FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution

Josh Kopel
  • 4.9 (143)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

What if I told you that the difference between struggling and thriving in the restaurant industry is just one conversation away? I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur who’s spent decades building blockbuster brands across every tier of dining. I know the challenges you’re facing—because I’ve been there. That’s why I created FULL COMP. Every week, I go one-on-one with the smartest minds in the game: restaurateurs, chefs, and industry insiders who’ve cracked the code. Together, we unpack their biggest wins, hardest lessons, and the strategies that changed everything. No fluff, no filler—just actionable insights to help you boost profits, build your brand, and create the kind of restaurant you’ve always dreamed of. So, if you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start seeing results, hit subscribe.

  1. Build the People, Then the Brand: Scott Redler on Culture, Accountability, and Scalable Success

    3D AGO

    Build the People, Then the Brand: Scott Redler on Culture, Accountability, and Scalable Success

    What if the real reward in restaurants isn’t the exit, but the impact? Scott Redler didn’t just co-found Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, he scaled it to 400+ units without losing his soul. In this episode, we get into the mindset shifts that made that possible: from hiring like your business depends on it (because it does), to giving GMs ownership in everything but name. Scott shares how he built a culture of transparency and accountability, why the “no-jerk rule” matters more than a resume, and how he chose franchisees who shared his values, not just his ambitions. For operators who care about building something bigger than themselves, this is a masterclass in scaling with intention, and not ego. To learn more about Mocha’s Coffee & Eatery, visit mokasusa.com _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

    38 min
  2. Office Hours: How Guests Decide Where to Eat

    4D AGO · BONUS

    Office Hours: How Guests Decide Where to Eat

    I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses. In this episode, I explain why your website is either helping your restaurant grow or quietly costing you business. Most restaurant sites look fine but fail to answer the questions guests actually care about. I break down what your website is supposed to do, how emotion drives decisions, and why clarity matters more than clever design. If your site is not converting visitors into guests, this conversation will change how you think about it.  Takeaways Evaluate your restaurant's goals for the new year.Focus on real growth strategies, not just cost-cutting.Your website should evoke emotions, not just list offerings.Answer critical questions on your website to aid decision-making.Identify what makes your restaurant unique in the market.Clarify who your restaurant is for on your website.Define how your restaurant fits into customers' lives.Limit calls to action on your website to reduce decision fatigue.Show the effort behind your offerings to engage customers emotionally.Ensure your website invites customers into your restaurant's world.Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Growth Strategies 01:46 The Importance of Your Restaurant's Website 05:38 Critical Questions for Website Effectiveness 09:01 Emotional Engagement and Website Design If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.

    12 min
  3. Resilience Is Unnecessary: Catarina Bill on Building Real Support for Hospitality Workers

    6D AGO

    Resilience Is Unnecessary: Catarina Bill on Building Real Support for Hospitality Workers

    What if resilience is just a code word for neglect? Catarina Bill of Southern Smoke is calling BS, and doing something about it. Born into the back-of-house world through her family’s meat business, Catarina’s not just preaching compassion, she’s building infrastructure. Her work exposes the cracks in our industry’s foundation: no healthcare, no mental health safety net, no margin for error. In this conversation, we get into the systems she’s building to catch people before they fall, why professionalizing hospitality means meeting human needs, and the radical idea that support shouldn’t be earned by burnout. This isn’t charity, it’s a wake-up call. And for anyone still wondering why staff won’t come back, this conversation has answers. To learn more about Southern Smoke and how to support their mission, visit southernsmoke.org. _________________________________________________________ Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff. Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

    44 min
  4. Restaurants Aren’t About Food, They’re About People: David Youngberg’s Playbook for Longevity

    JAN 16

    Restaurants Aren’t About Food, They’re About People: David Youngberg’s Playbook for Longevity

    What if the best leadership training didn’t come from business school, but from the brutal discipline of an Ironman? David Youngberg didn’t start triathlons until 50. But the mindset it required, focus, repetition, resilience, changed how he runs restaurants. After two decades at BJ’s and now CEO at Stonefire Grill, David brings that same intensity to team culture, systems thinking, and servant leadership.  In this conversation, we get into how Ironman training sharpened his business instincts, what it takes to build 20-year team tenure, and why the best leaders don’t demand more, they serve more. For anyone trying to lead with longevity in mind, this episode is fuel. To learn more about Stonefire Grill and their people-first approach, visit stonefiregrill.com. _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

    37 min
  5. Office Hours: Doing Less To Earn More

    JAN 15 · BONUS

    Office Hours: Doing Less To Earn More

    I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses. In this episode, I talk about why the start of a new year feels so hard for so many restaurant owners. The problem is rarely effort. It is usually a lack of focus. I break down how unclear marketing, too many offers, and weak pricing strategies quietly kill profitability. We dig into how to simplify your model, narrow your services, and create calls to action that actually convert. If you want this year to feel more controlled and more profitable, this is where to start.  Takeaways Evaluate what really happened with your goals in 2025.Focus on proven strategies for real growth.More work does not equate to more money.Each service in a restaurant is a separate business.Narrow down to your hero service for marketing.Make one clear ask to your customers.Pricing should reflect the value provided.Perceived value can enhance customer experience.Avoid spreading yourself too thin with multiple offers.Reflect on where you can streamline operations for profit.Chapters 00:00 New Year, New Strategies for Restaurant Growth 01:46 Understanding the Restaurant Business Model 05:05 The Importance of Focused Marketing 08:24 Pricing for Profit and Perceived Value If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.

    11 min
  6. Invisible Work, Unshakable Standards: Wesley Sohn on Engineering Scalable Hospitality

    JAN 13

    Invisible Work, Unshakable Standards: Wesley Sohn on Engineering Scalable Hospitality

    What if the best hospitality isn’t taught – it’s demonstrated, brick by brick? Wesley Sohn didn’t just walk away from a promising finance career, he ran toward something deeper. Something messier. Something real. He started as a food runner, not to climb the ladder faster, but to understand the foundation better. And it shows. Today, Wesley helps lead one of the most intentional hospitality groups in the country, where culture is lived—not laminated—and SOPs don’t kill creativity, they fuel it. In this conversation, we unpack the engineering mindset behind scalable hospitality, how real culture is modeled not mandated, the hidden value of invisible work, and what it takes to build restaurants that work, because the people inside them believe in what they’re building. This one’s for operators who know culture is your system, and your strategy. To learn more about Cote, visit cotekoreansteakhouse.com. _________________________________________________________ Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff. Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

    39 min
  7. When Staying Small Wins: Fred Piehl on Profit, Joy, and Running Restaurants That Don’t Own You

    JAN 9

    When Staying Small Wins: Fred Piehl on Profit, Joy, and Running Restaurants That Don’t Own You

    What if staying small was actually the boldest move you could make in restaurants? Fred Piehl didn’t come to San Diego chasing an empire; he came with Paris training, a place to sleep, and a 30–seat bistro he found on Craigslist that became The Smoking Goat. In this conversation, we break down why he and his wife Tammy treat restaurants like “leaky buckets,” how he built a life where skiing trips, summers in New Hampshire, and family dinners matter as much as Saturday covers and how he’s resisted the pressure to scale for so many years. For operators who feel owned by their restaurants, this is a blueprint for taking your time, your profitability, and your joy back. To learn more about The Smoking Goat and One Door North, visit thesmokinggoatrestaurant.com._________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

    38 min
  8. The Case for Bold Action: Johno Morisano on What It Took to Build the Country’s Best Restaurant

    JAN 6

    The Case for Bold Action: Johno Morisano on What It Took to Build the Country’s Best Restaurant

    What if the best restaurant stories aren’t about food—they’re about identity, risk, and reinvention? Johno Morisano didn’t set out to open a restaurant—he set out to escape. But a chance encounter with a Greyhound bus station, and later, chef Mashama Bailey, sparked something deeper: a creative and cultural reckoning that became The Grey. In this conversation, we unpack how Johno turned personal uncertainty into professional clarity, why the partnership with Mashama worked when others would have failed, and how building a restaurant from scratch became an act of redemption. We get into what it really takes to thrive in a small market, how to build a business that feels like it belongs, and why chasing growth without meaning almost cost him everything. This isn’t about real estate or restaurants. It’s about what happens when you finally stop running—and start building. For more on The Grey and his work with Mashama Bailey, visit thegreyrestaurant.com._________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

    38 min
See All (653)

Trailers

4.9
out of 5
143 Ratings

About

What if I told you that the difference between struggling and thriving in the restaurant industry is just one conversation away? I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur who’s spent decades building blockbuster brands across every tier of dining. I know the challenges you’re facing—because I’ve been there. That’s why I created FULL COMP. Every week, I go one-on-one with the smartest minds in the game: restaurateurs, chefs, and industry insiders who’ve cracked the code. Together, we unpack their biggest wins, hardest lessons, and the strategies that changed everything. No fluff, no filler—just actionable insights to help you boost profits, build your brand, and create the kind of restaurant you’ve always dreamed of. So, if you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start seeing results, hit subscribe.

Information

You Might Also Like