649: Lisa Astorga-Watel on Taking Chances, Networking, and Presence.
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Release Date: 09/12/2019
659: Matt Selby on Kindness is Everything
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Originating from Denver's Five Points Community, Matt Selby got his start in the restaurant industry at the once-popular, Rattlesnake Grill. His skill in the kitchen and ability to lead others was quickly recognized by those in the industry. It was clear opportunities were inevitable. Those Opportunities came in 1997 when Selby was approached by Josh Wolkon to Join Vesta, a Secret Sauce restaurant concept. Selby parted ways with Secret Sauce in 2013, and has been earning a living as a consultant, opening restaurants, overseeing multiple locations as culinary director, and occasionally serving...
info_outline
658: Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson on Listening More and Talk Less
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
As a teenager, Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson starting working in restaurants St. Louis, Missouri. After graduating from Colorado State University, Mackinnon-Patterson set out to fulfill a dream and moved to Paris in 1999. He obtained his Certificate d’Aptitude Professionnelle at the renowned Ecole Gregoire-Ferrandi. Upon returning to the states in 2001, he worked at Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry, where he met future business partner, Bobby Stuckey. Mackinnon-Patterson and Stuckey opened their first restaurant, Frasca Food and Wine, in 2004 in Boulder, CO. In 2007, the partners launched...
info_outline
657: Eric Skokan on Embracing Failure
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Born in San Diego, Eric Skokan was raised in Virginia and is a graduate of The University Virginia. Upon graduation Skokan traveled, working in some of the nation's greatest kitchens. In 2006, Skokan, and his wife, Jill, opened Black Cat Farm Table Bistro, which was following by the 130-acre, Certified Organic, Black Cat Farm, one year later. In 2012 the couple opened their second restaurant, Bramble & Hare. On top of all of this Skokan is the author of Farm, Fork, Food: A Year of Spectacular Recipes Inspired by Black Cat Farm. Show notes… Favorite success quote or...
info_outline
656: Eric Cacciatore Getting Personal on The Past, Present, & Future
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
In this episode, I went solo! What a year it's been! I had some big plans and frankly... I fell short. I'll take you through how through the last year, what I've learned from my experiences, and how I want the future of Restaurant Unstoppable to look. Additionally, I share my vision for the future. I' d like Restaurant Unstoppable to grow beyond just myself. The way you grow anything is by injecting yourself in an entity. Injecting your mission, vision, values, then letting it share beyond you. Sharing it with others who resonate, slowing growing community and support over time. In this...
info_outline
655: Robert Thompson on Recovering from Failure
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Over the last two decades, Robert Thompson, has opened more than a dozen restaurant concepts, experiencing a number of successes and a few failures. At one point, Thompson was ready to get out of the restaurant industry completely. However, his irrational stubbornness had other thoughts. Thompson decided to give everything he had – personally and financially - to develop a new dining and entertainment experience. In 2012 Punch Bowl Social, a multifaceted, surprisingly intimate, social gaming, and dining space was born. As of today, Punch Bowl Social consists of 19 locations with...
info_outline
654: Jessica, Jill, & Jennifer Emich on Creating Community
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Triplets Jessica, Jill, and Jennifer Emich came into this world, in that order, by way of New Jersey. All three would go on to attend the University of Nevada- Los Vegas. Two of the sisters got degrees in Hotel and Restaurant Management while Jennifer focused on Elementry ed. Eventually, the sisters found their way to Boulder, CO. In 2000 they opened their first restaurant Trilogy Wine Bar, which had a successful 9-year run before they sold in 2009. After 3 years away from the industry, the sisters decided it was time to open their second restaurant, Shine Restaurant & Potion Bar, also in...
info_outline
653: Rudy Miick on How to Embrace Artificial Intelligence
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
As the founder of Rudy Miick consulting group, Rudy has thirty years and more than 1,600 successful projects under his belt. Rudy’s focus is on leadership development, sales building, and profitability. His methodology is driven by the creation of vibrant, values-based business cultures, no matter the industry. Today we're here to discuss the inevitability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how you can choose to react to it. Show notes… Favorite success quote or mantra: "Work with a sense of purpose. Be well" In today's episode with Rudy Miick, we discuss: Living with...
info_outline
652: Steve Redzikowski on Learning from the Best
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Chef Steve Redzikoski caught the industry bug slinging pies in New York's Long Island. After graduating from culinary school, Redzikoski got to work in some of NYC's best restaurants before making the move west for an opportunity at Little Nell, in Aspen, CO. He spent the next 4 years further refining his skills at Frasca Food & Wine in Boulder, CO, as well as Cyrus Restaurant, in Napa Valley, CA, before returning back to Little Nell in 2010, but this time as the Executive Sous Chef. In 2010 Redzikowski joined forces with Bryan Dayton to open Oak in Boulder, CO. Oak was followed in 2015...
info_outline
651: Tanya Sanchez on Leading By Example
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Albuquerque native, Tanya Sanchez, developed a passion for food at a young age while cooking with her father. Her dreams of becoming a restaurant owner began to bubble up during her years as a college student working in both corporate and independent restaurant settings. Fast forward through 10 years in marketing, design, and as a small landscaping business owner, and it was time for Sanchez to take action on her dreams of being a restaurant owner. In 2015 the process leading into what would become Brixens started. It's been nearly a 5 years uphill battle for Sanchez, overcoming one hurdle...
info_outline
650: Damien Watel on Partnerships and Humility
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
French-born Damien Watel got his start in the restaurant industry at the age of 25 working for his uncle's two Dallas restaurants. In 1999 Chef Watel opened Bistro Vatel, which had an 18-year run and earned Watel recognition as one of the great chefs in the nation, before closing in 2017. Chef Watel's most recent project, Bistr09, is the ninth restaurant project Chef Damien Watel has undertaken in the collaboration of his wife, Chef Lisa Astorga-Watel. In addition, The Watels own and operate Bite in Southtown. Show notes… Favorite success quote or mantra: "It's not about...
info_outlineChef/Owner Lisa Astorga-Watel grew up in Santiago, Chile, before moving to Houston, Texas where she attended The Culinary Art Institute. Astorga-Watel's ambition started early wit the opening of her own catering business to cover her expenses while in school. Following her formal training, she served as a private chef for celebrity, Tommy Lee Jones. It was during this time in her career she was able to travel the world developing her pallet and culinary repertoire. It was also during this time she met her future husband and business partner Chef Damien Watel. Together the couple owns Bite and Bistr09
Show notes…
Favorite success quote or mantra:
"Shoot for the moon. If you miss you'll hit a star."
In this episode with Lisa Astorga-Watel, we discuss:
- What took Lisa off the path of fashion and on a new culinary path.
- Taking chances and risks early in your career to set yourself up with experience and opportunity
- How to deal with being a woman in a male-dominated industry.
- The impact of a well-groomed, well-dressed staff.
- Lisa's advice for progressing quicking within an organization.
- How to become someone people want to network with.
- The sacrifice that comes with being a personal chef for celebrities.
- Other challenges of being a personal chef.
- What good communication with your business and life partner looks like.
- Recognizing those who want it and giving them an opportunity.
- Taking zoning into consideration when opening a restaurant.
- Imprinting your personal identity onto your restaurant.
- Maintaining your presence in a restaurant, even when you are absent.
- Giving your staff a sense of ownership, and significance, especially in the eyes of your guest.
- Always anticipate your opening taking longer than you think.
- Opening restaurants in close proximity so you can compound on pre-established relationships.
Today's sponsor:
BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.
CAKE provides an easy-to-use integrated software and hardware solution to build better dining experiences for restaurant operators and their guests. With mobile marketing and waitlist management to point of sale payment processing, the CAKErestaurant management system helps you grow your business. Learn more at trycake.com/unstoppable
Restaurant365 is a cloud-based, all-in-one, restaurant-specific accounting and back-office platform that seamlessly integrates with POS systems, payroll providers, food and beverage vendors. It generates accurate real-time reporting and analysis in user-friendly dashboards, facilitating immediate, data-driven decision making. Restaurant365 eliminates manual, error-prone processes and is designed to help restaurant businesses grow with functionality that helps optimize labor costs, reduce food costs and increase revenue.
Knowledge bombs
- Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
- Patience
- What is your biggest weakness?
- Time away from her son.
- What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
- Honesty
- What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
- Showing up today a better version than herself, yesterday.
- Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
- Be on time.
- What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
- encourage your team to work together.
- What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM - What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
- Consistency
- What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
- 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?
- Be good.
- Be Kind.
- Be the best you can be.
Contact info:
Websites:
Instagram: @lisa_astorga_watel
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!
If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.
Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.
And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.
Huge thanks to Lisa Astorga-Watel for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!