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688: Justin Turner on Scaling a Scratch Kitchen

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Release Date: 01/27/2020

1198: Chris Florczak, CEO of Risen Restaurant Group show art 1198: Chris Florczak, CEO of Risen Restaurant Group

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Chris Florczak is the CEO of . Risen consists of one concept with four location and a fifth soon to open. The concept is Rise, originally located in Dallas and opened in 2008. Chris got his start with an internship at Hillstone Group and he quickly was given a job offer and worked there for 16 years. In 2016, he was offered the COO position at Rise and in 2021 he became CEO and the umbrella group, Risen, was created with sights set on scaling.  Join the TODAY! Restaurant Unstoppable - - Eric of Restaurant Unstoppable is now taking consultation and coaching calls! Book a consultation...

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1197: Samir Watter, COO of Layne’s Chicken Fingers show art 1197: Samir Watter, COO of Layne’s Chicken Fingers

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Samir Watter is the COO at based in Dallas, TX. Samir joined Layne's in 2021 when there were only 7 total locations. Before that, he held impressive roles and big franchise companies like Denny's, where he worked for 10 years starting as AGM until heading the opening of 30 locations by the end of his tenure there. He also worked for La Salsa for 10 years as director of ops, where he opened 30 locations for that company as well. Today, Layne's has 25 locations and continues to grow. Join the TODAY! Restaurant Unstoppable - - Eric of Restaurant Unstoppable is now taking consultation and...

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1196: Thom Crosby, CEO of Pal’s Sudden Service show art 1196: Thom Crosby, CEO of Pal’s Sudden Service

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Thom Crosby is the CEO of , HQ'd in Kingstwon, TN. Pal's Sudden Service was first opened in 1956 in Kingstown, TN. Thom came on board in 1981 to help them grow. Thom's experience prior to Pal's was in corporate McDonald's and corporate Long John Silvers, as well as a franchisee with Wendy's. Today Thom is the CEO of Pal's and the company has 31 locations. All but 2 Pal's locations are drive-thru only.  Thom is a true believer and member of . David McClaskey was featured on the podcast, episode 1182, and you can learn more about him and his company here:...

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1195: Zane and Brandon Hunt, Co-Founders of VIA 313 show art 1195: Zane and Brandon Hunt, Co-Founders of VIA 313

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Zane and Brandon Hunt are the co-founders of . VIA 313 is a Detroit-style pizza chain. This is The Hunt Bros. third time on the show. They first joined us for episode 560 in 2018 and again in 2021 for episode 826. In 2021, they had 5 locations and today they have 24!  Interested in as recommended by the Hunt Bros.? Check it out here: https://www.restaurantunstoppable.com/mcclaskey-institute Join the TODAY! Restaurant Unstoppable - - Eric of Restaurant Unstoppable is now taking consultation and coaching calls! Book a consultation today! Schedule your call to become UNSTOPPABLE! Check...

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1194: The Game of Restaurant Growth with Matthew Mabel show art 1194: The Game of Restaurant Growth with Matthew Mabel

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Matthew Mabel is a consultant, advisor, coach and President of . Surrender is a hospitality and management-consulting firm based in Dallas, TX. Matthew was last on the show for episode 518! For this in-person workshop, Matthew will take the listeners through growing restaurants in three different major and specific phases of growth. Join the TODAY! Restaurant Unstoppable - - Eric of Restaurant Unstoppable is now taking consultation and coaching calls! Book a consultation today! Schedule your call to become UNSTOPPABLE! Check out the website for more details:...

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1193: Garrett Reed, CEO of Layne’s Chicken Fingers show art 1193: Garrett Reed, CEO of Layne’s Chicken Fingers

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Garrett Reed is the CEO of . Garrett got his start in the real estate business right out of college as a site selector for Radio Shack in he 90s. By the early 2000s he had moved on to Starbucks where he served as Real Estate Director for the east and west coasts. In 2005 he started his own real estate business and in the mid-2010s he began the search to own a restaurant brand and/or franchise. He bought Layne's Chicken Fingers in 2017 and became CEO and Partner. Layne's began in 1994. There are 25 locations as of this recording (April of 2025) with plans to open a new location every month for...

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1192: How to Secure Funding with Michael Praver show art 1192: How to Secure Funding with Michael Praver

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Michael Praver is the founder of  Michael's company specializes in helping businesses secure capital without the stress of traditional lending. Their mission is to help businesses secure fast, reliable, and customized funding solutions that empower businesses to thrive.  This workshop covers How To Get Funding with expert Michael Praver. Workshops can be found every Thursday in the Restaurant Unstoppable podcast feed or on YouTube. Most have a visual component, so consider watching the video version . Join the RUNetwork to take part in workshops and ask the experts YOUR...

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1191: Rachel Cope, Founder and CEO of 84 Hospitality show art 1191: Rachel Cope, Founder and CEO of 84 Hospitality

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Rachel Cope is the Founder and CEO of based in Oklahoma City, OK. 84 Hospitality consists of 4 concepts in 10+ locations in and around OKC. The brand started with and the newest restaurant is , a fine-dining restaurant in OKC. They also operate , , and . Rachel was previously on the show for episode 778 in 2021. Join the TODAY! Restaurant Unstoppable - - Eric of Restaurant Unstoppable is now taking consultation and coaching calls! Book a consultation today! Schedule your call to become UNSTOPPABLE! Check out the website for more details: https://www.restaurantunstoppable.com/evolve Today's...

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1190: Workers’ Compensation Deep Dive with David DeLorenzo show art 1190: Workers’ Compensation Deep Dive with David DeLorenzo

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

David DeLorenzo is the CEO and Owner of . David DeLorenzo specializes in bar and restaurant insurance, but he is also a speaker, author, coach, as well as host of a mastermind and more than one charity organization. On top of all this, he has been an owner of 13 restaurants in his career. David was previously on the show for episode #1087 about a year ago! This workshop covers Workers' Compensation Deep Dive and Best Practices with expert David DeLorenzo. Workshops can be found every Thursday in the Restaurant Unstoppable podcast feed or on YouTube. Most have a visual component, so consider...

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1189: Zack and Silvana Walters, Partners of Sedalia’s Oysters & Seafood show art 1189: Zack and Silvana Walters, Partners of Sedalia’s Oysters & Seafood

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Zack and Silvana Walters are the Owners/Partners at Sedalia's Oysters & Seafood located in Oklahoma City. Zack and Silvana are married and met in 2017. Prior to 2017, Zack went to culinary school and eventually opened his own butcher shop/deli in LA in 2010 with a partner which was very successful. He left that venture in 2016 to work in another restaurant where he met Silvana who worked FOH there. Silvana lived in NYC and worked FOH in various restaurants before loving to LA to work in an art museum and work restaurants. Silvana worked under Will Guidara before she met Zack. After...

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A Chicago native, Justin Turner got his start in fine dining serving for years as a private chef to NBA star Shane Battier. When Shane was traded to the Rockets, Justin followed to Houston, but when the baller moved on again, the chef stayed, converting a yellow school bus into one of Houston’s first food trucks and naming it after his grandfather: Bernie’s Burger Bus. His gourmet burgers and fries were wildly popular and led to a fleet of buses, a spot at NRG Park and now 4 brick-and-mortar restaurants.

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • "If you feed the masses you will eat with the classes, but if you feed the classes you will eat with the masses."

In today's episode with Justin Turner we will discuss:

  • Fine dining vs. casual
  • The importance of organization in the kitchen
  • Listening to mentors who believe in you
  • Don't ask for money; learn the trade and the money will come
  • Kitchen efficiency
  • Working as a personal chef
  • The insanity of truly driven people
  • Operating a food truck (or bus in this case)
  • Transition from bus to brick and mortar
  • How to take on partners
  • Branding and marketing
  • Importance of testing the market with farmers markets/Pop-ups
  • How to scale
  • Hiring passion over skill
  • Selling product in stores

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.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable

MarginEdge is the only restaurant management system to combine automatic invoice processing with POS and accounting integrations, improving financial performance, visibility, and efficiency. It all starts with snapping a photo of invoices with your smartphone. We take it from there – every line item and every handwritten note is captured. We then integrate with your POS, so each day you know everything you bought and everything you sold. We create a rolling P&L with drill-down capability and it flows effortlessly to your Accounting System of choice. For 50% off your first year. Go to me.marginedge.com/unstoppable

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable

Knowledge bombs

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Passion
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    • My heart
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • What do you love? What makes you excited to wake up everyday?
  4. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • Teach them about our MVP
  5. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Make people feel special
  6. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
  7. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
    • Take the time to get to know your staff
  8. Name one service you've hired
    • Robert and Jeremy Levine Lawyers
    • Jeff Garcia - Food CPA
  9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations?
    • Chowly - Streamline and integrate third-party delivery orders into your POS
  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?
    • Hire slow and fire fast
    • If you can't change people, change people
    • Bone it like you own it, drive it like you stole it

Contact info:

Website: www.berniesburgerbus.com

Instagram: @berniesburgerbus

Twitter: @BerniesBurgers

Facebook: @berniesburgerbus

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 Justin Turner 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!