Month: May 2024

I met Justin Kingsley Hall in Whitefish, Montana of all places. We were both consulting on a gorgeous restaurant project there. He oversaw the culinary program and I was brought in to refine and optimize the front of house. A friendship evolved and I wanted to have him on the show to discuss the lessons he’s learned after decades of building out his own restaurants and fixing the restaurants of others. This is a glimpse into the life of a chef not bound to a restaurant. 

For more information on the chef, visit https://kindlingculinary.com/.

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Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.

We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:

Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts

Restaurant expert videos & webinars

In episode 149 of FULL COMP, Josh talks to celebrity chef Tim Hollingsworth of Odium in Los Angeles about the lessons he learned during Covid as well as the evolution of his own restaurant as he incorporates fresh lessons into a fresh start. Join us as Tim explains what he’s discovered about the impact of creating buy-in among staff, building great teams, and creating lasting and memorable experiences.

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TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:54] Today’s topic: What would you do differently if you could take the lessons Covid gave you forward?

[2:30] Lessons from The French Laundry with Tim Hollingsworth

[4:14] Why your philosophy matters, and how to build a team that buys in, and what makes a great working environment.

[6:12] Creating great culture: valuing balance and employee wellness to create great customer experiences.

[9:28] Your Restaurant 2.0: finding opportunities to change for the better.

[10:23] Understanding your clientele and how to serve them.

[12:12] The responsibility of training for success, focus, and cohesion.

[14:36] Restaurant concepts: using experience as inspiration.

[16:50] Storefronts: Are they the move? Pros and cons of brick and mortar.

[18:03] Celebrity Chefdom: choices that create celebrity status.

[21:36] How to know when it’s time to grow: what matters and what doesn’t.

[26:03] Making conscious decisions: advice from a celebrity chef on defining the worth of our industry.

For more on Tim Hollingsworth, visit timothyhollingsworth.com.

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Industry Town Halls

Today we chat with John Tallichet of Specialty Restaurants Corporation. A company his father started and grew to 80 restaurants. Today we talk about the evolution of that company over the years and the new course John has set for his family and his restaurants.

For more on SRC visit https://www.specialtyrestaurants.com

________________________________

CLICK HERE to Chat with Josh

Free Download: 5 Steps to Achieve a 15% Net Profit

We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out the FULL COMP media universe by visiting:

FULL COMP

Restaurant Marketing School

The Playbook

Industry Town Halls

Another dine-in closure for restaurants…California is the 5th largest economy in the world and the hospitality industry here employs literally hundreds of thousands of people.

Who speaks for us?

Who is looking out for our best interests?

Who’s there to make sure we survive the pandemic?

The California Restaurant Association has extended it’s resources to the industry nationwide and, on this episode, we chat with Jot Condie, president of the CRA, about the work they’re doing to make sure that California functions as a guidepost, showing other states how to support the industry that powers their economy.

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SHOW NOTES

• How the CRA started
• The mission of CRA
• To represent and promote the restaurant industry in California
• How CRA works
• CRA represents around 25k restaurants
• 80% independent restaurants
• 20% larger chains
• Inclusive to all as both types of restaurant ultimately have the same goals and struggles
• The big wins of CRA
• The beginning of the Covid crisis
• The governor announced that restaurants would need to reduce to 50% capacity
• LA mayor and 12 other mayors in the state disagreed and decreed total lockdown
• Crisis management mode
• Getting information to everyone – members and non-members
• Adjusting website to the most relevant information
• Talking to government officials for more information
• Advocacy work during the pandemic
• Worked with LA health department to allow groceraunts
• Alcohol delivery allowance
• Deferral on tax payments
• Free up public space to allow restaurants to have sidewalk dining
• Allow for curbside pickup in cities
• It is important to make your voice heard
• Government has a huge impact on operations
• Collaborating with third-party delivery companies
• Doordash being very accommodating to the industry
• Try to work through issues
• Rent is the largest fixed cost for restaurants
• Leasing issues are far greater scope than business owner vs landlord
• Political and legal issues intertwined
• CRA is in conversation with mortgage industry and property owners
• Not much support in these early efforts
• The success of campaigns depends on the votes
• Resources that the CRA provides
• Integrated insurance solutions
• Legal center
• Law firm partners create free compliance documents
• Discounted legal fees
• Webinars
• United healthcare discount
• What are our obligations under the new guidelines?
• Face coverings for employees
• Sanitation standards
• Guidelines must be followed to encourage guests to return
• If your restaurant is seen to be breaking rules on social media, it will ruin your reputation
• Advocacy doesn’t work if businesses don’t also join in making their voice heard

I don’t believe there’s anything more vital to the success of an independent restaurant than the location we choose. Defining the perfect location has become even more complicated in recent years and that’s why I reached out to today’s guest, Robin Gagnon. Robin is a restaurant real estate expert and today she shares the best practices and mistakes to avoid when it comes to choosing, leasing, and selling a restaurant in today’s tough environment.

To learn more about Robin and her company, visit https://www.wesellrestaurants.com/.

__________________________________________________________

Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.

We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:

Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts

Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Adam Goldberg on the evolution from founder to CEO

Before partnering with the band Kiss and taking over as CEO of rock and roll restaurant group, Rock & Brews, Adam Goldberg had already founded a successful pizza chain with over two dozen locations. Adam is an expert at the two skills we must acquire to achieve success in this industry: developing the plan to start and charting the path to scale. In our conversation, he shares the essential elements of a scalable restaurant concept and the proven path to scale successful brands.

For more information on Rock & Brews, visit https://www.rockandbrews.com/.

__________________________________________________________

Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.

We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:

Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts

Restaurant expert videos & webinars