Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Kyle Inserra is a graduate of The French Culinary Institute where he graduated with honors. After working at notable restaurants such as Marco & Pepe and Anthony David's he moved to St. John, USVI, where he became the executive chef for a privately-owned restaurant group. On his return to the northeast, he opened the restaurants Polpettina and, where he was eventually forced out by his partners. Today he's the Co-Founder of La La Taqueria and is a Commercial Real Estate Advisor with a focus on brand growth and execution of real estate strategies for emerging restaurants. In addition, he's the host of the National Restaurant Owners Podcast, where he shares his experience and interviews fellow industry professionals to provide you with the insight our industry often lacks.

Check out the book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell as mentioned in today's episode.

Check out The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What To Do About It by Michael E. Gerber as mentioned in today's episode.

Check out episode 765: Media First/Restaurant Second with Shawn Walchef as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • "Move fast and break shit."

In today's episode with Kyle Inserra we will discuss:

  • Just start
  • Podcasting
  • Escaping NYC during 9/11
  • Starting late in the industry
  • Ego-driven chefs
  • Fixing labor expenses in a new kitchen
  • Intricacies of inventory management
  • The prep system
  • Organization
  • Catering
  • Leases and importance of actually READING them
  • Creating a new kind of pizza restaurant in NYC
  • Scaling and earning equity
  • Equity
  • Ghost kitchens

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Knowledge bombs

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Consistency
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    • Organization
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • Why do I need this person?
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • Spreading myself too thin
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • Respect
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Know your guest and be involved
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
  8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
    • Know your numbers
  9. Name one service you've hired.
    • Book keeper - Rob Marzan
  10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations?
  11. 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 make the same mistakes that I made
    • That I really gave my all to the industry
    • That I actually can cook

Contact info:

Instagram @kyleinserra

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 Kyle Inserra 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!
Direct download: 769_Kyle_Inserra_PODCAST_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:53am EST