Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

In this episode, we're creating awareness about the Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship Program Developed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Whether you're looking to become an apprentice or you're a practitioner looking for an apprentice, after listening you'll know where to start. Enlightening us about this new program, we're joined by John Shortt. Shortt is the Director Of Program Development at the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and is heading the restaurant industry's first Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship Program.

In this episode, I'm going to solo and sharing the books I most often recommend to learn about systems, culture, finances and more. People often ask me what books I have to suggest. So, in this episode, I'm sharing the biggest "aha moments" I've had since recording episode #1 along with the books I recommend to support said aha moments. Pretty straight forward, right?

In this episode, we discuss the value of getting work experience before attending hospitality or culinary school, getting experience working for others before opening your own restaurant, the definition of service, how to motivate your staff, overcoming the fear of failure, showing your staff you care with family meal, training your staff to the change you want to see in the industry, developing your brand and concept, and how dedication to success can be both a strength and weakness. Originating from upstate New York, since the age of six, Chef Christopher Bates knew he wanted a career the Hospitality Industry. He would go onto attend Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in NY. Today Chef Bates is the Co- of FLX Hospitality Family which includes of FLX Table and FLX Wienery, and Element Winery, all three located in upstate NY.

In this episode, we discuss how a "chip on the shoulder" can serve you, working in the industry before opening your own restaurant, how a partnership can work, starting lean and bootstrapping, leveraging your network and community for help, having a presence in your community before opening a restaurant, how to get your team to "buy in", continually improving operations, how to implement a "hybrid system", The pros and cons of said hybrid system, knowing your destination and finding your own path to get there. In 2006 University of New Hampshire Graduates,--SaraTebbetts and Jack O'Sullivan--took over ownership of the Big Bean Cafe, located in Downtown Newmarket, NH. 11 years later The Big Bean is still going strong and racking in accolades like New Hampshire "best of" Awards. As of the past year O'sullivan has opened his second restaurant, the Oak House, and from what I can tell it seems to be going pretty well!

In this episode, we discuss working with the best to become the best, profit sharing, how being small allows you to be unique, motivating and encouraging your people, being selective with who you allow on your team, having personal high-touch relationships with each of your guest, how your team is a reflection of who you are, and tieing good old fashioned manners and courtesy into your culture. It was over a half century ago when founders Jack and Linda Williams got hitched and began their lifetime dedication to the food industry. Along the way, they helped develop the concept for a well-known steakhouse chain and built 34 restaurants in two decades, becoming their largest and most successful franchisee. In 1989 Jack and Linda Williams would open the first Richie's Diner established in Temecula, California. Today there are a total of 3 Richies Diners and it continues to be a family owned and operated concept.

Alan Silverman hails from Brooklyn and has experienced a lifetime of loving and making a living from food. Alan comes from old school fine dining and has worked in some of the greatest restaurants in New York, Chicago, and LA. Today, Alan has settled in Seattle, where he serves as founder and CFO of Festivals, Inc. In this episode we will discuss: Avoiding mediocrity. Innovation. You're going to have to prove yourself to certain people. Making connections with your customers. You have to impress EVERYONE who comes into your restaurant. Start small and expand slowly. You have to be on a mission to learn. As an owner you need to be physically involved in your kitchen and food service.

Gabriela Vilar is the Chef Owner of Quintana Restaurant, located in Curitiba, Brazil. Vilar has found a way to create a business around her passion of respecting the environment, art, culture, tradition, and food. She isn't only surviving, she's thriving going into her 9th year of business. In this episode we will discuss: If you want to see change you need to enact change yourself. Finding your lane in the industry and sticking to it. The importance of serving others. Art, culture, traditions, food. Thew road that leads you to hospitality. Exhaustion in the restaurant industry. Seeing failures and successes that you learn from. The importance of educating your guests.

In this episode, we discuss the value of finding a mentor, creating system depending restaurants, putting great people in system dependent restaurants, staying lean when opening your first restaurant, being a good listener, living to serve others, and the meaning of hospitality. Kyle Itani spent most of his life around food being raised in a farming family. It wasn't until he was in college when trying to recreate what he was seeing on the food network channel, that he fell in love with cooking. Before long he would find his mentor, Showtaro Kamio and his interest in Japanese cuisine took off. Today He is the Chef/Owner of Hopscotch Restaurant, Itani Ramen, and Thistle Meats- all of which are located in CA.

Chef Trigg Brown is a graduate of the University of Virginia where he studied English Literature. It was while in college he met his mentor, Pei Jen Chang, who helped him develop his interest in Taiwanese food. Brown would go on to work for both the Crafted Hospitality and Starr Restaurants, where he further developed his skills. Today Brown is the Chef/Partner of Win Son, a Taiwanese American restaurant located in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. In this episode we will discuss: As a leader you need to do the right thing always. The importance of mentors. Finding the RIGHT mentor. Quiet leaders. Hold yourself to a high standard. Sacrifice your time, money, and energy to get what you want and need in this industry. You will get the knowledge you need from the great mind you surround yourself with. Partnerships. The importance of owning your property. Running a successful Kickstarter campaign. Attract good people with good systems.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Craig Hartman spent 37 years building his career around fine dining, hotels and educating others. In 2010 he deiced it was time to change it up and made a go at fulfilling a lifelong dream to open a BBQ Joint. Today he serves as the chef owner of The BBQ Exchange, located in Gordonville, VA. In this episode we will discuss: Learning from your mistakes. Make yourself better each and every day. Never being satisfied. Being a chef means making people happy. The best path for successfully open a restaurant. Don't lease: buy. Building equity with the building you buy. Very few chefs can do whatever they want in their restaurants and still make enough people happy. Service is key. Partnerships. Being married to your partner. Tell the truth. Catering.