Restaurant Ready

Matt Jennings
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Restaurant Ready

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.

Episodes

  1. Alex Stupak on Why Restaurants Need to Find the Right Location or They're Screwed

    5 DAYS AGO

    Alex Stupak on Why Restaurants Need to Find the Right Location or They're Screwed

    Alex Stupak is a chef and co-owner of the Empellón restaurant group in New York City. He has a unique approach to cooking that challenges traditional views of cuisine. He focuses on allowing all cuisines to explore and evolve, rather than being limited by tradition or authenticity.  Alex has opened multiple restaurants under the Empellón brand, with a focus on Mexican cuisine. When this podcast was recorded Alex was in the process of opening a seafood restaurant called The Otter. Alex shares insights on the challenges of opening and running restaurants, the importance of finding the right location, and the evolving landscape of marketing in the culinary industry. In this conversation, Alex Stupak discusses his journey from being a family man and TV personality to a successful chef and restaurateur. He talks about the organic nature of his TV appearances and how they have benefited his business. Alex also shares his approach to running multiple teams and maintaining his creative vision across different kitchens. He emphasizes the importance of culture and clear communication in his restaurants. Additionally, he discusses the role of creativity in marketing and the challenges of scaling a brand. Takeaways Alex Stupak challenges traditional views of cuisine and focuses on allowing all cuisines to explore and evolve.Finding the right location is crucial when opening a restaurant.The culinary industry is constantly evolving, and marketing strategies need to adapt to new trends.Collaborations and grassroots initiatives are becoming more important in marketing and building awareness.Personal reputation and branding can play a role in the success of a chef or restaurant. TV appearances can benefit a chef's business by increasing exposure and creating new opportunities.Maintaining a strong culture and clear communication is essential when running multiple teams in different kitchens.Creativity is a powerful marketing tool, and the product itself should be the main focus of marketing efforts.Scaling a brand can be challenging, and there are limits to how much a brand can be diversified.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background03:16 Challenging Traditional Views of Cuisine06:56 Opening a Seafood Restaurant11:34 The Importance of Location in Opening Restaurants18:04 Learning from Past Restaurant Experiences24:06 Adapting Marketing Strategies in the Culinary Industry26:15 The Power of Collaborations and Grassroots Initiatives27:27 Building Personal Reputation in the Culinary World28:24 Alex's Background and TV Appearances31:01 Running Multiple Teams and Maintaining a Creative Vision32:09 The Importance of Culture and Clear Communication33:06 Creativity as a Marketing Tool34:33 Challenges of Scaling a Brand Want to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today's guest? MAJC has built an community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC Community, visit majc.ai.

    42 min
  2. Karen Akunowicz on How Mundane Systems Help Restaurants Thrive

    FEB 18

    Karen Akunowicz on How Mundane Systems Help Restaurants Thrive

    Chef Karen Akunowicz, a renowned chef and restaurateur, shares her passion for owning her own restaurant and the challenges she faced in making that dream a reality.  Karen also talks about the importance of having a clear vision and a good business sense when starting a new venture. She emphasizes the value of having a supportive team and the role they played in the success of Fox and the Knife. Karen discusses the challenges of staffing and recruiting in the restaurant industry, particularly in the post-COVID era. She emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with people who inspire and bring joy and managing your work in a way that is meaningful. Karen also talks about the scalability of her business and the various moving pieces involved, including television shows, social media, cookbooks, and product lines. She mentions that there is no playbook for navigating this journey and that it has been a combination of ad hoc decision-making and long-term planning. Karen discusses the importance of putting your desires out into the universe and being open to rejection. She shares her experience of pitching her own olive oil to a company and being rejected multiple times. Karen emphasizes the need to have a roadmap and a clear vision for your brand, while also being open to feedback and guidance from others. She talks about the importance of standardizing practices in her restaurants and the challenges of implementing these changes. Karen also discusses the impact of her appearance on Top Chef and the importance of representation in the media. Takeaways Building a supportive team is essential for success.Personal connections and relationships can play a significant role in recruiting team members.Opening a restaurant requires determination, hard work, and the ability to overcome challenges.Owning a restaurant is a lifelong dream for many chefs and restaurateurs. Staffing and recruiting in the restaurant industry is a major challenge, especially in the post-COVID era.Surrounding yourself with people who inspire and bring joy is crucial for personal and professional growth.Managing your work and finding joy in it is important for maintaining motivation and enthusiasm.Scalability in the restaurant business involves various components, such as television shows, social media, cookbooks, and product lines.There is no set playbook for navigating the journey of scaling a business, and it requires a combination of ad hoc decision-making and long-term planning. Put your desires out into the universe and be open to rejection.Have a roadmap and a clear vision for your brand.Standardize practices to ensure consistency and efficiency.Representation in the media is important and can have a significant impact.Be open to feedback and guidance from others.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Chef Karen Akunowicz08:12 Transition from Myers and Chang to Opening Fox and the Knife17:16 Choosing the Right Location for the Restaurant20:49 Building a Supportive Team22:23 Recruiting Key Team Members23:15 Conclusion and Takeaways23:29 Staffing and Recruiting Challenges26:28 Finding Inspiration and Joy35:46 The Scalability of Karen's Business48:07 Ad Hoc Decision-Making and Long-Term Planning49:45 Putting Your Desires Out into the Universe52:10 Creating a Roadmap and Clear Vision for Your Brand53:05 Standardizing Practices for Consistency and Efficiency01:04:22 The Impact of Representation in the Media01:06:13 Being Open to Feedback and Guidance Want to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today's guest? MAJC has built an community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC Community, visit majc.ai.

    58 min
  3. Duff Goldman on Losing His Damn Ego

    FEB 11

    Duff Goldman on Losing His Damn Ego

    Duff Goldman isn’t just a baker—he’s a creative force, a rule-breaker, and a storyteller, all rolled into one. From the wild success of Ace of Cakes to mentoring the next generation of bakers on Kids Baking Championship, Duff has carved out a career that’s as sweet as it is inspiring. In this conversation, he pulls back the curtain on his journey, sharing the lessons he’s learned from designing and building jaw-dropping cakes to navigating partnerships and scaling his artistry to a nationwide audience with Goldbelly. Duff dives deep into the soul of the baking world, reflecting on its subcultures, the importance of simple yet effective design, and the labor of love it takes to transport a towering tiered cake without losing a crumb. He’s also passionate about connection—whether it’s helping families bond through his venture Baketivity or encouraging young bakers to think critically and keep learning. Through it all, Duff reminds us that staying true to yourself, delivering excellence, and having fun along the way are the real ingredients for success. Takeaways Be authentic and true to yourself in business.Maintain excellence and quality in all aspects of your work.Find a good team that shares your goals and values.Partner with trusted companies to expand your reach.Constantly test and approve your products to ensure consistency. Designing and executing custom cakes involves a collaborative process with manufacturing partners.Simple and effective design is key in the baking industry.Transporting tiered cakes can be challenging and requires careful planning.Baketivity aims to bring families together through baking and fosters a sense of accomplishment in children.Critical thinking and continuous learning are essential in the baking industry.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Duff Goldman06:59 Guilty Pleasures and Fan Reactions10:03 Handling Multiple Projects and Building a Team18:00 Maintaining Excellence and Quality24:57 Expanding Reach with Goldbelly30:52 Testing and Approving Products31:48 The Art and Challenges of Custom Cake Design35:10 The Importance of Simple and Effective Design in Baking37:35 The Challenges of Transporting Tiered Cakes38:13 Baketivity: Bringing Families Together Through Baking49:46 The Role of Critical Thinking in the Baking Industry Want to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today's guest? MAJC has built an community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC Community, visit majc.ai.

    45 min
  • 3 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

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
    2K
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 MAJC
  • Show Website
    Restaurant Ready

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