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PODCAST

Restaurant Ready

RESTAURANT READY: THE BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Restaurant Ready is your backstage pass to the inner workings of the hospitality industry’s brightest stars. This podcast promises authentic discussions with the most influential chefs, restaurateurs, and food media experts. Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author Matt Jennings, along with the MAJC team, helm this weekly podcast. In each episode, industry veterans sit down for candid conversations revealing the

business management

All Episodes

42:01

Sarah Grueneberg on Making a Big Impact in...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/08/19

How do you grow a business without losing your soul or your standards? Chef Sarah Grueneberg has answers.From Top Chef finalist to James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Monteverde in Chicago, Grueneberg opens up about mentorship, retention, ownership, and accountability. In this episode, she shares her approach to training, internal leadership development, and the hard-earned wisdom that comes from nearly a decade of running a successful restaurant. With a second concept on the way,

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40:07

Graham Elliot on Building a High-Performing Team...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/08/12

From fine dining to Lollapalooza and MasterChef, Graham Elliot’s journey is anything but ordinary.In this vibrant episode, Chef Graham Elliot shares how a punk rock spirit, deep empathy, and a love for teaching have shaped his path across restaurants, television, and fatherhood. He reflects on the value of authenticity, building restaurant teams like bands, using media to connect more personally, and how a life-saving health decision transformed not only his body, but also his career. This

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47:19

Andrew Zimmern on The One Soft Skill That Is Key to...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/08/05

From addiction to advocacy: Chef Andrew Zimmern’s story is a masterclass in purpose-led leadership.The James Beard and Emmy Award-winning chef, TV personality, and entrepreneur reflects on the power of service, storytelling, and saying “yes.” In this deeply personal episode, Chef Andrew opens up about recovery, responsibility, and what it means to use your platform for lasting impact. From Bizarre Foods to shaping global food policy, he shows that hospitality is bigger than business. It’s a

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49:28

Kenny Gilbert on Training a Team That Always Delivers

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/07/29

Chef Kenny Gilbert has built a career that spans fine dining, franchising, product development, and operations—always with a focus on systems that scale.From Ritz-Carlton kitchens to his own spice line, franchises, and a VP role at Grove Bay Hospitality Group, Chef Kenny shares how decades of experience, mentorship, and relentless process design have shaped both his culinary and business approach. He opens up about franchise development, working across multiple concepts, leading airport

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31:26

Joe Sasto on Why Fake Content Gets Restaurants Nowhere

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/07/22

Chef Joe Sasto is rewriting the chef playbook by blending pasta, business, content, and creativity into a fully modern culinary career.From Michelin-starred kitchens to Top Chef, from viral pasta content to launching his own snack brand, Tantos, Sasto shares how he’s built a career that bridges both old-school technique and new-school entrepreneurship. In this episode, he opens up about content creation, brand building, his upcoming cookbook, and the critical mindset shifts required to

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45:57

Joe Flamm on Little Hacks for Building a Stronger Team

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/07/15

Top Chef winner and Chicago chef Joe Flamm opens up about building restaurant culture, balancing family, and leading his team through thoughtful, intentional growth.From his Croatian-Italian roots at Rose Mary to his new projects across Chicago, Flamm shares the leadership systems, daily rituals, and hiring philosophy that keep his kitchens running smoothly while maintaining high standards. He discusses how Top Chef impacted his career, why social media has its limits, and how culture and

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26:33

Gerard Craft on Four Killer Strategies for Growing a...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/07/08

James Beard Award-winning chef Gerard Craft breaks down how he built and runs a multi-concept hospitality group while putting people at the center.From opening his first restaurant at 25 to leading 12+ distinct concepts under Niche Food Group, Craft offers hard-earned lessons on scaling sustainably. He talks candidly about managing growth, strengthening upper management, cross-training staff, and why empathy is still one of hospitality’s most undervalued leadership tools. This episode is a

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41:59

Damaris Phillips on Squeezing More Value from Every...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/07/01

Celebrity chef Damaris Phillips shares how she’s built a thriving food media career that lasts while staying deeply connected to her culinary roots.From winning Food Network Star to launching a cookbook, a picnic club, and a production company, Phillips opens up about evolving her career on her own terms. She gets candid about building confidence on social media, creating authentic content, and the reality of entrepreneurship in hospitality today. With humor, honesty, and practical wisdom,

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48:33

Chris Shepherd on Balancing Mission and Margin

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/06/24

Chef Chris Shepherd isn’t just feeding people—he’s feeding an entire industry’s future.The James Beard Award-winning chef behind Underbelly and founder of Southern Smoke shares his powerful journey: from building restaurants to building one of hospitality’s most impactful foundations. Chef Chris reflects on closing restaurants, leadership evolution, financial lessons, and why advocacy for hospitality workers is more urgent than ever. This conversation is both deeply personal and broadly

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48:22

André Natera on Why New Cooks Fail Before They Even...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/06/17

André Natera is helping the next generation of cooks cut through the noise—and he’s not afraid to challenge the industry’s old playbook.After decades of running some of Austin’s best kitchens, André now mentors chefs through his platform Chefs PSA, offering real talk on leadership, career development, and what it actually takes to succeed in today’s culinary world. In this candid conversation, André shares his views on when cooks should find their voice, why mentorship matters, and how

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43:53

Adam Sobel on The Hard Truths About Growing a...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/06/10

After 14 years with Mina Group and dozens of openings, Chef Adam Sobel has launched his own powerhouse: Aether Group. And he’s bringing everything he’s learned to the table.In this candid conversation, Adam reflects on scaling across continents, building systems that support people, and the mindset it takes to grow without burning out. From consulting for celebrities to designing soundtracks for dining rooms, Adam explains how Aether Group is about magic—and how magic only happens when

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40:05

Katherine Miller on Smashing the Old Rules Holding...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/06/03

Katherine Miller believes chefs have the power to shape public policy—and she’s spent her career helping them do exactly that.In this episode, the author of At the Table: The Chef’s Guide to Advocacy shares how she went from political strategist to hospitality changemaker. Miller unpacks why chefs make natural advocates, what most people get wrong about food systems, and how even small changes—like reducing waste or ditching tipping—can drive large-scale impact. Whether you’re a chef-owner,

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39:50

Gabriel Rucker on Why Bigger Isn't Always Better

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/05/27

Gabriel Rucker on Leadership, Loyalty, and Keeping It SmallGabriel Rucker didn’t plan to build an empire—he just wanted to cook great food and build a place where people belonged. In this episode of Restaurant Ready, the two-time James Beard Award–winning chef and co-owner of Le Pigeon and Canard in Portland shares what it means to lead with intention, humility, and heart.From opening a restaurant at 25 to staying hands-on 18 years later, Rucker gets real about sobriety, mentorship, the

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40:22

Meghan Blair on How Owners Aren't Paying Close Enough...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/05/20

Meghan Blair-Valero wants to change how we think about hospitality operations—from the books to the brain.In this episode, Meghan Blair-Valero brings deep expertise in finance, neurodiversity, and hospitality systems to show how better decisions can drive both sustainability and inclusivity. From understanding contribution margin to designing for different ways of thinking, she explains how restaurant owners can thrive by seeing people—and their numbers—more clearly. Whether you’re a

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41:53

Will Gilson on Restaurants’ Symbiotic Relationship...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/05/13

When a fire destroyed one of his most meaningful spaces, chef and restaurateur Will Gilson had two choices: mourn or move. He chose both.In this deeply personal episode, Will Gilson opens up about the fire that devastated his family’s Herb Lyceum just days before peak wedding season—and how his team rallied to keep going. He talks about grief, resilience, and the hard lessons of scaling a multi-concept restaurant group. From community partnerships and guest recovery to burnout,

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32:01

Michael Fojtasek on Why Restaurant Owners Need to Pay...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/05/06

Chef Michael Fojtasek is building more than restaurants—he’s rewriting the playbook on what growth, leadership, and well-being can look like in hospitality.From running a beloved fine-dining spot like Olamaie to launching biscuit shops, Fojtasek reflects on the evolution of his leadership style and the systems that help his team thrive. In this episode, he opens up about shifting away from fear-based kitchens, experimenting with guest charges to fund health benefits, and how his own

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48:24

Ben Shewry on Dumping Toxic Culture Forever

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/04/29

Ben Shewry, chef-owner of Melbourne’s acclaimed Attica, shares the personal journey and leadership philosophy behind one of Australia’s most thoughtful restaurants.In this heartfelt conversation, Ben opens up about the power of empathy, accountability, and sustainability—not just in sourcing, but in how we treat people. He discusses breaking the cycle of toxic kitchen culture, the importance of mental health, and how small daily actions shape high-performing teams. From lessons in ownership

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36:38

Manu Buffara on How Restaurants Become Community Beacons

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/04/22

Brazilian chef Manu Buffara shares how food, community, and sustainability come together to create real change—inside the kitchen and far beyond.As the force behind the award-winning restaurant Manu, and founder of Instituto Manu Buffara, she’s redefining the role of chefs as leaders, educators, and community connectors. Buffara opens up about transforming leftovers into opportunity, elevating her team through shared knowledge, and building systems that respect people and the planet. She

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61:20

Tyler Florence on The One Thing Every Restaurant...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/04/15

Celebrity chef and restaurateur Tyler Florence dives deep into the business of hospitality, the realities of leadership, and the mindset behind building a lasting restaurant empire.With nearly 30 years on Food Network, 17 cookbooks, and restaurants spanning airports to Union Square, Tyler opens up about the lessons behind the wins and the losses. From a surprise service meltdown to scaling steakhouse excellence, he shares the systems and strategies that keep him grounded and growing. This

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40:04

Emily Luchetti on How to Coax the Best From a...

Restaurant Ready ·

2025/04/08

In this engaging conversation, Chef Emily Lucchetti shares her journey through the culinary world, highlighting her experiences in California cuisine, the importance of mentorship, and her passion for writing cookbooks. She discusses the evolution of her career, the significance of community in the culinary arts, and her current projects, including a culinary memoir. Emily emphasizes the value of teamwork, individualism, and the joy of bringing people together in the hospitality

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48 results

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