Best Mastering Restaurant Scalability Podcasts (2025)

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Ellen Yin on Building an Unbreakable Restaurant Culture 33:25

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4d ago33:25

33:25

I believe restaurants have always had a pervasive culture, albeit at times not the healthiest culture. Restaurateur Ellen Yin is out to change that and she’s leading by example. Today we sit down to discuss her unorthodox path through the industry and how in breaking the mold, she’s developed the formula to heal our industry. To learn more about El…

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Office Hours: Stop Fixing Symptoms — The Real Reason Restaurants Burn Out 8:28

5d ago8:28

8:28

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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Fun Is Non-Negotiable: Andy Shallal on Culture, Crisis, and Building Restaurants That Save Lives 38:49

7d ago38:49

38:49

What if the only way to build a restaurant worth running was to make it fun—even in crisis? Andy Shallal didn’t set out to be a restaurateur. He left a stable path in medical science, waited tables to get by, and discovered something powerful: hospitality could be a vehicle for joy, justice, and deep human connection. In this episode, Andy shares h…

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Restaurateur Will Guidara on Delivering Unreasonable Hospitality 37:38

11d ago37:38

37:38

World-famous restaurateur Will Guidara is back with his latest project — and it’s not a restaurant, it’s a book. Will was made famous by the over the top service he provided at Eleven Madison Park and, as it turns out, there was a method to the madness. In this episode, Will and I sit down to discuss the formulaic way that he set expectations for h…

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Office Hours: Firing Isn’t Failure; It’s Maintenance 7:45

12d ago7:45

7:45

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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From Trauma Surgeon to Taco Tycoon: Mohammad Farraj on Risk, Reinvention, and Experience-First Growth 36:52

14d ago36:52

36:52

What if the stable path isn’t the right one? Mohammad Farraj was on track to be a trauma surgeon. Instead, he left medicine to launch a taco truck—against family expectations, cultural pressure, and common sense. That truck became Talkin’ Tacos, a fast-casual franchise now operating in seven states. In this episode, Mohammad shares what pushed him …

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Why Legacy Brands Are Dying: Matt Egan on Surviving the New Era 35:33

18d ago35:33

35:33

What if your $10 chicken taco isn’t competing with food—it’s competing with feeling? Matt Egan didn’t just open restaurants—he staged immersive experiences. Drawing from a background in film, Matt treats each concept like a set, every server like a character, and every moment like a scene that should stick with you. In this episode, we unpack how h…

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Office Hours: Your Landlord Is Your Most Dangerous Business Partner 7:50

19d ago7:50

7:50

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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No days off to true independence: Paul Denamiel on Drawing the Line 36:19

21d ago36:19

36:19

What happens when the dream starts to feel like a trap? For Paul Denamiel, chef-owner of Le Rivage, the pandemic forced a reckoning. After decades of nonstop hustle—no days off, total immersion—he finally stepped back…and liked what he saw. Time with his wife. Peace. Clarity. And the terrifying realization that maybe, just maybe, the restaurant did…

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Fail Hard, Build Slow: Henry Rich on Long-Term Strategy and the End of Easy Wins 38:00

25d ago38:00

38:00

What if your biggest failure was the reason your next move actually worked? That’s the story of Henry Rich—former candy entrepreneur turned neighborhood restaurateur—who’s spent the last 15 years building one of Brooklyn’s most beloved hospitality groups. He didn’t start with a restaurant pedigree or investor backing. He started with recession scar…

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Office Hours: Your Menu Isn’t Too Long…It’s Too Lazy 8:48

26d ago8:48

8:48

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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The Case for Quitting: Kevin Tien on Success, Sacrifice, and Starting Over 37:02

28d ago37:02

37:02

Could you quit at the top of your game–just as your dreams were coming true? At the height of critical acclaim, Kevin Tien walked away from Himitsu, not because it failed, but because it no longer aligned. That decision rewired how he thinks about success, leadership, and the cost of ignoring your gut. In this conversation, Kevin opens up about lea…

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Forget the Dining Room: Neal Fraser’s Profitability Playbook 35:31

1M ago35:31

35:31

What if the true path to restaurant profitability is rethinking our business model entirely?Close to a decade ago, today’s guest changed the way I saw our industry forever and he’s here to do the same for you. Today we sit down with Celebrity Chef Neal Fraser as he pulls back the curtain on how Redbird—a 50-seat dining room attached to a cathedral—…

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Office Hours: Discounts Are a Tax on Weak Storytelling 8:22

1M ago8:22

8:22

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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Prestige Is Overrated: Jeff Bell on What Actually Keeps a Bar Alive 41:43

1M ago41:43

41:43

What if chasing prestige meant sacrificing everything else? For Jeff Bell, managing partner at the iconic PDT in NYC, bartending has never just been about cocktails—it’s about culture, connection, and the quiet cost of longevity. In this episode, he shares what 15 years inside one of the world’s most celebrated bars has taught him about endurance, …

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Train Smarter, Scale Faster: Won J Jeong on Building Teams that Scale 38:05

1M ago38:05

38:05

What if trying to control everything is the very thing holding your business back? Most operators think control means being everywhere at once. Today’s guest thinks that mindset is killing your business. After opening 100+ stores, managing $100M in revenue, and building teams across international brands, Won J Jeong realized the real goal isn’t kno…

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Office Hours: Expansion Is the Fastest Way to Go Broke 9:16

1M ago9:16

9:16

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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AI Isn’t Replacing Your Team, It’s Saving Them: Devana Bhargava on Tech That Respects Hospitality 36:54

1M ago36:54

36:54

What if AI could make your restaurant more human, not less? That’s the bold idea Devana Bhargava is betting on. As a product leader at Yelp, she’s rethinking restaurant tech from the inside out—building tools that support staff instead of replacing them. In this episode, we dig into the design philosophy behind Yelp Host, why your Yelp page convert…

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Built to Serve, Not Sell: Darren Spicer’s Playbook for Turning Coffee Into Community 38:26

2M ago38:26

38:26

Does the world really need another coffee shop? That’s the question Darren Spicer had to answer before walking away from a six-figure career to start Clutch Coffee. The answer wasn’t coffee—it was connection. In this episode, Darren breaks down why community, not caffeine, is his true product, what he learned from Dutch Bros, how he made it his own…

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Office Hours: Events Are Fake Marketing 8:44

2M ago8:44

8:44

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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Scaling Through Saturation: Aaron Bludorn on Mastering Occasion 35:03

2M ago35:03

35:03

How do you define luxury? What if it isn’t about white tablecloths—but about meeting every guest, every need, every time? Aaron Bludorn didn’t just open a restaurant—he opened a new playbook for hospitality. After a business education under Daniel Boulud and Gavin Kaysen, Aaron took a massive bet: move to Houston, build a concept mid-pandemic, and …

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Stop Worshiping ‘Consistency:’ How Yann de Rocheford Scaled by Systemizing Vibe 40:51

2M ago40:51

40:51

Everyone says restaurants are about food, service, or scale. But what if it’s really about emotional engineering? Yann didn’t come from the kitchen. He came from the world of marketing and strategy. But when he opened Boqueria, he reimagined what a restaurant could be—vibe-forward, high-design, emotionally resonant, and built to scale. In this epis…

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Office Hours: Design Each Daypart as Its Own Business 9:50

2M ago9:50

9:50

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter…

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You Don’t Have to Be L.A. to Be Legendary: Eric Bost on Building Fine Dining Outside the Bubble 39:25

2M ago39:25

39:25

By Josh Kopel

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Grow Deep, Not Wide: Mark Rampolla’s Five-Year Rule for Building Brands That Last 42:32

2M ago42:32

42:32

What if your next move isn’t another location—it’s owning a moment in your guest’s life? Mark Rampolla built ZICO into a category and now backs founders with a $600M fund; his playbook is built for operators under pressure. We talk about the five-year reality of product-market fit, why velocity per store beats “more units,” and how owning a specifi…