673: Patrick Mulvaney on Ignoring People Who Tell You "No"

Chef Patrick Mulvaney started his culinary career in 1985 apprenticing with renowned European chefs. Since then, he has worked in numerous restaurants throughout the country before settling in Sacramento, CA where he opened Mulvaney's B&L in 2006. In addition to leading the "farm to fork" movement in Sacramento, Mulvaney is a leading advocate for Domestic Violence, Mental Health, and Suicide Prevention.

Check out Episode 667 with Brad Cecchi as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes… Favorite success quote or mantra:

• The most important thing to own in a restaurant is the attitude that allows you to ignore all the people who tell you 'no'."

In today's episode with Patrick Mulvaney we will discuss:

• How restaurants help their communities
• Empowering employees to take responsibility and action
• Working with a menu that changes every day
• Keeping your employees engaged
• Be fulfilled in the work you do
• The importance of pre-meal and tasting
• Consistency
• Succeeding within constrained limits
• Push yourself and always be creative
• Make people feel good with more than just good food
• first and last impressions
• How to live intentionally to achieve your dreams
• Importance of vulnerability
• Mental health in the restaurant industry
• Catering
• Acquiring funds
• Suicide in the industry
• It's ok to not be ok
• Turning hospitality back on ourselves to be healthier and better help others

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant's website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

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Wisetail's user-friendly platform focuses on engaging, growing, and empowering your workforce while enabling your culture to thrive in multi-site businesses. It is easily configurable to an organization's brand and technical specifications. In addition, Wisetail provides a social community for their customers to share best practices and continuously improve the learning experience.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • "Elvis is on the plate." Every time you do something it needs to be special, heartfelt, and important.
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Patience
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Cook and egg, cut an onion, sauté piece of fish.
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Business climate; moving forward. Make a profit while supplying a meaningful place for people to work.
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • welcome is the first word the guest hears when entering the restaurant
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Making guests feel like family.
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   • On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee
   • Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM
8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Thank our staff.
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • Have an IT person on staff!
10. 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?
    • Lean in
    • Don't be afraid
    • Learn to lead the parade confident that people are following behind you without looking over your shoulder0-

Contact info:

Website: www.mulvaneysbl.com

Instagram: @mulvaneys_sacramento

Facebook: @MulvaneysBL

Twitter: @MulvaneysBL

Suicide prevention: igotyourback.info

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!

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Huge thanks to Patrick Mulvaney for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

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