Blog Posts
Fun Is Non-Negotiable: Andy Shallal on Culture, Crisis, and Building Restaurants That Save Lives
What if the only way to build a restaurant worth running was to make it fun—even in crisis? Andy Shallal didn’t set out to be
Restaurateur Will Guidara on Delivering Unreasonable Hospitality
World-famous restaurateur Will Guidara is back with his latest project — and it’s not a restaurant, it’s a book. Will was made famous by the
Office Hours: Firing Isn’t Failure; It’s Maintenance
I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants
From Trauma Surgeon to Taco Tycoon: Mohammad Farraj on Risk, Reinvention, and Experience-First Growth
What if the stable path isn’t the right one? Mohammad Farraj was on track to be a trauma surgeon. Instead, he left medicine to launch
Why Legacy Brands Are Dying: Matt Egan on Surviving the New Era
What if your $10 chicken taco isn’t competing with food—it’s competing with feeling? Matt Egan didn’t just open restaurants—he staged immersive experiences. Drawing from a
Office Hours: Your Landlord Is Your Most Dangerous Business Partner
I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants
No days off to true independence: Paul Denamiel on Drawing the Line
What happens when the dream starts to feel like a trap? For Paul Denamiel, chef-owner of Le Rivage, the pandemic forced a reckoning. After decades
Fail Hard, Build Slow: Henry Rich on Long-Term Strategy and the End of Easy Wins
What if your biggest failure was the reason your next move actually worked? That’s the story of Henry Rich—former candy entrepreneur turned neighborhood restaurateur—who’s spent
The Power of Not Knowing: Alex Pincus on Risk, Identity, and Reinvention
What if knowing nothing was your greatest strategic advantage? Alex Pincus didn’t grow up in restaurants—he grew up on boats. And when he stumbled into
Invent Less, Execute More: Chris Gannon’s Hard Truth About Scaling BOLAY
What if the biggest threat to your restaurant’s success isn’t a lack of ideas—but too many of them? Chris Gannon built BOLAY with the DNA
Divide and Conquer: Michael Mina and Patric Yumul of the Mina Group
Michael Mina is the best in the biz. He’s mastered excellence at scale. What’s equally impressive is that he’s done it alongside his partner Patric
She Thought She Wasn’t Ready—Then She Won It All: Emily Brubaker on Leading with Heart and Rewriting the Rules
What if imposter syndrome wasn’t a weakness, but a compass? Emily Brubaker didn’t think she was ready to run a resort kitchen. She didn’t think
Lauren Fernandez on Perfecting Restaurant Profitability
Lauren Fernandez went from working in restaurants, to working on restaurants, to influencing the industry at scale. After cutting her teeth as a corporate executive