628: Kim Alter on Pushing Harder to Be Better
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Release Date: 07/01/2019
1254: Sarah Heard, Chef/Co-Owner of Foreign & Domestic
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Sarah Heard joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on March 23rd, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Chef Sarah Heard is the co-owner and co-chef of Austin’s acclaimed , where she’s known for boldly flavored, from-scratch cooking and a deep respect for every ingredient. Raised in Conroe, Texas, she learned early from her mother and grandmother to use every part...
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1253: Taylor Swenning, Owner of Darlin's Diner
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Taylor Swenning joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on March 16th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Taylor Swenning is the creative force and owner behind , a modern small-town spot known for its nostalgic charm and scratch-made comfort food. A Texas A&M graduate who studied Construction Science, Taylor first tested her entrepreneurial chops with a food...
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1252: Jody Fiess, COO at Cerboni Services
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Jody Fiess is the COO of , HQ'd in Houston, Texas. Cerboni is an all-in-one financial solution for restaurants. Cerboni Services was formed in 2017 to help independent restaurants manage their financials and lower costs through performance based metrics. Today, Cerboni helps around 800 restaurants nationwide. Join RULibrary: Join RULive: Set Up your RUEvolve 1:1: Subscribe on YouTube: Subscribe to our email newsletter: Today's sponsors: - — the leader in automated cooking oil management. Their Total Oil Management solution is an end-to-end closed loop automated...
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1251: Pete Mora, Founder of Fajita Pete’s
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Pete Mora joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on March 16th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Pedro “Pete” Mora is the founder and CEO of Fajita Pete’s, a Houston-based Tex-Mex concept built around catering, delivery, and a streamlined fajita-focused menu. Born in Colombia and raised with an entrepreneurial push from his family, he opened his first...
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1250: Understanding Tip Credits with Joshua Santana, Co-Founder of Cerboni Services
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Joshua Santana is the co-founder of , an outsourced accounting and financial consulting firm dedicated to helping restaurant and hospitality operators turn numbers into smarter decisions. A Houston native and graduate of the University of Houston with a degree in Accounting, Joshua has spent more than 15 years specializing in tax strategy, compliance, and financial planning for both individuals and businesses through his work with Santana & Associates, Cerboni’s sister tax firm. At Cerboni, he combines deep tax expertise with industry-specific financial insight to build forecasting,...
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1249: Sam Caucci, CEO of 1Huddle and Author of Wasted Talent
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Sam Caucci joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on March 9th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Sam Caucci is the founder and CEO of , a workforce technology company that helps organizations find, train, and retain workers using science-backed, quick-burst mobile games. A global keynote speaker, workforce policy advisor, and bestselling author, Sam has helped...
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1248: Alec Bauer, Founder of Kitchen, Restaurant & Bar Specialists
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Alec Bauer joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on March 2nd, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Alec Bauer is the Principal and Creative Director of (KRBS), a Burlington, Vermont-based foodservice design consultancy. A graduate of the New England Culinary Institute, he honed his skills as a chef in renowned kitchens like The Ryland Inn, Auberge du Soleil,...
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1247: Chris Goss, Director of Human Resources at Heirloom Hospitality and Founder of Awakened Hospitality
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Chris Goss is the Director of Hospitality, Operations, and Human Resources at Heirloom Hospitality in Vermont, where he oversees people, culture, and guest experience across the organization. With more than four years in this role, and over 30 years of restaurant hospitality experience before that, Chris blends strategic HR leadership with hands-on operational expertise to help build engaged teams and memorable hospitality experiences. Passionate about “awakened” hospitality, he focuses on values-driven leadership, staff development, and creating workplaces where people feel seen,...
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1246: Jordan Ware and Cindi Kozak, Co-Owners of Frankie’s
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Jordan Ware and Cindi Kozak are the chef-and-general manager team behind in Burlington, Vermont, a 70-seat, seafood-forward, farm-to-table restaurant in the former Penny Cluse Café space that has quickly become one of the most talked-about new spots in the country. After years working together at Hen of the Wood—Jordan as executive chef and Cindi as general manager and wine buyer—they struck out on their first solo venture, building a warm, “fine but friendly” dining room that bridges casual and special-occasion hospitality while spotlighting New England farms, fisheries, and...
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1245: Eric Scheffer, Founder and CEO of The Scheffer Group
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Eric Scheffer is the Founder and CEO of , based in Asheville, North Carolina. Eric comes from a family that worked in the entertainment business in NYC and LA and he too joined them in that business at a young age. Eventually, he decided to pivot to restaurateur. Eric opened his first restaurant in Asheville in 2000 and has owned 7 concepts in the city since then. Today, The Scheffer Group consists of 2 Vinnie's neighborhood Italian locations, 1 Jettie Rea's Oyster House location, and 1 Gan Shan Neighborhood Asian location. Join RULibrary: Join RULive: Set Up your RUEvolve...
info_outlineGrowing up in Laguna Beach, CA, Chef Kim Alter is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. She went on to work in some of the Bay Area’s most notable restaurant kitchens before joining the Daniel Patterson Group where she served as Executive Chef for Haven and Plum in Oakland, CA. Today, Kim Alter is the chef/owner of Nightbird and the adjoining cocktail concept, Linden Room, in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley.
Show notes…
Favorite success quote or mantra:
- "Success isn't just about what you've accomplished, it's about what you've inspired other people to do."
In this episode with Kim Alter we will discuss:
- You inspire others around you positively
- Using food to make people happy
- Food as acceptance
- Creating impactful “food memories”
- Mental health in the restaurant industry
- Tell your staff that they’re doing a good job
- The hard work angle
- Ego
- Mentors
- Learning something new every single day
- Constantly improve your business
- Experiencing failure
- Fear of failure
- The inevitability of doing something wrong
- Thoughts on awards
- The importance of non-transactional relationships in the kitchen
- Money and waste management in the kitchen
- Diffusing angry guests
- Supporting the restaurants in your community
- Tasting menus
- Acquiring permits
- The importance of respect
- Women in the industry
- Culture v. Systems
- Working with your life partner
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Knowledge bombs
- Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
- Being humble
- What is your biggest weakness?
- Too much time in the kitchen and not enough promoting
- What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
- Personality, goals, how do they treat the dishwasher?
- What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
- Issues with the city impeding customer flow
- Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team
- Treat each other with respect
- What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
- BOH and FOH are one in the same
- What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
- The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz
- Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
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- What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
- Social media
- If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
- Put your head down and work hard
- Treat people with respect
Contact info:
Instagram: @kimalter @nightbirdsf
Thanks for listening!
Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!
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Huge thanks to Kim Alter for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!