Josh Kopel | Award Winning Restaurant Consultant

Leading with Focus: Peter Newlin on Revolutionizing Suburban Dining

Success in the restaurant industry is as much about grit as it is about vision, and few people embody both quite like Peter Newlin. As Chief Vision Officer of the Gastamo Group, Peter has transformed small neighborhood restaurants into a multi-concept hospitality group, all while championing the power of focus and community-driven dining. In today’s conversation, we explore Peter’s journey from outdoor enthusiast to restaurant innovator, his vision for disrupting suburban dining, and the critical role of AI and intentionality in shaping the future of hospitality. If you’ve ever wondered how to build a thriving business while staying grounded, this episode is for you. For more information on the Gastamo Group and their innovative concepts, visit https://www.gastamogroup.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

Rethinking Risk: Harold Jurado on Reinventing Success in Restaurants and CPG

What does it take to evolve from an ambitious young chef to a seasoned restaurateur and CPG innovator? Harold Jurado’s journey is a masterclass in risk, resilience, and reimagination. From working at culinary institutions like Charlie Trotter’s to leading high-pressure kitchens and corporate dining at Google, Harold’s path has been anything but ordinary. Today, we dive into how he balances creativity and practicality, his leap into the world of consumer packaged goods, and his vision for building a business that takes care of both staff and customers. If you’re looking for inspiration to rethink your own path to success, this episode is for you. For more information on Harold and his restaurant, Ramenwell, visit https://www.ramenwell.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

Scaling Culture and Experience: Barry McGowan on Fogo de Chão’s Global Growth

Running a successful restaurant is one thing; scaling that success globally while maintaining exceptional quality and culture is another. Today, I’m sitting down with Barry McGowan, CEO of Fogo de Chão, to discuss how this iconic brand continues to redefine the dining experience. From bringing a centuries-old culinary art to the forefront, to innovating service models that delight guests and empower employees, Barry shares the blueprint for building a thriving restaurant group. If you’re ready to rethink how to grow your business without losing its soul, this conversation is a must.
For more information on Fogo de Chão and their unique dining experiences, visit https://fogodechao.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

Myles Moody on the fastest way to grow

After cooking in 5 Michelin-starred restaurants, you might be surprised to find Chef Myles Moody in a butcher shop but there is a method to his madness. At Kinship, Myles has managed to find lightning in the bottle. This cafe, coffee shop, butcher shop hybrid has done so well locally that they’ve received national attention and the calls to expand have begun to come in. Today we sit down with the chef to discuss his growth strategy for Kinship. As it turns out, the fastest way to grow is slowly. 

More more information on the chef and Kinship, visit https://kinshipbutcheratl.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

Shannon Smith on building a great business through storytelling

Learning how to tell a great story will make you popular at the next cocktail party you attend but there are some other unexpected benefits. Meet Shannon Smith, an accidental chef that has built a massive private dining business and launched a successful cookbook off the back of what can only be described as world-class storytelling. Today Shannon sits down to share her story with us so that we can learn how to tell our story in a way that turns heads and creates fans. 

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

Chad Coulter on the blueprint to scaling a casual restaurant

Can lightning strike twice? After interviewing Chad Coulter, I’d say so. After building and successfully selling his restaurant brand Louvino, Chad is at it again with his latest creation Biscuit Belly. Today we sit down to discuss the essential elements of a scalable brand and what needs to be considered when determining the best way to grow that brand. In this masterclass we’re covering everything from joint ventures to custom plating. 

For more information on Biscuit Belly, visit https://biscuitbelly.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

Elizabeth Blau on creating a culinary destination

Restaurateur and consultant Elizabeth Blau wasn’t just present for the culinary renaissance in Las Vegas over the last 20 years, she helped usher it in. After working with the best restaurateurs and chefs in the world and becoming a successful consultant globally, Elizabeth did the unthinkable…she launched her own restaurant group. Spanning multiple tiers of dining and across several markets, Elizabeth is out to prove that there is a formulaic recipe for success in the restaurant industry. Today we sit down to discuss what that recipe is and how we can adopt her best practices to create the best outcomes for our own businesses. 

For more information on Elizabeth, visit https://elizabethblau.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

Jamie Mulholland on the keys to longevity in the hospitality industry

As many of you know, I came up in this industry through nightlife. In the early 2000’s, nightlife was defined by prolific nightclubs that burned red-hot, only to close six months later. But that wasn’t the story for Jamie Mulholland. For more than two decades, Jamie has built brands that last, like Cain and Goldbar. Today we sit down to discuss his latest project, Ketchy Shuby, and the elements he’s infused into the concept to ensure that it lasts decades as well.

For more information on Ketchy Shuby, visit https://ketchyshubynyc.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

Dara Mirjahangiry on how to build a network that guarantees success

We’ve all heard the phrase, your network determines your net worth but how many times have you seen it exemplified in our industry? Meet Dara Mirjahangiry, founder of Sei Less. This star-studded restaurant is defined by elegance, artful dining, and its celebrity clientele. Today we sit down with Dara to discuss how he built such an influential network and how that network helped him prove out his restaurant concept and build a bulletproof brand reputation.

For more information on Sei Less, visit https://www.seiless.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

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Leverage Digital Media to Drive Traffic to Your Restaurant

This free (and highly detailed) guide will outline how to tell your story in the most compelling way possible and how to share that story with the masses.

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Lead Your Team Instead of Managing Them

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