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668: Krista Kintop Phillips and Caitlin Kintop Fletcher on Sharing Passion

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Release Date: 11/18/2019

1272: Mike Gallagher, Co-Founder and Owner of Brick Store Pub Restaurant Group show art 1272: Mike Gallagher, Co-Founder and Owner of Brick Store Pub Restaurant Group

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Mike Gallagher joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on June 8th, 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! Join the Vibe Coding 8-part workshop (only 15 seats available!): restaurantunstoppable.com/vibecoding Mike Gallagher is a longtime Atlanta restaurateur and co-owner of some of the region’s most respected hospitality spots, including Brick Store Pub, Leon’s Full...

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1271: Shai Lavi, Chef/Owner of The Third Space show art 1271: Shai Lavi, Chef/Owner of The Third Space

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Shai Lavi joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 25th, 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! Shai Lavi is an Atlanta-based chef and restaurateur known for bringing bold, deeply personal Mediterranean flavors to the city’s dining scene. Born and raised in Israel and shaped by his Turkish and Libyan family roots, he has built a career around fresh ingredients,...

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1270: Ryan Turner, Partner at Unsǔkáy Restaurants show art 1270: Ryan Turner, Partner at Unsǔkáy Restaurants

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Ryan Turner joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on June 1st, 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! Ryan Turner is a co-founder and partner at Unsukay, the Atlanta-based restaurant group behind Muss & Turner’s, Eleanor’s, Local Three, MTH Pizza, and Roshambo. A Maine native who made his way to Atlanta, Ryan built his career from the ground up, working every...

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1269: Ryan Pernice, Founder of R.O. Hospitality show art 1269: Ryan Pernice, Founder of R.O. Hospitality

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Ryan Pernice joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 18th, 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! Ryan Pernice is the founder of R.O. Hospitality, the Atlanta-based restaurant group behind beloved neighborhood concepts including Table & Main and Osteria Mattone. A lifelong restaurateur with more than 25 years of experience, Ryan began working in kitchens as a...

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1268: Robby Kukler, Founding Partner of Fifth Group Restaurants and Founder of Kukler Restaurant Advisory show art 1268: Robby Kukler, Founding Partner of Fifth Group Restaurants and Founder of Kukler Restaurant Advisory

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Robby Kukler joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 18th, 2026 at 11AM EST. Robby Kukler is the founding partner of Fifth Group Restaurants, one of Atlanta’s most respected restaurant companies. A lifelong hospitality professional, Robby helped grow Fifth Group from its first restaurant, South City Kitchen, into a nationally recognized collection of chef-driven concepts known for warm service, thoughtful design, and a people-first culture. Over the course of his career, he has played a key role in building standout brands including Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, Alma...

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1267: Ron Cardwell, Director of Commodity Strategy at Restaurant Technologies show art 1267: Ron Cardwell, Director of Commodity Strategy at Restaurant Technologies

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Ron Cardwell is the Director of Commodity Strategy at , where he oversees cooking oil sourcing, pricing, and risk management for foodservice operators across the country. With more than two decades in agriculture, energy, and vegetable oil markets, he has managed global corn oil and biodiesel trading, logistics, and policy engagement at ADM and other major firms. Ron now helps restaurants navigate everything from flavor profiles and performance to sustainability and cost savings, including how to get the most out of every pound of cooking oil. Join RULibrary:  Join RULive: Set Up...

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1266: Randy Hines, CEO and Partner at The Kolache Shoppe show art 1266: Randy Hines, CEO and Partner at The Kolache Shoppe

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Randy Hines joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 4th, 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! Randy Hines is the CEO and owner of , a beloved Houston bakery that has been serving made-from-scratch kolaches since 1970. A former CPA and consultant, Randy fell in love with authentic Texas kolaches while growing up in the state’s “Czech belt,” and later...

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1265: Christian Wiens, Founder and CEO of Loman AI show art 1265: Christian Wiens, Founder and CEO of Loman AI

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Christian Wiens joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 4th, 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! Christian Wiens is the Founder and CEO of Loman AI, a leading voice AI platform built specifically for restaurants that answers every call, takes orders, and helps operators capture missed revenue while easing front-of-house labor pressure. Since launching the...

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1264: David T. Denney and Chelsea Masters, Partners and Denney Law Firm show art 1264: David T. Denney and Chelsea Masters, Partners and Denney Law Firm

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Today's guests join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on April 27th, 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! David T. Denney is the founder of Denney Law Group, a Dallas-based firm that counsels startups and growing companies on corporate transactions, business litigation, real estate, franchising, and beverage alcohol licensing, with a particular focus on the food,...

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1263: Eric Reed, Chief Development Officer at Layne’s Chicken Fingers show art 1263: Eric Reed, Chief Development Officer at Layne’s Chicken Fingers

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Eric Reed and Natalie Hurley (also of Layne's) join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on April 20th, 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! Eric Reed is the Chief Development Officer at Layne’s Chicken Fingers, where he leads the brand’s aggressive growth and real estate strategy as the company scales its footprint across existing and new markets. With more than two...

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The Cheese Board in Reno, NV was founded in 1981 by Debbie Branby. Nearly 40 years later, in 2017, after about a decade of working at the Cheese Board for Debbie, sisters Krista Kintop Phillips and Caitlin Kintop Fletcher purchased their place of employment. The transition from employee to owner hasn't been easy, but they have handled it with grace.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • "What if you fall? What if you fly?"
  • There is no elevator for success; you have to take the stairs."

In today's episode with Krista Kintop Phillips and Caitlin Kintop Fletcher we will discuss:

  • Focus on best-case-scenario
  • Slow road to success
  • Women pioneers in the restaurant industry
  • Transformative relationships with your staff
  • Debbie Branby opening the restaurant back ion 1981 and its evolutions
  • Evolving with the market
  • Surviving recessions
  • The importance of inventory management
  • Insurance policies
  • "Oh shit" money and the need for it
  • Navigating emotional connections to your business
  • Partnerships/family partnerships
  • Lawyers and legality of buying a business

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.

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

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Hard work
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    • Relinquishing control
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • "If you could anything from anywhere in the world, what would it be?" Looking for an authentic, interesting answer.
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • SOPs - standard operating procedures
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • Respect each other
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Humor, safe place
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
  8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
    • Know their costs, watch their costs; avoid mistakes
  9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
  10. 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?
    • Don't take yourself too seriously
    • Be authentic
    • All you need is love.

Contact info:

Website: www.cheeseboardcatering.com

Check out Krista and Caitlin's podcast The Good, The Bad, & The Drinking

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 Krista Kintop Phillips and Caitlin Kintop Fletcher for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!