Are you not sure what we mean when we say, "Live with a definite purpose and start with why."? Then you won't want to miss this episode, because todays guest embodies just that. 

Christine has spent more than a quarter century in the restaurant industry and is the brains behind Fresh Thymes Eatery. Fresh Thyme Eatery was inspired by Christine’s own experience of living with celiac disease and Multiple sclerosis; she wanted to make a difference by providing real nourishing food to improve the health of her guest, because she knows first hand that food can be medicine.

If you have the urge to do something truly incredibly, you need to start with WHY. This Talking Tuesday we'll be discussing Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, written by Simon Sinek. David Mead will be joining us for this discussion.

David is a part of Simon Sinek’s “Star With Why” team and lives with the purpose to help leaders create an environment where people show up to work, because they want to, not because they have to; an environment in which people are inspired to contribute to something bigger than themselves. David helps people look at their careers and organizations from an alternative perspective; to consider their ‘Why’ (their higher cause or purpose), then to think, act and communicate in a way that brings that Why to life.

Listen in and her about: how  in the restuarnt industry hard work and determinism trumps intellegence and skill; why you need to be on a first name basis with failure; and why you need to keep a logical ear open when iterviewing your cooks. 

At the age of 15, like so many do, Kurt got his start in the restaurant business as a dishwasher. He continued to work in the industry until finishing graduate school in Scotland. It was at this point a close French friend asked if he’d want to go into business together.

In 1997, Kurt and his friend opened a 20,000 square foot brewery and gastro-pub in Lyon, France. Kurt would eventually sell his portion of the business, return home, attend business school at Berkley, and started ChefsTable - a business built on the premise of partnering with Chefs in a way that lets the chef focus on what they’re good at: food.

Today we talk about how powerful it is to: have the desire to learn, surround yourself with people who are better than you at doing certain things and why you need the right capital and not just any capital when you're getting started.

Larry is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and has over 30 years of experience as a restaurant company owner, professional manager, and industry consultant. Reinstein Founded and held the position of President and CEO for Fresh Concepts, the company that owned and operated brands including: Fresh City, Souper Salad, Planet Coffee, Fresh Concept Café, Pistachio’s and Church Street Bar and Grill. Following this, he served Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina as President, where he had a HUGE impact on the brands success. Today, he is serving as president of LJR Hospitality Ventures where he offers strategic counsel to his clients. He is the recipient of the Cornell Hospitality Innovator Award and the Best of the Best Food and Beverage Award from the Young Presidents Organization. On top of all of this, he is the current chair of the National Association Fast Casual Industry Council.

Listen to this episode to find out where perseverance, good listening skills, a constant strive for improvement and having a solid sense of purpose can get in your career as a restaurant professional.

Chef John Sundstrom is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. He has worked in kitchens all over the country and has traveled the world in pursuit of  his culinary and personal purpose. His accolades suggest he's found that purpose as he's been named "Best New Chef" by Food and Wine Magazine and was named "Best Chef Northwest" by the James Beard foundation in 2007 following nominations in 2005 and 2006. Today, you'll find Sundstrom serving as Chef/Owner of Lark Restaurant, Bitter/Raw and Slab Sandwiches + Pie in Seattle, WA.

Are you a professional in a fast casual concept that could use some operational efficiency? Or maybe you're a casual dinning establishment which needs a solution for managing your wait list. Perhaps you're looking for a way to collect information from your guest at check out? If so, you won't want to miss this episode!

Today we're talking to John Weber, the President and CEO of Long Range Systems. If you're anything like me, when you think of LRS, the first thing which comes to mind is pagers, but LRS offers so much more than that! In this conversation we discuss how LRS has evolved over the years, and the multiple products they're offering. Tune in and dissever how you can leverage these tools and systems to operate more efficiently and deliver the ultimate guest experience.

In need of inspiration? Want to learn how to live intentionally to make your restaurant dream come true? Then check out Chef Lisa Schroeder and her advice on what it takes to be successful in the restaurant biz.

23 years ago, Schroeder was driven by a vision of creating a restaurant that served food which only a mother would make. Schroeder would devote the next 8 years of her life studying at The Culinary Institute of America, traveling, staging, working and training to develop the skills she would need to be successful. In 2000 her vision became reality when she opened Mothers Bistro and Bar in Portland, Oregon. On top of this, Schroeder is a mother, grandmother, author and is extremely involved with her community. Now sit back, hit play and get inspired.

In need of some inspiration? Check out Johan Engman. Todays episode is littered with gems of advice like, "If you're determined to do something go with you gut feeling." For more gems like this, crush the play button. 

Engman arrived to the United States when he was 16 and got his start working in the restaurant industry as a dish washer in a small Italian restaurant. He moved on to bussing tables at Embassy Suites before working as a server at a number of local restaurants. Just working in restaurants wasn’t enough, he wanted to be an owner. In 2008 Engman opened The Fig Tree Café. Seven years later, Engman now oversees operations and owns three successful branches of Fig Tree Café along with Café Cantata and his newest venture Breakfast Republic.

Chef Russo has over thirty Eight years of experience in the food and beverage industry and has held numerous titles including: Excutive chef, general manager, food and beverage director, consultant and corporate chef. He’s been featured in Gourment, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Los angeles Times, and the USA Today, just to name a few. He’s won several “best” awards, which we don’t have the time to dive into, because there so many. He has been at semifinialist for james beard best chef Midwest for the past 7 year and was a finalist 5 of those 7 years. Today he serves as Executive Chef for Heartland Restaurant and Wine Bar in Saint Paul MN.

In this episode we learn about the power of list making, delegation, getting to know your guest, avoiding hipsters, and accommodating the people that work for you. 

Angela Stowell got her start in the hospitality industry scooping ice cream and boy... has she come along way! She has been a server and a wine sales rep, but her current role is as the Chief Financial Officer of Ethan Stowell Restaurants, which consist of (and correct me if I’m wrong) 9 restaurants (all with their own unique concept), two pizza shops, a wine cellar, and an artisan pasta shop.