Name one service you've hired.
- Scott Berger - Food Safety and Sanitation Inspections
- What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations?
- If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
- Life is short so enjoy it
- Treat people how you want to be treated
- Be honest
Rapaport's Restaurant Group website
Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!
If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.
Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.
And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.
Huge thanks to Burt Rapaport for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!
Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!