The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.
Host DJ Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.
In this episode, Chris Britt, Chief Operating Officer of Epic Restaurants, joins us.
For nearly five years, Chris has served in a leadership capacity at Agave & Rye, one of the fastest-growing restaurant concepts in the U.S. He has accumulated a diverse array of experiences since joining the Agave & Rye team in 2018, and through his expertise, Chris has helped continually grow the company into a now multi-brand restaurant group, touting such revered concepts as Agave & Rye, S.O.B. Steakhouse, Shindig Park—and the soon-to-be-unveiled, Trashy Dawg. Chris started as the GM of the original location in Covington, Kentucky, before taking the same position at Agave & Rye’s flagship location in Liberty Township, Ohio. Soon after, he was promoted to Regional Director, followed by a promotion to the Director of Operations role. Chris has been in his Chief Operating Officer role for more than a year, right in time for expansion plans in 2023.
Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.
Host D.J. Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.
On this episode, we’re joined by Stella Dennig, Co-Owner/GM of Daytrip in Oakland, California.
Stella Dennig (she/her) is the Co-Owner/GM of Daytrip, a fermentation-driven party of a restaurant in Oakland, CA. Core to Daytrip’s mission is to push toward a more equitable future for this industry and at the center of that, its workforce. Daytrip has been written up for its employment practices by publications like Bon Appetit, The New York Times, and the SF Chronicle. Daytrip was a Bon Appetit top 10 Best New Restaurant in America in 2023 and Co-Owner/Chef Finn Stern was a James Beard Semifinalist in 2024.
Topics Covered:
- Exploring Daytrip's Business Model: Equal entry-level wages and a shared service charge benefiting all staff challenge industry norms.
- Cultivating a culture of fairness through democratic management and transparent hiring practices.
- How regular team dialogues foster a supportive and inclusive work environment.
Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.
Host DJ Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.
On this episode, we’re joined by Chad Mackay, CEO of Fire & Vine Hospitality in Seattle, WA.
Chad Mackay, CEO of Fire & Vine Hospitality, leads a multi-concept operator of full-service restaurants and oversees the successful Revelers Club loyalty program, boasting 80K members and contributing 30% to the company’s revenue since its 2011 inception. El Gaucho, the flagship concept founded in 1996, spans five locations, while Fire & Vine owns AQUA by El Gaucho, Aerlume, and the Witness Tree lounge. The Revelers Club extends to independently owned properties like Walla Walla Steak Co., Crossbuck Brewing, and Yellowhawk Resort in Walla Walla, WA. Drawing from two decades of hospitality expertise, Chad founded Brigado, a consulting and technology firm. He actively serves on Oracle's Customer Advisory Board for the Global Food and Beverage Industry Group and has held leadership roles in associations like the Washington Hospitality Association and Visit Seattle. Chad is a sought-after speaker on adapting compensation models for full-service restaurants in response to the $15 minimum wage.
Links
Fire & Vine Hospitality
Brigado
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.
Host DJ Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.
On this episode, we’re joined by Irene Shiang Li, Cofounder of Prepshift & Mei Mei Dumplings in Boston, Mass.
Irene Shiang Li co-founded Mei Mei in Boston in 2013 and built the brand around ethical, sustainable sourcing and fair and transparent employment practices, including open book management. Mei Mei is now a dumpling company and Irene is now building Prepshift, a tech-enabled coaching and workforce training firm. Prepshift focuses on aligning food business teams around their common goals and empowering them with education and transparency. Irene believes that in restaurants, everyone can win. She is a Zagat and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, six-time James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nominee, and 2022 James Beard Foundation Leadership Award winner. In 2023, Irene and her sister co-authored Perfectly Good Food: a totally achievable zero-waste approach to home cooking with W.W. Norton.
Additional Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.
Host D.J. Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.
On this episode, we’re joined by Ji Hye Kim, Chef/Owner of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor.
Ji Hye was awarded one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs in 2021 and a multi-time James Beard Award semifinalist. She also advocates for fair wages in the hospitality industry, working with organizations like One Fair Wage to enact change. We get into how staff are paid above the industry average at Miss Kim, the tools Kim uses to get her teams engaged, and more.
Additional Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Jason Hammel, Chef and Owner of Lula Cafe
Guest Bio
Chef and owner Jason Hammel grew up in New Haven, CT and is the product of a tight Italian family. He studied writing at Brown University and then traveled in Italy where an accidental stay in an apartment above a produce market left a lasting impact and presaged his career as a chef. Upon returning to the U.S., he received his M.A. in English and moved to Chicago where he met his wife, musician and Lula co-founder, Amalea Tshilds. They live in Logan Square with their two children, Ismene and Cass.
Hammel’s writing has appeared in Bon Appetit and Lucky Peach/MAD feed. He is currently working on a cookbook to be released by Phaidon.
Additional Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Kwini Reed, Co-owner of Poppy + Rose, Poppy & Seed, and Root of All Foods
Guest Bio
Kwini Reed is a Southern California native, wife, mother, and entrepreneur. She is the co-owner of brunch restaurant, Poppy + Rose in Downtown Los Angeles, Orange County dining destination, Poppy & Seed, and upscale catering company, Root of All Foods with husband and chef of these concepts, Michael Reed.
She and her husband Michael Reed have received numerous accolades for these concepts, including Orange Coast Magazine's “Best New Restaurant” (Poppy & Seed); and CBS Los Angeles’ “Best All-Day Breakfast Restaurants in LA” (Poppy + Rose) - among others.
She pioneers Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed's giving back initiatives as well, coordinating meal donations to organizations across LA, supporting first responders, social justice causes, youth development programs, and more. Kwini is active with local nonprofits, such as Brown Bag Lady, which provides meals to people experiencing homelessness in LA.
Additional Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Joe Kahn, Founder and CIO of Condado Tacos and Chris Artinian, CEO of Condado Tacos
Guest Bio
Joe Kahn is the Founder & Chief Innovation Officer at Condado Tacos. His passion for hospitality started at just 15 years old working at Sizzler and then Pizza Hut. Along the way, he learned to bartend and earned his first management position at The Outpost, a local Chicago venue. After decades of working in all aspects of the restaurant industry, Joe took the plunge to open his own restaurant—which failed. But instead of turning in his apron, he learned from his mistakes, borrowed money from his wife’s 401k, and founded Condado Tacos with several business partners. His focus on creating clean and craveable tacos in an environment that encourages creativity and community was a hit. By 2026, there will be 100 Condado Tacos restaurants! What’s Joe’s secret to success? Treating people well and really great tacos.
Chris Artinian serves as President & CEO at Condado Tacos. He has over 30 years of restaurant and retail experience with private and public companies and extensive experience in restaurant and consumer services. He first encountered Condado Tacos while working at The Beekman Group and loved the concept so much that he joined the company to help chart the brand’s meteoric growth because he has the chops. Chris previously held CEO titles at TooJay’s Gourmet Deli, Bakery & Restaurant, Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill, and Morton’s. He’s recognized by industry peers for his deep operational experience in developing winning strategies and exceptional teams. he also serves on the Board of Directors of Another Broken Egg, Ted’s Cafe Escondido, and Condado Tacos.
Additional Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Michel Falcon, Founder & CEO of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen
Guest Bio
Michel Falcon is a restaurant entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and best selling author. His expertises are company culture, employee performance, and customer experience strategies. As the CEO & Founder of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, he oversees all people and growth initiatives. Since August 2021, Brasa has succesfully opened three corporate-owned locations in Toronto, The company's next growth market in New York City in 2023.
Additional Resources
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Google Podcasts
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Ron Hsu, Owner of Lazy Betty, Humble Pie, and Juniper Cafe
Guest Bio
Champion of fair wages, equality and great food. James Beard nominated Atlanta restaurateur Ron Hsu envisions an industry where the workforce doesn't rely on the goodwill of customers and strives for changes to the way things have always been done.
Additional Resources
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Eric Huang, Owner of Pecking House
Guest Bio
Eric Huang grew up in a Chinese-American restaurant in New York, a very common tale in the Chinese diaspora. He is an amateur cellist turned subpar college student turned chef. Despite investing many years and taking on crushing student debt to become a college-educated professional, he would return to work in restaurants because that’s where he felt most at home. He has been cooking in New York City for the last decade, honing his craft at Michelin-starred institutions such as Cafe Boulud, Gramercy Tavern and most recently as a sous chef at Eleven Madison Park. His dream was to open his own restaurant that would challenge the Western world’s prejudices against Chinese cuisine, but he encountered a minor obstacle in the spring of 2020. With his family’s restaurant, Peking House, shuttered due to the pandemic, he stepped in to do what he could and started frying chicken and delivering it to New Yorkers trapped in their apartments. This became wildly more successful than anyone planned on it being and thus Pecking House was born. He is now a fried chicken dealer in a restaurant landscape figuring out its direction in the wake of the pandemic. He has fully embraced the fast-casual restaurant life because it's fun, it’s tasty and you can put food on disposable plates.
Additional Resources
- Pecking House
- How Pecking House's Chili Fried Chicken Became a Smash Hit in NYC
- Eric Huang (@eric.p.huang) • Instagram
- Meet Eric Huang - Founder of Pecking House in New York City
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Katie Button, CEO / Co-Founder of Katie Button Restaurants: Cúrate, La Bodega by Cúrate, Cúrate Trips, curateathome.com
Guest Bio
Asheville, North Carolina's beloved Cúrate, a collection of restaurants, online marketplace, wine club and culinary journeys designed to create exceptional and experiential access to Spanish culture. A Southern chef with a scientific mind, Button honed her craft in the kitchens of some of the world's best chefs, most notably Ferran Adrià and José Andrés, before venturing out to open Cúrate Bar de Tapas with husband Felix Meana and her family. Since, they have grown the Cúrate brand to include Cúrate Trips, Cúrate Spanish Wine Club, Cúrate at Home and most recently, La Bodega by Cúrate. Cúrate is part of the Katie Button Restaurants family, which includes Katie Button Media and Magnolia Network’s From The Source, a series exploring the origins and stories behind different ingredients.
Among her many accolades, chef Katie Button was featured as one of Food & Wine's 2015 Best New Chefs. Cúrate was named as one of the "40 Most Important Restaurants of the Past 40 Years" by Food & Wine and one of the "Most Important Restaurants of the Decade" by Esquire. In 2016, Button released her first cookbook, Cúrate: Authentic Spanish Food from an American Kitchen.
In 2022, the James Beard Foundation nominated Katie for a 2022 Best Chefs in America: Southeast award and Cúrate Bar de Tapas won the Outstanding Hospitality award. Throughout it all, Katie continues to challenge the industry standard, steadily building comprehensive benefits to create a sustainable work environment for her living wage-certified restaurant group. She also is an active participant in the James Beard Foundation's Impact programs and is currently serving on the Independent Restaurant Coalition's leadership team.
Additional Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Eric Scheffer, Founder and CEO of Scheffer Group.
Here are some of the highlights:
- How to treat your team like family and do it with sincerity
- How Scheffer has kept staff around for years
- What goes into the group's $1620 average annual spend on health and mental wellness benefits per staff member
- Why Eric's restaurants have a 3% kitchen appreciation fee
- Leading with relentless generosity
Guest Bio
Eric Scheffer has been a pioneer and key member of the Asheville food scene for over 20 years.
Originally from Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, Mr. Scheffer left behind a successful television and advertising career in L.A. to chase his true passions: food, wine, and people. After completely revamping The Savoy in 2000 to become one of the country’s preeminent fine dining restaurants—as well as put Asheville on the map as a restaurant destination—he went on to co-found AIR, the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association.
Among Mr. Scheffer’s numerous hospitality ventures are the creation of Dining Innovations, Asheville’s premiere catering & corporate events company, Bodega Gratia, a boutique Argentinian winery, and Victus World Imports, where he imported wines from Argentina, Spain, and France. He currently owns Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian (voted best Italian restaurant in Asheville for 10 years in a row) and Jettie Rae’s Oyster House, which sit at number 2 and 3 on TripAdvisor’s best Asheville restaurants, respectively. With a slew of other concepts in the works, Mr. Scheffer is only just getting started.
With the Scheffer Group, he’s proud to showcase the culmination of his hospitality experience. “Relentless generosity brings us closer together,” he often says, and the spirit of that sentiment is easy to see in every project he tackles.
Additional Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts (formerly The Restaurant Growth Podcast) breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Newton Hoang, Director of Marketing & IT at 7 Leaves Cafe. Here are some of the highlights:
- How your customers and employees are a reflection of one another
- 7 Leaves’ foray into mobile ordering
- Building a Culture of Care that keep employees engaged and boosts retention
- How technology can help make all of the above easier
Guest Bio
Newton Hoang is a: Marketing and IT unicorn. 25+ year food and beverage industry purist. Straight shooter with a side of empathy. Servant leader. Girl dad first, everything else second.
Additional Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Kelly Phillips, Founder of Destination Unknown Restaurants. Here are some of the highlights:
- How Kelly started her businesses
- The decision to put many of her staff on a salary
- The impact that salaries have had on the team dynamic
- Why salaried roles in restaurants aren’t all that radical
- And how you can explore new comp strategies at your restaurant
Guest Bio
Kelly is Founder and Partner in Destination Unknown Restaurants, which is known across DC for Ghostburger (2020, 2022), Taqueria Las Gemelas (2021), and Destino (2021). Recent career accomplishments for Kelly include welcoming President Biden into Taqueria Las Gemelas for Cinco de Mayo shortly after the concept's opening, being part of the 2021 RAMMY winning team for the restaurant group's nomination in multiple categories, and landing on Washington Business Journal's 40 Under 40 2022 list and FSR's 2022 "Rising Stars" list. Kelly was also an integral part of the leadership team that transformed Las Gemelas Cocina Mexicana into Destino in December 2021. It reopened to glowing feedback from guests for their ambitious rustic Mexican fare. Shortly thereafter, Destino landed on Washingtonian Magazine's competitive list of the top 25 Best New Restaurants that opened during the pandemic alongside sister restaurant, Las Gemelas. In late summer 2022, Kelly also transitioned her first restaurant, Espita, into Ghostburger's first standalone concept in a full circle moment for the award-winning pandemic pop-up that began in Espita's Mexican kitchen. Across all of these concepts, Kelly has implemented a living wage at all of her restaurants and eliminated tipping, which she hopes will show other restaurateurs that reevaluating your wage structure is possible, and may even make your restaurant more successful.
Additional Resources
- Destination Unknown Restaurants
- Destino
- Taqueria Las Gemelas
- Ghostburger
- Biden calls in Ghostburger takeout order, leaves employee speechless - The Washington Post
- President Biden Surprises a DC Taqueria Owner by Dropping by on Cinco De Mayo - Washingtonian
- Virtual Restaurant Roundtable on Tip Management and Stra
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Anthony Valletta, President of bartaco. Here are some of the highlights:
- How the restaurant industry has changed over Anthony’s decade-long career
- Bartaco’s heavy lean-in on technology
- The unique approach to training and career development
- Bartaco’s radical wage structure
- And how all of those practices have bartaco poised for growth in 2023
About Anthony Valletta
Anthony Valletta is a restaurant and hospitality industry veteran with over 20 years of experience and deep knowledge in growing brands both big and small. Throughout his career, Valletta has opened two dozen restaurants with varying concepts. He currently serves as the President of bartaco, the upscale street food restaurant brand with a coastal vibe in a relaxed environment, and was previously the Company’s SVP of Operations. As President, Anthony is focused on helping bartaco grow while deepening its ties to local communities by creating jobs with growth opportunities. Prior to joining the bartaco team, Valletta served as Chief Operating Officer at restaurant tech concept, Birdcall. Other previous roles include Chief Operating Officer at fine dining concept Michael Mina in San Francisco, as well as Director of Operations at Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, where he oversaw locations in Chicago, Denver, New York City, Washington D.C., and Boston.
Anthony is passionate about humanitarianism and has been named Humanitarian of the Year twice, once in 2014 by the Greg Hill Foundation and again in 2018 by March of Dimes. He received his Bachelor of Hospitality Administration and Hospitality Administration/Management from Boston University.
Additional Resources
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
This episode was originally published as part of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. It has been rebranded as part of The Pre-Shift Podcast as of January 2023. The information presented may no longer be up-to-date and may differ from the viewpoints and insights currently shared on The Pre-Shift Podcast.
How do you create a restaurant culture that attracts staff and retains them?
We asked someone who’s done it—the one and only Danny Meyer.
Danny Meyer is the founder of Union Square Hospitality Group and Shake Shack, one of the most prolific restaurateurs of our time. Danny is also a founder of Enlightened Hospitality Investments, which invests in companies that serve the hospitality space.
Danny joined 7shifts CEO, Jordan Boesch, for a talk hosted by Danny Klein of Food News Media. From what culture is, to how it’s built, and how to use servant leadership, a lot of ground was covered.
The Restaurant Growth Podcast is presented by 7shifts and hosted by DJ Costantino.
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Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
This episode was originally published as part of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. It has been rebranded as part of The Pre-Shift Podcast as of January 2023. The information presented may no longer be up-to-date and may differ from the viewpoints and insights currently shared on The Pre-Shift Podcast.
The restaurant business is notorious for being a tough one to work in. And for decades, it has been. But we’re at an inflection point—and restaurant leaders are rethinking what it means to be a part of this industry right now. A better work environment is here, and for guys like Adam Lamb, it’s a long time coming.
Adam and I sat down to discuss his career as a chef, when he realized that things needed to change, and how he’s begun to do just that from his position as a leader. We also chat about what the new kitchen culture looks like, and how we can achieve it.
The Restaurant Growth Podcast is presented by 7shifts and hosted by DJ Costantino.
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
This episode was originally published as part of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. It has been rebranded as part of The Pre-Shift Podcast as of January 2023. The information presented may no longer be up-to-date and may differ from the viewpoints and insights currently shared on The Pre-Shift Podcast.
Zunzi’s has one promise: to make everyone walk away saying “Shit Yeah!” Chris Smith, alongside his role as CEO, is the protector of that promise.
In this episode, we chat with Chris about the culture at Zunzi’s and Zunzibar: the why behind it, how they maintain it, and what they hope it will do for their guests, community, and most importantly, their team.
The Restaurant Growth Podcast is presented by 7shifts and hosted by DJ Costantino.
About 7shifts
Since 2014, 7shifts has helped restaurant managers schedule, evaluate, and communicate with their workforce. Our team is comprised of people who live and breathe restaurant culture and strive to help our customers simplify team management, every single day.
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
This episode was originally published as part of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. It has been rebranded as part of The Pre-Shift Podcast as of January 2023. The information presented may no longer be up-to-date and may differ from the viewpoints and insights currently shared on The Pre-Shift Podcast.
On the latest episode of the show, we are joined by Amelie Kang, the owner of MáLà Project in New York City.
Amelie opened the first location of her restaurant at the young age of 23—and has learned a lot of lessons along the way. Amelie takes us through:
- How her role (and team!) has changed as they've expanded to three locations
- Her team’s people-first approach to employee management
- Hopes for the future of the restaurant business
- What to order in your Szechuan dry pot
- And more!
The Restaurant Growth Podcast is presented by 7shifts and hosted by DJ Costantino.
About 7shifts
Since 2014, 7shifts has helped restaurant managers schedule, evaluate, and communicate with their workforce. Our team is comprised of people who live and breathe restaurant culture and strive to help our customers simplify team management, every single day.
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
This episode was originally published as part of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. It has been rebranded as part of The Pre-Shift Podcast as of January 2023. The information presented may no longer be up-to-date and may differ from the viewpoints and insights currently shared on The Pre-Shift Podcast.
Matt Plapp and his team have been to more restaurants than anyone. Since 2021, they’ve taken cross country to visit and document America’s best independent restaurants. And they’ve learned what separates successful restaurants from struggling ones.
Matt joins us on the Restaurant Growth Podcast to chat about:
- His career in radio advertising to restaurant marketing
- What 90 to 95% or restaurant are not doing—but should be
- A ton of creative ways to collect customer data
- The importance of storytelling
- Whether or not Matt has taken his van to Hawaii
- And more!
The Restaurant Growth Podcast is presented by 7shifts and hosted by DJ Costantino.
Meet Matt Plapp
First, I’m a husband to Christy for the past 20 years, then a father to Paige & Cole. Next I’m an AVID marketer, CrossFitter, Author, Speaker, Consultant & Business Coach. I’ve owned my marketing firm since 2008 and since then we’ve helped hundreds of companies market with a purpose, that purpose is ROI! Since 2016 our main focus has been to help independent restaurants and today we help restaurants all over the country.
I commonly get asked, “Matt what do you do”?
#1 I’m the CEO of America’s Best Restaurants. We help independent restaurants tell their stories, acquire customers and build sales momentum.
#2 I’ve written 3 books on restaurant marketing and my 4th is coming out late 2023
#3 I’ve personally traveled to over 1,000 restaurants to understand what works and what doesn’t, when it comes to restaurant marketing. CLICK HERE to see what I learned on that path.
#4 I’m the host of two podcasts. MPTV is my podcast talking to restaurant owners and fellow entrepreneurs. Restaurant Expert Roundup is the 2nd podcast where I interview authors and influencers in the restaurant business.
At the end of the day, I exist to help independent restaurant owners WIN! And this didn’t start yesterday. It started in 1999 when I first started helping restaurants working for WGRR 103.5 with radio advertising. By 2008 I had become an accidental expert in digital marketing and turned my attention to consulting. Fast forward to 2015 and I’d created an online marketing strategy that helped restaurants FINALLY see results with their marketing and build their customer database like never before.
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
This episode was originally published as part of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. It has been rebranded as part of The Pre-Shift Podcast as of January 2023. The information presented may no longer be up-to-date and may differ from the viewpoints and insights currently shared on The Pre-Shift Podcast.
Alex Canter is a fourth generation restaurateur at Canter’s, the famous Los Angeles deli. And he was very early on the delivery and virtual restaurant game. Now, he’s a leader in the space at Nextbite, creating virtual brands with celebrities and helping small restaurants maximize revenue in the process. We chat about:
- The early days of food delivery in LA
- The growing pains of adding delivery to a decades-old brand
- Alex’s first virtual brand, Grilled Cheese Heaven
- The creation of Ordermark, and later Nextbite
- How to build a brand from nothing
- Fax machines
- And more!
The Restaurant Growth Podcast is presented by 7shifts and hosted by DJ Costantino.
Meet Alex Canter
Alex is a restaurant industry innovator, in-demand speaker, and passionate advocate for restaurant operators and workers. He was raised in the kitchen of the world-famous Canter’s Deli in Los Angeles, where he and his team started work on what would become Nextbite. A fourth-generation restaurateur, the restaurant business has been in Alex’s blood for over 90 years. In addition to being the visionary and leader of Nextbite, Alex is active with the Techstars network and enjoys mentoring other restaurant technology entrepreneurs and occasional angel investing. He is a 2019 recipient of the Forbes 30 Under 30, Fast Casual Executive’s Top 25 and a recipient of Nation’s Restaurant News’ 2022 Top 50 Power List. Alex previously led several technology ventures and most recently, Nextbite announced the close of its $120M Series C funding round led by Softbank.
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
This episode was originally published as part of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. It has been rebranded as part of The Pre-Shift Podcast as of January 2023. The information presented may no longer be up-to-date and may differ from the viewpoints and insights currently shared on The Pre-Shift Podcast.
Ghost kitchens are hot. But that doesn’t mean they’re for every operator.
Kristen Barnett joins us on this episode of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. Kristen knows ghost kitchens well—and after a stint at Zuul, she went to found her own ghost kitchen, Hungry House. We get into:
- Ghost kitchen myths
- When the ghost kitchen model is a good idea for an operator
- What you need to know to be successful with this restaurant model
- Why Hungry House is called an “anti” ghost kitchen
- And more!
The Restaurant Growth Podcast is presented by 7shifts and hosted by DJ Costantino.
Meet Kristen Barnett
Kristen Barnett is the founder & CEO of Hungry House, a NYC-based startup that partners with digitally-native chefs to bring their culinary ideas into reality through the Hungry House platform.
Kristen started her career in the New York City office of The Boston Consulting Group. She unfortunately soon began to struggle with her health after contracting Chronic Lyme disease and she became seriously ill. Desperate to feel better, she turned to dietary change to feel better and she had miraculous results. Determined to make a bigger impact, she left consulting to pursue a career in the food industry. Since then, she’s worked at DIG (formerly Dig Inn) where she was Director of Strategic Operations and led supply chain strategy, menu development and their food delivery and ghost kitchen business. Kristen then went on to join Zuul, a ghost kitchen tech startup where she served as Chief Operating Officer and led product strategy to develop a proprietary tech platform and multiple virtual brands. After Zuul was acquired by ghost kitchen competitor, Kitchen United in summer 2021, she went on to found Hungry House. Having borne witness to the explosive growth in the ghost kitchen industry, mainly with a commoditized and unhealthy product offering, she decided to found Hungry House in summer 2021 to create the first direct-to-consumer ghost kitchen company focusing on sustainability, diversity, quality & transparency.
Kristen graduated from Cornell University magna cum laude and is passionate about plant-based eating and supporting other women in the food industry through a semiregular women-in-food dinner series.
About 7shifts
Since 2014, 7shifts has helped restaurant managers schedule, evaluate, and communicate with their workforce. Our team is comprised of people who live and breathe restaurant culture and strive to help our customers simplify team manage
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
This episode was originally published as part of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. It has been rebranded as part of The Pre-Shift Podcast as of January 2023. The information presented may no longer be up-to-date and may differ from the viewpoints and insights currently shared on The Pre-Shift Podcast.
Customer loyalty has come a long way from the paper punch card. Now it seems like every restaurant has their own app, their own loyalty programs, and their own way to reward customers and keep them coming back.
We’re joined on this episode by Phil Crawford, the chief technology officer of CKE brands, better known as the parent of Carl's Jr. & Hardees. And we’re talking all things customer loyalty tech. We get into:
- Why digital loyalty programs are so essential right now
- What type of rewards programs are driving guest satisfaction
- How to use tech to enhance the customer experience—without replacing the human element
- The tech that will be common for restaurants in 2032
The Restaurant Growth Podcast is presented by 7shifts and hosted by DJ Costantino.
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
This episode was originally published as part of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. It has been rebranded as part of The Pre-Shift Podcast as of January 2023. The information presented may no longer be up-to-date and may differ from the viewpoints and insights currently shared on The Pre-Shift Podcast.
How do you stay on the pulse of what customers want? By paying close attention.
Mijo Alanis has found success in his career by staying ahead of the curve—opening a juice and smoothie shop long before they were as ubiquitous as they are now. Mijo tells the story of Beyond Juicery from the way beginning of his career, how they’ve grown through franchising, and the “bus tub” moments that have helped him give the people what they want.
In this episode, we cover:
- The moment that Mijo Alanis and his wife, Pam Vivio, decided to start a juice bar
- Beyond Juciery + Eatery’s early days
- Expansion through franchising
- How to step away from the day to day as you grow
- The “bus tub” moments that give you customer insights
The Restaurant Growth Podcast is presented by 7shifts and hosted by DJ Costantino.
About 7shifts
Since 2014, 7shifts has helped restaurant managers schedule, evaluate, and communicate with their workforce. Our team is comprised of people who live and breathe restaurant culture and strive to help our customers simplify team management, every single day.
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino
Editor: Fina Charleston
Producer: Samantha Fung
Designer: Jake Sinclair
Episode #44: Chris Britt, COO of Epic Restaurants
42:36
Episode #43: Stella Dennig, Co-Owner/GM of Daytrip
31:44
Chad Mackay, CEO of Fire and Vine Hospitality
24:02
Irene Shiang Li, Cofounder of Prepshift & Mei Mei Dumplings
24:04
Ji Hye Kim, Chef/Owner at Miss Kim | S2E12
25:15
Jason Hammel, Chef and Owner of Lula Cafe
18:57
Kwini Reed, Co-owner of Poppy + Rose, Poppy & Seed, and Root of All Foods
32:18
Joe Kahn and Chris Artinian of Condado Tacos
25:55
Michel Falcon, Founder & CEO of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen
38:05
Ron Hsu, Owner of Lazy Betty, Humble Pie, and Juniper Cafe
24:57
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Eric Huang, Chef/Owner of Pecking House
19:08
Katie Button, CEO / Co-Founder of Katie Button Restaurants | S2E5
24:13
Eric Scheffer, Founder and CEO of Scheffer Group | S2 E4
12:12
Newton Hoang, Director of Marketing & IT at 7 Leaves Cafe | S2 E3
23:18
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Kelly Phillips, Founder of Destination Unknown Restaurants
16:34
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Anthony Valletta, President of bartaco | S2E1
20:58
Danny Meyer and Jordan Boesch | S1E29
56:25
Adam Lamb, Founder of Chef Life Radio | S1E28
46:03
Chris Smith, CEO at Zunzi's + Zunzibar | S1E27
39:20
Amelie Kang, Owner of MáLà Project NYC | S1E26
26:30
Matt Plapp, CEO of America’s Best Restaurants | S1E25
52:04
Alex Canter, CEO of Nextbite | S1E24
41:25
Kristen Barnett, Founder of Hungry House | S1E23
33:22
Phil Crawford, Chief Technology Officer of CKE Restaurant | S1E22
38:50
Mijo Alanis, Founder of Beyond Juicery + Eatery | S1E21
36:49