Best Expert Interviews For Restaurateurs Podcasts (2025)

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Why Legacy Brands Are Dying: Matt Egan on Surviving the New Era 35:33

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3d ago35:33

35:33

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 background in film, Matt treats each concept like a set, every server like a character, and every moment like a scene that should stick with you. In this episode, we unpack how h…

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A Street-Fighter Mentality Built New York Minute Into An Award-Winning Burger Franchise | 666 1:02:15

3d ago1:02:15

1:02:15

Antony Crowther is a 'street fighter' who built New York Minute, a burger franchise with 30 locations, that is now down to six. And guess what? He couldn’t be happier! Strap in for an inspiring story of business resilience, adaption and reinvention. And some very actionable business and marketing tips along the way. In this high-energy episode of T…

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Office Hours: Your Landlord Is Your Most Dangerous Business Partner 7:50

4d ago7:50

7:50

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 to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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Why You Must Decide to Lead Your Restaurant 16:48

2h ago16:48

16:48

I open this episode with a challenge: What if the difference between feeling chained to your restaurant and finally running it on your terms comes down to five leadership habits you can choose — every single day? In Episode 137 of the “Restaurant Prosperity Formula Podcast,” I dig into how visibility, consistency, development, clarity, accountabili…

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No days off to true independence: Paul Denamiel on Drawing the Line 36:19

6d ago36:19

36:19

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 of nonstop hustle—no days off, total immersion—he finally stepped back…and liked what he saw. Time with his wife. Peace. Clarity. And the terrifying realization that maybe, just maybe, the restaurant did…

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Fail Hard, Build Slow: Henry Rich on Long-Term Strategy and the End of Easy Wins 38:00

10d ago38:00

38:00

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 last 15 years building one of Brooklyn’s most beloved hospitality groups. He didn’t start with a restaurant pedigree or investor backing. He started with recession scar…

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Office Hours: Your Menu Isn’t Too Long…It’s Too Lazy 8:48

11d ago8:48

8:48

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 to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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The Case for Quitting: Kevin Tien on Success, Sacrifice, and Starting Over 37:02

13d ago37:02

37:02

Could you quit at the top of your game–just as your dreams were coming true? At the height of critical acclaim, Kevin Tien walked away from Himitsu, not because it failed, but because it no longer aligned. That decision rewired how he thinks about success, leadership, and the cost of ignoring your gut. In this conversation, Kevin opens up about lea…

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The Bottomless Cup: A Memoir of Secrets, Restaurants and Forgiveness by Kevin Boehm 22:23

8d ago22:23

22:23

Congratulations to Kevin Boehm on the launch of his compelling book The Bottomless Cup: A Memoir of Secrets, Restaurants and Forgiveness. In this Kitchen Chat, Kevin shares the highs and lows of his personal life along with key components of success in his professional life. He also discusses the importance of mental health. You will be inspired by…

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Forget the Dining Room: Neal Fraser’s Profitability Playbook 35:31

17d ago35:31

35:31

What if the true path to restaurant profitability is rethinking our business model entirely?Close to a decade ago, today’s guest changed the way I saw our industry forever and he’s here to do the same for you. Today we sit down with Celebrity Chef Neal Fraser as he pulls back the curtain on how Redbird—a 50-seat dining room attached to a cathedral—…

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How One Tiny Hardware Store Turned Me Into a Customer for Life (and How You Can Too) | 665 18:03

17d ago18:03

18:03

Keen to turn your precious customers in to customers for life? In this solo episode of Small Business Big Marketing, I turn my week of errands into a marketing masterclass. I’ve just had a haircut, visited the shrink, and—clumsy me—snapped two pairs of prescription glasses. While ticking off my to-do list, I couldn’t switch off my marketing brain. …

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Office Hours: Discounts Are a Tax on Weak Storytelling 8:22

18d ago8:22

8:22

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 to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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What It Truly Takes to Drive Repeat Restaurant Business 1:03:10

19d ago1:03:10

1:03:10

I opened this episode with a simple truth: restaurants don’t win on one great meal — they win on the second and third visits. In my conversation with hospitality pro Darren Denington, we unpack what really drives repeat business right now: first impressions that stick, value guests can feel (beyond price) and service that creates a personal connect…

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Prestige Is Overrated: Jeff Bell on What Actually Keeps a Bar Alive 41:43

20d ago41:43

41:43

What if chasing prestige meant sacrificing everything else? For Jeff Bell, managing partner at the iconic PDT in NYC, bartending has never just been about cocktails—it’s about culture, connection, and the quiet cost of longevity. In this episode, he shares what 15 years inside one of the world’s most celebrated bars has taught him about endurance, …

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Train Smarter, Scale Faster: Won J Jeong on Building Teams that Scale 38:05

24d ago38:05

38:05

What if trying to control everything is the very thing holding your business back? Most operators think control means being everywhere at once. Today’s guest thinks that mindset is killing your business. After opening 100+ stores, managing $100M in revenue, and building teams across international brands, Won J Jeong realized the real goal isn’t kno…

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Office Hours: Expansion Is the Fastest Way to Go Broke 9:16

25d ago9:16

9:16

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 to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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Why listen to The Small Business Big Marketing Show with Timbo Reid? [Trailer] 2:06

26d ago2:06

2:06

G’day, I’m your host Timbo Reid, and welcome to the 16 year-old award-winning Small Business Big Marketing Podcast. I’m guessing you’re a motivated business owner keen to grow that beautiful business of yours into the empire it absolutely deserves to be. Well, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve been in marketing all my working life (that’s a long…

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A heart-felt update from Timbo | 664 8:41

26d ago8:41

8:41

Hey motivated business owner, Timbo here. I trust your business is thriving, as are you. I haven't been. It's been almost two years since we last spoke, so I thought I owed it to you to let you know what's been going on, and what's about to go on. So here's a little message from yours truly. Key points if you can't be bothered listening: I've been …

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AI Isn’t Replacing Your Team, It’s Saving Them: Devana Bhargava on Tech That Respects Hospitality 36:54

27d ago36:54

36:54

What if AI could make your restaurant more human, not less? That’s the bold idea Devana Bhargava is betting on. As a product leader at Yelp, she’s rethinking restaurant tech from the inside out—building tools that support staff instead of replacing them. In this episode, we dig into the design philosophy behind Yelp Host, why your Yelp page convert…

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Built to Serve, Not Sell: Darren Spicer’s Playbook for Turning Coffee Into Community 38:26

1M ago38:26

38:26

Does the world really need another coffee shop? That’s the question Darren Spicer had to answer before walking away from a six-figure career to start Clutch Coffee. The answer wasn’t coffee—it was connection. In this episode, Darren breaks down why community, not caffeine, is his true product, what he learned from Dutch Bros, how he made it his own…

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Office Hours: Events Are Fake Marketing 8:44

1M ago8:44

8:44

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 to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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How this Owner Grew from Caterer to a Multiunit Restaurant 44:08

23d ago44:08

44:08

Who doesn’t love a comeback story? In episode 135 of “The Restaurant Prosperity Formula” podcast, I sit down with Linda Grace Zadoian, owner of Piccadilly Grace Café & Market in San Marino and South Pasadena, California, to trace her path from middle-market finance to multi-unit operator who rediscovered joy in the business. You’ll hear how she sta…

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Estelle Manor: A Taste of Luxury, History and Hospitality 4:49

1M ago4:49

4:49

Host Margaret McSweeney takes us to the Oxfordshire countryside to Estelle Manor, one of the "hottest" destinations in England. Originally built in 1780 in Georgian style and rebuilt in 1908 in Jacobean style, Estelle Manor sits on 85 acres and is surrounded by 3,000 acres of parklands and gardens. In 2023, Ennismore opened this beautiful property …

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Scaling Through Saturation: Aaron Bludorn on Mastering Occasion 35:03

1M ago35:03

35:03

How do you define luxury? What if it isn’t about white tablecloths—but about meeting every guest, every need, every time? Aaron Bludorn didn’t just open a restaurant—he opened a new playbook for hospitality. After a business education under Daniel Boulud and Gavin Kaysen, Aaron took a massive bet: move to Houston, build a concept mid-pandemic, and …

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Stop Worshiping ‘Consistency:’ How Yann de Rocheford Scaled by Systemizing Vibe 40:51

1M ago40:51

40:51

Everyone says restaurants are about food, service, or scale. But what if it’s really about emotional engineering? Yann didn’t come from the kitchen. He came from the world of marketing and strategy. But when he opened Boqueria, he reimagined what a restaurant could be—vibe-forward, high-design, emotionally resonant, and built to scale. In this epis…

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Office Hours: Design Each Daypart as Its Own Business 9:50

1M ago9:50

9:50

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 to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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You Don’t Have to Be L.A. to Be Legendary: Eric Bost on Building Fine Dining Outside the Bubble 39:25

1M ago39:25

39:25

By Josh Kopel

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Grow Deep, Not Wide: Mark Rampolla’s Five-Year Rule for Building Brands That Last 42:32

1M ago42:32

42:32

What if your next move isn’t another location—it’s owning a moment in your guest’s life? Mark Rampolla built ZICO into a category and now backs founders with a $600M fund; his playbook is built for operators under pressure. We talk about the five-year reality of product-market fit, why velocity per store beats “more units,” and how owning a specifi…

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Office Hours: Merchandise Minutes, Not Meals 7:57

2M ago7:57

7:57

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 to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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Restaurant Owner Flips the Table and Interviews Restaurant Coach 44:27

2M ago44:27

44:27

What happens when the coach becomes the one in the hot seat? In this episode of “The Restaurant Prosperity Formula” podcast, I hand the mic to longtime friend and Mastery Plus member, Brian Sandel, co-owner of Creekwood Grill in Cypress, Texas. Sandel brings decades of restaurant experience to the table — and plenty of tough, thoughtful questions. …