734: Drew Delaughter on Operating Without Fear or Greed
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Release Date: 07/27/2020
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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1262: Natalie Hurley, VP of Marketing at Layne’s Chicken Fingers
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Natalie Hurley and Eric Reed (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! Natalie Hurley is the Vice President of Marketing at Layne’s Chicken Fingers, where she leads brand strategy and growth for the “Soon to be Famous” chicken finger franchise as it expands nationwide. With nearly 20 years of...
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1261: Alex Camp & Cuyler Esposito, VP of Operations Services, VP of Culture Operations at Layne's Chicken Fingers
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Alex Camp and Cuyler Esposito join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on April 13th, 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! Alex Camp is the vice president of operations services at Layne’s Chicken Fingers, where he serves as the “central nervous system” of the brand’s rapidly growing franchise system. After joining Layne’s in 2024 as senior director of...
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1260: Albert Sanchez, Co-Founder of Beto’s Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Albert Sanchez and Chris Schultz join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on April 6th, 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! Albert Sanchez is the co‑founder and owner of Beto’s Mexican Restaurant, a family‑owned Mexican restaurant based in Grand Prairie, Texas, that has been serving the community since 1993. A lifelong Grand Prairie resident and graduate of South...
info_outlineSaint-Germain was created by Drew Delaughter, Chef Blake Aguillard, and Trey Smith. Drew and Trey met in 2008 at culinary school in Hyde Park, NY. They both moved to New Orleans after school. Drew worked at Susan Spicer’s Bayona Restaurant working his way up to Captain, gaining valuable service experience, as well as, wine and spirit knowledge. Smith went to work for Chef Michael Gulotta at Restaurant August where he met and worked alongside Blake. After some European traveling, and working in other cities, the trio reunited and Saint-Germain was born.
Check out episode 733 with Michael Gulotta as mentioned in today's episode!
Show notes…
Calls to ACTION!!!
- Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
- Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
- Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)
Favorite success quote or mantra:
- "We wouldn't do anything out of fear or greed."
In today's episode with Drew Delaughter we will discuss:
- Being a jack of all trades in the restaurant
- Mentors
- Learning professionalism
- What is professionalism?
- Realizing WHILE TRAINING to be a chef that a different vertical in the industry is your path
- Humility
- Working with brand new owners who are learning as they go
- Bridging the gap between BOH and FOH
- Delegation and how to balance setting a good example and handing out tasks
Today's sponsor:
Toast - A POS built for restaurants by restaurant people Adapt fast with Toast's cloud-based restaurant POS system that updates to evolve your POS along with changing industry trends and guest expectations. Toast is built exclusively for restaurants of all shapes and sizes, with over 2/3 of our employees having restaurant experience to serve you better. Online Ordering - Let guests easily order directly from your restaurant for pickup or contactless delivery to keep revenue flowing during these uncertain times. Toast Delivery Services Dispatch local drivers through an on-demand network to keep your community fed and revenue coming in.
Knowledge bombs
- Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
- Humility
- What is your biggest weakness?
- "I don't know."
- What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
- Team work, self-motivation
- What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
- COVID-19
- Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
- Be humble
- What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
- Recognizing an opportunity for hospitality
- What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
- What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
- Mentorship mentality
- What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influenced 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 humble
- Show up to something that you want to show up to
- Switch to Resy
Contact info:
Instagram: @saintgermainnola
website: www.saintgermainnola.com
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 Drew Delaughter for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!