Restaurant Ready

Matt Jennings
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RESTAURANT READY: THE BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Restaurant Ready is your backstage pass to the inner workings of the hospitality industry’s brightest stars. This podcast promises authentic discussions with the most influential chefs, restaurateurs, and food media experts. Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author Matt Jennings, along with the MAJC team, helm this weekly podcast. In each episode, industry veterans sit down for candid conversations revealing the honest stories behind their achievements, exploring the strategies, philosophies, and lessons learned along the way that shaped their path to success. Learn from the guests’ unique formula for creating consistent positive results in their business and personal lives. Restaurant Ready delivers unparalleled value for restaurant owners, chefs, and managers looking to elevate their careers and businesses. Listen in for a unique, no-holds-barred exploration of what it takes to thrive in the competitive world of hospitality. With each episode, we will discuss the state of the industry, the challenges we face and how to approach them, and ideas from the experts on how to best prepare yourself for success. You'll walk away with new ideas, and inspiration, as well as a greater sense of community and support as you drive your own success story.

  1. Rasika Venkatesa on Building a Restaurant One Pop-Up at a Time

    2D AGO

    Rasika Venkatesa on Building a Restaurant One Pop-Up at a Time

    Rasika Venkatesa is the chef and founder of Mythily, a New York–based pop-up and residency concept that serves as her modern love letter to South Indian cuisine. Trained in some of the most demanding kitchens in the U.S. and shaped by the food of her grandmother’s home in Chennai, Venkatesa is navigating a different path to restaurant ownership. In this episode, she shares why patience matters more than speed, how pop-ups can function as real-world R&D for young chefs, and what it actually takes to build a restaurant concept from scratch without losing yourself in the process. Takeaways Every pop-up is a test, not just a performanceRestaurants are built through repetitionCultural cuisine works best when it’s personal but universally welcomingFine dining technique should serve flavor and storyPop-ups help chefs validate concepts before committing to brick and mortarPatience is a required skillSystems and structure create freedom during chaosConsistency matters more than noveltyPop-up success doesn’t equal sustainability behind the scenesAsking for help is essential when resources are limitedSocial media is work, but ignoring it is not an optionSmall restaurants can be healthier than large onesSustainability must include staff pay, pricing, and owner well-beingThe next generation must rethink traditional restaurant modelsWant to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today’s guest? MAJC✨ has built a community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC✨ community, sign up at www.MAJC.ai.

    46 min
  2. Nick Schorsch on Why Most Restaurant Failures Are Predictable

    FEB 3

    Nick Schorsch on Why Most Restaurant Failures Are Predictable

    Nick Schorsch is the co-founder and CEO of Heritage Restaurant Group, known for taking a disciplined, systems-first approach to growth, leadership, and long-term sustainability. Rather than chasing trends or rapid expansion, Schorsch has focused on building durable operating models that protect people, margins, and culture at the same time. In this episode, he breaks down why most restaurant failures are predictable, how clear roles and expectations reduce burnout, and what it really takes to scale without losing control of quality, accountability, or trust. Takeaways Most restaurant problems are structural, not personalClear roles prevent resentment and burnoutGrowth without systems multiplies chaosStrong culture depends on operational clarityDiscipline creates freedom for both leaders and teamsHiring mistakes compound faster than financial onesConsistency beats intensity over the long termLeadership requires saying no more often than yesHealthy margins protect people, not just ownersExpansion should follow proof, not ambitionTransparency reduces politics and internal frictionRestaurants last when expectations are explicitProcess creates stability in high pressure environmentsSustainable success is built deliberately, not quicklyWant to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today’s guest? MAJC✨ has built a community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC✨ community, sign up at www.MAJC.ai.

    57 min
  3. Krista Cole on Designing Restaurants That Care for People

    JAN 27

    Krista Cole on Designing Restaurants That Care for People

    Krista Cole is the sole owner of Sur Lie in Portland, Maine, which she built from the ground up in 2014, and Gather in Yarmouth, which she acquired in 2022. A two-time James Beard Award semifinalist, Cole brings a perspective on restaurant ownership shaped by her background in healthcare, where systems, empathy, and accountability are non-negotiable. In this episode, she shares how nursing informs her leadership style, why sustainable culture requires intentional workflows, and how equity, transparency, and community engagement show up in daily restaurant operations. Takeaways Hire for attitude and values, then teach the skillsStrong systems protect people from burnoutWork life balance requires structureLeadership means meeting people where they areConsistency matters more than sweeping changeCulture improves when owners stay close to the workTransparency builds trust during difficult decisionsGrowth should create opportunity for the team, not just the ownerCommunity context must shape how each restaurant operatesSustainability includes financial, emotional, and human healthEquity starts with listening and shared decision makingChange works best when applied steadily over timeRestaurants thrive when people feel seen and supportedEveryone brings something valuable to the table Want to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today’s guest? MAJC has built a community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC community, sign up at www.MAJC.ai.

    36 min
  4. Heather Morrison & Austin Carson on Building Culture That Holds

    JAN 20

    Heather Morrison & Austin Carson on Building Culture That Holds

    Heather Morrison and Austin Carson are the co-owners of Restaurant Olivia in Denver, a fine-dining restaurant known as much for how it treats people as for what’s on the plate. With decades of combined experience, they’ve built a business rooted in hospitality, sustainability, and long-term thinking, one where culture is protected as deliberately as margins. In this episode, they break down how values-driven hiring, honest leadership, and systems-based sustainability show up in real day-to-day operations, and why none of it works unless the business remains financially viable. Takeaways Build culture by protecting the whole team, not individual exceptionsHire for values alignment first and train the restSustainability must work financially or it won’t lastHospitality applies to staff as much as guestsSystems remove ego and make consistency possibleLetting go of misalignment is part of leadershipCare is not soft when it’s paired with accountabilityTransparency and honesty create trust at scaleMentorship starts with understanding how people want to be seenReduce waste by designing systems, not relying on willpowerInnovation often comes from constraints, not abundanceQuality and warmth matter more than any marketing strategyLeadership requires vulnerability, not perfectionLong-term success depends on clarity of purpose Want to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today’s guest? MAJC has built a community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC community, sign up at www.MAJC.ai.

    39 min
  5. Henry Rich on Why Quality Always Beats Marketing

    JAN 13

    Henry Rich on Why Quality Always Beats Marketing

    Henry Rich is the managing partner of the Oberon Group, a hospitality group based in Brooklyn and the Catskills that includes Rucola, June, Anaïs, and Rhodora, a carbon-neutral zero-waste natural wine bar, among other projects. In this episode, he breaks down why most “green” work happens behind the scenes, how to build team buy-in when sustainability adds friction, and what it really takes to run a mission-driven business without burning out or going broke. He also shares why their most successful differentiators were not the sustainability claims at all, but what happened once the team was empowered to lead. Takeaways If the food and experience aren’t great, marketing won’t save youMost sustainability work isn’t “legible” to guests, so don’t rely on it as the hookStart with the biggest lever: composting and separating organics from landfillZero-waste adds steps to an already hard job, so buy-in is the real workDon’t impose a mission top-down; recruit people who opt inRemoving layers of hierarchy can reduce resentment and increase ownershipYou can pay people more by widening roles and running lean per coverLow waste choices can force menu constraints, so balance ideals with viabilityPush vendors to change small things (packaging, tape), and they will often adaptFocus spend on getting the room, service, pricing, and execution rightA clear mission can invite other missions in: pop-ups, mutual aid, and community support Want to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today’s guest? MAJC built a community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC community, sign up at www.MAJC.ai.

    34 min
  6. Mateo Kehler on Building Systems That Protect Values

    JAN 6

    Mateo Kehler on Building Systems That Protect Values

    Mateo Kehler is the co-founder and head cheesemaker of Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont, a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to rural economic development through world-class artisan cheese. Built alongside his brother Andy, Jasper Hill has become a model for how independent food businesses can remain value-driven, profitable, and deeply rooted in place. In this episode, Kehler shares how cheese became a vehicle for community regeneration, why independence matters more than scale, and how systems, collaboration, and outrageously delicious products can reshape broken commodity markets. Takeaways High-value food can reclaim wealth from extractive commodity marketsIndependence allows businesses to stay values-driven, not purely economicMeaningful work requires connection to place and peopleGrow laterally through collaboration instead of scaling verticallyPremium pricing must reflect the true cost of productionQuality is non-negotiable, values only work if the product is exceptionalPartnerships can unlock capital without sacrificing controlSystems remove ego from craft and create consistencyData enables better decision-making across production and financeSeparate personal identity from product decisions to lead more objectivelyPaying farmers a living wage stabilizes entire communitiesTransparency builds trust across complex organizationsAsking for help strengthens leadershipLong-term sustainability requires profitability and disciplineInnovation and tradition must evolve together Want to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today’s guest? MAJC has built a community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC community, sign up at www.MAJC.ai.

    29 min
  7. Tina and David Schuttenberg on Building a Cult Restaurant Brand

    2025-12-30

    Tina and David Schuttenberg on Building a Cult Restaurant Brand

    Tina and David Schuttenberg are the husband-and-wife owners behind Kwei Fei and Beautiful South in Charleston, part of Always Awkward Hospitality. After a series of failed restaurant jobs and relocations, they built a punk-rock Sichuan pop-up with a devoted following, which eventually became two distinct brick-and-mortar restaurants. In this episode, they talk about turning misfires into momentum, running lean without outside investment, dividing roles as partners, building culture intentionally, and staying true to their convictions. Takeaways Failure can be the foundation for your strongest conceptPop-ups work best when treated like real businesses, not side projectsStaying in your lane protects both brand and marriageRun lean and frugal when outside investment isn’t an optionGrowth should be intentional, not rushedStrong brand conviction builds loyal, self-selecting guestsCulture must be rebuilt when you move neighborhoods or conceptsHiring for fit matters more than hiring for experienceTraining starts with systems before philosophyRestaurants don’t need to be for everyone to succeedCommunity engagement works best when it’s structured and meaningfulAccessibility, inclusivity, and respect must be intentionalMarketing and design are revenue tools, not decorationSurvival mode eventually has to give way to sustainabilityCollaboration can be a healthier growth path than expansion Want to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today’s guests? MAJC has built a community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC community, sign up at www.MAJC.ai.

    35 min
  8. Colin Lynch on Leading with Trust and Purpose

    2025-12-23

    Colin Lynch on Leading with Trust and Purpose

    Colin Lynch is a New England–born chef and co-owner of Bar Mezzana, Shore Leave, No Relation, Black Lamb, and the newly opened Fido. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and former executive chef of the acclaimed No. 9 Park, Lynch has spent two decades shaping Boston’s restaurant landscape through mentorship, trust-based leadership, and a deep commitment to team culture. In this episode, Lynch joins Matt Jennings and Carolyn Grillo to talk about building restaurants around fit, loyalty, curiosity, and shared ownership, and why success in hospitality comes from people, not perfection. Takeaways Hire for personality and cultural fit. Skills can be taughtBuild loyalty through trust, opportunity, and long-term relationshipsFocus on mentorship: lift others because one day they’ll lift youDon’t try to be everything to everyone, guide guests instead of chasing trendsAuthentic hospitality starts with clarity, not saying yes to every requestBalance creativity with consistency and cost realitySocial media matters for staying top of mind, even if you’re not great at itHealthy competition pushes a city’s restaurant community forwardLeadership and management are different skills, know which one you’re practicingGive people room to grow into ownership and responsibilityUnderstand the financial realities: buildouts, leases, and long-term sustainabilityTeach teams financial literacy, it elevates their careers and stabilizes the businessKeep the business small if it means staying full, profitable, and healthyWork hard, be kind, core values matter more than credentials Want to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today’s guest? MAJC✨ has built a community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC✨ Community, sign up at www.MAJC.ai.

    41 min
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About

RESTAURANT READY: THE BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Restaurant Ready is your backstage pass to the inner workings of the hospitality industry’s brightest stars. This podcast promises authentic discussions with the most influential chefs, restaurateurs, and food media experts. Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author Matt Jennings, along with the MAJC team, helm this weekly podcast. In each episode, industry veterans sit down for candid conversations revealing the honest stories behind their achievements, exploring the strategies, philosophies, and lessons learned along the way that shaped their path to success. Learn from the guests’ unique formula for creating consistent positive results in their business and personal lives. Restaurant Ready delivers unparalleled value for restaurant owners, chefs, and managers looking to elevate their careers and businesses. Listen in for a unique, no-holds-barred exploration of what it takes to thrive in the competitive world of hospitality. With each episode, we will discuss the state of the industry, the challenges we face and how to approach them, and ideas from the experts on how to best prepare yourself for success. You'll walk away with new ideas, and inspiration, as well as a greater sense of community and support as you drive your own success story.

Information

  • Creator
    Matt Jennings
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 MAJC
  • Show Website
    Restaurant Ready