Best Operational Excellence In Restaurants Podcasts (2025)

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More Money, More Time, More Life with Donna Krech: Episode 251 56:20

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2h ago56:20

56:20

In this episode,we sit down with Donna Krech — Entrepreneur Extraordinaire, Best-Selling Author, and International Speaker — who has spent over 35 years building and coaching multi-million-dollar businesses in wellness, personal development, and entrepreneurship. From struggling to feed her child to becoming a global thought leader, Donna’s journey…

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Restaurateur Will Guidara on Delivering Unreasonable Hospitality 37:38

3d ago37:38

37:38

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 over the top service he provided at Eleven Madison Park and, as it turns out, there was a method to the madness. In this episode, Will and I sit down to discuss the formulaic way that he set expectations for h…

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Office Hours: Firing Isn’t Failure; It’s Maintenance 7:45

4d ago7:45

7:45

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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Skyrocket Sales with Free PR Strategies! with Melanie Rembrandt: Episode 250 55:31

14m ago55:31

55:31

In this episode, we sit down with Melanie Rembrandt — award-winning author, copywriter, ghostwriter, speaker, and the original direct response publicist. With decades of experience helping entrepreneurs amplify their message, Melanie has become a trusted voice in the worlds of marketing, PR, and business growth. Her insights have been featured in l…

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Why Discounts Don’t Work: The Secret Customer Retention Strategy That Boosts Bar Profits by 40% 28:29

18h ago28:29

28:29

Getting people through the door is hard, but getting them to keep coming back? That’s where most bar owners drop the ball. Discounts might feel like the move, but they’re quietly killing your margins and not building real loyalty. This episode breaks down a smarter, cheaper way to lock in regulars by actually making them feel seen, no gimmicks, no …

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From Trauma Surgeon to Taco Tycoon: Mohammad Farraj on Risk, Reinvention, and Experience-First Growth 36:52

6d ago36:52

36:52

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 a taco truck—against family expectations, cultural pressure, and common sense. That truck became Talkin’ Tacos, a fast-casual franchise now operating in seven states. In this episode, Mohammad shares what pushed him …

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The 5-Minute Daily Habit for Restaurant Owners to Find Their Most Profitable Hours 10:41

2h ago10:41

10:41

You can have a packed dining room and still be bleeding money, and most owners don’t realize it until it hurts. The real problem isn’t that you’re not busy, it’s that you’re guessing which hours actually pay the bills instead of looking at what the numbers are quietly trying to tell you. In this episode, I walk you through a simple 5-minute daily h…

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Turn Success Into Significance with Jimmy Hurtado: Episode 249 55:52

2h ago55:52

55:52

In this episode, we sit down with Jimmy Hurtado — Founder and President of Returning Smiles, a nonprofit devoted to bringing hope, food, faith, and essential resources to children and families in need both locally and in Ecuador. With 19 years of leadership experience at Sweet Dreams Furniture & Mattress, Jimmy has built a reputation as a purpose-d…

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

10d 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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Office Hours: Your Landlord Is Your Most Dangerous Business Partner 7:50

11d 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 Great Bars Still Go Broke with Bruce Nelson on Profit Pricing and Cost Mistakes 35:39

6d ago35:39

35:39

Think your bar’s doing okay just because you’re busy? Think again. A packed house means nothing if your menu is underpriced, your costs are off, and you're bleeding money in ways you don’t even see. In this episode, Bruce Nelson, a CFO who’s helped countless bars fix their financial chaos, breaks down the money traps most owners fall into. We’re ta…

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

13d 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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How to Run a 20-Minute Competitor Price Audit to Maximize Your Bar's Profits 6:17

10d ago6:17

6:17

You’re probably undercharging your beers and overpricing your cocktails and not even realizing it. If your pricing is based on “what everyone else is doing,” you're not being strategic, you’re just gambling with your margins. This episode hands you a quick 4-step pricing audit you can run this week to spot hidden profit leaks and reposition your pr…

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Party of Six - Crafting the Perfect Bar Ambiance: Lighting, Music, and More 57:14

13d ago57:14

57:14

And now, it's time for something different.... The Bar Business Podcast has joined with industry experts to bring you a new panel podcast every month, Party of Six: The Pulse of Bars and Restaurants. I am joined by some amazing folks for a casual yet insightful conversation, sharing stories and discussing what works and what doesn't in the hospital…

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

17d 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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Ed Porter: On The Art of Cooking and Rapping and Being Human 1:32:52

5h ago1:32:52

1:32:52

Ed Porter is a creative storyteller who moves fluidly between the worlds of food, music, and media. Born in Mount Vernon and raised in The Bronx, Ed’s journey took him from the kitchens of acclaimed restaurants like Aquavit, Café Beulah, and Sweet Ophelia’s to the screen, where he appeared on Guy’s Grocery Games (Food Network) and Netflix’s Pressur…

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

18d 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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How to Run a Profitable Bar Without Being There Full Time with H Joseph Ehrmann 42:05

10d ago42:05

42:05

You didn’t open a bar just to get stuck fixing toilets and covering last-minute call outs. But if the business falls apart every time you’re not around, that’s not ownership, that’s just another job. H Joseph Ehrmann spills how he built a bar in San Francisco that runs profitably while he lives states away in Boise. We’re talking team retention for…

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

20d 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 Only Management Meeting You’ll Ever Need to Save Time and Get Results 10:08

21d ago10:08

10:08

Most manager meetings turn into story time, complaint hour, or a total waste of everyone’s energy. You walk out with nothing but a mental list and a few “we should probably” statements that never happen. This episode breaks down a dead-simple 30-minute meeting format that forces clarity, accountability, and actual progress. You’ll get a step-by-ste…

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ASK PETE: Episode 248 1:02:29

3d ago1:02:29

1:02:29

In this episode, Pete teams up once again with veteran podcast producer Chris Stone to dive into another round of real, unfiltered questions from the mattress and furniture retail world. Backed by over four decades of industry experience, Pete shares straightforward, experience-driven advice for retailers navigating slow sales, personal pressures, …

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

24d 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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Office Hours: Discounts Are a Tax on Weak Storytelling 8:22

25d 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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Bar Documentation That Protects You With Real Systems Real Forms and Smart Strategy 11:18

22d ago11:18

11:18

Too many bar owners don’t take documentation seriously until it’s too late. They assume verbal instructions, digital trails, or “just remembering” is enough to protect them. It’s not. In this episode, we break down the real reason why lack of documentation quietly leaves your business exposed to lawsuits, fines, and insurance nightmares. You’ll get…

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

27d 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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Reflections From The Mountain Top with Brent Batterman: Episode 247 1:03:41

11d ago1:03:41

1:03:41

In this episode, we’re excited to welcome Brent Batterman, a veteran of the mattress industry with over two decades of experience. Brent has played a pivotal role in revolutionizing sales strategies and launching new products across the industry. He’s widely respected for his leadership in training high-performing sales teams and for introducing th…

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

1M 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

1M 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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How Restaurant and Bar Data Exposes Revenue Leaks Staff Performance Gaps and Sales Losses with Geoffrey Toffetti 32:08

29d ago32:08

32:08

Too many bar and restaurant owners rely on gut feel to judge staff performance and profit. A packed house doesn’t mean you’re making money and a friendly server doesn’t always mean a top performer. In this episode, Geoffrey Toffetti reveals how data, not guesswork, uncovers hidden revenue leaks, lazy service habits, and quiet performance killers. Y…

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

1M 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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Bar Menu Pricing That Works with Real Numbers Real Margins and Smart Strategy 8:17

1M ago8:17

8:17

Too many bar owners rely on guesswork or outdated markup formulas when setting menu prices. They assume as long as it covers the liquor cost, it’s profitable. It’s not. In this episode, we uncover why pricing based on instinct or competition is silently draining your profits. You’ll learn how to factor in waste, spillage, garnishes, and even straws…

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Educate & Elevate - Karen Converse: Episode 246 1:00:44

21d ago1:00:44

1:00:44

In this episode, we explore the intricacies of more effective customer engagement with the seasoned Karen Converse. With over 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, training, and business management within the retail sector, Karen brings a wealth of expertise to the discussion. As an independent representative, she offers invaluable insights i…

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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…