Restaurant Misfits

This is the episode I'll be recommending to every restaurant owner I talk to this year.

I sat down with Craig Susser, founder of Craig's Restaurant in LA and Nashville. 35 years in the industry. Waiter, bartender, maitre d' for 22 years, and now one of the most respected names in fine dining. This guy has seen it all.

Craig gets brutally transparent about what it actually takes to survive and scale in this business right now — margins, labor costs, the online review nightmare, what hospitality really means, and why mos...

Babak Bina didn’t just survive the restaurant industry. He bent an entire city around his vision.

After landing in Boston as an immigrant, washing dishes to stay alive, he spent the next 30 years building concepts that defined the city’s dining scene. 

Babak talks about the moments operators never admit publicly:
 – The lowest point where he almost walked away
 – Flooding an entire dining room and owning the fallout
 – Reinventing concepts while everyone else plays it safe
 – Investing in people instead of chasing shiny ideas
 – The pandemic moments tha...

Jordan Boesch didn’t wait for a better solution to manage staff schedules. He built it.

He was just a kid when he saw his dad struggling to manage his team's schedule. Spreadsheets, paper, chaos—you know the drill.

 So what did he do?

He coded a tool to help his dad out. Fast forward a few years… and that tool became 7shifts—now used by over 50,000 restaurants to manage their teams, schedules, and payroll.

 I sat down with Jordan on the latest episode of Restaurant...

Ever wonder what it takes to make people fall in love with sushi? Chef Cheng Lin has the answer.

In this new episode, I interview Chef Cheng Lin, the mastermind behind Brooklyn’s Michelin-starred Shota Omakase. And let me tell you... he doesn’t just make sushi—he LIVES it. For him, Japanese cuisine is an art, and every detail matters.

We dive into the omakase bubble in NY, the hidden costs of a cancelled reservation, and how it took him a YEAR to find t...

Dr. Cheng isn’t just the Dean of FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality—he’s a major force behind SOBEWFF (South Beach Wine & Food Festival), one of the largest food festivals in the world, drawing over 120,000 attendees and raising more than $40 million for hospitality education just this year alone! That’s beyond impressive—it’s changing the landscape of hospitality and education forever!

In this episode, Dr. Cheng shares exclusive insights on:
✔️ How SOBEWFF went from a small event to one of the biggest food festi...

Award-winning chef Brad Kilgore has built a restaurant empire, from Michelin-starred kitchens to launching Kilgore Culinary Group. In this episode, we dive into:

🔥 His journey from Kansas to Miami’s top restaurants
🔥 Lessons from working at Alinea & L2o
🔥 How he built & scaled multiple restaurant concepts
🔥 The role of marketing, AI, and innovation in hospitality
🔥 What the future holds for the restaurant industry

📢 Don’t miss this deep dive into Mastering Fine Dining & Business Growth!

🍽️ Learn more about how to scale your restaurant through Dineline’s done-for-you marketing program: https://dineline.co

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n this episode of Restaurant Misfi, we explore how restaurants can unlock new revenue streams, enhance branding, and optimize operations with smart, data-driven strategies.

Joining us is Peter Litvinenko, CEO of WorkEatPlay, a platform transforming how restaurants monetize downtime by renting tables as workspaces during slow hours. Dubbed the "Airbnb for restaurants," WorkEatPlay currently operates at one Hamptons and five New York City venues, helping restaurants increase revenue while catering to remote workers.

Beyond maximizing space, we discuss how restaurants can embrace marketing as a truth accelerator, maintain brand consistency, and cater to both local...

In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we uncover the game-changing potential of influencer marketing for restaurants and brands. Joining us is Olivia Ormos, a Miami-based entrepreneur and founder of Maven, the innovative platform connecting brands with top influencers.

From launching successful initiatives like Model Volleyball to crafting influencer-driven experiences that captivate audiences, Olivia shares her journey and actionable strategies to help restaurants thrive in today’s competitive market.

What You’ll Learn:

In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we’re excited to introduce Leslie Diaz, a dynamic digital creator from Miami who has turned her love for restaurants into a successful content creation career. Leslie takes us through her inspiring journey, from studying speech therapy to becoming a leading voice in the restaurant industry.

We explore how social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are transforming restaurant visibility and customer loyalty. Leslie shares her insights on how influencers can help restaurants grow in today’s competitive market. We also dive into Miami’s evolving food scene and its rising impact...

In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we're honored to host Christian J. Fischer, a culinary visionary whose journey from the family kitchen in Feldbach, Austria, to becoming a global influence in the restaurant industry is nothing short of extraordinary. Christian shares his invaluable insights on scaling your business, the pivotal role of marketing, and how to turn a restaurant into an architect of memories. We delve into the future of the industry with discussions on AI, digital menus, and the importance of hyper-personalization. From Chef to entrepreneur, Christian’s story is a masterclass in passion, innovation, and le...

In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we are thrilled to introduce Roger Beaudoin! Join us as Roger and Brett delve into Roger's journey from a novice in the restaurant industry to becoming the founder of Restaurant Rockstars. With over 25 years of experience, Roger shares his invaluable insights and hard-earned lessons.

Roger dives deep into the nuances of leadership versus management and the importance of empowering teams to optimize performance. He discusses how recognizing opportunities to increase sales, building the business, and making strategic suggestions can positively impact the bottom line. Roger emphasizes the critical role of menu...

In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we are excited to feature Luana Borges,  Luana and Brett discuss the main differences between restaurants in Brazil and the US, giving us an interesting look into the unique dining customs, service styles, and food trends in these two countries.

Additionally, Brett shares the fascinating story of how Dishio was created and how it’s changing the restaurant industry. His insights into Dishio (dishio.com) show the importance of innovation in today’s food world. 

Join us for an engaging conversation with Luana Borges and Brett, offering valuable perspectives on int...

In this episode of Restaurant Misfits, we are privileged to feature Adrianne Calvo, a prominent name in the culinary realm. With over 15 years dedicated to infusing "Maximum Flavor" into her restaurants, cookbooks, and shows, Adrianne's journey is a testament to unexpected beginnings and unwavering passion.

During our conversation she reveals invaluable insights on attracting customers through strategic ads, igniting passion for your brand, and harnessing the power of cutting-edge software like Dishio (dishio.com) to revolutionize the restaurant industry. With her wealth of experience and innovative spirit, Chef Adrianne offers a roadmap for success that's both inspiring...

In this episode, we are honored to interview Juan Manuel Barrientos, an eminent figure in the culinary world. As a distinguished restaurateur and world-renowned chef, Juan Manuel has made an incredible mark on the industry with his innovative approach to dining and exceptional culinary skills. With a diverse portfolio of establishments spanning from Colombia to the United States, he exemplifies the epitome of success in the global culinary scene.

Our conversation delves into a myriad of topics, showcasing how Juan Manuel leverages technology to enhance customer experience and increase footfall to his businesses. His pioneering reservation system...

Ready to take your restaurant business to the next level? Look no further! In this amazing podcast episode, Ryan Grom-fin, @Therestaurantboss  himself, shares his expertise and insights on what it takes to succeed in the restaurant industry. Ryan, a former restaurant owner turned restaurant owner coach, has over 120k followers on Youtube and currently works with over 300 restaurant owners to help them achieve their restaurant growth goals. He is also the author of the best-selling book "Make it Happen", a must-read for anyone looking to build a thriving restaurant business.

Join Brett as he interviews Ryan and d...

In this episode I meet with Travis “T-Bone” Talbot.

Here are some of the topics we explore:
- Creating the perfect menu and the psychology behind it.
- Social media and why it's important 
- Changes in consumer behavior 

If you want to learn more about Travis and his company Change Network, head on over to:
https://changenetwork.io/

Marcus Guiliano is the founder of Aroma Thyme,  a restaurant based in Ellenville, NY. 
He is an amazing chef, restaurant owner, and restaurant education/influencer and is incredibly creative with how he has grown his restaurant over the years.

He's been featured in NBC, NY times, Ted x,  and other major publications, and he has nearly 100k subscribers on Youtube!

In this episode, we spoke about a number of killer growth strategies he's used and how you can use them too in your restaurant. 

You can find his restaurant at https://www.arom...

Josh is the CEO and Co-founder of Sesame, a new restaurant marketplace created by restaurants, for restaurants.  Born out of the need to create a more sustainable way for restaurants to manage their off-premise businesses and fight back against the aggregators, Sesame is planning to disrupt the industry for the betterment of all stakeholders. Sesame is launching in NYC in late August.

You can check out Sesame  at - https://www.sesameorder.com/

Interview with Sean Brennan,  the founder of the international multi-unit quick-serve pie and coffee concept “The Pie Hole” based in Los Angeles.

He has plus or minus 20 years’ experience in hospitality and organizational development.

By classification, he is a builder, whether it be teams, companies, campaigns, or even the perfect sandwich.

More on The Pie Hole at: https://www.thepieholela.com/
or at https://www.instagram.com/thepieholela/

Quick highlights on Rev!

In this episode, I interview Jeremy Jacobowitz, a food influencer based out of New York City.

More on Jeremy:

Jeremy Jacobowitz brings along his over 500k followers on his food adventures all over the world. Whether that's finding that hidden gem in NYC, the best omakase in Japan, or creating a fun recipe in his home kitchen studio, his audience is obsessed with all parts of his life. And there is good reason for that trust and admiration.

Not only has he had an...

Ashish is the CEO and CoFounder of POSist

- He has scaled the company from a two-member team to 100+ employees, serving over 9,000+ leading restaurants in 32 countries.

- Ashish is a rare combination of a Technocrat and Restaurateur. He kick-started his entrepreneurial journey in 2007 by founding a telecom company right out of college, serving all major telecom operators in India for value-added services.

- A side investment in a restaurant out of passion brought him to building a tech solution to automate his restaurant business, resulting in founding POSist Technologies in 2012.

...

Ethan Falk is the CEO of Virtual Restaurant Group.

VRG offers delivery-only brands that can easily operate out of an existing restaurant. They maximize a restaurant's kitchen space and a restaurant's stream of revenue using no additional overhead.

In this interview, Brett and Ethan talk about the opportunities to incorporate another virtual concept into a restaurant and other opportunities that restaurant owners should be thinking about!

You can learn more about Ethan and VRG at:

https://www.virtualrestaurantgroup.com/

If you are a restauranteur that wants a jump start on your restaurant business and learn how to instill values into your team, then you will get a ton of useful insight from this episode.

In this episode I interview Abhinav Kapur, CEO & Founder of Bikky, an omni-channel CRM system for restaurants.

Abhinav is dedicated to helping restaurants build deeper, more authentic customer relationships at a time when their business is rapidly shifting beyond the traditional four walls. By aggregating data across channels (in-store, delivery, loyalty, etc.), his system unlocks a unified view of the guest, as well as the ability to run completely automated, data-driven marketing campaigns.

In the next 60 minutes, we dive into new technologies restaurants should be leveraging, how to turn...

During our interview, we discuss managing work-life balance in a constantly moving industry, hiring and training tips, and how he moved from his role as a chef to the ownership role.

This is a really great episode for any chef or restauranteur listening to understand the transferrable skills in both of these roles.

In the next 60 minutes, we dive into finding and hiring new staff, training staff, and uncovering problems in the restaurant industry and his approach to finding solutions. He's huge on having measurable marketing results and for any restauranteur listening, this episode will bring you a ton of value!

On a new Restaurant Misfits episode, I interview Field Failing, CEO and Founder of Field's Good Chicken, a 6 location chicken concept based in New York.

Field's restaurant adventure began in 2007, after his professional cycling career came to an end and he found himself back in the kitchen. 

That year, he filled the fridge in his New York apartment with brines and marinades, blasted the Rolling Stones, and set out to make the perfect chicken.

Shortly thereafter, his chicken restaurant concept was born.

In this episode, I interview Adam Bossie, CEO of the Afficionado Coffee Roasters. In the next 60 minutes, we dive into building a brand with a story, growing a team of excited employees, and his learnings as he explores more digital strategies for his business.

In this episode, I interview Renae Scott, CMO of Ike's Love and Sandwiches and is a creative marketing powerhouse in the restaurant industry.She is the former CMO of Carl's Jr. among many other leading fast casual concepts. Renae has successfully navigated Ike's through the pandemic by launching buzz worthy promotions, enhanced delivery options, and menu innovations. Ike's under her direction will be launching a new app later this year to move their restaurant further into the digital space.After opening 20 locations last year, and 21 more to come this year, Renae is a seasoned marketing veteran in the restaurant industry...

This is a really exciting episode as my business partner and COO, Jace Kovacevich, joined me on the show!As you know, we run an Agency to help restaurants acquire customers the smarter way through digital marketing.In this episode, we are going to break down how the industry has evolved this past year, changes we've made as an agency and our book release, Misfit Marketing for Restaurants!You're also going to learn more about what Misfit Media does and what you can expect from working with us!

In this episode, I interview, Alex Canter, CEO of Ordermark.A platform that allows restaurants to use multiple third-party delivery apps but receive orders on one tablet or printer, as well as manage one universal menu that can synchronize with every third-party marketplace.He is a fourth generation restauranteur and the restaurant business has been in his blood for 85 years.Alex was a 2019 recipient of Forbes 30 under 30, and Fast Casual's executive Top 25.He's continuously innovating in the restaurant space and he has some exciting new concepts that he shares on this episode.

In this episode on Restaurant Misfits, I interview Samantha Slager and Camilla Opperman the co-founders of Nimbus Kitchen.Nimbus Kitchen is a premium and flexible commerical kitchen solution offering state of the art licensed facilities, end to end operational support and a luxury communial working space for the members.It is a really cool concept that Samantha and Camilla founded that was launched JUST last week! They come from two totally different backgrounds but that's what makes this partnership so successful.In this episode, we talk about a number of current problems in the restaurant industry and how they are...

In this episode, I interview Jamie Simpson, the Executive Chef of the Culinary Vegetable Institute.Jamie has an interesting background- he was previously in a rock band before becoming a chef and compares an ingredient as a note in a chord. "A great dish is a great song and a great restaurant is an absolute symphony."His role in providing hundreds of fresh vegetables across the United States and the emphasis on creating a more sustainable food industry makes this an extremely interesting episode!

In this episode, I interview Melanie Landano the founder of Mel's Butcher Box. Mel's Butcher Box is a food truck concept that was established in the midst of the pandemic.Melanie has been in the food, hospitality and entertainment space her entire career and had the vision of bringing her food truck to life in one of the most turbulent times for the industry. She has a very interesting and experiencing story and I am excited to share it with you!

In this episode, I interview our clients, Adrian and Melissa from Brick Oven Pizza.Their restaurant business has been a client of ours for 2 years now and they are very special to Misfit Media.After doubling their in sales in 2020, Brick Oven Pizza has made over half a million dollars directly attributed to our marketing programs!We've had so much success with them and in these next 50 minutes, we are going to dive into their road to getting there. Enjoy!

In this episode, I interview David Burke. Chef, restauranteur, TV personality and business man who is fueled by passion, grit and a knack for artful innovation. He is known amongst his peers as a leading pioneer in cooking and is recognized internationally for his techniques, skills and his successful restaurant empire. David gave great insight into how he adapted due to the pandemic, new revenue streams, and what led him to his overall success in the restaurant industry. This episode is full of great content, so let's dive in!

In this episode, I interview Dan Rowe, the CEO of Fransmart and Co-managing partner of Kitchen Fund.Dan Rowe specializes in finding the next big thing and for over 20 years has discovered and grown many major brands including:Five Guys, QDOBA Mexican Grill and The Halal Guys.Under Dan Rowe’s direction, Fransmart’s current and past franchise development portfolio brands, they have opened more than 5,000 restaurants worldwide, and facilitated franchise investments that have cumulatively generated over 1-billion in revenues to date.Dan definitely knows how to spot a winning restaurant brand and this episode we’ll explore some of those...

In this episode, I interview Laurent May, who's the CEO of Ready To Pay.A fully-integrated, contactless mobile self-ordering payment and loyalty technology solution.Laurent personally has over 20 years of expertise when it comes to project management in the electronic payment space.There's been so much change in the restaurant industry in 2020 and even more changes in emerging technology.If we look at the industry now and onwards in the future, Laurent mentions that it's so critically important for restaurant owners to embrace these new technologies rather than shy away from them if they want to continue being successful.We...

In this episode, I interview Elena Besser, a Brooklyn-based, Chicago-bred Chef and TV Host.

She hosts live cooking classes on Food Network Kitchen, and can be seen on The Cooking Channel's "Best Thing I Ever Ate" as well as Food Network's "Beat Bobby Flay".

She firmly believes food and entertainment should be intertwined and makes some strong points behind this.

Just in the way that Elena describes food and her dishes made me so hungry I ran to our office kitchen directly after this...