What if I told you that the difference between struggling and thriving in the restaurant industry is just one conversation away? I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur who’s spent decades building blockbuster brands across every tier of dining. I know the challenges you’re facing—because I’ve been there. That’s why I created FULL COMP. Every week, I go one-on-one with the smartest minds in the game: restaurateurs, chefs, and industry insiders who’ve cracked the code. Together, we un ...
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Operational Excellence In Restaurants Podcasts
Step inside the mind of a retail and wholesale veteran who’s spent four decades turning struggling businesses into profit powerhouses. Pete Primeau doesn’t just talk theory – he delivers battle-tested strategies from the trenches of the furniture and mattress industry that translate into explosive growth for ANY business. What You’ll Discover: • Advanced sales psychology and customer conversion techniques refined through $millions in transactions • Marketing strategies that work in today’s h ...
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Nick Portillo shares with you the things he has learned on his own journey of building a successful business in the food service industry.
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In this episode, Pete reunites with veteran podcast producer Chris Stone for another candid deep dive into the real, unfiltered questions coming out of the mattress and furniture retail world. Drawing on more than four decades of industry expertise, Pete delivers practical, experience-driven guidance for retailers facing slow sales, personal stress…
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The Modern Playbook for Foodservice Brands to Master Media with Kate Finley, Founder of Belle Communication
36:02
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Foodservice operators are embracing fresh, innovative marketing strategies that are essential for staying relevant and successful in today’s consumer landscape. This week, Nick Portillo sits down with Kate Finley, Founder of Belle Communication, to uncover the wide-ranging opportunities for financial growth in the foodservice industry. Kate shares …
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The Prince of Portland: Celebrity Chef Gregory Gourdet
36:29
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When you open a restaurant you've investing in more than a business, you're investing in a community. As we change and evolve as individuals so do our communities and few places more beautifully illustrate this capacity to change more than Portland, Oregon. Today's we chat with, Portland's adopted son, Celebrity Chef Gregory Gourdet. Instead of sta…
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Office Hours: Influence Fatigue — Why Your Customers Don’t Trust Your Marketing (and What to Do Instead)
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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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Your Tech Is Costing You More Than Labor. Ankit Gupta on Building a System That Actually Makes You Money
1:04:36
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What if the biggest threat to your restaurant isn’t bad food or poor service—but bad tech? That’s the bet Ankit Gupta is making. After shaping food delivery at tech companies globally, he saw a blind spot no one was fixing: restaurant tech was leaving restaurants behind. Now he’s leading the product team at Otter, and his mission is clear: to compl…
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Operational Excellence with David Youngberg, CEO of Stonefire Grill
33:36
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In this episode, host Nick Portillo speaks with David Youngberg, CEO of Stonefire Grill, for an insightful conversation about the vast opportunities in the food service industry. Drawing on a career that spans more than 40 years, Youngberg shares how a commitment to operational excellence has been the cornerstone of his success. He reflects on his …
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Ellen Yin on Building an Unbreakable Restaurant Culture
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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
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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
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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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Happy Thanksgiving Day Special with Gordon, Brent, and Chris!: Episode 252
1:03:09
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In this episode, Pete is joined by industry standouts Brent Batterman, Chris Taheny, and Gordon Hecht for a lively holiday conversation packed with insight and practical takeaways. Brent Batterman shares how more than two decades in the mattress industry—and innovations like the first finance waterfall system—have helped retailers boost approvals, …
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More Money, More Time, More Life with Donna Krech: Episode 251
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In this episode,we sit down with Donna Krech — Entrepreneur Extraordinaire, Best-Selling Author, and International Speaker — who has spent over 35 years building and coaching multi-million-dollar businesses in wellness, personal development, and entrepreneurship. From struggling to feed her child to becoming a global thought leader, Donna’s journey…
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Restaurateur Will Guidara on Delivering Unreasonable Hospitality
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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
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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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Skyrocket Sales with Free PR Strategies! with Melanie Rembrandt: Episode 250
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In this episode, we sit down with Melanie Rembrandt — award-winning author, copywriter, ghostwriter, speaker, and the original direct response publicist. With decades of experience helping entrepreneurs amplify their message, Melanie has become a trusted voice in the worlds of marketing, PR, and business growth. Her insights have been featured in l…
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From Trauma Surgeon to Taco Tycoon: Mohammad Farraj on Risk, Reinvention, and Experience-First Growth
36:52
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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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Turn Success Into Significance with Jimmy Hurtado: Episode 249
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In this episode, we sit down with Jimmy Hurtado — Founder and President of Returning Smiles, a nonprofit devoted to bringing hope, food, faith, and essential resources to children and families in need both locally and in Ecuador. With 19 years of leadership experience at Sweet Dreams Furniture & Mattress, Jimmy has built a reputation as a purpose-d…
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Why Legacy Brands Are Dying: Matt Egan on Surviving the New Era
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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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1
The Case for Quitting: Kevin Tien on Success, Sacrifice, and Starting Over
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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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In this episode, Pete teams up once again with veteran podcast producer Chris Stone to dive into another round of real, unfiltered questions from the mattress and furniture retail world. Backed by over four decades of industry experience, Pete shares straightforward, experience-driven advice for retailers navigating slow sales, personal pressures, …
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Forget the Dining Room: Neal Fraser’s Profitability Playbook
35:31
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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
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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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1
Prestige Is Overrated: Jeff Bell on What Actually Keeps a Bar Alive
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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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Reflections From The Mountain Top with Brent Batterman: Episode 247
1:03:41
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In this episode, we’re excited to welcome Brent Batterman, a veteran of the mattress industry with over two decades of experience. Brent has played a pivotal role in revolutionizing sales strategies and launching new products across the industry. He’s widely respected for his leadership in training high-performing sales teams and for introducing th…
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Train Smarter, Scale Faster: Won J Jeong on Building Teams that Scale
38:05
38:05
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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
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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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1
The Power of Purpose-Driven Leadership in Foodservice with Alison Patt, President & CEO of Thomas Cuisine
34:08
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This week, Nick sits down with Alison Patt, President and CEO of Thomas Cuisine, to explore how food can be a powerful catalyst for both personal and professional transformation. Alison shares her inspiring journey through the food service industry, a career rooted in real food, genuine hospitality, and a passion for improving lives through nutriti…
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