restaurant management

From working as a server, to becoming a manager, to then becoming involved in the corporate level, Alexandra Scott has been in the restaurant industry for 13 years. Alex currently works with Tableside Restaurant Group in the marketing side of things. Having been at the front of the store before, Alex brings a unique perspective to marketing and is sharing some of the lessons she’s learned along her journey.

Tableside Restaurant Group manages multiple brands and Alex is talking about some strategies they use to engage their communities. A unique strategy that Alex is sharing with us is their use of influencers to bring the community in while also promoting their restaurants. Often following working with an influencer restaurants will see a spike in customers, so how do you turn those customers into regulars? Advice on this and more on today’s episide of #localbites!

[00:00] Show intro
[00:36] How Alex got started in the restaurant industry
[01:57] Being at the front of the store
[04:20] Lessons Alex learned that she now applies to marketing
[05:49] How do you keep your ego out of things?
[07:22] Engaging different brands
[09:40] Engaging communities
[11:33] How do you pick influencers to market with?
[14:31] How do you measure the success of campaigns?
[16:20] Turning one time customers into loyal customers
[18:10] Campaigns that went well and ones that didn’t
[21:47] Marketing advice for aspiring restauretuers
[23:48] Closing out

If you knew exactly what would happen when you opened a restaurant, would you? Well today Doug Mathieux, the owner of Artesano, is talking to us about his experience as well as tips on staffing and customer service. Having owned two restaurants event though his expertise wasn’t originally in restaurants, Doug has a wealth of knowledge he’s sharing on today’s episode of #localbites. 

The worker shortage has been a struggle for everyone, but Doug has a unique strategy for combatting it. He’s sharing the way he uses double shifts to help his employees and in turn himself by reducing turnover. Experimental thinking is a hallmark of Doug’s business models and it has served him well. 

On the customer side of the business, Doug prioritizes being sincere and hearing the customer out. Are you sure you want to open a business? Doug encourages aspiring restaurateurs to prioritize building your team to set your business up for success. 

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:32] Welcome to Doug Mathieux

[00:41] What brought Doug into the restaurant  industry 

[01:50] Creating a kid friendly restaurant

[04:23] Figuring out when crazy ideas will work 

[07:17] How Artisano came to be and running two restaurants at the same time 

[09:56] Finding a balance between familiarity and uniqueness 

[11:38] From the beginning to now, what have been the biggest learnings? 

[14:09] Combatting worker shortages 

[19:57] Where does experimental thinking come from?

[25:22] The guardrails needed for experimentation

[29:14] Customer side of business 

[33:42] Advice for someone who wants to open a restaurant 

[36:10] Outro 

How do you make Indian food something people feel comfortable ordering on their own? This question led Samir (CFO/CTO) and Neal (CEO) Idnani to open NaanStop, a food truck that has now turned into multiple locations. The brother’s use their mom’s recipes and their own unique skill sets to create an Indian food restaurant with an easy to decode menu and powerful flavors. If you’re interested in starting a food truck, Samir and Neal have wisdom to share. Through trial and error, NaanStop figured out what worked for them when operating out of a food truck and used that to determine where to open a permanent spot. After opening a storefront in Atlanta, GA in 2012, NaanStop has opened two additional locations. The Idnani brothers are focused on providing their employees with opportunities for growth, both professionally and personally. Samir and Neal have recently received funding to expand the franchising side of their business and are sharing how they received that funding and what aspiring restaurateurs could look for to do the same. These two brothers have focused on their relationship with each other and prioritized that over profit and some opportunities. Listen in to this episode for the background of NaanStop, life and restaurant advice, and pointers for expanding your restaurant. 

[00:00] Show intro 

[0040] Welcome to Samir and Neal Idnani

[00:46] Why did the brothers decide to open a restaurant?

[01:15] The conversation around the dinner table 

[03:29] From family to co-workers 

[06:26] What did you learn from running a food truck?

[09:08] The factors that play into deciding on a location 

[11:08] Learning from each location to make a successful brand 

[14:55] How does NaanStop provide opportunities for growth for employees?

[18:09] What scenarios to look into for funding, and lessons learned from the process 

[20:28] What it’s like running a business with a brother 

[26:08] Decision points for deciding on outside funding and Full Point 

[27:54] What’s next for NaanStop?

[29:49] Advice for aspiring restaurateurs 

[34:19] Wrapping it up 

On today’s episode of #localbites we’re welcoming Bailey Cherry, marketing and events coordinator for Equator Coffee. Opening in 1998, Equator Coffee has been roasting and selling coffee while caring for the farmers who are the foundation of their business. Bailey got involved with Equator Coffee when she moved towns and applied for a job at the cafe and never looked back. From someone who didn’t like coffee to a coffee lover, Bailey has learned to love not only the coffee but also the people she serves and the staff she works with. She is sharing with us where Equator gets its coffee and how they uphold fair trade values. Ever wonder what it’s like to own a roastery and a café? Bailey is talking to us about the pros and cons of this as well as what it’s like to sell wholesale to your competitors. Equator Coffee is focused on their local community and gives back where they are able to support those that support them, both in Ottawa and where their coffee beans come from. Bailey is also talking us through how she shifted from barista to marketing and events coordinator. Her day to day looks busy, but she is focused in on Equator Coffee’s mission of “From crop to cup”. 

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:32] Welcome to Bailey

[00:41] Crater coffee and how it came to be

[02:05] The reason for working so closely with farmers 

[03:24] How Bailey got involved with Equator Coffee 

[04:51] Going from not liking to loving coffee 

[08:05] Where does Equator get its coffee? 

[09:00] What are the pros and cons of having a roastery and café

[10:59] Selling to “competitors” and where they are based 

[12:33] Why is the idea of local so important to Equator? 

[15:48] Going from the café side to marketing and events 

[18:34] The biggest difference in marketing for café vs. wholesale and retail 

[20:25] What events get hosted for the cafés?

[22:16] The coffee subscription program and how it gets promoted

[24:38] Advice for someone anywhere in the coffee business 

[25:25] Outro 

This week we’re welcoming Hermina Lezama, owner of Coffee Island Inc. The pandemic sparked Hermina’s idea to start building her own roasting business to make her mom the perfect cup of coffee. Coffee Island Inc. specializes in wholesale and is committed to fresh coffee with an island feel as a nod to Hermina’s Trinidad background. Hermina is walking us through the process she went through in opening Coffee Island Inc. and how she used the skills she had already built to help her build her business. With her marketing background, Hermina is sharing her tips for marketing a small business and learning how to listen to your target audience. Through trial and error, Hermina has built a beautiful balance of products that you can find out more about by checking the links below. 

Coffee Island Inc.

Website- https://coffeeislandinc.com/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/coffeeislandinc/

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:32] Welcome to Hermina

[00:41] How Hermina got involved in coffee roasting 

[01:52] All about Coffee Island Inc. 

[03:26] Bringing the Caribbean to a cup of coffee 

[04:31] The 18 months from idea to business opening

[05:58] Hermina’s background in marketing 

[06:50] What factors into picking the perfect blend 

[08:09] The technology side of the business

[09:48] Common marketing mistakes 

[12:11] Identifying and reaching a target audience 

[16:15] Adding K-cups to the line up

[18:09] Balancing all the roasts and flavors

[19:35] Introducing new products 

[20:51] Deciding on a brick and mortar cafe 

[23:26] Advice for roastery newbies 

[24:27] Outro 

From nursing school and phlebotomy to smoothie trucks, Cynthia Lubin, the owner of Earth N Zest, utilized the opportunity the pandemic provided her to embrace a new part of her journey. Cynthia tested the waters for her market by selling smoothies out of her house and then switched to a smoothie truck. She is sharing her smoothie truck strategy and how it works with her business model. From smaller spaces to a small staff, Cynthia is telling us about how she has streamlined her processes while providing high standard products. She loves building empathetic relationships with her regular clients and prioritizes kindness over all. Do your research, don’t give up, and be kind to others. 

Website- https://www.earthnzest.com/

Instagram- @earthnzest

[00:00] Show intro

[00:30] The story of Earth N Zest 

[03:13] Selling smoothies from Cynthia’s house

[04:27] Transitioning to a smoothie truck 

[05:41] Picking the spots in the city 

[06:18] Catering to the clientele 

[08:09] Challenges with space 

[09:03] Efficient processes in a limited space and staff 

[10:10] Technology in customer service 

[10:56] Creating a relationship with repeat customers 

[12:17] Keeping customer service consistent 

[13:38] Issues with staffing with a small team 

[14:28] Learning the business side of things

[16:54] Putting together the recipes 

[17:58] Building relationships with other business owners 

[20:17] Advice for aspiring business owners

[21:37] Closing comments 

David Fulwinder, co-owner of Old Salt Coffee Company is joining us on today’s episode of #localbites. David started in the Navy, but ended up in coffee roasting after a failed attempt to move he and his wife to a coffee farm in Hawaii. After 10 years of development, Old Salt Coffee Co. came to be through a series of decisions, coffee roasting dilemmas, and design ideas. A name that goes back to the roots of the company’s team, Old Salt Coffee is a nod to those who have served in the Navy or love someone who has. Each bag of coffee tells a story of someone who has been involved in the Navy to highlight this wonderful community. David is sharing some of the business side of Old Salt Coffee, including the challenges and lessons that have been learned over the last two years. 

Old Salt Coffee-

https://www.oldsaltcoffee.com/

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:33] Welcome to David

[00:40] How did David get into the coffee roasting business?

[04:12] The steps to getting to a starting point 

[07:42] What is the meaning behind the name?

[10:06] The importance of connecting with navy vets 

[11:48] Marketing to your target customers

[14:30] Choosing the stories to tell the people 

[17:42] What’s next for Old Salt Coffee?

[21:34] The biggest challenges for Old Salt Coffee

[23:20] Lessons from coffee

[24:26] Advice for someone who wants to open a roasting company 

[25:43] Wrap up 

On today’s episode of #localbites we’re talking to Mo Alhakim, owner of Mo’z Cafe. Mo started at the Marriott as a valet before becoming a manager at a restaurant. Years later, Mo’z Cafe was opened. Mo’z Cafe has been open for over 15 years and Moe is telling us what it’s like to open and own multiple locations. When COVID-19 came, Mo lost two of his locations leaving only one. At his current location, there is a loyal customer base in his small town and Mo is talking about how to build your cafe to what you want it to be. The biggest lessons Mo has to teach is to keep things simple and be on time, so listen in to find out more from the owner of Mo’z Cafe. 

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:30] Welcome to Moe 

[00:38] How Moe ended up in the restaurant industry 

[01:27] Why Moe wanted his own cafe

[01:57] 15 years of success 

[02:29] Opening a second location 

[03:29] The emotions of the pandemic 

[04:27] Moe’s reason for fighting through 

[05:20] Creating a loyal customer base 

[06:09] Building something the community wants 

[06:40] The biggest challenges before the pandemic 

[08:54] Business people and fast service with relationship 

[09:42] Mountains that have been overcome

[10:19] What would Moe do differently next time?

[11:16] Supply chain issues 

[12:57] Advice for someone who wants to start their own cafe

[14:22] Outro 

Joelle Parenteau opened Wolf Down, a German street food restaurant, because her husband was missing out on the food from his home country. Being an entrepreneur by nature, Joelle took it upon herself to create the solution to her and her husband’s problem. She is sharing with us what it’s like to open a restaurant, ride out the pandemic, and even sharing about the ghost kitchens Wolf Down is working with. 

Wolf Down’s website:https://www.wolfdown.com/

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:28] Welcome to Joelle Parenteau

[00:39] Why German street food?

[01:55] What Joelle was doing before restaurants 

[02:24] From the first bite to the opening of Wolf Down 

[03:35] What makes it special?

[05:40] Lessons learned from one to multiple locations 

[07:01] The motions of COVID-19

[09:06] How opening locations went (with a twist)

[10:21] The challenges of working from a ghost kitchen model

[12:04] Staffing shortages and ways to solve it 

[14:03] Expectations of the government that fell short

[16:26] Expansion plans: present and future

[19:28] Creating a community around Wolf Down franchises 

[20:15] The regulars vs. one offs

[21:59] Why do people come back?

[23:00] Advice for someone who wants to open their own restaurant 

[23:51] Outro 

Kaffe Karma is a coffee shop by day and a yoga studio by night. The owner, Katie Kutler, is talking to us about her unique business plan for Kaffe Karma and how she is preparing for the grand opening. Learn more about Kaffe Karma by clicking one of the links below. 

https://www.kaffekarma.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kaffe.karma/

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:30] Welcome to Katie

[00:38] What is Kaffe Karma and how did it come to be?

[06:57] The things Katie learned from working in other coffee shops 

[09:16] The importance of community and how Kaffee Karma encourages it

[13:02] Preparing for a grand opening

[15:51] From coffee shop to yoga studio 

[20:22] Where Kaffe Karma is finding their roaster

[22:16] All things barista training 

[23:37] The most unexpected challenge of opening 

[25:05] Advice for someone who wants to open a coffee shop

[25:52] Wrap up 

We are welcoming Mike Ayars, owner of Turnstile Coffee in NJ, to this episode of #localbites! Mike has over a decade of experience in the specialty coffee business, and is talking to us today about some unique experiences he has had and how he runs a wholesale roastery business at the same time.

Website: https://www.turnstilecoffee.com/

Instagram: @turnstilecoffee 

Coffee Pick Up Window: https://943thepoint.com/turnstile-coffee-in-belmar-opens-takeout-window/

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:35] Welcome to Mike 

[00:50] Biggest lessons learned after a decade of specialty coffee

[01:34] Why start with specialty coffee?

[02:56] How do you survive in a world without coffee

[03:17] From a first taste of coffee to opening Turnstile

[04:45] Where Mike looked for roasting classes

[05:30] What’s the draw for roasting?

[06:54] The unique aspects of roasting and owning a cafe

[08:44] Finding good sources

[11:05] Who is over the roasting business?

[11:45] How to keep up with the trends?

[12:54] Customer education 

[16:16] What does Mike do to make Turnstile unique?

[18:55] Why do other cafes come to Turnstile for their coffee?

[20:11] Ratio of wholesale to cafe business

[21:28] What the pandemic was like: take out window edition 

[25:23] How special events can promote coffee

[28:04] The biggest challenges in 11 years of Turnstile

[30:09] #1 piece of staffing advice

[31:30] Advice for aspiring coffee shop/roastery owners

[33:47] Wrap up 

On today’s episode of #localbites we’re talking to Michael Pustai, owner of Hops Kitchen. 

Michael has a unique business plan and partners with breweries in Virginia. Hops Kitchen has 

been growing continuously for the past 10 years and isn’t slowing down any time soon! 

Website: https://www.hops-kitchen.com/

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:37] What Michael was doing before Hops Kitchen 

[02:03] Moving to entrepreneurship 

[03:28] Going through the emotions 

[04:10] The first few years of business

[07:01] Opening a new location when everyone was shutting down

[09:03] Why building a brand is important to Michael

[11:29] Through the pandemic: the ups and downs

[14:07] How Hops Kitchen does efficiency 

[16:14] Where the passion comes from 

[18:03] The importance of being in the community 

[19:14] Advice for someone who wants to start a restaurant

[21:32] Wrap up

Join us on the podcast today for a wild ride of a story with Logan Torrance, co-owner of Luma 
Coffee in Hammond, LA. Logan is walking us through the opening of Luma Coffee, with all of its 
twists and turns. 

Find out more about this charming coffee shop in the heart of historic 
downtown Hammond on their website, https://www.lumacoffeeroasters.com/

Find out more about their interior designer, Marissa Eleccion: http://www.marissaeleccion.com/

Find out more about their graphic designer, Ale Now: https://www.alenowdesign.com/

[00:00] Show intro 
[00:35] Welcome to Logan 
[00:43] How Luma started 
[02:50] Who are the first customers?
[03:46] How do you learn how to roast coffee?
[05:42] What was going on before the grand opening 
[07:25] Luma events
[08:04] Bringing speciality coffee education to Hammond, LA 
[09:41] Excellence, education, and community 
[11:42] The importance of atmosphere
[14:03] From roastery, to coffee cart, to brick and mortar store
[17:56] Luma’s customers and the regulars
[20:46] Creating a loyal customer base
[22:35] Staffing at Luma
[24:04] What is the source of success for staffing?
[25:45] Why do other shops buy Luma's coffee beans?
[27:31] Advice for someone who wants to open a coffee shop
[29:21] Wrap up

Today we’re talking to Rafat Haddad, owner of Three Bean Coffee. Rafat has been the owner 

for 20 years and experienced many hardships over that time. Listen in to learn from the wisdom 

of someone who has been in the business and seen just about everything. 

[00:00] Show intro 

[00:34] Celebrating 20 years of business

[03:41] Why do the people keep coming back?

[05:37] Community involvement

[07:08] Three economic downturns and still kicking

[12:44] What things Rafat has done to improve employment

[16:33] Advice for a new coffee shop owner

[17:15] Wrap up

On today’s episode we’re welcoming Pete Smith, the owner of Matter More Coffee Shop in 
Hampstead, NC. Pete opened his coffee shop three days before a pandemic shut down the 
world, and he’s here to tell us how he rolled with the punches and built trust with his team and 
the community. 

To learn more about Pete’s speaking engagements, look on his website at smithimpact.com, 
and check out Matter More Coffee on Instagram, @mattermorecoffee

[00:00] Show intro 
[00:32] Welcome to Pete! 
[00:44] Pete’s career background
[02:47] A pandemic two days after a grand opening 
[03:54] Why focus on work from home people?
[06:14] How community is using the space now
[08:12] Customer retention 
[10:18] How does employee retention affect Matter More Coffee
[12:46] Building trust within the team 
[16:18] What is it like running a family business?
[18:55] The focus of Pete’s presentations 
[20:32] Bringing mindset to the coffee shop
[22:23] The lending library and other community investments
[28:15] Advice for an aspiring coffee shop owner
[30:21] Wrap up and Pete’s socials 

On today’s episode of Local Bites we’re talking to Anaz, the co-owner of Pistachio, a coffee shop in Vancouver. Anaz talks about where Pistachio gets its Mediterranean influence, how the coffee shop is bringing Middle Eastern coffee culture to Canada, and what it’s like opening a cafe with a friend. Learn more about Pistachio on their website, https://pistachiovancouver.ca/ , or follow them on Instagram @pistachiovancouver

[00:00] Show intro

[00:38] Welcome to Anaz

[00:47] What Anaz was doing before Pistachio 

[02:08] What drove Anaz into opening a coffee shop?

[04:46] Where does the passion come from?

[06:52] Risk vs. reward balance

[09:12] The process of opening 

[12:34] Why make Pistachio a Mediterranean coffee shop?

[15:02] The first two months of a coffee shop

[18:17] Middle East and Vancouver coffee shops and culture

[22:42] How Anaz is bringing in the social coffee culture

[25:19] Helping the Syrian refugee community in Canada

[28:52] How does the Vancouver community fit into Pistachio?

[30:50] Pros and cons of running a business with your best friend

[33:31] A piece of advice for someone starting a coffee shop

[35:52] Where to find out more about Pistachio

[36:15] Close out 

On today’s episode of Local Bites, we talk to Kirk Grogan, the honorary co-founder of Tip House. Kirk is discussing how Tip Haus has helped restaurants, offering advice on all things marketing and business, and his own experience in the hospitality industry. 

To contact Kirk, you can email him at kirk@tiphaus.com or learn more about what Tip Haus offers on their website, tiphaus.com

[00:00] Show intro 
[00:32] Welcome to Kirk
[00:50] Kirk’s restaurant experience 
[01:35] From beginning the journey to joining Tip Haus
[03:49] Going through COVID as a new startup 
[07:13] How Tip Haus solves pain points
[11:03] Transparency and staff retention 
[13:52] Successes and mistakes employers can make
[18:23] How can restaurants benefit from higher tipping?
[21:37] Tip averages for quick service restaurants
[23:15] Guest perception of tipping 
[26:53] What are good marketing practices to bring guests in?
[33:26] Kirk’s advice for a new restaurant owner
[34:38] How to learn more about Tip Haus
[35:16] Outro

On today’s episode we’re talking to the co-founder of The Mocha Nut Coffee Shop, Seth! Seth 

talks about the story of opening Mocha Nut Coffee and how his management strategy allows 

employees to make customer’s days. With some life lessons mixed throughout, listen in to learn 

more about Seth and The Mocha Nut Coffee Shop. You can find Mocha Nut online at 

mochanutcoffee.com or on Instagram at @themochanutcoffeeshop

[00:00] Show intro

[00:40] Why did Seth want to open a coffee shop?

[02:05] Seth and his co-founders

[04:27] From buying the building to opening the doors

[05:42] The beginnings of Mocha Nut

[07:05] How community demand was built

[09:05] The perfect location

[10:43] Community response after opening

[13:00] The coffee culture of Mocha Nut

[14:11] Educating customers

[16:07] Utilizing the space given

[17:33] Coffee classes

[19:12] How Seth educated himself about coffee

[21:57] Other life lessons from Seth

[24:57] Team first

[27:03] How to implement the team first mentality 

[29:17] The ups and downs of running a family business

[31:27] Advice for aspiring coffee shop owners

[32:16] Wrap up and socials

Today on Local Bites we’re talking to Olivia, an employee at Iron and Grain who has been with 

the coffee shop from the beginning. Listen to learn the importance of consistency and 

community when running a coffee shop. 

Check out Iron and Grain on their website, irongraincoffe.com, or on Instagram at @ironandgraincoffee 

[00:00] Show/episode intro

[00:46] How Iron and Grain started

[01:46] Architecture and coffee shop

[03:11] Why multiple locations?

[04:58] The challenges of 2020

[06:17] Community and Iron and Grain

[11:10] Establishing community in a new community

[14:21] The coffee culture in different locations

[16:40] Does coffee culture change service strategy?

[18:14] Employee retention 

[20:10] Advice for someone who wants to start a coffee shop

[22:18] Iron and Grain, where to connect 

[22:52] Wrap up