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For over 30 years, Michael Mina has dominated the restaurant scene and today we sit down with the chef to find out how. In today's conversation we dive deep into the tactics tools and strategies Michael has developed over decades to acquire talent, develop leaders, scale operations, and ensure profitability. This is a masterclass in restaurant ownership and operations. For more information on the chef and his restaurant group, visit https://www.michaelmina.net/____________________________________________________________Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars
For nearly a decade, the LA Chef Conference has been the gathering of Los Angeles chefs and industry professionals. After a one-year hiatus, the conference returns this October 6 in its new home at Redbird and Vibiana in Downtown LA. On this episode, conference founder Brad Metzger and host chef Neal Fraser join Andrew to discuss some featured topics, speakers, and chefs who will be cooking for the conference's always-impressive lunch, including (in alphabetical order) Gilberto Cetina, David Gelb, Rashida Holmes, Jordan Kahn, Evan Kleiman, Michael Mina, Charles Namba, Laurie Ochoa, Nancy Silverton, Michael Voltaggio, Alice Waters, and others. (Andrew will be moderating a panel on Ten Years of Chef's Table, celebrating the acclaimed Netflix series.)Be sure to check out the details at the LA Chef Conference site, and sign up there for email updates regarding tickets (including discounted tickets for restaurant professionals) and updates to the line up.Following the brief conversation about this year's conference, we share some excerpts from previous conference interviews that give a sense of what makes this homegrown event, and the city it celebrates, so special.Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs' presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!
In this episode, Dr. Jessica Steier and Dr. Sarah Scheinman welcome Dr. Michael Mina to explore the nuanced realities of COVID-19 vaccines and public health communication. The scientists examine the limitations of current vaccines in preventing transmission and how this has affected public trust. Dr. Mina introduces the critical concept of immune amnesia, particularly in relation to measles, explaining its profound implications for understanding immunity. The conversation places current vaccine challenges in historical context while discussing the ongoing pursuit of universal vaccines. Throughout the episode, the experts emphasize the importance of transparent, accurate scientific communication in building and maintaining public trust in vaccination programs. (00:00) Intro (04:34) The Role of COVID-19 Vaccines in Transmission (11:55) Understanding Vaccine Efficacy and Mistrust (18:11) Comparing Vaccines: COVID-19 vs. Measles (18:30) The Future of Vaccines: Universal Protection (23:21) Communication Challenges in Public Health Messaging (25:07) Navigating Scientific Terminology and Public Perception (28:11) Understanding Measles: Historical Context and Public Misconceptions (32:24) The Efficacy of the MMR Vaccine: New Insights (38:11) Immune Amnesia: The Hidden Dangers of Measles (48:18) Conclusion: The Importance of Vaccination and Public Health Awareness https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2025/03/measles-immune-amnesia https://www-webflow.emed.com/team-member/michael-mina https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/c2sense-welcomes-dr-michael-mina-md-phd-chief-scientific-officer-of-emed-digital-healthcare-to-board-of-directors-302156846.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interested in advertising with us? Please reach out to advertising@airwavemedia.com, with “Unbiased Science” in the subject line. PLEASE NOTE: The discussion and information provided in this podcast are for general educational, scientific, and informational purposes only and are not intended as, and should not be treated as, medical or other professional advice for any particular individual or individuals. Every person and medical issue is different, and diagnosis and treatment requires consideration of specific facts often unique to the individual. As such, the information contained in this podcast should not be used as a substitute for consultation with and/or treatment by a doctor or other medical professional. If you are experiencing any medical issue or have any medical concern, you should consult with a doctor or other medical professional. Further, due to the inherent limitations of a podcast such as this as well as ongoing scientific developments, we do not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information or analysis provided in this podcast, although, of course we always endeavor to provide comprehensive information and analysis. In no event may Unbiased Science or any of the participants in this podcast be held liable to the listener or anyone else for any decision allegedly made or action allegedly taken or not taken allegedly in reliance on the discussion or information in this podcast or for any damages allegedly resulting from such reliance. The information provided herein do not represent the views of our employers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Orlando Weekly Restaurant Critic Faiyaz Kara gives his review of Talay, a restaurant he says presents a distinct menu of Thai cuisine, one focused primarily on seafood. He also talks about the opening of the Imperial on Park, a new wine bar in Winter Park. Faiyaz also shares that Shula's Steak House will be replaced with Bourbon Steak by celebrity chef Michael Mina before wrapping it up with another fake kidnapping, this time to find the best coffee.
Knowing full well the challenges of the restaurant business as a line cook at his family's Atlanta restaurant, Federico Castellucci chose to study finance at Cornell University. However, he switched to the university's hotel administration & hospitality program where his enthusiasm for the restaurant business was fueled by encounters with luminaries such as Danny Meyer and Michael Mina. Castellucci went on to assume a failed franchise location to create and launch Sugo, his first concept in Atlanta. “Passion alone can be a recipe for misery in this business,” he says, “but add a lot of hard work and a great team and it becomes magic.” Sugo‘s first nine months were difficult, but the concept became established and profitable. Castellucci began planning his next concept. In September 2009, the Iberian Pig opened. The transition from restaurant operator to owner of a restaurant company required changing his responsibilities and creating a support team. Family members along with management and key staff helped him develop his winning strategy, operate efficiently, and grow successfully. By 2014, he added the concepts Double Zero, Cooks & Soldiers, Basque, and Mujo to the Castellucci family of restaurants. In this episode, Castellucci explains how his small support team is critical to the creation and management of the company's multiple concepts. “I prefer a horizontal structure and engagement from my operating partners in the field,” says Castellucci, adding “we include management in decisions and provide an incentive bonus program meant to share the wealth.” Castellucci Hospitality Group currently operates seven concepts in Atlanta and Nashville, with additional units being developed in Florida and North Carolina. “My role is to balance exploitation, the duplication of existing brands, with exploration, the creation of new concepts,” says Castellucci. “I try to choose the one best thing I think we can do each year."
On this week's episode, Al pays a visit to Bourbon Steak's new executive chef, Josh Smith, to find out what he has in mind for the Michael Mina steakhouse at the Four Seasons Hotel. We also chat with Clique's Mustafa Abdi about the beginning of pool season at the Durango resort, catch up with All'Antico Vinaio founder Tommas Mazzante to discuss their current and future Vegas locations, and talk Vegas Unstripped with Kim Owens, John Church and Steve Kestler. And if you like our restaurant reports, we have several this week, ranging from Joel Robuchon to McDonalds. (How's that for variety?)
When Kate Leahy was in Paris recently, I was happy to have a chat with her in my kitchen for my podcast. A former restaurant cook, Kate seamlessly pivoted to food writing, collaborating on books with a variety of chefs, bakers, and sommeliers, and has also penned several books on her own.Kate co-authored La Buvette with Camille Fourmont, the owner of the charming La Buvette wine bar in Paris, and most recently, My Egypt with chef-restaurateur Michael Mina. She also co-wrote Lavash, which explores the world of Armenian flatbreads; Cookie Love with Mindy Segal; Burma Superstar, featuring recipes from San Francisco's legendary Burmese restaurant; and A16 Food+Wine, from one of the best Italian restaurants in America.While Kate was in Paris working on a project with me, in between baking together and hitting the town, attending chocolate tastings, and checking out the $15 ham & cheese sandwich at the Ritz Hotel's Le Comptoir bakery (see below), we talked about writing cookbooks in this podcast. A lot goes into writing a cookbook, especially when she's collaborating with a chef and travels to places such as Egypt and Armenia to research and cull recipes. We discussed how she chooses what projects to work on, which chefs and sommeliers to work with, what are the most rewarding parts of writing cookbooks…and what are the most difficult. (And no, working with me wasn't one of the latter…hopefully!
Check out Steve Turk's new book, Hospitality Unlocked: Advice, Strategies, and Insider Secrets from 75 of the World's Top Hospitality Leaders, available now on Amazon: https://a.co/d/8JC16xJ.In this episode of the Hospitality Mentor Podcast, host Steve Turk interviews Gerald Chin, Head of Culinary for the Mina Group. Starting his journey at Carvel Ice Cream on Long Island during high school, Chin shares his fascinating transition from a scooper to an executive chef. His career chronicles include stints at some of the most prestigious kitchens including Tavern on the Green, CIA (Culinary Institute of America), and working under the legendary chef Joel Robuchon. Gerald also touches upon his significant roles at various Michael Mina establishments, the challenges of transitioning to a corporate role, and his exciting new prospects within the Mina Group. Reflecting on his journey, Chin emphasizes the importance of passion, continuous learning, and the value of writing everything down. Join us to hear his inspiring story of resilience, growth, and the pursuit of culinary excellence.00:00 Introduction to the Hospitality Mentor Podcast00:32 Exciting News: Hospitality Unlocked Book Release01:08 Meet Gerald Chin: Head of Culinary for the MENA Group01:28 Gerald's First Job: Carvel Ice Cream03:47 Vocational School and Culinary Beginnings05:34 First Real Restaurant Job: The Weeping Willow09:05 Tavern on the Green: A Culinary Bootcamp14:08 Judson Grill and the Path to Culinary School16:04 Culinary Institute of America: The Hogwarts of Culinary Schools21:02 From Switzerland to Las Vegas: Joining Bradley Ogden27:28 Achieving a Dream: Working at Robuchon32:15 Exclusive Dining at MGM33:32 Transition to Executive Chef33:46 Opening an Italian Restaurant35:37 Challenges and Realizations36:09 Joining RM Seafood38:09 The Opportunity with Darden Group39:28 Cosmopolitan and Family Life41:21 Joining the Mina Group45:47 Corporate Chef Responsibilities47:35 Balancing Travel and Family49:30 Current Role and Future Plans58:13 Advice for Aspiring Chefs01:00:13 Conclusion and Gratitude
Do Business. Do Life. — The Financial Advisor Podcast — DBDL
What do Michelin-starred restaurants and top financial advisory firms have in common? More than you might think.In this episode, I'm talking with Patric Yumul, a hospitality industry leader who co-founded Mina Group with Chef Michael Mina, growing it from 4 restaurants to over 40 worldwide. Known for his expertise in fine dining, brand development, and team culture, Patric has built some of the most notable restaurant concepts in the industry. Now, as the CEO of TableOne Hospitality, he's pioneering a fresh approach to hospitality, creating unforgettable guest experiences that keep customers coming back.We explore the surprising parallels between the restaurant industry and financial services, from managing high-net-worth clients to differentiating in a crowded, commoditized market.You learn all about the power of exceptional service—not just in restaurants, but in any business where client relationships matter (yes, that includes your advisory firm). Patric shares the exact strategies high-end restaurants use to turn first-time guests into lifelong patrons, and we explore how financial advisors can do the same by building trust, creating memorable interactions, and delivering next-level service.The biggest insights from Patric Yumul …The "Keystone Light" Effect: How a simple act of listening and personalized service at The French Laundry created a legendary guest experience—and how you can replicate this level of attentiveness in your own businessWhy Relationships > Transactions: In a world where everything is commoditized, the best way to stand out is through hospitality—making clients feel valued, understood, and like VIPs at every interactionThe Power of Culture in Scaling a Business: Most businesses fail not because of bad products, but because of poor leadership and team culture. Patric explains how he transformed a failing restaurant losing $400K into a thriving business generating $600K by focusing on people firstHandling Poor Performers & Leadership Accountability: Patric stresses that when a team member underperforms, leaders must first look at themselves. Do they have the right tools, training, and expectations? If the issue is misalignment, it's on the leader to fix it. But if a team member lacks motivation, tough decisions need to be made.SHOW NOTEShttps://bradleyjohnson.com/99FOLLOW BRAD JOHNSON ON SOCIALTwitterInstagramLinkedInFOLLOW DBDL ON SOCIAL:YouTubeTwitterInstagramLinkedInFacebookDISCLOSURE DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations.The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for.Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
New year, new places to eat and drink! Al Mancini, host of the Food and Loathing Podcast is here with all the tasty foodie news, celebrity interviews and on-the-scene reporting; covering the most important restaurant [...] The post Neon Feast: New Bars For The Arts District and the Huntridge Neighborhood, and A Closing For Michael Mina appeared first on Highway Radio.
Happy holidays. With Gemini celebrating in the Southern Hemisphere, and Las Vegas in holiday mode, Al and Rich avoided the temptation to take a week off, and put in just enough effort to create an abbreviated episode. But it's still packed with good stuff – especially if you're a fan of Michael Mina. Al talked to Mina just hours before the new Bourbon Steak in the Four Seasons resort opened its doors to the public. But before we even get to that, Al will tell you about his experience getting bites in the Bourbon Steak lounge. Other restaurant reports this week include visits to William B's in the Suncoast, Brooklyn Bowl, New York Bagel and Bakery, and The George Sportsmen's Lounge. And Al drops by The Gambler pop-up at Amari, and speaks to Mina Group veteran Chef Adam Sobel and Amari GM Jason Rocheleau.
So good! It's all the latest foodie news, prepared by Al Mancini, host of the Food and Loathing Podcast. Enjoy all the tasty news, celebrity interviews and on-the-scene reporting; covering the most important restaurant happenings [...] The post Neon Feast: New Restaurants from Gordon Ramsey and Michael Mina, and Learn To Pour a Perfect Pint appeared first on Highway Radio.
On Today's Menu: Where to find the best chocolate chip cookie on Earth Taste tempting palate, pleasing pics – short & sweet for the Millennials Retirement is nothing but self-care No strippers, just NY Strip Tuna cutting Holiday dining tips & Valentine's Day ideas High-end Asian cuisine Thai delights The Golden Steer: a culinary comeback Last-minute gourmet gifts Anyone else need a chiro after a sushi bar? F*ck you and your children's menu Next week on Eat. Talk. Repeat.: Verbal gifts & New Year's Resolutions Food News You Can Use: John got the skinny on The Naughty Angel La Maison de Maggie The Modern French Crêpe closed this week Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina is coming into Four Seasons Hotel Holsteins Shakes and Buns (fresh out of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas) is moving to the Arts District La Bohème update… JIPATA by Bank is in its friends & family soft opening 1228 Main Las Vegas weekend brunch menu items Recent Ventures & Spots Mentioned: Mother Wolf Las Vegas Le Thai 2 La Casa de Juliette 1228 Main Las Vegas Melrose Umbrella Co. Mae Daly's Jive Turkey Spiegelworld's Diner Ross La Casa de Juliette Omakase Kyara Sake Bar Elia Authenic Greek Taverna YEN Viet Kitchen Haochi by Chinamama SOOKDAL PREMIUM KOREAN BARBECUE Primal Steakhouse Vic and Anthony's Steakhouse Barry's Downtown Prime Oscar's Steakhouse Vetri Cucina Washing Potato (college version of Chyna Club) The Golden Steer Steakhouse Trattoria Nakamura-Ya Casa de Raku Kabuto Edomae Sushi Delilah Lounge & Fine Dining STK Steakhouse Vegas Bramàre Anima by EDO Basilico Ristorante Italiano Ferraro's Las Vegas Questions, comments, hate mail? Email us at cheers@eattalkrepeat.com! Thanks for tuning into today's episode! If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show, & make sure you leave us a 5-star review. Visit us at Eating Las Vegas & Eat. Talk. Repeat. Follow us on social: Twitter: @EatTalkRepeat, @EatingLasVegas, @WhatsRightSam, & @AshTheAttorneyInstagram: @EatTalkRepeatLV, @JohnCurtas, @WhatsRightSam, & @AshTheAttorney
Send us a textChef Michael Mina opened a new restaurant at the Four Seasons Las Vegas. We think it's gorgeous!! Bourbon Steak is located in the former Charlie Palmer spot. We sat down with Chef Mina to talk about what this restaurant will offer and why he decided to open it. We also have a bunch of New Year's ideas for you. We answer a couple listener questions... one about parking and another about what we are looking forward to in 2025. We go inside the new Villa 66 Suite at Resorts World. The opening party for Swingers Golf at Mandalay Bay was really fun! And, we have a tip about Fontainebleau Rewards that you may not know. Plus, a new restaurant opens at Planet Hollywood and there's an immersive audio and light show at Area 15 that includes Country Music. Miracle Mile Shops has some holiday hours that may help last minute shoppers.Call LevelUp Law at 855-LevelUp or visit LevelUpLaw.comVegasNearMe AppIf it's fun to do or see, it's on VegasNearMe. The only app you'll need to navigate Las Vegas. Support the showFollow us on Instagram: @vegas.revealedFollow us on Twitter: @vegasrevealedFollow us on TikTok: @vegas.revealedWebsite: Vegas-Revealed.com
S3 Ep14 Episode Shownotes:“For someone in hospitality, the greatest gift is to serve others.” —Diane MinaBuilding a successful business is no easy feat. It takes a whole lot of passion, perseverance, and strategic vision to make it happen. And when it comes to the hospitality industry, the challenges can be even more intense. But the ones who rise to the occasion? They often uncover some seriously valuable insights that can inspire and guide others on their own entrepreneurial journeys. In this we're diving deep into the keys to sustained success in the culinary world.Diane Mina is a seasoned hospitality pro and the wife of the one and only Chef Michael Mina. With a diverse background spanning hotels, restaurants, and her own entrepreneurial ventures, Diane has a wealth of experience and an infectious enthusiasm that make her a total force to be reckoned with in this industry.Tune in as Diane shares her remarkable story, from her early days in hospitality all the way to the incredible growth and evolution of the Mina Group, the secrets behind their team-driven approach to running a culinary empire, the challenges of navigating the ever-changing restaurant landscape, Diane's signature Bloody Mary mix and future plans, plus much more!Connect with Heather: WebsiteFacebook InstagramLinkedInEpisode Highlights:03:29 Early Career07:30 The Growth of Mina Group26:41 Challenges and Success in the Resto Industry35:05 Diane's Bloody Mary Mix and Personal Projects47:16 Restaurant Concepts 50:45 Challenges and Future PlansConnect with Diane: Restaurateur Diane Mina created a one-of-a-kind, 100% Italian Bloody Mary Mix from her three decades of service working in the hospitality industry. She and her husband, Chef Michael Mina, founders of The Mina Group based out of San Francisco, own and operate over 30 restaurants across the globe. In 2014, Diane made her mark in creating a signature culinary blend specifically for their restaurant collection and within three years, launched her own company, TerraMina LLC, producers of Diane Mina's Garden Grown Blends® featuring, Diane's Bloody Mary and Dirty Diane's Jalapeño Bloody Mary both made with San Marzano tomatoes. Garden fresh taste with rich umami ingredients, Diane Mina's Garden Grown Blends® drink beautifully straight from the bottle or mixed with any chosen spirit.Website LinkedInInstagramSupport the show
We thought we knew everything there was to know about measles. But in recent years, new research has revealed that the virus attacks the immune system and creates effects far more dramatic than a rash and fever. For this episode we're joined by Michael Mina, a former Harvard epidemiologist now at eMed, who helped discover how measles was causing “immune amnesia." Our second guest is Stephen Russell, a former Mayo Clinic researcher who co-founded a company called Vyriad. Russell is trying to use the measles virus to treat cancer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Michael Mina, whose hospitality group boasts about two dozen restaurants across the United States (and one in the UAE), trained in New York City. But he hadn't opened a restaurant in Manhattan ... until this summer when he and his team launched Bourbon Steak on Central Park South. On the occasion of the opening, Michael sat down with Andrew for a conversation that covers his Egyptian heritage, the glory days of 1990s New York restaurants, and his growth as a chef and operator. Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs' presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for professionals. Sign up today for a basic (free) or premium membership. And please check out our fellow meez network podcasts and newsletters! THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!
On this week's podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discuss a week's worth of eating experiences, starting with a dine-around in Chicago. The two editors were in Chicago for the last conference of the International Foodservice Editorial Council, familiarly known as IFEC, and the opening event featured a tasting tour of three restaurants in the city's Fulton Market district. Chef-owner Joe Flamm of Rose Mary spoke about his popular Croatian-Italian restaurant while we chowed down Pork Ribs Pampanella with Calabrian Chile Agrodolce and walnut relish as well as Beef Cheek Gnocchi; at Publican Quality Meats we learned how to spatchcock a chicken while nibbling on Grilled Pork & Mango Brochettes, Porchetta Sandwiches and charcuterie; and at Leña Brava, we sampled Watermelon Aguachile and al pastor-marinated Watermelon Steak and sipped a watermelon cocktail and mocktail. While in Chicago, Pat also had dinner at Eataly, and was reminded of how this Italian retail emporium is also a worthy restaurant destination. She joined friends at Vino &, an in-store wine bar with a large menu featuring specialties like Tagliolini al Limone, Pollo alla Milanese and Grilled Branzino, all of which her table ordered along with a nice bottle of red wine. Bret continues to explore his Brooklyn neighborhood, where he discovered some Eastern European meat dumplings that he brought home for dinner. First, he tried them the traditional way, topped with sour cream, but then concocted an Asian-influenced “ranch dressing” with chili crisp and Chinese black vinegar that took the dumplings into another flavor dimension. This week we share an interview with renowned chef and restaurateur Michael Mina, whose new cookbook, “My Egypt,” was just published. Subtitled “Cooking from My Roots,” the book relates Mina's experiences of journeying back to Egypt—which he left at the age of two—to rediscover his family's culinary legacy. The result is a book filled with stories, firsthand cooking experiences and a lifetime of recipes. Mina operates more than 30 restaurants in the U.S., including the recently opened Orla in Santa Monica, California—his first to specialize in Egyptian-Mediterranean cuisine. Here he elevates the dishes he enjoyed eating around his mother's table and shares the food he tasted and cooked in Egypt. Listen as the chef shares his passion for Egyptian food and talks about how Mina Group is ramping up restaurant openings.
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Join us for a lively conversation with a lauded chef operating at the top of his game, triumphantly returning to his roots and sharing a lifetime of recipes that capture the flavor and energy of Egypt. Growing up in a Middle Eastern household gave Michael Mina an innate understanding of how to cook with spice and use acidity to amp up flavors. But when he started working in restaurants, Mina went out of his way to cook everything but the Egyptian food he had grown up with. His family had left Cairo for the United States when he was two years old, and he felt the need to assimilate to thrive. Decades later, after making his name as a technique-driven California chef and opening dozens of acclaimed restaurants, Mina looked back to what got him excited to cook in the first place: dishes like his mom's ta'ameya, or Egyptian falafel, and tables heavy with dips and spreads at family barbecues. Thus began years of travel back to Egypt and a new story in his cuisine. He'll draw on stories from his new book My Egypt, taking us to contemporary Cairo and Alexandria to share the foundations of Egyptian cooking and hospitality, from the traditional breakfast of ful medames to the streetside meal of baladi bread stuffed with spiced hawawshi. Hungry to learn more? Join us in-person or online. This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is brought to you with support from Hireology. Check out our free masterclass: How To Hire Great People, Faster.In this episode, Jason Himber, CEO of MINA Group, shares how he convinced celebrity chef Michael Mina to pause the company's rapid expansion and focus on strengthening its foundation for long-term success.Listeners will learn:The importance of listening, learning, and building trust when coming into a new business How focusing on process, systems, and discipline can help a company create a stable foundation for growthThe need to balance systematization with creativity and innovation to maintain a company's unique qualitiesHow the pandemic forced the MINA Group to address structural issues and adapt to changes in the workforceThe value of letting employees fail and make mistakes to develop critical thinking skills and adaptability The significance of encouraging employees to bring their whole selves to work Mentions:CIA (Culinary Institute of America) The Bear (TV show) If you enjoyed this, you may also enjoy:Lessons From My Unexpected Journey to CEO - Jason Himber, MINA GroupThe Next Frontier: Innovation at the Edges of Hospitality - Jason Himber, MINA Group This episode is brought to you with support from Hireology.Check out our free masterclass with Hireology's CEO, Adam Robinson: How To Hire Great People, Faster.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands
As Gemini continues her world tour, longtime friend of the pod Rick Moonen steps in to share his many comings and goings -- including escaping Hurricane Milton. In the centerpiece interview, Al sits down with Christina Dylag of Velveteen Rabbit. Also: news from Chef Michael Mina, Chef Steve Kestler of Aroma Latin American Cocina and Vincent Rotolo talks about the new branch of Good Pie in Henderson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Please enjoy this serving of all the latest foodie news, prepared by Al Mancini, host of the Food and Loathing Podcast. Enjoy all the delicious news, celebrity interviews and on-the-scene reporting; covering the most important [...] The post Neon Feast: Michael Mina's Cookbook, Station Opens a Tavern, and Good Pie in Henderson appeared first on Highway Radio.
Today on our episode #400 (!) of All in the Industry® — a true milestone; Shari Bayer is on-location with her guest Michael Mina, award-winning chef, founder and executive chairman of MINA Group, a collection of over 30 chef-driven concepts, including PABU, Sorelle, MINA's Fish House, The Bungalow Kitchen by Michael Mina, and Bourbon Steak, across the Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York, Hawaii and beyond. Born in Cairo, Egypt and raised in Ellensburg, Washington, Michael began his epicurean journey at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, and gained hands-on experience working in Chef Charlie Palmer's kitchen at the upscale Aureole in NYC. Now Michael has returned to where his career started with the opening of Bourbon Steak New York, his first NYC restaurant located inside the newly renovated JW Marriott Essex House New York on Central Park South. Michael has been honored with numerous accolades over the years, including a Michelin star at MICHAEL MINA, James Beard Foundation's “Who's Who of Food & Beverage” inductee, Bon Appétit's Chef of the Year, and most recently named one of the “50 Most Powerful People in American Fine Dining” by Robb Report. Michael and his collection of restaurants have been featured across national media outlets from Food & Wine, to Food Network & TODAY, and he has cooked for three U.S. presidents: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Shari sat down with Michael at Bourbon Steak New York over the summer to talk about his impressive career and restaurants, and why he decided to open now in NYC. Today's show also features Shari's PR tip to stay the path; Speed Round; Industry News on Hurricane Helene and how it's impacted the F+B community in Asheville and beyond -- sharing a recent message from acclaimed chef and restaurateur Katie Button of Curate and La Bodega by Curate in Ashevile; and how we can help (see links below); and Solo Dining experience at Quique Dacosta's 3-Michelin star, namesake restaurant, Quique Dacosta, in Denia, Spain, where Shari had an extraordinary solo lunch and travel adventure, taking the ferry from Ibiza to Denia for a daytrip. Here's to 400 Episodes! Thanks, as always, for being a part of All in the Industry®. Ways to support the F+B community and more affected by Hurricane Helene:NCRLA - NC Restaurant & Lodging Associationrecovery.ncrla.orgSouthern Smoke Foundationsouthernsmoke.orgWorld Central Kitchendonate.wck.org••• Listen at Heritage Radio Network; subscribe/rate/review our show at iTunes, Stitcher or Spotify. Follow us @allindustry. Thanks for being a part of All in the Industry®. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support All in the Industry by becoming a member!All in the Industry is Powered by Simplecast.
As the cofounder of online restaurant watchdog and chronicler Eater, as well as reservations booker Resy, Ben Leventhal has been at the center of all things dining out for nearly 20 years. On this episode we catch up with Ben about his latest company, Blackbird, a restaurant loyalty program that is rethinking the way hospitality and online culture converge. We talk about the company's big expansion, what makes a good restaurant diner, burger nights in NYC, and thoughts on the city's most controversial new restaurant: the good, the bad, the froggy. It's always so great having Ben in the studio.Also on the show, it's time to talk about cool new fall cookbooks. All season Aliza and Matt are previewing some of their favorites, category by category. Next up is cuisines and cultures, featuring: The Contemporary African Kitchen by Alexander Smalls, Wafu Cooking by Sonoko Sakai, My Egypt by Michael Mina, The Chinese Way by Betty Liu, Moroseta Kitchen by Giorgia Goggi, Classic German Cooking by Luisa Weiss.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We'd love to hear from you.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This episode is sponsored by inKind. In this episode, Johann Moonesinghe, co-founder and CEO of inKind, shares how his company is empowering restaurants by connecting them with capital, technology, and high-spend guests.Listeners will learn:How Johann's experiences investing in restaurants and running a restaurant incubator led him to start InKind (01:52)The challenges of running restaurants, including the need to be good at everything from procurement to marketing (07:47)How InKind evolved from a restaurant financing company to a consumer marketplace, offering a network-wide loyalty program (14:27)The importance of InKind owning and operating its own restaurants to better understand and serve its clients (20:58)How InKind's partnership with restaurateur Michael Mina has shaped the company's strategy to provide comprehensive support to restaurants (24:27)InKind's commitment to funding independent restaurants, especially those owned by minorities, women, LGBT individuals, or veterans (32:22)New to Hospitality Daily? Start here. Want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day? Subscribe here for free.Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands
In this episode I take a followers request to try Strip Steak at Mandalay Bay. I've recommended this place plenty of times, but haven't been In a while and all I'll say is, I have thoughts on Vegas prices getting out of control and what cuts of meat are super overrated. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conciergeconfidential_lv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KeystoVegas TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keystovegas Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvOErl2cti4DrqmL01hMY7A
Ryan Ososky has worked for some of the biggest chefs on the West Coast - Bradley Ogden, Michael Mina, Wolfgang Puck - and when he decided to go out on his own, he felt the most appropriate use of his skills would be pizza. Not just any pie though, he had to make the Detroit style pizzas he remembered growing up Michigan. But Ryan's pies at Dtown go way beyond just pepperoni; he now offers a $100 pie with A5 Wagyu and caviar... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pizzacity/support
This week on Menu Talk, hosts Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor at Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, start off with a beer tasting. Bret discovered a low-alcohol brew called kvass in his new Brooklyn neighborhood, which is populated by Russian, Ukrainian and Eastern European residents. As Pat visited Sysco headquarters in Houston to get an inside look at how innovative products get into the distributor's supply chain. Steak seems to be an ongoing topic of discussion here on Menu Talk. This week, we chat about Michael Mina's newest branch of Bourbon Steak, which opened in New York City recently. Along with Entrecote and Skirt Steak, two restaurants that offer a prix fixe steak dinner. Skirt Steak is one of Laurent Tourondel's restaurants, and reservations are hard to come by. One reason: for $45 per person, diners get grilled steak, fries, salad and bread. That's a pretty good deal at a chef-driven restaurant in Manhattan. Tourondel started as a chef in France, but has since operated restaurants in several U.S. locales, including New York, Philadelphia, Las Vegas and South Florida. Listen as the accomplished chef-restaurateur shares his journey and talks about what's next. A bakery is in the works. But another French restaurant? Not so fast.
Our Las Vegas week continues! Gina Marinelli is the chef and partner of La Strega, a coastal Italian restaurant charming Las Vegas's Summerlin neighborhood. She's worked in Las Vegas kitchens since 2006 for chefs like Michael Mina at Nobhill Tavern and Scott Conant at D.O.C.G. Enoteca, and now she's doing Italian food her way. Also on the show, we visit Fontainebleau Las Vegas and check out the growing food and drink options at the new opening.Lastly, it's our recurring three things segment, where Aliza and Matt discuss the three things they each took away from their exciting week in Las Vegas. These very special episodes of This Is TASTE are supported by Las Vegas.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Our Las Vegas week continues with a very fun interview with Michael Mina, a legendary Bay Area chef who has deep roots in Las Vegas. We talk about how the city has grown into a world-class culinary destination and get into what he is cooking up at his restaurants there, including Bardot Brasserie, International Smoke, Orla, StripSteak, and his namesake restaurant at the Bellagio. This guy has serious range, and we discuss how he sources California produce and seafood and gets it to his Las Vegas restaurants in a snap. We also get a locals-only tour of restaurants off the Strip from the point of view of a world-class chef who also happens to be a local. Also on the show, Aliza and MattI pay a visit to the Sphere, the now-legendary Las Vegas performance venue. We attended a recent Dead & Company show and wanted to check in with the food! It's actually quite good, and we share some highlights from the concession stand, including good pizza, great pretzels, craft beer for days, and a thoughtful approach to modern stadium food. It's yet another example of how Las Vegas is getting food right. These very special episodes of This Is TASTE are supported by Las Vegas.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chef Michael Mina stands out for his exceptional food and commitment to guests. His philosophy centers on the belief that every detail matters. This is evident to any customer that attends a MINA Group establishment. Listen now to learn about the importance of the guest experience, building a management company, and embracing new technology for the future. Sponsored by - • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc • OVATION - Guest Feedback Platform: https://ovationup.com/shawn
stands out for his exceptional food and commitment to guests. His philosophy centers on the belief that every detail matters. This is evident to any customer that attends a establishment Listen now to learn about the importance of the guest experience, building a management company, and embracing new technology for the future. Sponsored by - • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: • OVATION - Guest Feedback Platform:
Fawn Weaver is the Founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. In 2016, Fawn went to Tennessee to interview the descendents of Nearest Green, a former slave and whiskey distiller, for a book project. Fawn's work helped reveal the history of the Jack Daniel's distillery that included Nearest Green as its first Master Distiller and mentor to a young Jack Daniel.This inspired Fawn to found and launch the Nearest Green Distillery, and Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey in 2017, making Fawn the first African-American woman to head a major spirits brand. Uncle Nearest also became the first American spirits brand with an all-female executive team.Over a meal at Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina in Nashville, Tennessee, Fawn tells her story of entrepreneurship, innovation, and a real sense of purpose.Follow To Dine For:Official Website: ToDineForTV.comFacebook: Facebook.com/ToDineForTVInstagram: @ToDineForTVTwitter: @KateSullivanTVEmail: ToDineForTV@gmail.com Thank You to our Sponsors!American National InsuranceFollow Our Guest:Official Site: UncleNearest.comInstagram: @Fawn.WeaverFollow The Restaurant:Official Website: NashvilleBourbonSteak.comFacebook: Nashville Bourbon SteakInstagram: @BourbonSteakNash Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The pandemic has been a global trauma with a silver lining of immense scientific and medical development. Michael Mina, a physician-scientist who spent the pandemic focused on immunology and epidemiology at Harvard University, tells us where the world is now and how prepared we are for the future. And, Russian American director Michael Lockshin began his film adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov's classic novel, "Master and Margarita," before Russia's full-scale invasion of Moscow. Now that it's finally been released, Russians are crowding theaters to watch the cinematic send-up of state tyranny and it's hitting even closer to home. Also, Since Oct. 7, there has been an increase in violent settler activity across the West Bank, with more 260 Palestinians killed. There are also accusations of an increasingly blurred line between settlers and military forces. Plus, Berlin's techno scene is now on UNESCO's cultural heritage list.
#50. This week's guest likely needs no introduction. He's one of the most successful chefs and restaurateurs in America, with dozens of restaurants both in the U.S. and abroad. Chef Michael Mina is a three-time James Beard award winner, has earned Michelin stars, five Diamond Awards, and accolades from Wine Spectator, among others. In this episode, Chef Mina sits down with our founder and CEO, Josh Sharkey, to delve into his career spanning three decades, sharing valuable insights and lessons learned along the way. Renowned for his company MINA Group and its delicious food creations, Chef Mina is also recognized as an incredibly systems-driven leader who prioritizes service and hospitality alongside cooking.The episode begins with a heartfelt tribute to the late chef David Bouley, a mentor and inspiration to Chef Mina and our host, who passed away tragically just before the recording. The conversation explores Bouley's profound impact on their lives and the culinary world, serving as a cathartic reflection on his legacy.Throughout the episode, Chef Mina shares his perspectives on leadership, entrepreneurship, and the importance of research and development in the restaurant industry. Despite overseeing a vast empire of restaurants, Chef Mina remains deeply involved in the creative process, emphasizing the value of hands-on involvement.Whether you're a seasoned restaurateur or aspiring entrepreneur, there's much to glean from Chef Michael Mina's experiences and insights. Tune in to gain valuable lessons and inspiration for scaling your restaurant business. As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.Where to find Michael Mina: InstagramLinkedInFacebookWhere to find host Josh Sharkey:InstagramLinkedInTikTokTwitter**SPECIAL DISCOUNT FOR MEEZ POD LISTENERS**:Just give the code "meezpod24" to your meez Services Manager for 25 FREE Recipe Uploads (must be a meez customer to qualify)In this episode, we cover:(04:55) Remembering Bouley and the other legendary chefs who have recently passed(10:46) The reasoning behind Chef Mina's desire for continued growth(14:31) Why having a partner in your restaurant business is crucial(17:21) The biggest thing on Chef Mina's plate right now(20:45) How Chef Mina trains the new generation of cooks(31:48) How Chef Mina gets involved in the R&D process in all of his concepts(41:50) When R&D is truly done(48:44) The biggest mistake Chef Mina has made in his career(52:53) Bourbon Steak's new opening
The new year always seems to bring on a slew of new celebrity chef restaurant openings in Vegas: This season it's Blake Shelton, Bobby Flay, and Michael Mina. And this summer, Gordon Ramsay will open his seventh (yes) Las Vegas restaurant. But does Las Vegas really need another celebrity chef restaurant? Co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with food writers Gemini Stevens and John Curtas to discuss the rise and (possible) fall of our celebrity chef era, and which celeb restaurants are actually worth the hype. You can follow Gemini on social media — she's @wishboneandvine on Twitter and Instagram and on her website, wishboneandvine.com. You can hear more of Gemini on the Food and Loathing podcast. And follow John Curtas on Twitter and Instagram, and make sure to check out his list of 52 essential Vegas restaurants on his website, eatinglv.com. John also podcasts at Eat. Talk. Repeat. Love City Cast? Help us win "Best Podcast" in the Las Vegas Weekly's Best of the City Awards. It takes just 10 seconds to vote, and plus — co-host Dayvid Figler has promised to share his most embarrassing high school yearbook photo if we win (how could you not go vote now??). DOOOO IT! We're on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After years of shunning us, the NFL is finally letting Las Vegas host its first Super Bowl. And several local chefs will be involved - and just about every joint in the valley will be doing something football-related on Sunday. Also: Al shares several conversations in this episode, including Chefs Leticia Mitchell, Stephanie Sandfrey, Joe Komiski, Sam Pulliam and more. Al also shares his first taste of Michael Mina's new place at Mandalay Bay, Orla. Rich has an excellent lunch at a small French place he'd been avoiding for a while: Oh-La-La. And there's news of a long-delayed celebrity-fronted steakhouse opening soon, and a change of ownership for Gambit in Henderson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For over 30 years, Michael Mina has dominated the restaurant scene and today we sit down with the chef to find out how. In today's conversation we dive deep into the tactics tools and strategies Michael has developed over decades to acquire talent, develop leaders, scale operations, and ensure profitability. This is a masterclass in restaurant ownership and operations. For more information on the chef and his restaurant group, visit https://www.michaelmina.net/. __________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars
Ugh... All-Net is still trying, Michael Mina's new restaurant has an opening date, Jodeci has. a residency, and a bunch of entertainment news The post FHBM #901: Serving Fish first appeared on Five Hundy By Midnight.
When I developed this season of California and Central Coast legends, I came across an article about sommelier and farmer Rajat Parr. It was written by Esther Mobley, the senior wine critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. She called him one of the wine industry's biggest celebrities and California's most influential sommelier—and she's certainly not the only one. Rajat Parr is an absolute giant of the wine world, having worked as a sommelier for restaurateur Michael Mina for many years in San Francisco, and co-authoring two very important books: Secrets of the Sommeliers and The Sommelier's Atlas of Taste. So imagine my surprise when he instantly accepted my email request for an interview. Since moving away from the sommelier and restaurant world, he has taken up as a farmer and winemaker in Cambria at Phelan Farm, Stolo Vineyard, Domaine de la Cote, and Sandhi Wines. We talked about his upbringing in Calcutta, his original goal to become a chef, the way he risked it all to move to San Francisco, and his legendary and well-documented blind-tasting abilities. Website: phelanfarm.com / sandhiwines.com / domainedelacote.com / stolofamilyvineyards.com Instagram: @rajatparr
In our new tasting episode, host Christopher Tanghe speaks with fellow Master Sommeliers Mark Guillaudeu and Chris Gaither. They discuss their tasting journeys; how they recognize texture and, in particular, phenolic bitterness in wine; and the ways they apply blind tasting skills in their current roles. Mark Guillaudeu is a sommelier at the Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix. Previously, he worked at the two Michelin-starred Commis in Oakland. He won the Best Sommelier USA title in June 2022. In addition to achieving the Master Sommelier certification, Mark holds the WSET Diploma and is currently working through the MW program. Chris Gaither and his wife, Rebecca Fineman, also a Master Sommelier, own Ungrafted and GluGlu in San Francisco. Chris worked at Spruce, Restaurant Gary Danko, Michael Mina, and Octavia prior to opening his own restaurants. He is an adjunct instructor at the San Francisco Wine School. After their tasting conversations, Mark and Chris taste the same white wine. Listen closely and guess along with them! We reveal the wine at the end of the episode. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review to support the show. Cheers!
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today's show: · Winn Roberton, head sommelier, and Erich Stumpe, general manager, Bourbon Steak at the Four Seasons in Georgetown. Chef Michael Mina's Georgetown Wine and Dine will return for a second year to the Four Seasons Hotel Nov. 2-3. Renowned Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning chefs will descend on our nation's capital for two full days of culinary festivities; · Matt Smith is the executive chef at Alta Strada Mosaic, where he shares his love and passion for Italian food. There are mouth-watering new dishes for the new season, and you'll hear all about them; · Another sign of autumn is here. Suzanne Eblen, owner of The Old Lucketts Store, joins us with details of the annual Lucketts Fall Vintage Market happening Oct. 13-15 at the Clarke County Fairgrounds in Berryville, Virginia; · Think you know anything about non-traditional Japanese cuisine? Well, maybe you do and maybe you don't. So we brought in co-owners Jeff King, who is also the managing director, and Saran Kannasute, who is also the chef, of the restaurant Kyojijn, located on Cady's Alley in Georgetown.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today's show: · Winn Roberton, head sommelier, and Erich Stumpe, general manager, Bourbon Steak at the Four Seasons in Georgetown. Chef Michael Mina's Georgetown Wine and Dine will return for a second year to the Four Seasons Hotel Nov. 2-3. Renowned Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning chefs will descend on our nation's capital for two full days of culinary festivities; · Matt Smith is the executive chef at Alta Strada Mosaic, where he shares his love and passion for Italian food. There are mouth-watering new dishes for the new season, and you'll hear all about them; · Another sign of autumn is here. Suzanne Eblen, owner of The Old Lucketts Store, joins us with details of the annual Lucketts Fall Vintage Market happening Oct. 13-15 at the Clarke County Fairgrounds in Berryville, Virginia; · Think you know anything about non-traditional Japanese cuisine? Well, maybe you do and maybe you don't. So we brought in co-owners Jeff King, who is also the managing director, and Saran Kannasute, who is also the chef, of the restaurant Kyojijn, located on Cady's Alley in Georgetown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
opsi is a daily workflow app built to progress the way modern operators manage their restaurant. With robust recipe management, true recipe costing, task and food prep lists, and product guides, opsi is suited for any operation looking to maximize efficiencies within their kitchen team, and cut down on employee training times. James has 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and a strong vision for technology's role in it. His time in the kitchen has taken him from New Jersey to Rhode Island, Washington DC, San Francisco and Minnesota. As a chef, James has worked alongside industry-leading chefs such as Michael Mina and Gavin Kaysen, giving him a profound understanding of restaurant operations. The inspiration for opsi came early in James' career after he took over as chef de cuisine in a restaurant that was in the midst of change and facing issues with internal communication. QUOTES “(Being a restaurateur) is a wild and challenging business. From any angle, as an operator it's even more challenging because you've got 50+ people banking on you.” (James) “I love the stories behind entrepreneurial ideas because they're usually very simple, very true and very authentic and that's what makes them wonderful.” (Michael) “Technology was a space for me where we could develop a solution where we could keep all the information in there, keep the team on the same page and marching to the same sheet of music and moving in the same direction.” (James) “(opsi) made it easier for us to focus on the larger goal, which was servicing the guest and putting out a really high quality product.” (James) “In any kind of creative business, there's organized chaos and artistry but I agree that people need and love process. A little organization isn't a bad thing.” (Michael) “My belief is that anyone – from a food truck to a three-star Michelin restaurant – can utilize opsi.” (James) TRANSCRIPT 00:01.48 vigorbranding Hello everyone today I am joined by someone who knows a lot about how to run an a fishing kitchen his name is chef James Pasa Faro James how you doing say hello and give us a little bit of your backstory. 00:17.65 James Hi thanks for having me. Um, yeah, my background I started in the cooking culinary world when I was really young something I really wanted to do from a young age bounced around a bunch ended up in Minnesota. I work for some really great chefs like Gavin Casean and Michael Mina and um here I am now working in technology which I never thought I probably have to say out loud. 00:42.10 vigorbranding That's awesome. We're gonna talk about opsy here in a little bit but where did the whole love of cooking come from like where did it start I mean how did you? How did you happen upon it. 00:51.22 James Yeah, um, you know a lot of the times I think generally this story kind of goes for people. It's like you know they're cooking in a kitchen if they're grandmother or mother some some family member or it's a family-owned operator. My parents. Ah, my mom was in sales for telecoms so she worked for att my father was in floing so he worked worked in union in New York and then he owned a business in New Jersey where we grew up and he just had friends that were in hospitality so they would always throw a a game dinner every year at a restaurant called perona farms and it was run by 3 brothers and. 01:09.94 vigorbranding And. 01:25.26 James They're they've been in business for over 100 years now and they're like in their sixth generation of family running it. But at the time um Kirk was the chef and he was kind of running this program where he could. Ah, bring in local hunters and fishers and cook a dinner each year and kind of run it for friends and family and kind of started blossoming from the late 80 s to early 90 s where he actually um, he launched a really successful smoke salmon business and he started sign. Ah the likes like Danielle on Louis Palydan um wolfgang puck 01:54.87 vigorbranding Um, wow. 01:55.80 James Kind of all over the country and then he started bringing these really large name chefs to this game dinner every year. So when I was like ten or eleven it was every Tuesday of every year for first Tuesday every year they would close the restaurant prep for the weekend weeding up to that Tuesday and then these chefs would come off from all over the country and at the time I had. You know and no idea it was like mingai and Robert Irvine and Danielle Balloud and all these people um, but what really drew me to it was just it was seemed like friends having fun together and it was the energy of the space and the camaraderie and the food was obviously a plus on top of it. But it wasn't ever that. Ah. That magic moment of like something hitting the pan or me tasting something. It was more about being in an environment being around people. Um, and I think really just like the culture and the energy that was built around it at the time was what really drew me in. 02:42.85 vigorbranding It's fantastic and the game dinner sounds awesome. Yeah, you have to at the end here if you have ah a recipe for Elk I Need I mean I I always have a freezer full of Elk I'm a diehard hunter and you know there's nothing better than having a great meal with friends around something you know that you've actually worked really hard for so. 03:00.94 vigorbranding Ah's it's because it's not easy to cook game I mean it's not I mean people ruin it a lot so that's fantastic. Um, so you work in Minneapolis San Francisco Boston um, did you ever have a desire to do your own restaurant. 03:01.38 James No, it's not. 03:15.61 James Um I did I mean it's obviously still there right? Ah, you know you travel different paths and it's something I definitely want to do at some point I hope to pick it up in the future. Um, but it's ah as you know and people you talked to.. It's a wildly challenging business. Ah, from any angle of it. But as an operator. It's you know ever more challenging because you're looking at 50 plus people that are banking on you. 03:39.33 vigorbranding Yeah, and no question Plus well and be an entrepreneur though. But you're now so you jumped into the tech. So that's so much easier than running a restaurant right? Ah yeah. 03:46.48 James Um, bit different ah different skill set different different patients level. 03:52.50 vigorbranding So how talk a little bit about ah opsy I Mean you've said in the past the idea of opsy started with a simple concept right? You know how to get rid of the paper clutter. You want to talk a little bit about that and you know the brain child behind it I Love entrepreneurial I mean I I consider myself one and I love the stories behind them because they're usually very. 03:59.87 James Yeah. 04:07.95 vigorbranding Simple. They're usually very true. They're very authentic and that's what makes them kind of wonderful. 04:13.31 James yeah with opsy um yeah I was about 26 in San Francisco I was working for Michael at the time. Um I just took over as chef de cuisine for a restaurant called r and 74 that was in the fiai. Um, and it was this really beautiful french. Burgundy restaurant built on a great wine program and I was drowning I um, you know took my first step into the really deep end. They trusted me with a lot of so lot of things inside the restaurant and what I really wanted was just something that I didn't have to chase around paper. Um I didn't have to. Print all this stuff off overcommunic communicate fill the binders up and I kind of went on this search for something that I thought should have been out there at the time we all had iphones and we all still have iphones and Android devices and there was these like little computers in our hands every day that I just assumed there had to even been something right? and when I went out and looked it. Didn't really satisfy the need. So I kind of went down this path with my friend and we started building. Yeah a dodpercent. 05:15.12 vigorbranding That's awesome. Necessity is the mother of invention right? So so oil stained prepless and recipes you want talk a little bit about that. 05:28.31 James Yeah, it was um yeah we were. We were going through this large change at the restaurant I I came in as an executive soou chef and then when ah the chef Mike Graffiti left I took over as a Cdc for him. Um, it was you know it was very disjointed in communication. It was kind of hurting the team because it was more of a a survived less thrive situation on a day-to-day basis. Um, and we really were very leaning forward into systems and system orientation for communication and kind of removing a lot of this gray area which a lot of restaurants are gray generally. Ah, removing a lot of the gray in this human element of just like collecting the physicals and having to put them on stations and keep them in places because you know they get oil spilled on them and you have to rewrite them or print them out again. Um, but always having a backup somewhere and technology for me was that solution to kind of develop a space where we could keep all the information in there. Keep the team all on the same page marching in and singing off the same sheet of music and moving in the same direction so that every single day when they came in they knew the goal. They knew what their goals were and what they were driving towards and then once you kind of for us when you got rid of a lot of minutiae of like where is it who wrote this who did that who did this where as a recipe. Um, it made it easier for us to focus on the larger goal which was servicing the guest and like putting out really high quality product opposed to just making it through the day because the system was broken. 06:52.28 vigorbranding Yeah I mean in any kind of a creative business which obviously being a chef is super creative in a kitchen I mean there's that organized Chaos. There's that artistry. But I think I do agree I think that people need and love process I just spent unfortunately way too much time talking about that as far as our business you know. Keeping the time and keeping things organized so that they they are. They're able to thrive right? A little organization certainly isn't ah isn't a bad thing. Um, but talk about your partner and and how your partner got into it in the business and how it got started and all that. 07:10.50 James Yeah. 07:21.67 James Yeah Matt is wildly talented. Definitely completely different skillset than I have he spent a lot of his early career in videography design. He's done all the architecture from the backend working with our cto justin writing all the code. Um, and he's done all the uiux experience for opsy which I think is really powerful because the the whole idea is that when I was conceptualizing the idea we were running into these walls of just really large enterprise systems that just weren't resonating with what I needed every single day and we needed to make sure that the tool we designed and built had to be very streamlined trim light feeling. Not so dense and cumbersome. So Matt is amazingly talented. really really smart he's taken an incredible approach from just a design perspective and user interface perspective I think he's he's setting us up for a ton of success because it's it should be something that you could easily pick up understand get into get out of and get back to work. 08:19.89 vigorbranding Fantastic and opsy recently partnered with ah Gavin Caseson is that correct notable chef ah James Blair word winner. 08:26.88 James Yeah, yeah, Gavin has um, yeah, been a ah longtime mentor friend boss lots of different capacities advisor investor. Um, but ah when I first met Gavin I came out to Minneapolis to dodge at belcour and spoon. Um, and it's kind of in between what I was going to do next and we're winding down in San Francisco and he offered me a job and I you know, kind of just expressed the idea that you know if we continue down this path talking about opportunities that I wanted to make sure you understood there was things that I was working on and that I would need this duality of support as I make me this next. Step forward. Even though I didn't take the job at the time because it wasn't the the chef role that was open. He immediately gravitated towards us and he became our first adviser very early on probably going to back six years now and then when the opportunity came up to move to a swoon and stable. We started piloting the actual project inside the restaurant. So it was um. 09:22.95 James Blessing in a curse right? You're kind of drinking from a fire hose at that point when it comes to feedback when you're given it to your team. 09:27.13 vigorbranding Absolutely so I mean you know obviously organization in any business is super important and this is an opportunity for you I guess to sell your dream or your vision here. What types of restaurants need your tool the most like who do you see as your primary customer who's who's the most suited to. To to to be involved in the Opsy platform. 09:49.49 James Yeah, we get this question a lot. Um, generally my belief system is that anyone whether it's a food truck to a threet star Missioncheland restaurant could utilize opsy multiunits single concept multi unit multiconcept the. At the end of the day. There's a there's a very large event diagram of functionality that all is true within restaurants right? You are producing food. You're managing people. You're pretty prepless like all these things are just common truths throughout the whole industry. So. We started in a place of like a spoon and stable upscale casual. This is just based on my background and Kavin's background and we built it for the 4 walls of that restaurant and it works extremely well and as we continue developing. We're focused more on both going downstream to more fine dining restaurants but also on the opposite side of that stream. Going into more casual qsr virtual brands to make sure that you know the tool still fits. We don't we don't develop in any specific way that it's like okay this really only works for Thomas Keller or Danielle or Gavin this doesn't just work for you know the Mcdonald's or the larger change or the the quick growing franchises. It's um. 10:50.64 vigorbranding Um. 10:57.25 James We take a really honest approach and when we when we work with a company whether it's your business or a multiple tuda businesses that that are our partners Now we yeah we have lots of conversation with how we can be become better. 11:07.82 vigorbranding It's awesome. It's awesome. Well I know in this industry I mean I I started my illustrious career in a restaurant like most well I shouldn't say most everybody did but I was a dishwasher and but I was very fortunate actually because I worked with ah a gentleman who was. Pretty ah, well known it was in Hershey Pennsylvania and he was a chef and he had his own place and it was sort of his last sort of ah chapter he wanted to just do his thing his way and talk about the oiltained recipes I mean this guy was crazy. Um, gourmet magazine was begging him for his. Ah. 11:22.73 James Okay, you know. 11:39.23 vigorbranding Coconut Cream Emmaellatta recipe. It literally died with Him. He would not let win the building when he made it and I mean there's a lot of that old school sort of philosophy and like artistry I mean how how how is this help with that I mean are you finding resistance from those old school guys or is everyone really realizing hey look. We've got to. We've got to have this product ah to help streamline things. 11:59.48 James You know when we first started it was a matter of like trying to delutter and reorganize and kind of update because there's been very little focus on the back of the restaurant when it comes to technology tons on the front. But you know as time goes on I think especially with covid covid has kind of changed the way people think about. 12:13.29 vigorbranding Um. 12:17.82 James But staffing and all the hardship that everyone is going through from finding staff now that people want tools that help them do more with a little bit of less systems ultimately scaffold that structure and allow people to do those things because there's you know a rubric to work within um and now we are starting to see it's less of we're not here to convince people. Of what they should be doing I'm not going to be a ah person trying to give in someone how to change the way they run their business. It's up to them to make that decision. But when we find the people that are coming to us for this Problem. It's it's something that is it clicks like they see it immediately. They understand they need to solve the problem and you see it on both ends like older chefs will have to eventually come to this idea because. 12:56.62 vigorbranding Who. 12:56.73 James They're hiring younger and younger cooks and servers and people every single day that the tool has to meet them at their staffing where they are today and yeah when I'm not very old but I'm not young anymore. Um. 13:09.68 vigorbranding Jesus. 13:10.85 James When I started. It was like take the muskin out and listen to me talk and write it down and if you don't write it down. You don't know what's going on and now it's like if I had to give a binder of paper to an 18 year old kid coming off the street to be a prep cook like he's going to look at me cross-eyed. So we're we're hoping to help meet these people this workforce this new generation of cooks and chefs. Where they are and they're far more technically inclined than any generation before they they grew up with it in their hands. Their whole lives. 13:36.72 vigorbranding It's it's wonderful I mean it's ah as I was saying earlier necessities of other invention. It makes total sense. It's a simple concept but it's a great concept and something it's it's absolutely needed I mean where do you see yourselves going in the next day two three years I mean what's what's your vision for the business. 13:48.56 James We Want to you know obviously bridge a lot of these gaps we want to again meet the people where they are. We want to help bring a little more insight to the day-to-day operators and start to segment out a piece of business that is not so financially high minded. Financial high-mounded tools are great for the controllers cfos accountants of the world but it doesn't really help the operators that are running the restaurant a day-to-day basis scheduling cooking things like that. So we're hoping to be a distillation of information at some point it sit in between those tools. Um, and then you know we're. people that believe we need to stay focused on what we're great at um and we've built a really great tool that I believe works well and we're going to continue embellishing on it and progressing and changing and ideaating on the tool and making it better and a lot of my focus now going forward is finding strong partners that are also likeminded that are. Best in class technologies that we can work with and we actually you know in the next couple weeks and months we're going to have a few announcements coming out about some of our partners that we're working with and people that I I put high value on and what they're doing and believe they are best in class. 14:53.59 vigorbranding It's awesome. Yeah I mean it's It's ah it's remarkable and it's ah it's great I mean and I think you have the the absolute right perspective on growing a business you got to stay focused and and take it to the people that need it and and I love it I Love it I'm looking forward to seeing what what the future holds. 15:04.19 James And. 15:08.61 vigorbranding Um, so I have to ask these are we do every year we do food and beverage Trends and restaurant trends and technology obviously is just always there. Always there. In fact, it's hard to find things that aren't tied to technology for a trend. 15:14.50 James Food. 15:21.33 vigorbranding Um, we we read a lot and heard a lot about robots and Kitchens and all that I mean what do you? What's your honest opinion about Robot servers and that kind of a thing. 15:30.32 James Um, you know they have their place I've been I've been to the sushi train places where the the robot brings you your drink and like drives cocktails around for sure. It'll always exist the the robot cooks like the sweet greens of the world I Think there's definitely a place for it. There's you know. 15:33.98 vigorbranding You. 15:47.82 James Very fast casual grab and go type situations that definitely serve that purpose. It will fill a gap for sure. Um, for like everything in the middle market I even think like all the way down to fast casual. Yeah I think technology is going to continue growing in a way that helps bolster the human element because. For me again going all the way back to being eleven ten twelve the reason I came into restaurants is people when you go to a restaurant and you sit down and you pay money you you get a server that is talking to you get a cook that is cooking the food. Yeah um. You ideally have a consistent experience but it's always never going to be the same It's always going to hopeful build and build and build for you and if you start removing that? yeah humanity out of the experience. Um, and I think all the way down to you know, fast food service elements. There's. Still pieces of it that the humans are going to be so I believe like technology itself. Everyone's going to want to talk about Ai replacement of people robots I mean it's just not realistic. It makes sense. So I think we'll always go down that path in certain segments. But I think where where technology really needs to go and should go is. 16:48.32 vigorbranding Um, the hunt. 16:59.62 James How do you better? The human experience while they're working and how does that bolster of the human experience while their employees of that space bolster The human experience as a guest and how do you engage with them differently and continue driving that experience and bringing them back. Whether you're picking up a burger. You're sitting down and spending thousands or hundreds of dollars on a meal. 17:17.30 vigorbranding Yeah, and I mean I love that answer and and I mean the robots are kind of kitchen kind of cool. Whatever's neat sort of trendy maybe but I love the idea your technology is one that that allows humans to do a more efficient job. Hopefully it'll drive more. 17:31.76 James Do. 17:34.74 vigorbranding Happiness culture better experience for the guest and I think at the end of the day you're right? That's what we all go out for right? We want that human experience. We want to. We want to be with friends or ah, you know business associates and just have a great time and it's That's the overall interaction. It's The. Ah, the servers. It's everybody that's involved that that makes it fantastic and makes it it. It makes an experience right? So I think ah I agree with you I Love the human side of things versus ah maybe what were the robotic side. Um, yeah, That's right, That's right. 18:00.81 James I Mean if we go all the way to robots you're gonna It's not go be hospital tow anymore. It's gonna be something completely different. 18:09.51 vigorbranding That's right, is there anything else, you'd like to tell us about opsy I mean anything else about your business the future What you see for technology. Ah any ancillary products anything like that that you want to talk about. 18:21.50 James No, we're you know we're hoping to push out a bunch of updates here. It's um, you know the the technology piece is a process that ah, that's new to me because it's it's not so physical. It's not tangible. It's more of a conversation then there's there's other people that are smarter and better than me ah doing the work and. I kind of I kind of wait for the results to test and play with um, not at the moment we're we're really just excited about some of the partnerships we're going to announce and also um, yeah, we we love being substantially footed inside the hospitality you know with myself my background Gavin we have a couple other. 18:45.57 vigorbranding Um. 18:55.68 James Chef advisor investors that we're going to kind of bring to the forefront and it's it's going to be our prime focus of having these types of conversations and create dialogues with our chef partners to make sure that we are developing the tool in a way that is applicable to their day-to-day life not from a perspective of James has been removed from the kitchen for a year and a half and 19:14.21 vigorbranding Um, yeah, you're always in Beta right? I mean you're always in Beta and it's It's a tough thing I'll see for me personally I had to learn like with the the dev work that we do and things like that it is that. 19:14.30 James He still believes. He knows what he's doing because he hasn't work in the kitchen anymore. Um, it's it really needs to be rubber meets the road type development. Yeah. 19:30.26 vigorbranding You know I'm used to in life start and stop like here. We make this and it's finished but this when it comes to software and anything development. You're always in beta so um, all right? Why? Yeah, absolutely so I got one last question all right if you had 1 final meal. What would you eat and where and why. 19:31.73 James Who. 19:38.71 James That's constant churn. 19:49.95 James Um, you know I hate to bring it all the way back to the beginning of the conversation. But um I I spent a lot of time in the kitchen while early days in the kitchen with my father as he like spent time around his friends. Um, and one of the first things I can vividly remember not making but help put together was a venison carpacco dish um with with ming sigh and it was like toasted sesames hot sesame oil slice Ven Venison Tenderor wine and like a bitter green salad and. 20:13.00 vigorbranding Um, this. 20:23.98 James Being an 11 year old kid I've never had anything like that or you're close to raw food and I the the idea is so visceral my mind I think from just the weekend leading up to it and being around my father and being around all these types of people if I had to have 1 final bite. In my life. It would be going back to that moment in time and um I think that is like the the white switch that flipped in my mind to say like you know food is what I want to do because I don't have to do social studies anymore if I do it? Yeah, we hunted fish still all the way up growing up. 20:55.45 vigorbranding Ah, that's that's fantastic. So was your father also a hunter then. 21:02.50 James Ah, mostly like upline foul stuff. Yeah. 21:02.72 vigorbranding That's awesome. Yeah, very cool, very cool. Yeah I share those passions big time. Um, what's your favorite game meat. Would it be that or is there ah venison Ah birds I mean. 21:15.12 James Um I love duck obviously um, we have amazing duck producers out here and then pheasant because that again going back to the experience like the first time I learned how to break down a full bird was um. 21:18.76 vigorbranding Who. 21:32.65 James Jalo we poed on and it was right a year or two before he passed away but it was like just learning experience and it's not going from like cleaned animal from a bag to the table breaking it down. It was like feathers and heads and wings and like. 21:48.41 vigorbranding Um. 21:49.14 James Endto-end learning how to do it. It was a really cool experience. It's something that really super value because it's applied everywhere right? Ducks Pheasants Chickens Geese All kind of the same. 22:00.67 vigorbranding That's awesome I mean like I can totally relate I mean I've done all that but never not nearly as sophisticated as you have I can guarantee you that but I mean the whole thing from the you know field to to to table. 22:10.26 James And. 22:12.30 vigorbranding And ah and I'll say this the fun and the camaraderie that comes around with it stories. It's just ah I mean it's just something I crave. In fact, if you're anywhere near my cabin on any given weekend. There's bourbon being poured and Elk burgers or ah backstraps being being provided I. 22:16.66 James Yeah. 22:30.10 James Ah, so. 22:30.80 vigorbranding I Cook all the time up there for everybody and people just stop by. They see my lights on the not even invited people will stop in because they know I'll probably be making Elk or you know pouring a good wine or bourbon and it's It's always a nice time. So I totally respect that. Absolutely absolutely. 22:41.15 James And well we'll have to talk offline about that one then. 22:47.75 vigorbranding I listen it James it was fantastic I really enjoyed talking to you I appreciate your time anything else, you'd like to leave us with. 22:53.39 James Now. Thank you I Appreciate this love to stay in touch and just appreciate giving us a platform to talk about what we're doing and we're excited to keep on going forward with everybody. 23:02.12 vigorbranding Absolutely hey and best of luck to you I Love what you're doing and I love the attitude behind it. It's excellent, well done. Thanks. 23:07.31 James Thank you appreciate it.
Kylie Minogue's upcoming residency at the new Voltaire venue inside the Venetian and Palazzo is sold out! New dates should be coming soon. Hear from Minogue about why she's excited about doing this show inside this new space on the Las Vegas strip. We now know when the Cosmopolitan will change over to MGM Rewards. MGM owns and operates the property already, but the rewards program hasn't changed over just yet. Plus, Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga keep the Vegas groove going with extended shows. Luis Miguel is making a stop at T-Mobile Arena in 2024. As the wedding capital of the world hits a landmark moment, a big event is planned and you can buy a ticket. We also have the latest on the Formula One traffic and a heads-up on the closures lasting till October. And, a new restaurant will soon delight diners at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Orla, from Michael Mina, is scheduled to open this winter.VegasNearMe App If it's fun to do or see, it's on VegasNearMe. The only app you'll need to navigate Las Vegas. HOTWORX has so many benefits! The sauna combines heat, infrared, and exercise. You can do 30-minute Isometric workout or 15-minute High Intensity Interval Training session. Tell them the VEGAS REVEALED PODCAST sent you & they will waive the $99 sign up fee! It's a 24/7 facility for only $59 a month! Locations: S. JONES & RUSSELL, BOCA PARK IN SUMMERLIN, HENDERSON BLACK MOUNTAIN, CENTENNIAL HILLS, DURANGO & SUNSETSupport the showFollow us on Instagram: @vegas.revealedFollow us on Twitter: @vegasrevealedFollow us on TikTok: @vegas.revealedWebsite: Vegas-Revealed.com
Food News You Can Use: Summertime Blues – Top 10 Things We Love to Hate on eatinglv.com (aka John's shit list) Arts District spots like Vesta Coffee Roasters and Yu-Or-Mi Sushi Bar are expanding to southwest Las Vegas Durango Casino & Resort is set to open on November 20th Michael Mina is opening a spot at Mandalay Bay The titty tax at Sapphire Gentlemen's Club Recent Ventures: Taste of Asia in Las Vegas at Suncoast Hotel and Casino IZAKAYA GO Daeho Kalbijjim Las Vegas Hot Chicken Sandwich at 1228 Main (pls sponsor us) Edo Gastro Tapas & Wine Ocean Prime Las Vegas Delilah Lounge & Fine Dining's Beef Wellington B.S. Taqueria at The Sundry Thanks for tuning into today's episode! If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the show, & make sure you leave us a 5-star review. Visit us at Eating Las Vegas & Eat. Talk. Repeat. TWITTER: @EatTalkRepeat, @EatingLasVegas, @WhatsRightSam, & @AshTheAttorney INSTAGRAM: @EatTalkRepeatLV, @JohnCurtas, @WhatsRightSam, & @AshTheAttorney
The Plant Centered and Thriving Podcast: Plant-Based Inspiration
"When you go grocery shopping everything you put in your cart should have a purpose" Chef Lei Shishak received her culinary training at the CIA in New York. After working as Executive Pastry Chef at notable west coast restaurants, including Michael Mina's Stonehill Tavern, and being named Pastry Chef of the Year by Southern California's noted Riviera magazine, Lei founded Sugar Blossom Bake Shop in San Clemente, California, and has been featured in People, Sunset Magazine, Orange County Register, KTLA Morning News, PBS, and many more media outlets.She lived the life of a typical busy chef and followed their typical poor diets. During the pandemic, she started to prioritize her health and moved towards a more plant-forward way of eating. She is the author of multiple cookbooks, including Beach House Baking, Beach House Brunch, Beach House Dinners, Farm-to-Table Desserts, and Easy Plant-Based Cooking for Two. and holds a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. Today she is here to give you cooking hacks, advice and tips from someone who is relatively new to plant-based eating like so many of you listening out there! ***HAVE A QUESTION, SUGGESTION OR COMMENT FOR THE PODCAST? FILL OUT THE FORM HERE***Resources from this Episode:Lei's brand new cookbook: "Easy Plant-Based Cooking for Two" Lei's Favorite Plant-Based Recipe: Mushroom Risotto Allrecipes.comIf you want to connect with Lei, visit the following:Instagram: @leishishakWebsite: leishishak.com How can I work with Plant Centered Nutrition? One on One Coaching"Positively Plant-Based": the Online CourseIf you want to connect with Ashley, visit the following:Instagram: @plantcenterednutritionWebsite: plantcenterednutrition.usFacebook: Plant Centered NutritionIf you want to connect with Katie, visit the following:Instagram: @plantcenteredkatieWebsite: plantcenterednutrition.usFacebook: Plant Centered Nutrition
Anthony Valletta is the President of Bartaco. Valletta is from Boston and studied the restaurant business both in the US and abroad in London. After graduating in 2005, he eventually found himself as the Managing Partner at Longhorn Steakhouse and stayed with the company for 7 years. He was Del Frisco's Director of Operations for 7 years from 2011 to 2018. He then worked as the COO at Mina Group, and held the same title at Birdcall in Denver. He has been the President of Bartaco since 2021. Check out episode 829 with Andy Pforzeimer Co-Founder of Bartaco as mentioned in today's episode. Check out episode 966 with Sam Caucci Founder & CEO of 1Huddle as mentioned in today's episode. Unstoppables! Please consider taking this survey about our listener demographics so that we can better determine how to best serve our listeners. Less than 10 simple questions. Here is the link: CLICK HERE Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote/mantra: Cowards never start. Losers never finish. Winners never stop." In this episode with Anthony Valletta we will discuss: The role of the "President" in a restaurant company Corporate restaurant world Empowering managers Restaurant tech and where to find the best options Gaining loyalty in stead of frequency with a limited marketing budget Today's sponsor: For restaurants, large costs can pop up fast, but traditional loans are too slow. That's why you need Zinch – They're a direct lender that can fund up to $250,000 in less than 2 days. Apply online and you can get a response within 24 hours. Right now, my listeners get their application fee waived by going to financingthatworks.com. Loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Finance Lenders Law license. Join the 60-day Restaurant Systems Pro FREE TRAINING. This is something that has never been done before. This 60-day event is at no cost to you, but it is not for everyone. Fred Langley, CEO of Restaurant Systems Pro, will lead a group of restaurateurs through the Restaurant Systems Pro software and set up the systems for your restaurant. During the 60 days, Fred will walk you through the Restaurant Systems Pro Process and help you crush the following goals: Recipe Costing Cards; Guidance in your books for accounting; Cash controls; Sales Forecasting(With Accuracy); Checklists; Budgeting for the entire year; Scheduling for profit; More butts in seats and more… Click Here to learn more. Knowledge bombs Which “it factor” habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Discipline What is your biggest weakness? Patience What's one thing you ask or look for when interviewing/growing your team? Humility What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Acquisition and retention of great people Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. Do three things really well at one time, and prioritize them properly What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? Go above and beyond for a guest no matter what What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations? 1Huddle What is one thing you feel restaurateurs don't do well enough or often enough? Don't say who wrote the rule, afraid to change If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be? No one will remember what you did, they remember how you made them feel Gratitude turns what we have into enough A mistake made twice is a decision Contact: Email: avalletta@bartaco.com Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Anthony Valletta for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!
As you head out on your summer trips, how often should you and your family test for COVID-19? Andy gets practical advice from epidemiologist and show favorite Dr. Michael Mina along with his eMed colleague Dr. Patrice Harris. Using real life scenarios, they tell you the most informative times to test, explain why some people stay negative while displaying symptoms, and offer an innovative way to test and treat from your home. Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt. Follow Dr. Michael Mina and Dr. Patrice Harris on Twitter @michaelmina_lab and @PatriceHarrisMD. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. Support the show by checking out our sponsors! Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/ Check out these resources from today's episode: Learn more about eMed's at-home test to treat program here: https://www.emed.com/ Find vaccines, masks, testing, treatments, and other resources in your community: https://www.covid.gov/ Order Andy's book, “Preventable: The Inside Story of How Leadership Failures, Politics, and Selfishness Doomed the U.S. Coronavirus Response”: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250770165 Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com/show/inthebubble. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.