Podcast appearances and mentions of Nick Kokonas

Guest: Nick Kokonas, co-founder of the Alinea Group and former CEO of TockAs of October 1, 2024, Nick Kokonas is no longer an owner of the Alinea restaurant group, which he co-founded and ran for almost 20 years. When he bought a vineyard in Napa Valley prior to the exit, one of his sons remarked, “He's given up. Time to go out to pasture.”Nick admits that the work ahead of him is “not the same” as the high-pressure world of a Michelin-starred restaurant in Chicago. But he's started working with the magician Nate Staniforth on a new restaurant concept that will present diners with illusions and surprises over the course of a two-hour experience. “If you want to feel wonder and feel childlike again, go see a magician,” Nick says. “[But] there's so much bad cultural baggage ... what we wanted to do was create an experience that is not really about magic.”Chapters:(02:29) - Celebrity restauranteurs (07:14) - The next act (12:30) - Buying the vineyard (15:37) - Fear is motivating (17:59) - Opening night (22:03) - Tongue cancer (27:56) - “OK, let's fix this” (31:10) - Selling experience (38:32) - The table plate (42:40) - Feeling full (44:14) - Next Restaurant and Tock (49:33) - Being still (51:19) - Nate Staniforth's lottery illusion (56:57) - The magic restaurant (01:02:29) - Being misunderstood (01:07:44) - Working via email (01:11:43) - “Enemies” (01:18:23) - Who Nick is hiring and what “grit” means to him Mentioned in this episode: Mike Gamson, Shaquille O'Neal, Jeff Kaplan, Steve Bernacki, Robin Anil, Grant Achatz, OpenTable, American Express, The Big Lebowski, The New York Times, eGullet, Gourmet Magazine, Roger Ebert, Eddie van Halen, Goodfellas, The Devil Wears Prada, Batman, the Chicago Bears, Madonna, Taylor Swift, Bavette's and Brendan Sodikoff, Pablo Picasso, Chef's Table, Google, Brian Fitzpatrick, Finding Real Magic, David Blaine, Mark Cuban, Mark Caro, Chicago Magazine, John Mariani, Cat Cora, Homaro Cantu, Dave Portnoy, Pete Wells, and Eric Asimov.Links:Connect with NickTwitterLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

Twenty years ago, Nick Kokonas had one of the best meals of his life. Instead of giving compliments to the chef, he offered to open a restaurant with him—something Kokonas had no experience in. That restaurant became Alinea, a paradigm-shifting dining experience that would win three Michelin stars and best restaurant in America in its first year. Since then, Kokonas has opened another Michelin-star restaurant, created an app that revolutionized dining reservations, self-published several books, sold his stake in Alinea and played a ton of golf with interesting people. On this episode of Mind Game, Kokonas discusses his remarkable entrepreneurial journey, his decision-making matrix, his recipe for taking risk, and what he would do to reenergize the PGA Tour. Subscribe to The Golfer's Journal: https://www.golfersjournal.com/ Get 10 free AG1travel packs when you subscribe: https://drinkag1.com/event/bts24 Put the 2025 ProV1 and ProV1x in play: https://www.titleist.com/ All Mind Game episodes: https://www.golfersjournal.com/category/mind-game-podcast/

Twenty years ago, Nick Kokonas had one of the best meals of his life. Instead of giving compliments to the chef, he offered to open a restaurant with him—something Kokonas had no experience in. That restaurant became Alinea, a paradigm-shifting dining experience that would win three Michelin stars and best restaurant in America in its first year. Since then, Kokonas has opened another Michelin-star restaurant, created an app that revolutionized dining reservations, self-published several books, sold his stake in Alinea and played a ton of golf with interesting people. On this episode of Mind Game, Kokonas discusses his remarkable entrepreneurial journey, his decision-making matrix, his recipe for taking risk, and what he would do to reenergize the PGA Tour. Subscribe to The Golfer's Journal: https://www.golfersjournal.com/ Get 10 free AG1travel packs when you subscribe: https://drinkag1.com/event/bts24 Put the 2025 ProV1 and ProV1x in play: https://www.titleist.com/ All Mind Game episodes: https://www.golfersjournal.com/category/mind-game-podcast/

This is a vintage selection from 2007The BanterThe Guys discuss an article titled “Chef's Kids Eat the Darndest Things” in New Jersey Monthly Magazine where Mark's son's creation was featured. Find out what unusual sandwiches are being made in the Pascal household. The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys host Grant Achatz, cutting edge chef of Alinea restaurant in Chicago. Grant talks about his unusual dishes, methods and how he crafts the diner's experience. The Inside ScoopThe Guys have been intrigued by the cuisine that some call molecular gastronomy or avant-garde, but Grant Achatz can't put a name on it. He does describe how he gets inspiration for it from daily life. “It's a little bit out there, but a lot of it is just like being aware of your surroundings... If you're listening to a certain song and you hear an extreme tempo change, I say to myself: How can I incorporate that tempo change into the experience? How can I make a 24 course meal shift instantly and go from savory and then back to sweet again, in the matter of three courses?” Grant Achatz on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2007BioGrant's culinary journey began at his family's diner. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he honed his skills at Charlie Trotter's, The French Laundry, and elBulli in Spain before assuming the executive chef position at Trio.In 2004, Grant and Nick Kokonas co-founded Alinea. Alinea has earned many accolades since, including 13 consecutive years with 3 Michelin stars - the longest of any fine dining restaurant in the U.SGrant's culinary ventures expanded with Next restaurant and The Aviary bar, both receiving critical acclaim and awards. In 2016, he opened Roister, which earned a Michelin star in its first year, followed by St. Clair Supper Club in 2019.Chef Grant Achatz is recognized as the Best Chef in the United States by the James Beard Foundation and honored by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. Grant's story of recovering from tongue cancer is told in his memoir Life, On the Line and featured in the documentary Spinning Plates and Netflix's Chef's Table.InfoAll of Grant's RestauranReach out to The Restaurant GuysIf you're in New Jersey...November 15 Walk Around Wine TastingNovember 22 Dale & Jill DeGroff Happy Hourstageleft.com/eventsOur Sponsors The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Centerhttps://www.theheldrich.com/ Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/ Withum Accountinghttps://www.withum.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguys**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

Crain's residential real estate reporter Dennis Rodkin talks with host Amy Guth about an anti-gentrification ordinance giving rare power to tenants over building sales.Plus: Byline Bank and Wirtz family's First Security announce merger, judge rebuffs citizen lawsuit against Gotion plant but leaves door open, Alinea Group co-owner Nick Kokonas sells ownership stake and United Airlines approaches 20-year high at O'Hare.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Chicago-based restaurant software company Tock is being acquired by American Express for $400 million. The reservation software was developed by Alinea owner Nick Kokonas and former Google engineer Brian Fitzpatrick and founded in 2014. It employs about 200 people. American Express […]

This episode is a two-for-one, and that's because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I've curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #97 "Naval Ravikant — The Person I Call Most for Startup Advice" and episode #341 "Nick Kokonas — How to Apply World-Class Creativity to Business, Art, and Life."Please enjoy! Sponsors:Eight Sleep's Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/tim (save $350 on the Pod 4 Ultra)Momentous high-quality supplements: https://livemomentous.com/tim (code TIM for 20% off)LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 1B+ users: https://linkedin.com/tim (post your job for free)Timestamps:[04:34] Notes about this supercombo format.[05:53] Enter Naval Ravikant.[06:05] On uncompromising honesty.[08:05] What Naval looks for when deciding to invest in a founder.[11:03] Recommended reading from outside the startup world.[18:38] Who Naval considers successful.[21:02] Cultivating non-judgmental awareness.[26:08] How to replace bad habits with good habits.[29:31] Naval's advice for his younger self.[32:01] Naval's billboard.[35:46] Enter Nick Kokonas.[36:05] Is pressure Nick's default setting, or are perceived risks an illusion?[36:55] How do behavioral economics and Richard Thaler influence Nick's approach?[41:38] Nick's transition from philosophy to finance; was philosophy an asset?[42:43] Why Nick's professor gave him shorter assignments than classmates.[44:57] Nick's introduction to trading; dumbing down academics for clerk job.[46:42] Why philosophy majors often become traders.[47:19] Why Nick is glad he didn't pursue an MBA in 1992.[48:41] Why Nick thinks his professor singled him out from his peers.[52:52] Recommended books for aspiring entrepreneurs without philosophy background.[57:31] Did being a Merc clerk meet Nick's expectations?[1:00:02] How Nick followed his father's entrepreneurial model in trading.[1:04:38] Why Nick left his mentor after a year to start his own company.[1:05:41] How Nick and employees trained to quicken mental agility for trading.[1:08:17] The moment Nick realized he could thrive in trading.[1:09:02] Recommended resources for becoming a better investor.[1:11:22] Nick seeks out "high, small hoops" for investment risks.[1:14:00] Do businesses fail due to difficult model or lack of due diligence?[1:16:55] When and why Nick decided to enter the restaurant business.[1:18:26] The dinner leading to Nick and Grant Achatz's partnership.[1:27:52] Why Nick chose to open a restaurant out of many risky options.[1:30:33] How Nick spots talent early that others notice late.[1:34:07] Questioning restaurant conventions like candles and white tablecloths.[1:37:09] A now-famous chef was Alinea's first customer.[1:38:03] Nick and Grant wouldn't let designers override their ideas.[1:38:47] How Nick contributed effectively as a restaurant industry newcomer.[1:14:19] Why Nick was "horrified" when Alinea won Best Restaurant in 2006.[1:43:50] Grant's cancer diagnosis; writing a book and revolutionizing reservations.[1:45:28] Traditional restaurant reservation systems and Nick's improvements.[1:57:17] Bickering at press dinner; avoiding Next becoming "Disneyland of cuisine."[2:02:14] Reservation software problems; variable pricing based on day of week.[2:05:48] The moment Nick realized "This is the best thing I've ever built."[2:07:41] Why the reservation system's rewards were worth the asymmetric risks.[2:10:16] Using Marimekko charts to visualize restaurant and sponsorship data.[2:16:57] The next industry Nick wants to disrupt: truffles.[2:18:55] Illuminating black boxes.[2:26:24] Self-selection of job roles; how Nick's hiring process has changed.[2:32:01] Systems Nick uses to cope with a lot of email.[2:37:43] Importance of engaging on social media, even if unable to respond to all.[2:39:35] What "puzzle" filters and mini-hurdles in correspondence accomplish.[2:40:36] Comparing similarities between the music and publishing industries.[2:49:55] The agency problem as another black box.[2:54:58] The Hembergers, The Alinea Project, and the upcoming independent Aviary Book.[3:01:42] A brief discussion about cocktails.[3:05:42] Books Nick has gifted most and how he personalizes gifts.[3:08:10] Nick's billboard.[3:09:49] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim's email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are restaurants becoming like Taylor Swift? Well, sort of. This week's episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Matt Tucker. He is the senior vice president with Squarespace and is head of the reservation platform Tock. Tock was cofounded by restaurateur Nick Kokonas and was sold in 2021 to Squarespace. The company sells prepaid restaurant reservations to customers. Those reservations act like tickets, which customers can resell. And that could create a market that operates like online ticket sales, where brokers gobble up the best tickets—like Taylor Swift concerts—to resell them at substantial markups. We talk with Tucker about this, and why restaurants do not want their reservations resold. Tucker talks about what his company does to prevent this. But he also talks about the benefits to restaurants of a model in which diners prepay for their reservations, such as the ability to do more dynamic pricing. We talk about general trends in restaurant reservations. For instance, is 6 p.m. really the new 8 p.m. and why is that? What are consumers looking for in reservations these days and what is demand for those restaurants right now. It's a fascinating conversation about reservations, so check it out.

Today, we are running a special episode from our show Founder's Field Guide. In this conversation, Nick Kokonas shares his experience of bringing a business mindset to the restaurant industry. It is one of our favorites at Colossus and there is something for everyone in this timeless conversation. Nick is the co-founder of 3 of the best restaurants and bars in America - Alinea, Next, and The Aviary as well as the co-founder and CEO of Tock, a comprehensive booking system for restaurants. He majored in philosophy before becoming a derivatives trader and is now one of the most well-known names in the hospitality industry. Listen to Founders Podcast Founders Episode 311: James Cameron For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here. ----- This episode is brought to you by Tegus, the modern research platform for leading investors. Stretch your research budget with flexible expert calls you can trust. At a fraction of the cost of traditional expert networks, Tegus customers pay only what an expert charges – with zero markups and no confusing call credits – netting an average 70% savings. Don't want to conduct a full hour call? Tegus offers the ability to schedule 30-minutes, an offer you won't find anywhere else. And they don't stop there. With white-glove custom sourcing for every project and robust compliance measures, including a dedicated 50+ analyst team that vets every call transcript, Tegus ensures your privacy and protection. As the industry innovator for qualitative insights, Tegus helps you find the right experts you need at a quality and speed that can't be matched. For a limited time, as a listener, you can trial Tegus for free by visiting tegus.co/patrick. ----- Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.  Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus Show Notes (3:02) – (First question) – Why he thinks it's so important to own something (4:35) – Make decisions that have outcomes (7:00) – His interest in the restaurant business (8:54) – Why restaurants are so tough  (12:05) – How their business mindset changed their running of the restaurant (14:35) – Words they would avoid in the restaurant  (16:19) – Asking the right questions in the restaurant business (20:40) – Importance in taking the right risks (22:02) – Coming up with innovative strategies for ticketing, selling meals ahead of time, and dynamic pricing (30:08) – Can dynamic pricing be extended to other businesses (31:20) – Origin of Tock (36:17) – Early days of Tock and identifying the right customers/challenges (41:33) – Importance of the first customer  (44:22) – The typical restaurant business model (49:23) – Lessons from Tock and the importance of knowing what your selling (53:47) – Lessons from publishing (55:44) – Other aspects of business that people know but do nothing about  (1:00:19) – Their response to Covid and lessons learned (1:07:43) – The real impact to the food delivery companies (1:09:24) – How businesses communicate their end processes to their customers (1:14:07) – Kindest thing anyone has done for him

Nick Kokonas is a Chicago-based bartender and writer. The author of the award-winning book Something & Tonic, he also contributed a feature on tonic water for our May/June issue. In this episode, we talk with Kokonas about the deep global history of tonic water and its defining ingredient, cinchona bark, and explore the many ways it continues to touch today's drinks world.Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the people, places, and flavors of the drinkscape through conversations about cocktails, coffee, beer, spirits, and wine. Keep up with us at imbibemagazine.com, and on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and if you're not already a subscriber, we'd love to have you join us—click here to subscribe. 

Une bonne adresse refilée sous le manteau, une file d'attente virtuelle, un endroit où cacher ses coins à champignons, Mapstr offre toutes ces opportunités. Sébastien Caron dépeint l'entrepreneuriat de la même manière, comme une grande exploration des possibles, mais surtout de soi-même et de sa résilience. L'enjeu de l'appli ? Cartographier ses endroits préférés pour les partager avec sa communauté, tout en protégeant la vie privée de chacun en mode RGPD. « On n'est pas une appli de buzz, » lance-t-il. Pourtant, les utilisateurs portent l'application aux nues. Le défi de l'entrepreneur ? Équilibrer valeurs et croissance. Dans cet échange Sébastien livre volontiers ses apprentissages de solo-preneur nomade et ses doutes, des passages à vide qui lui ont demandé de redoubler de pugnacité. Une conversation avec un scientifique chaleureux et sensible qui nous embarque dans les montagnes russes de l'entrepreneuriat. On y découvre : Comment transcender un parcours d'excellence à la française (Polytechnique et HEC); Comment Mapstr booste la brand awareness tant des lieux que des influenceurs; L'autre tagline de Mapstr ;-) Le détournement étonnant des usages de l'application, du spot secret à champignons à la maintenance du rail allemand; Le pouvoir de la méditation et du lâcher-prise en temps de crise; Les précieux conseils de Sheryl Sandberg. Parce que rien ne reste secret très longtemps, prenez cet épisode comme un appel à partager vos bonnes adresses, ou comme on dit Outre Atlantique: sharing is caring ! TIMELINE : 00:24:26 - Présentation 01:03:17 - Mapstr 2:00:50 - L'évolution du capital 02:18:55 - La monétisation de Mapstr 02:36:05 - Apprentissages On a cité avec Sébastien plusieurs anciens épisodes de GDIY : #5 Pierre Chausse #46 Tigrane Seydoux - Big Mamma #98 Pierre-Édouard Stérin #112 Gilles Raymond #250 Alain Ducasse - Chef #251 Amadou Ba - Booska-P #252 Michaël Benabou - Financière Saint James #253 David Laroche - Paradox #263 Jean-Marc Jancovici #280 Loïc Le Meur Hors Série - Fanny Giansetto Avec Sébastien, on a parlé de : Le Rooster, Paris 17 Podcast Les Déviations x Ariane Michael Phelps sur le podcast de Tim Ferris Céline Bories, dentiste dans le 17e Nick Kokonas, fondateur de The Aviary Luis von Ahn, fondateur de Duolingo Restaurant Frenchie à Londres Hagen espresso bars (Londres) Cet épisode est sponsorisé par CyberGhost. CyberGhost, c'est un VPN qui vous permet de naviguer en toute sécurité en masquant votre véritable adresse IP. Il fait office de bouclier pour votre connexion internet. CyberGhost VPN vous permet de regarder des contenus dans le monde entier. En un clic, vous pouvez choisir votre emplacement parmi 91 pays. Cliquez ici pour découvrir l'offre que je vous ai négociée ;) Si vous avez apprécié cet épisode, laissez un commentaire sur nos posts LinkedIn ou Instagram. Si vous voulez faire découvrir cet épisode, taguez un ami. La musique du générique vous plaît ? C'est à Morgan Prudhomme que je la dois ! Contactez-le sur : https://studio-module.com. Vous souhaitez sponsoriser Génération Do It Yourself ou nous proposer un partenariat ? Contactez mon label Orso Media via ce formulaire. On embrasse l'autre Matthieu Stefani et tous les Sébastien Caron ! Vous pouvez envoyer un message à Sébastien sur Instagram et LinkedIn. Bien entendu, ne manquez pas ses recommandations sur Mapstr !

Today, we’re back with part two of our Tech Tracker roundup on restaurant technology. Last month, Lunchbox and Thanx unveiled the latest version of their suite of tech capabilities for restaurants, with the former focusing on online ordering integration, and the latter focusing on the next wave of digital loyalty programs. Meanwhile, Pepsi is making its mark on the virtual restaurant industry more lately. PepsiCo Foodservice just announced that it will be rolling out a ghost kitchen tool for restaurants that will help operators be able to “seamlessly enter the ghost kitchen space,” leveraging the company’s resources, as well as its suite of Pepsi brands. Finally, a piece of news that broke too late to make our written roundup: Squarespace announced Wednesday that Tock founder and CEO Nick Kokonas will be stepping down from the reservations platform he built eight years ago. Kokonas — who sold Tock to Squarespace in 2021 — will leave the company effective Jan. 2, 2023 and will be replaced by former Olo chief operating officer, Matthew Tucker. Senior technology editor Joanna Fantozzi is here to explain what all this technology news means for the restaurant industry at large.

My guest today is Nick Kokonas. Nick is a modern day Renaissance man: formerly a successful trader, he is the founder of multiple Michelin star restaurants and also a tech founder, having recently sold his startup for $400m. On this episode we discuss: His incredible success as a trader Creating multiple Michelin star restaurants Starting a tech company Selling his company to Squarespace His thoughts on crypto How NFTs will change the world And so much more This is one you do not want to miss. Please enjoy my conversation with Nick https://twitter.com/nickkokonas

Nick Kokonas has worked in some of the most well-known cocktail destinations in Chicago. But it was at Heritage that he curated a program that eventually led to an entire...

Toto Wolff is the CEO, Team Principal and co-owner of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team. With Toto as Team Principal, the Mercedes Formula One team has achieved an unprecedented seven consecutive World Championship doubles to become the most successful team in F1 history and most successful sports team in the world based on consecutive world championships. Beyond Formula One, Toto is also a partner with Mercedes in the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team and continues to invest in start-up technology companies. This episode I dive into my Distillation of Toto Wolff which is a monthly feature I do on someone who's greatly impacted my thinking. You can see past Distillations of Josh Waitzkin, Nick Kokonas and Yen Liow - HERE.  Watch on YouTube Read The Distillation of Toto Wolff  Subscribe to my Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere NuSkool Snacks Healthy Protein Bars https://nuskoolsnacks.com/

Sean thinks todays guest is one of the most interesting people in the world and if you're going to listen to one episode of What Got You There this could be it. Todays guest is Nick Kokonas.  Nick Kokonas is co-owner and co-founder of Alinea, Next, Roister, and the Aviary. He manages the marketing, business development, and strategy for current and future operations. Alinea has been 3 times named the best restaurant in North America. Next was named best new restaurant in America. and The Aviary was named best bar in America. He is also the founder and CEO of Tock, Inc, a reservations and CRM system for restaurants with more than 2.5M diners and clients in more than 20 countries. If that wasn't enough he has co authored three books including The Aviary Cocktail Book which has sold $2.5 million since November. Yes he has also completely disrupted the publishing industry.  This episode is going to uncover Nick's decision making framework, his creative process and so much more! Nick was originally on episode #119! This episode is brought to you by Admired Leadership. For the BEST course on Leadership I've ever taken checkout Admired Leadership  . For more Leadership wisdom checkout their daily Admired Leadership Field Notes email and receive their 16 page PDF that will change the way you motivate and inspire others! Eight sleep   is revolutionizing what a great night of sleep means. Receive $150 off by using code Sean at checkout or go to eightsleep.com/Sean. Watch on YouTube Subscribe to my Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere Eight Sleep: Get $150 off your new mattress by going to eightsleep.com/sean or use code “Sean” at checkout. NuSkool Snacks Collagen Protein Bars https://nuskoolsnacks.com/

Nick Kokonas joins to discuss his his company Tock (10:50), his world-class restaurant group Alinea (0:54), how restaurants can improve their operating leverage (18:05), digital experiences augmenting hospitality (39:41), why tipping needs to be replaced (44:50), the labor supply (56:16), inflation (1:00:27), employee health and more!

Nick Kokonas joins to discuss his his company Tock (10:50), his world-class restaurant group Alinea (0:54), how restaurants can improve their operating leverage (18:05), digital experiences augmenting hospitality (39:41), why tipping needs to be replaced (44:50), the labor supply (56:16), inflation (1:00:27), employee health and more!

The business of creative work is the business of riding randomness. If you want to write a bestselling book or launch a revolutionary company, you’re going to need luck. You’re navigating Extremistan, not Mediocristan, as I talked about in episode 253. How do you increase your chances of having a hit without risking everything? You do it with “The Barbell Strategy.” You can use the Barbell Strategy in many areas of life and work. The Barbell Strategy defined The Barbell Strategy is introduced in Nassim Taleb’s The Black Swan, which I summarized on episode 244. The Barbell Strategy protects you from catastrophic losses that can take you out of the game. Meanwhile, it gives you chances to make big gains. Why “barbell”? Think of a barbell – a very lopsided barbell. On one side of the barbell is a big weight. On the other side of the barbell is a small weight. In the middle is the thin bar that connects the two. The Barbell Strategy is an investment strategy Taleb introduces The Barbell Strategy in an investing context. This is the strategy Taleb has used as a financial trader. As we’ll see, you can apply it to other areas as well. Taleb says: If you know that you are vulnerable to prediction errors, and if you accept that most “risk measures” are flawed, because of the Black Swan, then your strategy is to be as hyperconservative and hyperaggressive as you can be instead of being mildly aggressive or conservative. (emphasis mine) In other words, you have to accept that the world is full of Black Swans. As a review, Black Swans are outlier events with extreme impact. We think we can explain Black Swans after the fact, but we really have no idea. They can be positive, or negative. Things like financial market crashes or mega-best-selling books. By being hyperconservative, you avoid the negative Black Swans. By being hyperagressive, you expose yourself to positive Black Swans. 85% hyperconservative investments, 15% hyperaggressive investments Most people go with the “safe” investment. I’m not a financial advisor, and nothing I’m saying is investment advice, but for most people, that’s the index fund: Keep putting money in an S&P 500 ETF. Expect to get a 7% return over your lifetime. The strategy Taleb espouses is to avoid so-called “medium risk” investments. Instead, put 85% of your portfolio in hyperconservative investments – places where you won’t lose money. Invest the other 15% of your portfolio in hyperaggressive investments – places where you might lose your money, but where there’s also no limit to how much money you could make. When you’re invested in the index fund, your entire portfolio is exposed to Black Swans. The stock market dropped nearly 90% during the Great Depression, and swift drops of 30 or 40% are not uncommon. If 85% of your portfolio is spread across hyperconservative investments, you’re unlikely to need to weather such storms. With 15% of your portfolio in hyperaggressive investments, you can only lose 15% of your money. Meanwhile, there’s no limit to how high those hyperaggressive investments can go. Imagine you put 1% of your net worth in Bitcoin five years ago. Multiply that by 100, and that’s your current return. Even if you lost all the other 14% of your net worth in hyperaggressive investments, you would have nearly doubled your money, with little downside risk. The Barbell Strategy in creative work As you learned in episode 253 about Mediocristan vs. Extremistan, creative success is unpredictable. As award-winning screenwriter William Goldman said, “Nobody knows anything.” Most creatives expect their success to go “up and to the right.” When someone suggests they take some chances, to justify not taking those chances they abuse survivorship bias – as I talked about on episode 251. So they stick to “the middle.” They do the thing they feel will get them a little success. For authors, this is the strategy of cranking out a formulaic novel every month that’s sure to sell some copies – but for which nobody is ever going to camp in line outside a bookstore to be the first to get. Maybe they make the graph go “up and to the right,” but they’ll never have a breakout success. Find some “sure bets” – protect your downside To play the Barbell Strategy in creative work, first, you need to find some sure bets. Protect your downside, so you can stay in the game. Remember on episode 251 when I told you about my poker-player friend who needs a certain “bankroll” to make $100 an hour? That’s what you need. You need some room to explore long enough to let ergodicity take over. That could be a literal bankroll. I personally invested a lot when I had a secure job, knowing that some day I’d use the bankroll as runway to start something on my own. Some creatives like to have a secure day job, and spend a little time creating before or after work. Anthony Trollope and Charles Bukowski worked at the post office. Octavia Butler’s many jobs included potato chip inspector. Comedian Mark Normand was a janitor, which allowed him to think about his bits while he worked. When I first started on my own, after I had gone through savings I had bookmarked for exploration, I spent ten hours a week freelancing – the rest of the time I spent building passive income streams. I told you on episode 214 how one passive income stream made me $150,000. I now live in Colombia, where my three-bedroom apartment costs less than $700 a month – which takes off a lot of financial pressure. To play the Barbell Strategy, you need to protect your downside. There are no guarantees in life, including life itself – so this means something different for everyone. Figure out what it is for you. Play some “wildcards” Now, play some “wildcards” (Note that “sure bets” and “wildcards” are my own terms. Taleb hates gambling analogies because in gambling the actual odds are known – but you get the idea.) Wildcards are things that – as Seth Godin would say – “might not work.” In fact, they probably won’t work – but they have unlimited upside potential. They’re the “asymmetric opportunities” Tynan talked about on episode 145. “Asymmetric” refers to the risk profile: The potential downsides are small, but the potential upside are huge. The profile is not symmetric, it’s asymmetric. For example, it costs little to write a blog post. You have little to lose, but you may gain a lot. I’ve written many hundreds of blog posts in seventeen years. Two of those have led to positive Black Swans: One got me my first book deal, and catapulted my status online from nobody to somebody. Another got me an advisory position with a company that sold to Google, and became the subject of my latest book. Numerous others brought smaller benefits, but I can’t think of any I regret. Your wildcards have a chance to become positive Black Swans. You can’t predict what will work, so make lots of small bets with unlimited upside. Avoid “the middle” Finally, avoid “the middle.” There’s a few reasons for this. One, the middle is crowded. As restauranteur Nick Kokonas said on episode 213, most people aren’t as afraid of failure as they are of success. They want to do okay, but they don’t want to do great. At the same time, we have a loss-aversion bias. We hate losing an investment twice as much as we enjoy gaining from an investment. So, everyone goes for the middle. And there’s more competition in the middle. Two, the middle is where the negative Black Swans happen. You’re only investing a little in the wildcards, so you can afford to lose it all. We tend to go all-in on the middle, so when an unexpected catastrophe happens, we lose a lot. Three, the middle has little chance of bringing positive Black Swans. Your index fund is supposed to return 7% a year. It could lose 40% of its value in a day or two. Meanwhile, does it have any chance of gaining 1,000% just as fast? Very unlikely. What’s hot is usually “the middle” Look at what is hot in your field, and you’ll probably find “the middle.” In writing, it’s churning out formulaic fiction series for Kindle Unlimited. In blogging, it’s making sure you’re sharing every blog post to every social media channel. In SEO, it’s manufacturing mediocre articles on high-volume keywords you have little chance of ranking for. In SaaS entrepreneurship, it’s A/B testing to make minuscule gains in conversion rate. Some of these things might bring a little progress, which is why people do them, but they have no chance of big upside. Avoiding the middle protects your downside, and gives you a chance for more upside. With less invested in the middle, you can invest more in the wildcards. The Barbell Strategy in other areas The Barbell Strategy is useful in investing, and it’s useful in creative work. If you look around, you can also apply the Barbell Strategy to other areas. The Barbell Strategy for exercise “The middle” for exercise is steady-state, medium-intensity, training. Taleb himself is an advocate of doing power lifts, as heavy as you can. This certainly exposes you to upside, but I think it also exposes you to the downside of injury. I think the true Barbell Strategy for exercise is Body by Science, which I summarized on episode 160. It’s a very intense and short protocol, with little chance of injury. Other than that, go for long walks or do physical activities you enjoy. The Barbell Strategy for technology use You can apply the Barbell Strategy to your technology use. Some technology exposes you to potential serendipity. Surfing around on Reddit or social media is fun, and you never know when you’ll happen across a breakthrough idea. But like a risky investment, it’s risky to spend all your attention in these areas. The “sure bets” in technology are to use specific tools for the job you’re trying to get done. I talked about “grippy” and “slippy” tools on episode 230. If you’re a writer, get an AlphaSmart, or a typewriter for the initial brainstorming phases of your work. High-powered technology such as smartphones and laptops can be sure bets, too. But just use them for short bursts for specific tasks. What you want to avoid is the always-on use of the highest-power technology available. If you’re always glued to your smartphone or laptop, you’re connected to the internet, but you’re disconnected from your own mind. You can’t use technology without technology using some part of you. Marshall McLuhan, whose book, Understanding Media, I talked about on episode 248, would say that as technology extends, it also “amputates.” Another “wildcard” for technology is to not use technology at all. When I took Naval Ravikant’s meditation challenge, which I talked about on episode 246, I found that during meditation I thought more about asymmetric ideas, which I later implemented when I was using technology. The Barbell Strategy for time management You can apply the Barbell Strategy to time management. “The middle” is trying to get the most done in the shortest time. It’s being on clock time instead of event time, like I talked about on episode 235. The “sure bets” for time management are to have clear priorities, build habits, document processes, and automate what you can. These tactics help you use time and energy more effectively, without stressing you out and disrupting your creativity. The “wildcards” for time management are mostly the opposite of the sure bets. Meditate, daydream, go for walks, take naps, tinker, play, and discuss. As Taleb says, “Go to parties!” Instead of having clear priorities, spend time on “anti-priorities”: Things that don’t seem important, but that you want to do anyway. What you want to avoid is the stuff most people try to do to “save time”: full schedules, tight deadlines, last-minute crises, mindless outsourcing, and complexity creep. These tactics lead to negative time Black Swans: When one thing goes wrong, everything collapses, you lose time, and stress yourself out. Live the barbell life Let’s close with a quote from Nassim Taleb: I will never get to know the unknown since, by definition, it is unknown. However, I can always guess how it might affect me, and I should base my decisions around that. To apply the Barbell Strategy to any area of your life and work, avoid the middle, find sure bets, and play some wildcards. It’s the best way to stay in the game long enough to get lucky. Last chance to join the True Fan Patreon tier I'm offering the special "True Fan" Patreon tier through May. Join today and get lots of benefits at a discounted price. Learn more here » About Your Host, David Kadavy David Kadavy is author of Mind Management, Not Time Management, The Heart to Start and Design for Hackers. Through the Love Your Work podcast, his Love Mondays newsletter, and self-publishing coaching David helps you make it as a creative. Follow David on: Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Subscribe to Love Your Work Apple Podcasts Overcast Spotify Stitcher YouTube RSS Email Support the show on Patreon Put your money where your mind is. Patreon lets you support independent creators like me. Support now on Patreon »     Show notes: http://kadavy.net/blog/posts/barbell-strategy/

Nick Kokonas is an award winning bartender who lives and works in Chicago, IL. Over the course of his career he has played an integral role behind some of the most prestigious bars in the city; from the formerly Michelin-starred gastropub Longman & Eagle to working on the opening bar team at Danny Meyer/The Dead Rabbit collaboration Green River. He has participated in a number of the most prominent international cocktail competitions, finding success in Diageo World Class, Bombay Sapphire's Most Imaginative Bartender, and Bacardi Legacy, to name a few.​In June of 2016, Nicolas became the opening beverage director for The Heritage, a restaurant just outside Chicago's city limits. While developing the menu he created a weekly rotating cocktail simply titled “Something & Tonic”, an ever-changing drink with a foundation of tonic water, tonic syrup, or liqueur bittered with cinchona.​The challenge of using tonic in innovative ways provoked his interest into tonic's origins and its growing presence in modern day drinking culture. After the restaurant's opening Nicolas' cocktails began garnering attention. In the Chicago Tribune the “Something & Tonic” was given special mention in veteran food writer Phil Vettel's favorable two star review of the restaurant where he writes:​"Kokonas offers a tidy list of five or six cocktails, of which the most interesting is the Something and Tonic, which changes week to week. I don't know if Kokonas can sustain this for a year, but I've managed to have three versions of this drink, and so far, so good."​Moving on from The Heritage, Nick recently spent two years running a beverage program in Charleston, SC at the Southern food icon The Grocery. He has since returned to Chicago, and is working diligently to complete and publish Something & Tonic with your help

In this episode of The Reinventionists Podcast, Jackman Founder and CEO, Joe Jackman, welcomes Nick Kokonas, Co-Founder and co-owner of The Alinea Group restaurants and a reservation and Co-Founder of reservation platform, Tock, for an intimate discussion on career shifts, getting really clear on goals, and making the right pivots at the right time. 

The Interview: Nick Kokonas, founder and CEO of Tock, joins Jason Buck, co-founder and CIO of The Mutiny Fund, to share the lessons he has learned on his path from a derivatives trader, to a restauranter, and to a technologist and fine dining innovator. Kokonas recounts his beginnings in finance in Chicago's trading pits, where he witnessed firsthand the perils of selling tail-risk, or extremely out-of-the-money options. Kokonas and Buck exchange outlooks on options trading and "the Greeks," before Buck prompts Kokonas to share how he founded restaurants such as Trio, Roister, and Alinea (the only restaurant in all of Chicago to retain three Michelin stars). Kokonas shares how identifying and solving the multitude of problems that befall the restaurant industry let him to create Tock. Recorded on March 19, 2021. Key learnings: Most restaurants waste a tremendous amount of time and money, and Kokonas uses the skills he gained as an options trader to spot inefficiencies and innovate in common practices such as dropping checks, making reservations, and ordering ingredients. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2020 has been hard, especially for those of us in the travel industry. It can be hard to feel excited about your business after a year like that, and even harder to feel motivated to work on it when the coming year is still so uncertain.  In this episode I'm sharing what I'm doing to get past that so that I start 2021 rested, and excited about the possibilities for my business again.    Here are links to resources mentioned in this episode:  Episode 33 where I talked about how and why to take a break from your business Episode 29 with Brit Koloof Marketing Personalities Brit's guides for marketing ideas that work for different personality types. Take your FREE personality test here, if you don't already know which you are. Don't pay for the upgrade!) Leo Babauta (from Zen Habits) on the Tim Ferris podcast Episode 24 where I talk about focusing on just one thing Nick Kokonas on the Tim Ferris podcast  Chillpreneur by Denise Duffield Thomas Episode 48 with Elizabeth from Souvenir and Far The Desire Map by Danielle Laporte The Practice by Seth Godin Zen Habits website

My guest today is Nick Kokonas, the co-founder of the 3 of the best restaurants and bars in America - Alinea, Next, and The Aviary as well as the co-founder and CEO of Tock, a comprehensive booking system for restaurants. This was one of my favorite conversations in the history of the show. Nick is a philosophy major turned derivatives trader that is now one of the most well-known names in the restaurant and hospitality industry. We cover so many topics I can’t list them here, but I’ll remember it for why it's so important for a business to really know what it's selling and then actually sell it. Nick also pulls back the curtain on why restaurants and even book publishers can be great businesses if you do them in the right way. I felt like this conversation could have gone on for hours and I hope you enjoy it.   This episode is brought to you by Microsoft for Startups. Microsoft for Startups is a global program dedicated to helping “enterprise-ready” B2B startups successfully scale their companies. If you’re a founder running a B2B company targeting the enterprise, you should definitely check them out.    This episode is also brought to you by Solo Stove. There's simply no better way to create good moments this holiday season than around a fire with a Solo Stove Bonfire.  Complete with 30-day return policy and a lifetime warranty, the unit is made entirely of stainless steel, and at just 20 pounds, the Solo Stove Bonfire is easy to transport for a perfect evening in the backyard, at the campground, or on the beach. Get $5 off with code Patrick5 before December 31st 2020.     For more episodes go to InvestorFieldGuide.com/podcast. Sign up for the book club and new email newsletter called “Inside the Episode” at InvestorFieldGuide.com/bookclub. Follow Patrick on Twitter at @patrick_oshag   Show Notes (3:02) – (First question) – Why he thinks it’s so important to own something (4:35) – Make decisions that have outcomes (7:00) – His interest in the restaurant business (8:54) – Why restaurants are so tough (12:05) – How their business mindset changed their running of the restaurant (14:35) – Words they would avoid in the restaurant (16:19) – Asking the right questions in the restaurant business (20:40) – Importance in taking the right risks (22:02) – Coming up with innovative strategies for ticketing, selling meals ahead of time, and dynamic pricing (30:08) – Can dynamic pricing be extended to other businesses (31:20) – Origin of Tock (36:17) – Early days of Tock and identifying the right customers/challenges (41:33) – Importance of the first customer (44:22) – The typical restaurant business model (49:23) – Lessons from Tock and the importance of knowing what your selling (53:47) – Lessons from publishing (55:44) – Other aspects of business that people know but do nothing about (1:00:19) – Their response to Covid and lessons learned (1:07:43) – The real impact to the food delivery companies (1:09:24) – How businesses communicate their end processes to their customers (1:14:07) – Kindest thing anyone has done for him   Learn More For more episodes go to InvestorFieldGuide.com/podcast. Sign up for the book club and new email newsletter called “Inside the Episode” at InvestorFieldGuide.com/bookclub. Follow Patrick on Twitter at @patrick_oshag  

Episode #58 with Henry and Dylan—Today they're talking about Nick Kokonas, an American restaurant executive and author.Dishin' out Smart Nonsense about:Nick Kokonas: How he succeeded by challenging the normsHow to make your business thrive amidst COVIDThe power of “I don’t know” and “So we have to”Watch on YouTube & SubscribeLinksNick Kokonas — How to Apply World-Class Creativity to Business, Art, and Life | The Tim Ferriss ShowNick Kokonas on Resurrecting Restaurants, Skin in the Game, and Investing | The Tim Ferriss ShowAlinea by Grant AchatzThe Aviary Cocktail Book by Grant AchatzThe Innovation Stack by Jim McKelveyFreakonomics by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven LevittKitchen Confidential by Anthony BourdainFooled by Randomness by Nassim TalebSurely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard FeynmanAntifragile by Nassim Nicholas TalebThe Magic of Thinking Big by David J. SchwartzHow to Become TripAdvisor’s #1 Fake Restaurant | VICEJocko Podcast | YouTubeWait But Why | Tim UrbanHow I Built This with Guy Raz | NPRTockOpenTableHere's the full Show Notes.Watch on YouTube & SubscribeWatch Henry's last YouTube video.P.S. Toss us a 5-star review :)

After graduating with a degree in philosophy and a successful 10-year stint as an independent derivatives trader, Nick Kokonas partnered with Chef Grant Achatz to open Alinea Restaurant in 2005. In the years to follow, Nick would go on to co-find Next, The Aviary, and Roisters. In addition, Kokonas is the Founder and CEO of Tock, a cloud-based comprehensive booking system for restaurants, events, and pop-ups around the world. Check out the first time Nick Kokonas joined RU on episode 333. Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! 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 or mantra: "Just show up!" In today's episode with Nick Kokonas we will discuss: You should know your customer Deciding when to scale Writing a cocktail book Connecting with your guest digitally before they arrive Letting you team weigh in on creative decisions/branding/marketing Collecting emails Are regulars your most valuable customers? What do the numbers say? Partnering with a hotel Opening and closing a restaurant in 3 years Enforcing culture; is it possible? The intricacies of Tock and Tock To Go Contactless payment /paying with your phone Today's sponsor: Podium- Only half of the businesses in America are text capable. Setting up a business texting line immediately gives you a competitive advantage. Texting gives you ultimate flexibility rather than being tethered to a phone. Need more reasons? On top of Podium’s texting platform, you’ll be able to send review invites, request remote payments, and power curbside pickup; all through text. Toast - A POS built for restaurants by restaurant people Adapt fast with Toast's cloud-based restaurant POS system that updates to evolve your POS along with changing industry trends and guest expectations. Toast is built exclusively for restaurants of all shapes and sizes, with over 2/3 of our employees having restaurant experience to serve you better. Online Ordering - Let guests easily order directly from your restaurant for pickup or contactless delivery to keep revenue flowing during these uncertain times. Toast Delivery Services Dispatch local drivers through an on-demand network to keep your community fed and revenue coming in.   Contact info: exploretock.com/join Email: nick@tockhq.com Instagram: @tockhq Twitter: @tock 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 Nick Kokonas 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!

We're joined by Tock CEO Nick Kokonas to discuss how they're “arming the restaurateur rebels” versus DoorDash / Uber Eats, in much the same way Shopify has done so for ecommerce merchants versus Amazon. This episode is full of lessons on how to execute a counter-positioning playbook to disrupt entrenched incumbents, including the influence of Nick's friend / Tock investor and Nobel prize winning economist Richard Thaler. Whether you're an entrepreneur who's also building a “picks & shovels” type business or an investor interested in the future of the food industry or disruption in general, this is not one to miss. See Ben's original Tweet that spurred the episode here: https://twitter.com/gilbert/status/1277740701246083072 There are lots of great replies to help understand the restaurant tech ecosystem, and of course, Nick chimed in with a tweet that led to him coming on the show. (Thanks to Matt Shobe for connecting us!) You can read distilled observations from all the replies here. “Even if you're long on Tesla, don't buy Tesla Options.” – Nick Kokonas (Instagram: @nkokonas, Twitter: @NickKokonas)   Be sure to follow the Acquired Podcast: Acquired.fm @AcquiredFM Let People Know You're An LP on Twitter!   Show Links: Tuesday is Not Saturday Tim Ferriss Interview w/ Nick:  VCs Congratulating Themselves   Show Bookmarks: [02:20] – The Beginning of Tock [06:18] – The Margins of (most) Restaurants [12:00] – Margins & Food Delivery Platforms [16:20] – Building Tock / SaaS in Restaurants [32:20] – March 06: The Oh Sh*t Day [44:55] – Elevated Carry Out [50:15] – Tock20: Operating a Restaurant in 2020 [56:45] – Nick's Journey through Venture Capital   People Worth Knowing: Nick Kokonas Mark Canalis Jeff Kaplan Richard Thaler Steve Burnaki  Steve Hafner Grant Achatz Kimbal Musk Howard Schutlz   Companies Mentioned in Episode: Tock Alinea Group Canalis Postmates Opentable Grubhub Doordash Ubereats Royster Next Rezy Booking.com Twitter Facebook Shopify Zyrmed Bane Equity Origin Ventures Square Tesla Shopify   Episode Specific Terms: No-Show Inefficiency Demand Variability Margin Sunk Cost Fixed vs Variable Costs Adwords Arbitrage Customer Incentive Misalignment Operating Leverage vs Downside Protection Time-Slot Based Businesses Clearing Risk Kitchen Pacing vs Incremental Sales Elevated Carry-Out Gross Merchandising Volume On-Prem Services vs Cloud Based Dislocation BATNA   Follow Acquired: @AcquiredFM, acquired.fm Let People Know You're an LP on Twitter! Suggestions and Feedback: acquiredfm@gmail.com

The Restaurant H.E.L.P. podcast is a dedicated resource for industry operators working to prepare for the future. This series provides best practices, tactics, and innovative approaches from some of the top minds and experts in the industry.In this episode, we sit down with Charles Dottore, a culinary associate director for CSSI Marketing + Culinary, and Nick Kokonas, the chief executive officer of Tock. Dottore and Kokonas discuss some of the recent innovations within the restaurant technology space.

Segment 1: David Beckworth, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center, joins John to talk about the economic outlook as more states see spikes in the coronavirus outbreak. Segment 2: Nick Kokonas, Founder & CEO of Tock, Inc., tells John about how Tock and his restaurants (Alinea, Next, The Aviary, etc.) were able to pivot […]

In our final episode of the "Quarantine Report" series, host Michael Ruhlman talks with two of the food industries most forward thinking minds about the future of the restaurant industry. Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns is a leading voice among those aiming to connect agriculture with gastronomy in more holistic ways. Dan explains how his out of work cooks are taking to gardening and tells the story of a surprising revelation he made after receiving a flood of critical instagram comments. Finally, Dan shares what he's excited about for the future of the food industry. Nick Kokonas is the Co-Owner of The Alinia Group and the Founder and CEO of Tock. His special view from within two businesses helped him make important insights about trends during the global pandemic. Kokonas also shares his predictions for the innovations that will reshape how restaurants operate in the coming months and years. https://www.instagram.com/chefdanbarber https://www.instagram.com/nkokonas Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

#66 - Treading Water vs. Swimming to Shore When it comes to water safety, the data is clear: there are two skills children need to master before they get into a pool. The first is how to swim, obviously. And the other is how to tread water. Those are the two things that can substantially increase their chance of surviving in the off chance that they fall in. But when it comes to business, too many people focus on the latter at the expense of the former. If you're on a boat and you fall overboard, it makes sense to stay put, tread water, and wait for the boat to loop back around and return for you. But in almost every other instance it makes sense to just swim to shore. The metaphor works for restaurants -- especially now as we're in the throes of this global health crisis -- because too many of us are waiting to be saved. Just treading water until some comes to our rescue. On this week's epside we're talking all about changing your mindset... how to go from "treading water" to "swimming to shore." Tim Ferriss -- Interview #1 with Nick Kokonas (10/18/18) Tim Ferriss - Interview #2 with Nick Kokonas (5/6/20)

#66 - Treading Water vs. Swimming to Shore When it comes to water safety, the data is clear: there are two skills children need to master before they get into a pool. The first is how to swim, obviously. And the other is how to tread water. Those are the two things that can substantially increase their chance of surviving in the off chance that they fall in. But when it comes to business, too many people focus on the latter at the expense of the former. If you're on a boat and you fall overboard, it makes sense to stay put, tread water, and wait for the boat to loop back around and return for you. But in almost every other instance it makes sense to just swim to shore. The metaphor works for restaurants -- especially now as we're in the throes of this global health crisis -- because too many of us are waiting to be saved. Just treading water until some comes to our rescue. On this week's epside we're talking all about changing your mindset... how to go from "treading water" to "swimming to shore." Tim Ferriss -- Interview #1 with Nick Kokonas (10/18/18) Tim Ferriss - Interview #2 with Nick Kokonas (5/6/20)

During this 210th episode of “Marketing Today,” host Alan Hart interviews Jake Sorofman, president of MetaCX. Today, we talk about what it's like to join a company and transition from CMO to president in a global pandemic. We talk about how Sorofman is thinking about company culture. We also discuss MetaCX's founder and the overall vision of the company. Sorofman describes how his role as chief marketing officer prepared him for his new role at MetaCX. Then he shares his perspective on creating company culture during a global pandemic. He says, "You need to be even more intentional. My feeling is that cultures don't happen by accident." He suggests leaning into the awkwardness of video conferencing and shares that they're engaging their employees in a fun 100 Mile Challenge. We learn more about MetaCX and why there may be no better time than now for them to launch, given their unique value proposition. Sorofman remarks on the opportunities that are available to us in this unique time. He says, "This is the time of transformation. This is the time of thinking about the things that you couldn't get to when business was robust. It's also a time of thinking about what it's going to look like on the other side." This interview reminds us of the importance of providing value no matter what the circumstances may be. Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”: Why Jake joined MetaCX. 01:45 Jake's relationship with MetaCX CEO Scott McCorkle. 03:25 How the CMO role prepared Jake to take on the additional responsibilities of president. 04:54 Company culture during the pandemic. 06:37 Learn about MetaCX and what the company is trying to achieve. 09:29 The MetaCX customer. 13:33 Jake's top priority for this year. 14:23 Building a revenue pipeline during a pandemic. 16:45 Is there an experience in his past that defines who he is today? 22:39 What is the advice Jake would give to his younger self? 23:57 The most impactful purchase he has made in the last 6-12 months of $100 or less. 24:48 Are there any brands, companies, or causes that Jake follows that he thinks other people should take notice of? 26:24 Jake’s take on the top opportunity and threat facing marketers today. 28:28   Resources Mentioned: Prior episode 184 with Jake when he was CMO at Pendo Pendo Gartner MetaCX Scott McCorkle – founder of MetaCX Announcement of Jake Sorofman as president of MetaCX Tock Tim Ferris Show episode 429 with Nick Kokonas, founder of Tock (sorry for not remembering while recording!) Peloton Yeti Patagonia Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia   Subscribe the podcast: Listen in iTunes (link: http://apple.co/2dbdAhV) Listen in Google Podcasts (link: http://bit.ly/2Rc2kVa) Listen in Spotify (Link: http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC ) Connect with the Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakesorofman/ https://twitter.com/jakesorofman https://twitter.com/metacx Connect with Marketing Today and Alan Hart: http://twitter.com/abhart https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhart http://twitter.com/themktgtoday https://www.facebook.com/themktgtoday/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-today-with-alan-hart/   Support the show.

Nick Kokonas is the co-founder and co-owner of Alinea restaurant in Chicago, he is also the founder and CEO of Tock, a reservations platform. At the start of the pandemic, Nick and the team at Alinea pivoted entirely to take-out and have sold a lot of food. Follow Nick on Twitter, Instagram and check out Tock. Hosts: Amanda Kludt (@kludt), Editor in Chief, Eater Daniel Geneen (@danielgeneen), Producer, Eater More to explore: Check out more great reporting from the Eater newsroom. Subscribe to Amanda’s weekly newsletter here. Follow Us: Eater.com Facebok.com/Eater YouTube.com/Eater @eater on Twitter and Instagram Get in Touch: digest@eater.com About Eater: Eater obsessively covers the world through the lens of food, telling stories via audio, television, digital video, and publications in 24 cities across the US and UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you struggle with imposter syndrome and overwhelm on what book topic to pick to write about? You are not alone! This is a replay of a really terrific group Zoom call that my biz bestie Allison Melody of the Food Heals empire did last Saturday. Six entrepreneurs joined us to ask questions, brainstorm, and work through mental blocks. I hope this helps you wherever you are in your journey! And jump into our 14-week Bestselling Book Group Program starting on May 25th, if you catch this in time!   A Few Highlights from This Podcast: [05:45] - [5:00] : Alli kicks off call + Laura intro and why books matter   [12:22] : Tamar intro about the book she's work on …vulnerable stories …4 chapters so far …afraid bc of ego to dig into …wants the word “hope” in there Finding Hope Acceptance   [15:54] : Larry Roberts …1+1=Podcast …wrote it in 20 days …got emotional …Scrivener …bringing wife on the journey …how to start a VA business …Readily Random podcast …recovered alcoholic   ]23:47] : Nancy Foote…¾ done about classroom management (33 years teaching)…how to get kids on your side …struggling bc had another book calling at her! …started on second book too …works at literary conferences part-time …"when I teach, I tell stories about my life" …Coca-Cola Hot Pants …Paul Harvey …Zero G with Mark Kelly astronaut …Parkinson’s, two kinds of breast cancer, …"how can you be so positive and upbeat?" …baseball with Nolan Ryan …Writing 6-word sentences…loving writing it…like poetry …shoulder surgery …Imposter Syndrome Monster   [37:06] : Christopher Centri…astronomy and space science …struggling with things online …in another part of New York state …Mars + search for extraterrestrial life …Lunar Mysteries …Thinkific, Teachable, …wants courses …near Lake Erie + wine + science presentations   [48:37] : Hazel Englander…loves wine too …listens to CTP! …model all over the world …famous boyfriend…backstage rock and roll parties …not sure about sharing bc of kids, husband, and haters …Queen, Sir Elton John, etc — should I name names? …should I have a publisher or self-publish? ...Tim Ferriss and Nick Kokonas podcast: https://tim.blog/2018/10/18/nick-kokonas They compare notes about the somewhat slimy similarities between the music and publishing industries. [timestamp: 2:26:02] On the Hembergers and The Alinea Project, and the upcoming Aviary Book being released independently. [timestamp: 2:41:23]   Free Facebook Group for Authors CopyThatPops.com/facebook   More Info On the 14-Week Group Program starting on Monday, May 25th CopyThatPops.com/14weeks *Past clients of Laura’s, ping her for super discount if you want to join us too (Laura@CopyThatPops.com)     Take Action Now! 14 Week Group Bestselling Book Program with LaptopLaura and Allison Melody To access full show notes click here.

Chicago Inno‘s Senior Editor Jim Dallke joins John Williams to tell us about Chicago startup innovation including a restaurant reservation startup from Alinea’s Nick Kokonas, that is providing a huge boost to restaurants struggling during Covid-19 and another Chicago startup that is using vacant retail window space to sell ads to companies like Lyft and […]

The Grand Mug (not sponsored) http://www.thegrandmug.com/Floyd Cardoz Passes: https://t.co/KOlB79BFAn?amp=1Are Restaurants Needed?: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/23/magazine/closing-prune-restaurant-covid.htmlThomas Keller's Tweets: https://twitter.com/chef_keller/status/1250553303248691201?s=12How to Close a Restaurant: https://www.eater.com/2020/1/8/21028493/restaurant-closure-process-thirty-acres-mean-sandwichAviary Closes: https://ny.eater.com/2020/4/21/21229379/alinea-the-aviary-office-cocktail-bars-mandarin-oriental-closing-nycMei Mei's Numbers: https://t.co/FphnrTMeyg?amp=1Chris Hill Piece: https://medium.com/@chefchris/how-were-really-gonna-save-the-restaurant-industry-92f2f4d2055a?_branch_match_id=498915819358381577Pokemon Sword: https://amzn.to/3bRb7FmThe Second Mountain: https://amzn.to/2Wcsp9j —What's next?

Nick Kokonas on Resurrecting Restaurants, Skin in the Game, and Investing | Brought to you by ShipStation and Helix Sleep. More on both below."It remains to be seen, of course, whether or not this works. But what I didn't want to do was wait to see what happened." — Nick KokonasNick Kokonas (IG: @nkokonas, TW: @NickKokonas) is the co-owner and co-founder of The Alinea Group of restaurants, which includes Alinea, Next, The Aviary, Roister, St. Clair Supper Club, and The Aviary NYC.Alinea has been named the Best Restaurant in America and Best Restaurant in The World by organizations and lists as diverse as The James Beard Foundation, World's 50 Best, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Gourmet Magazine, and Elite Traveler. His restaurants have won nearly every accolade afforded to them.Nick has been a subversive entrepreneur and angel investor since 1996. He spent a decade as a derivatives trader, has co-written three books, and believes in radical transparency in markets and business. As an outsider to the restaurant industry, Nick's approach to the business of restaurants is markedly innovative, and he has been featured in Businessweek, Fast Company, The New York Times, Forbes, and Crain's Chicago Business, among other publications. He has given talks on innovation, entrepreneurship, and experience design across the country.He is also the founder and CEO of Tock, Inc, a reservations and CRM system for restaurants with more than 10M diners and clients in more than 30 countries. Tock also recently launched a to-go platform, which has helped restaurants pivot to fulfill pickup and delivery orders.This episode is brought to you by ShipStation. Do you sell stuff online? Then you know what a pain the shipping process is. Whether you’re selling on eBay, Amazon, Shopify, or over 100 other popular selling channels, ShipStation was created to make your life easier. ShipStation lets you access all of your orders from one simple dashboard, and it works with all of the major shipping carriers, locally and globally, including FedEx, UPS, and USPS. The Tim Ferriss Show listeners get to try ShipStation free for 60 days by using promo code TIM. There’s no risk and you can start your free trial without even entering your credit card info. Just visit ShipStation.com, click on the microphone at the top of the homepage, and type in TIM!This podcast episode is also brought to you by Helix Sleep! Helix was selected as the #1 best overall mattress pick of 2020 by GQ Magazine, Wired, Apartment Therapy, and many others. With Helix, there’s a specific mattress for each and everybody’s unique taste. Just take their quiz—it takes just two minutes to complete—that matches your body type and sleep preferences to the perfect mattress for you. They have a 10-year warranty, and you get to try it out for a hundred nights, risk free. They’ll even pick it up from you if you don’t love it. And now, to my dear listeners, Helix is offering up to 200 dollars off all mattress orders and two free pillows at HelixSleep.com/TIM.***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests.For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please fill out the form at tim.blog/sponsor.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss

Restaurant reservation service Tock’s new platform is helping dine-in restaurants pivot to pickup and delivery during the coronavirus crisis. Tock founder and Alinea Group co-owner Nick Kokonas joins Scott to talk about how the restaurant is coping with the pressure and the novel methods his restaurants are using to ramp up business while dine-in is closed.

Why the pandemic is exposing the complicated relationship between delivery apps and restaurants and how a restaurateur and app developer is helping keep his industry alive. Featuring Caleb Pershan ( @calaesthetic) Nick Kokonas ( @nickkokonas) Links to resources discussed: Restaurant and Bar Employees Make Up 60 Percent of Jobs Lost in March Here’s What Alinea’s To-Go Offerings Look Like Grubhub Asks Restaurants to Foot the Bill on ‘Supper for Support’ Promotions Host: Arielle Duhaime-Ross (@adrs), host and lead reporter of Reset About Recode by Vox: Recode by Vox helps you understand how tech is changing the world — and changing us. Follow Us: Newsletter: Recode Daily  Twitter: @Recode

The U.S. restaurant industry is in a grim predicament, particularly high-end, dine-in restaurants that can't be open as the coronavirus pandemic grinds on. Chicago-based restaurant executive Nick Kokonas has helped prepared his restaurants as well as others to navigate the situation in creative ways. The moves include a shift to carryout, something that until now was unheard of for high-end eateries like his.

The co-owner and co-founder of the Alinea Group and founder and CEO of reservations system Tock joins Marketer's Brief to discuss how he helped his own restaurants and others pivot from high-end dining to to-go operations to stay afloat during the pandemic, and what he sees in the industry's future.

On the show, Scott kicks off the Startup Showcase by talking with American restaurant executive and author, Nick Koronas. Listen in as the two of then break down what most restaurants are doing in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. Nick and Scott also talk about how the restaurant industry will forever be changed due […]

Coronavirus has forced many restaurants to move to off-premise. States are changing regulations for restaurants, making them close dine-in operations and pivot to delivery, takeout or drive-thru. This has prompted third-party delivery companies like GrubHub, Postmates, Seamless, DoorDash and UberEats to taking remove delivery fees for consumers, but what does it all mean for restaurants? Nation’s Restaurant News senior editor Gloria Dawson wrote a comprehensive overview of the third-party delivery marketplaces in the midst of the coronavirus. Which fees are they waiving? Which are they still imposing? What new players have entered the game? We could only cover so much in this week’s podcast, so be sure to read her entire roundup here. There has long been a debate between third-party delivery services and restaurants over fees, some of which can reach 30%, and earlier in the week, the National Restaurant Association mentioned third-party delivery service fees in its proposed legislation to the White House. A bright spot was Tock, owned by Nick Kokonas, a co-founder of award-winning Alinea Chicago. Within six days of client Canalis’ request, Tock transformed from a reservation platform to a delivery service, helping fine-dining restaurants that never offered delivery before reach customers on lockdown. So, what’s really going on with these services in the time of coronavirus? Gloria and I attempt to peel back all the layers and give a clear picture of how it all stands right now.

Nick Kokonas (CEO, Tock) talks with Connie Loizos (StrictlyVC) about building and scaling software for traditional markets. Topics include: - How restaurants are operating with opaque information and how he's capitalizing on that need - The process and decisions behind building software from scratch - The opportunities in dynamic pricing and the psychology of pre-paying for experiences - The emotional resonance of restaurants and why you won't see a lot of Tock branding in the user experience

Join Colgate Alumnus Nick Kokonas, co-owner of the world-renowned Alinea, Next, Aviary, Aviary NYC, Roister, and the St. Clair Supper Club, as he shares his thoughts about experiential dining, Twitter dustups, and how he is taking on an established tech giant to improve how restaurants handle online reservations.

How’s it going? Really, how are things going for you? If things are going pretty good, you might want to tear everything down, and start all over again. Nick Kokonas (@nickkokonas) is Co-Owner of The Alinea Group and CEO of Tock. The Alinea Group is a collection of restaurants Nick started with world-class chef Grant Achatz, including their first restaurant, Alinea – a three-Michelin-star restaurant that received the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant in 2016. Alinea is also ranked in the top restaurants in the U.S. and the world on numerous lists, including World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Tock, Nick’s other company, is a reservation system for buying tickets to some of the best restaurants in the world. With Tock, Nick has completely re-thought the economics of restaurants, eliminating wasted seating inventory, and making available variable pricing based upon the popularity of reservation times. Nick is a truly original thinker. He’s demonstrated this on his appearances on some other podcasts, including The Tim Ferriss Show and Noah Kagan Presents. But this conversation is full of fresh insights, including: Nick says “people are far more afraid of success than failure.” What drives Nick to tear everything down and start over, even when things are going well? Nick also says "if you're trying to innovate. A/B Testing things as a terrible idea because people won't know what they want.” But there’s an important distinction he draws. Find out when he tests, and when he doesn’t. At Alinea, they intentionally make the first moments of dining there incredibly awkward. Seriously, I was cringing hearing him describe this. Nick said "there are people who hate us for it, and I'm okay with that.” Find out why. Thanks for sharing my work! On Instagram, thank you to @booknotes101 for doing a giveaway of The Heart to Start. Thank you also to @characelik, @5wisdomsproject, and of course @tomjepsoncreative. On Twitter, thank you to @mischievousmali, @geekosupremo, @Palle_Schmidt, @LouisSzabo, @LovinDaLife, and @LWCvL. Our Weekly Newsletter: Love Mondays Start off each week with a dose of inspiration to help you make it as a creative. Sign up at: kadavy.net/mondays About Your Host, David Kadavy David Kadavy is the author of The Heart to Start and Design for Hackers. Through the Love Your Work podcast and his Love Mondays newsletter, David explores what it takes to make it as a creative. Follow David on: Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Subscribe to Love Your Work Apple Podcasts Overcast Spotify Stitcher RSS Email Support the show on Patreon Put your money where your mind is. Patreon lets you support independent creators like me. Support now on Patreon »     Show notes: http://kadavy.net/blog/posts/nick-kokonas/

#11: Starting With Why This episode was inspired by two things... Simon Sinek's book "Start With Why" and an episode of the Tim Ferriss Show where he interviewed restauranteur, Nick Kokonas. The question WHY is at the core of both of them, but used in very different ways. I've fused the two lessons together into this week's episode. This one is a bit of a departure... a series of stories and thought experiments to try to get you to think differently about your business. I want you to start questioning the status quo, and pulling at threads. Below are links to some of the things I talk about in the episode... I hope they inspire you in the same ways they continue to inspire me. Simon Sinek's TED Talk - "How great leaders inspire action" Simon Sinek's book, "Start With Why" - CLICK HERE TO BUY Simon Sinek on INSIDE QUEST - WATCH HERE CONTINUING EDUCATION: The Tim Ferriss Show Ep. #341 - Nick Kokonas - https://tim.blog/2018/10/18/nick-kokonas/

#11: Starting With Why This episode was inspired by two things... Simon Sinek's book "Start With Why" and an episode of the Tim Ferriss Show where he interviewed restauranteur, Nick Kokonas. The question WHY is at the core of both of them, but used in very different ways. I've fused the two lessons together into this week's episode. This one is a bit of a departure... a series of stories and thought experiments to try to get you to think differently about your business. I want you to start questioning the status quo, and pulling at threads. Below are links to some of the things I talk about in the episode... I hope they inspire you in the same ways they continue to inspire me. Simon Sinek's TED Talk - "How great leaders inspire action" Simon Sinek's book, "Start With Why" - CLICK HERE TO BUY Simon Sinek on INSIDE QUEST - WATCH HERE CONTINUING EDUCATION: The Tim Ferriss Show Ep. #341 - Nick Kokonas - https://tim.blog/2018/10/18/nick-kokonas/

Nick Kokonas is co-owner of The Alinea Group, which includes the Michelin 3-star restaurant, Alinea, as well as Next, The Aviary, Roister and The Aviary NYC. They have also written and produced two award-winning books. Nick is the founder and CEO of Tock.com, a dynamically priced ticketing software for restaurants. Justin and Nick discuss using emotional requirements as the foundation for designing an experience, the narrative structure of a great dining experience, crying babies, service chihuahuas, music theory, vintage synthesizers and defining problems in a way that makes solving them consuming and inevitable. LINKS: alinearestaurant.com, tock.com, theaviary.com, nextrestaurant.com

Today on Crain’s Daily Gist, host Amy Guth talks with Crain’s Chicago Business political writer Greg Hinz about about the most pressing items on the mayor-elect’s to-do list once she takes office, and other changes the city can expect. Plus: Whistleblowers in 737 Max case call the FAA lax in inspector training, retailers gain the upper hand as Clybourn Corridor vacancies rise, Emanuel and Pritzker move to grab Georgia's film and TV business as the state prepares to sign a new anti-abortion bill, 3D printer Fast Radius gets $48 million in investment funding, Alinea Group’s Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas invest in a cookware firm, and Cancer Treatment Centers of America names a new Chicago-based CEO. Follow host Amy Guth on Twitter at @AmyGuth, or continue the conversation with #CrainsDailyGist.

My guest today is Nick Kokonas, the Co-founder of The Alinea Group of restaurants. His restaurant Alinea has been named the best restaurant in America and also the best restaurant in the World. Nick is also the Co-founder and CEO of Tock incorporated, a reservations and CRM system for restaurants with clients in more than 20 countries. In this episode, we dive deep into the restaurant industry. Nick and I begin by discussing how he applies behavioral economics to his bars and restaurants. Then we talk about the design of Next bar, the Aviary, and how he's thinking about the upcoming redesign. We explore many aspects of the restaurant industry. From menu design, to branding, to reservations, to designing experiences. We talked about why golf is the greatest sport in the world, how to increase throughput at a bar or restaurant, and the virtues of dynamic pricing. We also compare and contrast high end restaurants around the world from New York to Argentina. SUBSCRIBE TO MY “MONDAY MUSINGS” NEWSLETTER TO KEEP UP WITH THE PODCAST. Show Notes LINKS: Find Nick online: Twitter Tock The Alinea Group People mentioned: Grant Achatz Richard Thaler Steve Stallard Bryson deChambeau Other mentions: Misbehaving by Richard Thaler Tegui Contra Publican Moto Cypress Point Crosby Street Hotel SHOW TOPICS 1:49 How Nick came to meet Noble Prize winning Economist Richard Thaler, how he applies behavioral economics to the restaurant business, and how small behavioral cues can lead to big changes in results 7:05 Why does Nick care about metrics like revenue per minute per seat instead of average check size, the importance of throughout, and the new Flex AI tool offered by Tock 11:22 Why has the restaurant industry not adopted dynamic pricing? 14:34 Is fine-dining around the world becoming all the same due to Instagram? How has shifts in information created a new kind of chef who mixes art and science at a very early age? 21:44 How does Nick look at food costs and why are truffles so expensive? 25:50 How does the Alinea group manage the trade-off between hospitality and efficiency, and the thought-process behind the new re-design. 31:06 How Chicago’s West Loop become such a hotspot for good restaurants, parallels with New York’s Meatpacking district of Chelsea, and the importance of real estate in the restaurant business 35:31 Importance of giving false choices in parenting and in restaurants 39:02 The origin story of Tock and how it delivers a superior experience for restaurants and customers 51:10 Why Nick becomes every business plan with the experience of going to the place, what’s wrong with most business plans for restaurants, and behind-the-scenes drama at high-end restaurants 58:17 Why are Half Mezcal Margaritas Nick’s favorite drink? 1:00:30 Why Nick enjoys playing golf, David’s story about sneaking into Cypress Point, and how Bryson deChambeau is changing golf 1:07:30 What does Nick think about effective business writing, the importance of editing, being ok with saying “I don’t know” and Trump’s ability to distill ideas into simple rhetoric. 1:13:00 Why did Nick called everyone into work on Chicago’s Polar Vortex day and willingness to do things that others don’t. 1:17:30 How is Nick prepping for the macro environment slowdown given that restaurants are one of the least recession proof industry? 1:18:57 Why people don’t like to make decisions, and why Nick will never work with anyone who can’t make decisions – even if they are the wrong ones. 1:20:36 Nick’s requirements for hospital hotel and why he likes the Crosby Street Hotel in NYC. 1:23:49 How Nick and Grant studied the dew point of water to avoid condensation at the tables in Alinea. SUBSCRIBE TO MY “MONDAY MUSINGS” NEWSLETTER TO KEEP UP WITH THE PODCAST.

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk 302: Nick Kokonas - How To See The Genius In People Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com Commonalities of sustaining excellence: Intellectual curiosity - A desire to learn.  Not for the outcome, but for the curiosity to learn more Healthy degree of paranoia - What Jim Collins would call "productive paranoia" In the pursuit of excellence "No one is giving it away for free.  It takes effort." Balance -- "I get manic at times. I'm not always well balanced."  The skill is in being able to turn it on and off... Which can happen over time "I've always been curious about how things worked..." Why it was helpful to go to Colgate University A Liberal Arts school forced Nick to study areas outside of just his major.  Made him more well-rounded He "learned how to learn" -- Forced him to wrestle with existential questions Rhetoric -- Can you understand all sides of an issue? Where does ambiguity exist? Need to learn to think critically -- How you do it is more important that you do it General advice: "Learn to communicate well.  Concisely. Learn to write and speak well. From a psychology perspective, analyze, "what are they really saying?" Why he became a derivatives trader: "I got into law school, but didn't want to go." He tested well, but desired his independence "Prestige as part of pay doesn't matter to me." To be great at anything, you must be disciplined to show up everyday -- "My money has always been at risk everyday. Some think that's crazy.  But I've always worked to have an edge." How to figure out outcomes as soon as possible The decision to leave the world of derivatives trading to open a restaurant... Why? "I took some money off the table... Then my dad died... and I thought, what am I doing?  I had no idea what I was going to do next..." Meeting Grant Achatz and the impact that had on Nick's life... "He reminded me a lot of myself.  He was thoughtful, driven, shy (this was the opposite), and he wasn't afraid of hard work." "I think I have a skill to see the genius in some people." "Grant's work is of artistic genius" Doing what you love and are passionate about: "For me the test is... When I wake up in the morning is it nagging at me to do it?"

Sean thinks todays guest is one of the most interesting people in the world and if you’re going to listen to one episode of What Got You There this could be it. Todays guest is Nick Kokonas. Nick Kokonas is co-owner and co-founder of Alinea, Next, Roister, and the Aviary. He manages the marketing, business development, and strategy for current and future operations. Alinea has been 3 times named the best restaurant in North America. Next was named best new restaurant in America. and The Aviary was named best bar in America. He is also the founder and CEO of Tock, Inc, a reservations and CRM system for restaurants with more than 2.5M diners and clients in more than 20 countries. If that wasn’t enough he has co authored three books including The Aviary Cocktail Book which has sold $2.5 million since November. Yes he has also completely disrupted the publishing industry. This episode is going to uncover Nick’s decision making framework, his creative process and so much more! *Questions for the solo podcast email info@whatgotyouthere.com* Subscribe to the Newsletter- https://bit.ly/2RH3eaD   http://whatgotyouthere.com/ NEW SPONSOR TEN THOUSAND- www.tenthousand.cc/wgyt 20% off with discount code "WGYT"  Pure Spectrum CBD 10% off with discount code “WGYT” https://www.purespectrumcbd.com/?ref=227 GlobeKick 10% off with discount code “WGYT” https://globekick.com/ 15% off Four Sigmatic with discount code "WGYT" http://foursigmatic.com/wgyt   www.exploretock.com/ https://www.alinearestaurant.com/site/people/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-kokonas-2a163445/ https://twitter.com/nickkokonas https://medium.com/@nickkokonas https://www.instagram.com/nkokonas/?hl=en     https://twitter.com/SeanDeLaney23 https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/whatgotyouthere/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-delaney-00909190/   Intro/Outro music by Justin Great- http://justingreat.com/ Audio Engineer- Brian Lapres 

Denmark wins Bocuse d'or 2019: http://www.grubstreet.com/2019/01/bocuse-dor-2019-denmark-wins.html Michelin Guide Nordics 2019: https://www.eater.com/2019/2/19/18229915/michelin-stars-nordic-countries-2019-noma Daniel Calvert SCPM: https://amp.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/2188223/what-british-band-arctic-monkeys-taught-chef?__twitter_impression=true James Beard Semifinalists: https://www.eater.com/platform/amp/2019/2/27/18239839/james-beard-awards-2019-semifinalists-chefs-restaurants-jbfa?utm_campaign=eater&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&__twitter_impression=true Restaurant Manifesto Tweet: https://twitter.com/restofesto/status/1100859618417393669 Yugen Update: https://www.eater.com/platform/amp/2019/1/29/18197514/mari-katsumura-yugen-kaisho-chicago-fine-dining-scene?__twitter_impression=true Joshua Skenes News: https://www.joshuaskenes.com/ https://sf.eater.com/2019/2/6/18214024/saison-restaurant-lawsuit-san-francisco A Fine Line: https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/life/2019/02/21/a-fine-line-turns-spotlight-women-culinary-world/2908368002/ Atomos Coffee: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kleitsch/atomo-we-hacked-the-coffee-bean-invented-molecular/faqs elBulli 1846: https://www.eater.com/platform/amp/2019/1/29/18202256/ferran-adria-is-opening-elbulli-1846-february-2020?__twitter_impression=true Next Review: https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-food-review-next-restaurant-silk-spice-0220-story,amp.html?__twitter_impression=true Soleil Ho News: https://www.sfchronicle.com/author/soleil-ho/ Cat Cora/Alinea/Nick Kokonas fiasco: https://medium.com/@nickkokonas/into-the-litter-box-96fbf5a74f02 Joe Beef Sober: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/david-mcmillan-sober/amp?__twitter_impression=true How Uber Eats is Influencing Apartment Design: https://amp.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/melbourne-vic/how-uber-eats-is-impacting-apartment-design/news-story/9f6a1dc2a642d7edbe0de8d2a5686f67 —

Nick Kokonas (IG: @nkokonas, TW: @NickKokonas) is the co-owner and co-founder of The Alinea Group of restaurants, which includes Alinea, Next, The Aviary, Roister, and The Aviary NYC. He is also the founder and CEO of Tock, Inc, a reservations and CRM system for restaurants with more than 2.5M diners and clients in more than 20 countries.Alinea has been named the Best Restaurant in America and Best Restaurant in The World by organizations and lists as diverse as The James Beard Foundation, World's 50 Best, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Gourmet Magazine, and Elite Traveler. His restaurants have won nearly every accolade afforded to them.Nick has been a subversive entrepreneur and angel investor since 1996. He spent a decade as a derivatives trader, has co-written three books, and believes in radical transparency in markets and business. His latest effort is The Aviary Cocktail Book, which is perhaps the most gorgeous book I've ever seen. It is self-published, has already pre-sold nearly $1M in copies, and is being released and shipped in October of 2018.We've been trying to get this interview going ever since Nick was of immense help to me for The 4-Hour Chef, so I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. We talk about much more than the restaurant business, including philosophy, derivatives trading, favorite books, and how Nick tends to break every industry he enters in the most productive way possible! Enjoy! This episode is brought to you by 99designs, the global creative platform that makes it easy for designers and clients to work together. From logos to apps and packaging to books, 99designs is the go-to design resource for any budget.Right now, my listeners can get 50 dollars off a logo and brand identity package from 99designs, plus a free upgrade that lets you promote your project on the platform (an additional 99 dollar value), by visiting 99designs/Tim50.This episode is also brought to you by Charlotte's Web, which makes a CBD oil, a hemp extract, that has become one of my go-to tools. Charlotte's Web won't get you high, but it does have some pretty powerful benefits, and it works with your body's existing endocannabinoid system. Some of the most common uses are for relief from everyday stressors, help in supporting restful sleep, and to bring about a sense of calm and focus.Visit cwhemp.com/tim to take a quick quiz, which will determine the best product for your lifestyle. Charlotte's Web is also offering listeners of this podcast 10% off with discount code TIM.***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Visit tim.blog/sponsor and fill out the form.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss

James Beard Award-winning Co-owner & Founder of Alinea Group and Founder & CEO of Tock, Inc., Nick Kokonas, digs in to his unique approach to business, the hospitality industry and how he's changing things up.

In this episode of the Chewing food and health podcast, Louisa Chu and guest co-host Joseph Hernandez, fellow Chicago Tribune Food and Dining reporter, toast cocktails (while Monica Eng finishes her debut book on mystical noodles and dumplings). First, Louisa visits The Aviary bar owner Nick Kokonas for new cookbook and New York City location sneak peek details. Then Louisa and Joseph discuss why there is no Chicago cocktail. Finally, Joseph accepts a mystery bar challenge at The Onion offices, but Will We Drink It?

In this episode we discuss: Food as a central aspect of life. The science of food. The emotional response to food. The importance of choosing the proper location for your dream restaurant. Why do fancy restaurants have white table clothes? Anything is possible as long as it obeys the laws of physics. The struggles of building a restaurant. Bars should work like restaurants. Fixing inefficiency. The business side of owning and operating a restaurant.  After graduating with a degree in philosophy and a successful 10-year stint as an independent derivatives trader, Nick Kokonas partnered with Chef Grant Achatz to open Alinea Restaurant in 2005. In the 123 years to follow, Nick would go on to co-find Next, The Aviary, and Roisters. In addition, Kokonas is the Founder and CEO of Tock, a cloud-based comprehensive booking system for restaurants, events, and pop-ups around the world.

JBF Semifinalists: jbf-media.s3.amazonaws.com/production/…20FINAL.pdf Dominique Crenn Story: www.google.com/amp/s/mobile.nyti…tml?client=safari PolyScience 400 Series: www.instagram.com/p/BQVyX4GAWmL/As…enceCulinary.com Nick Kokonas and Tock Marketing Campaign:medium.com/tock/about-a-month-…b5f7cffe#.mvbvleiex WastED in London: www.finedininglovers.com/blog/news-tr…-dan-barber/ Want a table?: www.selfridges.com/US/en/content/a…e/wasted-london Wine Tasting: mobile.nytimes.com/2017/02/13/dini…t.co/IgthOqxOOC Mario Designer Shares some Insight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-NBcP0YUQI

In this episode of Noah Kagan Presents, I talk to Nick Kokonas from the restaurant Alinea. Named "Best Restaurant in the World" by Elite Traveler Magazine, Nick takes us behind-the-scenes of his success at Alinea with lessons you can learn. Show notes at http://okdork.com/podcast/13

On the first episode of All in the Industry of 2017, host Shari Bayer is joined by Nick Kokonas. He is the co-owner and co-founder of Chicago’s Alinea, Next, The Aviary and Roister, where he manages the marketing, business development, and strategy for current and future operations. Nick is also the CEO of Tock, a cloud-based, comprehensive booking system for restaurants, events and pop-ups worldwide.,

The Aviary is a cocktail bar, redefined. Opened by Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas a few years ago, this wanky cocktail lounge with intricate drinks in super creative presentations & clever small bites is located in the heart of Fulton Market. Situated in the middle of the fast growing, culturally rich West Loop, the Aviary is a place any one in Chicago must experience at least once. https://www.facebook.com/The-Aviary-116137495084710/ @AviaryCocktails https://theaviary.tocktix.com/

This week on the Chewing podcast co-hosts Louisa Chu and Monica Eng talk Coffee and Buzz. They get a preview of the new Alinea re-boot, and get inside buzz with chef Grant Achatz and partner Nick Kokonas. And guess what coffee they served at the best restaurant in America? Kyoto Black, as heard on a previous episode, and maker Justin Doggett visits Chu, Eng, and producer Iris Lin in studio for some highly caffeinated surprise tastings, but Will We Drink It? (Photo: Kyoto Black coffee at Alinea restaurant in Chicago, by Louisa Chu)

Special guest Nick Kokonas of three Michelin star restaurant Alinea discusses running a kitchen, the production problems behind Top Chef, and being broth blocked.

This week on The Main Course, hosts Alexes McLaughlin and Phillip Gilmour welcome Ashley Sears and Stephen Torres to the studio chatting about his ventures Imbibe and Inspire as well as the Roots of American Food Conference. Imbibe and Inspire features videos in which culinary figures (Wylie Dufresne, Grant Achatz, Nick Kokonas, and more) sip on a beverage and talk about what inspires them. Taking things to a new level, Stephen initiated bringing food people as well as an audience to the Roots of American Food Conference held in Chicago. Acting as a platform for contemplation and conversation about American food, the conference highlights what is impacting food today. Tune in for an interesting conversation! This program was brought to you by The International Culinary Center. “My contribution to the food industry is this conference… hopefully the people that come to the conference… they will take a little something and learn something that day and have good food!” “The whole goal is to get chefs from around the country and highlight these guys doing stuff … [in] the home kitchen and let the general public see what they do not with fancy food.” —Stephen Torres on The Main Course