BusinessManagementEducationHow To

Make Restaurants Profitable

Foodie Coaches

1 in 4 restaurants ran at a loss last year.And if you’re honest?You’ve probably felt just one bad month away from being part of that stat.I’ve recorded a few episodes for this podcast now and after speaking with some of the best restaurant owners in Australia … nearly every single one of them has been through the same stuff that you’re facing right now.Whether it's finding staff, 80 hour weeks, rising supplier costs, struggling to balance family, no money left to pay yourself, fires, floods … you name it - the guests I’ve spoken to have seen it all.Some of them are now industry leaders and experts, with successful restaurants, franchises, turning over millions in revenue, and even stocking their products in supermarketsThis podcast is about what really made the difference.The stuff no one talks about.The mindset shifts, the messy moments, and the moves that actually worked.So if you’re: Sick of grinding with nothing to show for it Ready to finally pay yourself properly Wanting a business that runs without you there 24/7Then this is for you.Every week, we’ll break down how to make restaurants profitable againNot just with theory, but real strategies that are working right now.If you need help right now head over to foodiecoaches.com and book a call with our team otherwise hit follow or subscribe wherever you’re tuning in and I’ll see you every WednesdayCheck out the behind the scenes over at @foodie_coaches and @tim.kummerfeld

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Wednesday · 1 hr 1 min
How Cooking Classes and Micro-Influencers Built This Top 50 Texas BBQ Restaurant
How to use cooking classes, micro-influencers and founder-led content to build a restaurant people fly across the world to visit. The exact marketing strategy Cooper Abercrombie used to turn Bar-A-BBQ from a tent pop-up into a 2025 Texas Monthly Top 50 restaurant — with a line out the door six days a week and customers flying in from Australia and beyond. Cooper Abercrombie was a sales manager in Texas. Seven years ago he bought a smoker, made "awful, awful, awful" brisket, and refused to be bad at it. Today Bar-A-BBQ in Montgomery, Texas is one of the most talked-about barbecue restaurants in America — 2025 Texas Monthly Top 50, ranked #6 on the 2026 Texas Barbecue Top 50, doing $60,000+ weeks out of a 1,400 sq ft ex-vegan sandwich shop, with a line out the door six days a week and about to move to a building five times the size. None of it was luck. In this episode, Cooper sits down with Tim to break down the exact marketing playbook. Why he treated social media as a craft to master (not an afterthought). The 90-day posting rule that separates the operators who get traction from the ones who stay invisible. Why micro-influencers outperform big ones — and generated two viral videos that took him from $25K to $60K weeks in seven days. How his BBQ classes became both a revenue stream AND his best marketing channel — every attendee becomes an ambassador for life. And why teaching people exactly how to make his product (the thing every operator is scared to do) built the fanatic customer base that keeps them coming back. If you're a restaurant owner, café owner or bar owner who says "I'm too busy for marketing" — this is the episode that changes how you think about it. You'll hear: 00:00 – From "awful brisket" to Texas Monthly Top 50 in seven years 02:00 – Working 48 hours a week for free to learn from the best pitmaster in Texas 06:00 – Why ego is the #1 reason most owners never level up 10:30 – Social media as a craft: why Cooper spent as much time learning it as smoking brisket 14:00 – The YouTube channel: 63K subscribers driving 10-20% of daily foot traffic 17:00 – Why teaching customers exactly how to make his product built his fanatic base 21:00 – The 90-day rule: post every day at 9am for 90 days and watch what happens 25:30 – The two viral videos that took Bar-A-BBQ from $25K to $60K weeks in seven days 30:00 – Micro-influencers vs mega ones: why the small ones actually convert 36:00 – Turning cooking classes into a marketing engine (and a real revenue stream) 42:00 – The "fanatic" customer: how to build one person who brings you 50 more 46:00 – What Cooper would tell every restaurant owner terrified of the camera Key takeaways: Marketing is not the afterthought. It's the multiplier that makes your great product actually visible. Post every day for 90 days at the same time. Just do it. Watch what happens. Micro-influencers convert better than mega-influencers — every time, for restaurants. Teaching people how to make your product doesn't cost you customers. It creates ambassadors. Cooking classes are the ultimate marketing engine. Attendees become your biggest promoters — and pay you for the privilege. One viral video from a small creator can change your business in seven days. Getting someone to your restaurant once is easy. Getting them back five times is the whole game. The best marketing tool you have is founder-led content. Turn the camera on and start. If you want to build a hospitality business people cross the world to visit, book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Cooper and Bar-A-BBQ: @barabbq @cooperabercrombie YouTube: Bar-A-BBQ Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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August 18 · 52 min
He Makes the Australia's Best Pizza: Lucio De Falco on 17 Years of Building Lucio Pizzeria
How Lucio De Falco built Sydney's most iconic Neapolitan pizzeria from scratch — and the lessons every restaurant owner, café owner or pizza maker needs to hear about consistency, quality and running a hospitality business that lasts. From a 14-year-old kid washing dishes in Naples to one of the best pizza chefs in the world. Lucio De Falco started washing dishes at his aunt and uncle's pizzeria in Naples when he was 14. By the time he was 21, he was in Sydney — recruited to help launch the first Neapolitan-style pizzeria in Australia at a time when nobody here knew what that meant. Four years later, he opened his own. Lucio Pizzeria Darlinghurst, 2008. Within the first year it had been voted Sydney's best pizza by The Sydney Morning Herald, Time Out and The Good Food Guide — back when reviewers showed up unannounced and you didn't know they'd been there until the article ran. Today Lucio Pizzeria has three venues — Darlinghurst, Zetland and Bar Lucio in Kensington — and Lucio is Vice President of AVPN Australasia (the official body for true Neapolitan pizza), an international judge, and the man behind one of only a handful of AVPN-accredited pizzerias in the country. In 2018 he competed at the Campionato Mondiale Della Pizza in Parma against 750 pizzaioli from 44 nations and came home with Best Pizza in Australia and 5th in the world. In this episode, Lucio sits down with Tim to talk through 17 years of running his own pizzeria — the obsessive focus on dough fermentation, the difference between being a great chef and a great operator, why most owners burn out chasing the wrong things, and the one thing he says separates the standout operators from everyone else. It's a conversation about craft, consistency and what it actually takes to make food that's worth coming back for. You'll hear: 00:00 – Washing dishes in Naples at 14 — how it all began 01:40 – Coming to Sydney at 21 to launch the first Neapolitan pizza in Australia 02:20 – Opening Lucio Pizzeria Darlinghurst at 25 — and winning Sydney's best pizza in year one 05:00 – Why fermentation, ingredients and craft are the difference between great pizza and average pizza 06:00 – The difference between being a great chef and being a great operator 07:20 – The numbers most chefs avoid until it's too late 10:00 – Why profit margins are getting tighter (and what the best operators are doing about it) 11:30 – Why you have to watch your business from up high, not from inside the kitchen 14:00 – Burnout: how to spot it before it costs you everything 45:00 – Why staff happiness is the most important thing you can build 46:30 – "It's hard to gain a customer. It's easy to lose one." 48:30 – Why your customer experience matters more than your marketing 49:00 – His advice to anyone thinking about opening a pizzeria right now Key takeaways: Pizza is art, but pizza is also business. Master both, or you'll burn out. The fermentation, the dough, the ingredients — there are no shortcuts. Consistency is the brand. A great chef and a great operator are two different people. The best owners are both — and they know it takes years. Watch your business from up high. The minute you're stuck inside it, you stop being able to lead it. It takes years to gain a regular customer. It takes a fraction of a second to lose them. If you're thinking about opening a pizzeria right now, do your homework first. Don't let your ego make the decision for you. One in three hospitality businesses is either breaking even or losing money. Know your numbers before you sign anything. If you want to build a hospitality business with the kind of consistency and craft that lasts 17+ years, book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Lucio and Lucio Pizzeria: @luciopizzeria @lucio.defalco Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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August 17 · 21 min
Michelin Comes to Australia, Surcharge Ban Deadline & Rate Rise Warning: What's Coming for Hospo | August Hospo Update
Michelin is coming to Australia, the surcharge ban deadline is 30 September, and another rate rise is likely before Christmas. Here's what every Australian restaurant owner, café owner or bar owner needs to know this month — and what to do about it before the next round of change hits. The industry has been handed some broken eggs. But as Wes puts it — we're much better at making omelets than letting our eggs go bad. In this month's industry update, Tim sits down with Wes Lambert — CEO of ARCA and the man in Parliament advocating for the entire hospitality industry — to break down the four things that will define fiscal '27 for every operator in the country. The good news first: Payday super has landed and, for most operators, it's been smoother than expected. Michelin Guide is officially coming to South Australia in October — with the rest of Australia to follow — and food tourism is expected to boom in 2027 as a result. The bad news: the surcharge ban lands 1 October and you have to be ready by midnight 30 September, junior rates are officially banned in franchise businesses, another rate rise is likely in November, migration is tightening, and trust tax changes are almost certainly passing Parliament. The takeaway: this is a rebuilding year. The operators who thrive will be the ones planning for what's coming, not reacting to it. You'll hear: 00:00 – ARCA Gala Dinner + Fine Foods on 31 August in Melbourne 02:00 – Payday super update: how it's actually gone (better than expected) 03:00 – Surcharge ban 1 October: what you need to do before 30 September midnight 04:00 – BankTech ATMs and CTPOS: the countertop cash solution for the ban 05:30 – Why "we'll drop our merchant fee" from PSPs isn't the whole story 06:30 – Rate rise expected in November — before Christmas 07:00 – Junior rates officially banned in franchise: what it means for pricing 07:30 – The split in the industry: experience operators vs everyone else 09:00 – Michelin Guide coming to South Australia in October 09:30 – AI adoption: why the government is investing (and why you should too) 11:00 – Two Australias: renters vs boomers — how to price for both markets 13:00 – The "half a percenters" — telling the story of your produce 14:00 – Migration tightening in fiscal '27 (and the premium dining labor agreement) 17:30 – This is a rebuilding year. Here's how to eat the elephant. Key takeaways: Michelin coming to Australia is genuine good news — food tourism is expected to boom in 2027. Get your venue ready. You have until 30 September midnight to sort your PSP and menu pricing before the surcharge ban lands. If a PSP tells you they'll "drop the merchant fee," ask what you'll be paying instead. It's rarely nothing. Another rate rise is likely in November. If you're signing equipment leases or variable-rate debt now, price it in. Menu prices need to be up 10% across calendar '26 into '27. If you haven't done it yet, do it before October. Experience is the split. The operators pumping out great social media and hospitality experiences are having record months. The ones who aren't are stuck. You're not going to change the government. Plan for what's coming and turn every threat into an opportunity. The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. FREE RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 🎟️ ARCA Gala Dinner + Fine Foods — 31 August, Lakeside Pavilion, Melbourne. Book tickets: https://arca.org.au/events/ 📅 Foodie Coaches Profit Day at Fine Foods — spend a whole day with Tim and the team working on your business: https://foodiecoaches.co/FineFoodxFoodieCoaches 🏛️ Join ARCA — $52/year. The people in Parliament fighting for your industry need your support: arca.org.au 🤖 AI Implementation Call with Foodie Coaches — if you want help implementing AI in your business, book a call with the team: https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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August 11 · 47 min
80% of Restaurant Owners Have This Finance Problem: Here's What They Can Do About It
How to handle restaurant debt, ATO debt, and small business tax problems the legal way — and why every hospitality operator, restaurant owner, café owner or bar owner in Australia needs to hear this conversation. The Small Business Restructure (SBR) framework, explained. In this episode, Tim sits down with Jono Patch — head of Restaurant Revive (Foodie Coaches' debt restructuring arm) — to talk about the elephant in every hospitality boardroom. Why owners end up in tax debt. Why the shame keeps them stuck. And the exact legal framework — a Small Business Restructure (SBR) — that can wipe most of the debt and let the business trade on. Jono's been through it personally. Understands exactly how it feels. And explains it in language every operator can follow. If you've got a five, six or seven-figure tax debt and you haven't been able to bring yourself to talk about it — this is the conversation to start with. You'll hear: 00:00 – The three symptoms that lead to ATO debt in a restaurant 02:00 – Why bookkeeping neglect is symptom #1 04:00 – Why failed expansion is symptom #2 05:30 – Why the head-in-the-sand mindset is the killer 07:00 – The shame around ATO debt in Australia (and why nobody talks about it) 10:00 – What "pre-insolvency" actually means (in plain English) 14:00 – The Small Business Restructure (SBR) framework, explained 16:00 – Real numbers: what a $500K debt looks like inside an SBR 18:30 – The 3-week voting period and how the ATO actually approves it 22:00 – Trading during and after an SBR — what changes and what doesn't 24:00 – When an SBR is NOT the right option (and what to do instead) 26:00 – Great revenue, bloated cost structure: the pattern Jono sees every week 28:00 – The mental health cost of carrying debt in silence Key takeaways: 80-90% of small businesses have ATO debt at some point. You are not alone. You are not a failure. The head-in-the-sand mindset is the single most expensive one in hospitality. Time is your greatest asset when you have debt. The longer you leave it, the fewer options you have. The Small Business Restructure (SBR) is a legal, legit framework that has been designed for exactly this situation. Your accountant might be doing a great job on your tax lodgements — but that doesn't mean they're the right person to fix a debt crisis. Great revenue isn't the answer to a bad cost structure. Fix the cost structure and the tax debt stops growing. Ask for help. It's not weakness. It's a step operators take when they're serious about saving their business — and their mental health. 🔧 Restaurant Revive — debt restructure and pre-insolvency specialists (Jono personally takes the call, not a sales rep): https://foodiecoaches.co/restaurant-revive-yt 📞 Book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team — if you want expert eyes on the numbers and structure behind the debt: https://foodiecoaches.co/fc-bac-yt Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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August 4 · 1 hr 3 min
How a Third-Generation Restaurant Owner Almost Killed His First Restaurant and Turned It All Around
How a third-generation Italian restaurant owner nearly killed his first restaurant — and the mistake every new restaurant owner, café owner or bar owner makes when they try to copy a concept that worked elsewhere. The lesson Matteo Galletto learned the hard way after 75 years of family hospitality. Matteo Galletto grew up around restaurants on two continents. His grandparents started a family restaurant in Liguria, Italy in the 1950s — the business that pulled the family out of post-war poverty. His father Lucio brought a sliver of that experience to Sydney in 1977 and opened Lucio's in Paddington in 1983 — one of the most iconic Italian restaurants in Sydney for 40 years. Matteo went the other way. Went to university. Studied commerce. Did everything his dad spent a fortune making sure he could do. Then he came back to restaurants anyway. His first solo attempt in Sydney failed. Not because the food was bad. Because he'd been insulated from the backend his entire life — his parents kept all the hard stuff to themselves — so when he opened his own doors he discovered that "looking after the customers is the easy part" and "making sure you can open the doors at 12 o'clock is the hard part." He went back to work with his dad. Then years later he moved to Noosa to open Lucio's Marina in Tewantin — and almost made the exact same mistake again. Same concept that worked in Sydney's east. Different town. Different demographic. Wrong fit. In this episode, Matteo sits down with Tim to talk about the lesson it took two restaurants and 75 years of family hospitality to teach him: a great concept in the wrong place is still a bad business. It's the conversation every operator opening, expanding or relocating needs to hear. You'll hear: 00:00 – Three generations across two countries — the family that started it all in 1950s Italy 03:30 – Lucio's Paddington: 40 years as one of Sydney's most iconic Italian restaurants 05:20 – Why his dad spent a fortune trying to keep him out of restaurants 05:50 – The first solo restaurant — and why it failed 06:30 – "Looking after the customers is the easy part. Opening the doors is the hard part." 08:00 – Why hospitality isn't as fun as it used to be (and what's changed) 10:00 – Coming back to work with his dad and modernising the business 14:00 – Moving to Noosa and the second mistake he almost made 18:00 – Right concept, wrong town: the lesson every operator learns the hard way 22:00 – What 75 years of family restaurants actually teaches you about longevity Key takeaways: The hardest part of hospitality isn't the food or the service. It's the backend you've never been taught. A concept that works in one suburb won't automatically work in another. The market is the variable, not the recipe. Three generations of family wisdom doesn't make you immune to making the same mistakes everyone else makes. Being insulated from the hard stuff as a child means learning all of it as an adult — fast. Modern hospitality requires working harder to deliver the same sense of hospitality the old generation had as standard. Every great family restaurant has had to evolve. The ones that stay the same close. If you're opening or relocating a venue and want to make sure the concept matches the market, book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Matteo and Lucio's Marina: @luciosmarina Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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July 28 · 48 min
Brisbane's Biggest Hospitality Group Founder Talks the Real Cost of Scaling to 12 Restaurants: Meet Michel Tassis
How to scale a hospitality business from one restaurant to twelve, how to build systems that let you run 750 staff across every cuisine imaginable, and the mindset shifts every restaurant owner, café owner or bar owner has to make to break through the multi-venue ceiling. Michael Tassis of the Tassis Group on 16 years of building Brisbane's biggest independent hospitality group. Michael Tassis started with one seafood restaurant in Brisbane in 2010. 16 years later, the Tassis Group runs 12 restaurants, employs 750 staff, and covers Greek, Italian, French, Spanish, Asian, seafood, steakhouse and modern Australian — with more venues opening at The Star Brisbane and the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge. He grew up in his family's iconic Sydney seafood restaurant George's Paragon. Broke away in 2010. Opened his own George's Paragon at Eagle Street Pier and spent two hard years grinding to break through. Once he did, he was running the busiest restaurant in Brisbane doing 5,000+ customers a week with over 100 staff. Then he did what most owners can't — went from one venue to two, from two to three, then kept going. In this episode, Michael sits down with Tim to break down the exact playbook. How he learned the back-office side after a career on the floor and in the kitchen. Why he refuses to carbon-copy the same concept. How his brother Peter runs the internal broker for every new site. The systems and internal contracts that let him hand every hiring decision back to venue GMs. And why the multi-venue ceiling isn't a marketing problem — it's a systems and trust problem. This is one of the most operationally generous conversations we've had on the show. You'll hear: 00:00 – From one restaurant to 12 in 16 years — the whole journey 02:00 – Growing up in George's Paragon and breaking away from the family 04:00 – Two years grinding to break through Eagle Street Pier 06:00 – Massimo: the second venue that took off from day one 08:00 – The biggest jump: going from one to two, and what changed 10:00 – Rico's: sharing staff between venues and the efficiency multiplier 12:00 – Going from three to four: trusting the team more, coaching the culture 16:00 – The 30 franchise stores that funded his group's growth 18:00 – Why he refuses to do the same cuisine twice 22:00 – How his brother Peter runs the internal broker for every new site 28:00 – Internal contracts: staff on 6 months of a new concept "before it opens" 33:00 – The hardest hire in the group and how they solved it 38:00 – Handing every hire back to venue GMs — and why it changed everything 42:00 – The culture ethos: how to build a place people fight to work at 46:00 – Michael's advice for anyone stuck at 2-3 venues Key takeaways: Going from one to two isn't about opening another venue. It's about learning the back office you never had to know. The three-venue ceiling isn't a marketing problem. It's a systems and trust problem. The best operators refuse to carbon-copy their own success. Every venue needs its own concept. Share staff across venues. It doubles their utility and halves the labour headache. Every hiring decision should live with the venue that has to work with the person. GMs blame themselves after that, not you. Great people follow great people. Culture attracts culture. Your first management hire sets the tone for the next 10 years. Systems + numbers = scale. Without either, you'll stall at three venues forever. If you're stuck at your first, second or third venue and you want to know how to break through, book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Michael and the Tassis Group: @tassisgroup Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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July 21 · 55 min
He Sold Most of His Restaurants and Says It Was the Best Decision He Ever Made
How to scale down a hospitality business without losing what you built, why doing less can make you more profitable, and the lessons every restaurant owner, bar owner and café owner needs to hear about growth. For anyone running a venue (or thinking about opening one) who thinks bigger is always better. Scott Imlach moved from Queenstown, New Zealand to London in 1994 — and ended up running 48 venues across the UK as Operations Manager of the Outback Inn Group. He's been on the Gold Coast for 20 years. At one point he was running 11-12 venues at once. Today he runs three — Bine in Nobby Beach, Hideaway in Broadbeach, and Precinct Brewing in Miami. And he says it was the best decision he ever made. In this episode, Scott sits down with Tim to break down everything he's learned over two decades of building, opening, selling and scaling hospitality businesses on the Gold Coast. He's famously never bought an existing business — he takes over closed venues and rebuilds them. He does the numbers before he even visits the site. He campaigned to legislate the Small Bar Licence on the Gold Coast. And he had his second kid at 50, which forced him to confront the cost of carrying everything alone. This is the conversation for anyone who's chasing growth without asking what it's actually costing them. You'll hear: 00:00 – From 11 venues down to 3 — and why life got better 01:30 – Why kids at 50 forced the slowdown 01:40 – Why Scott rebuilds closed venues instead of buying running ones 04:50 – How to walk a site (and the second visit that saved him from a bad lease) 06:20 – Why location is community, not foot traffic 07:40 – How community-building beats marketing every time 09:00 – The contrarian rule: do the numbers before you visit the site 11:30 – The break-even point conversation every owner needs to have 12:00 – Why the 30/30/30 rule is dead 13:30 – How your fit-out determines your labour cost 14:30 – When architects and designers ruin a venue Key takeaways: The number of venues you run isn't the measure of success. The life you build alongside them is. Never buy a running restaurant. Take over a closed one. You'll save hundreds of thousands. Do the numbers before you visit the site. If they don't stack up, the location doesn't matter. Your break-even point is the single most important number in your business. If you don't know it, you're not ready. The 30/30/30 rule (food/labour/overheads) is dead. Every venue runs different numbers because every venue is different. Your fit-out determines your labour cost more than any roster ever will. Community beats marketing. Get involved. Sponsor the local team. Be the face. Show up. If you're carrying too much and wondering whether you should scale back to scale up — book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Scott's venues: @binebeerbar @hideawaykitchenandbar @precinctbrewing Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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July 20 · 25 min
Cash Comes Back, Tourism Rebounds & the Acquisition Market Heats Up: What's Coming for Hospo | July Hospo Update
Cash is back, tourism is rebounding and the hospitality acquisition market is heating up. Here's what's coming for hospo this month — for restaurant owners, café owners and bar owners across Australia trying to stay ahead of the changes. Three big things landed on hospitality this month — and for once, most of them are good news. In this month's industry update, Tim sits down with Wes Lambert — CEO of ARCA and the man in Parliament advocating for every café and restaurant in Australia — to break down what's happening now, what's coming next, and what you need to be doing about it before the next round of change hits. Payday super is live and running smoothly. Tourism is rebounding, with record weeks reported by operators from Toowoomba to Cairns to Sydney. The surcharge ban is landing 1 October, and the RBA is encouraging cash discounts — which means ATMs may be making a comeback. CGT and negative gearing laws have passed Parliament. Trust tax changes are looming. And the acquisition market is red hot — great news whether you're looking to buy or sell. Plus AI. If you're not using it in your business yet, you're leaving money on the table. You'll hear: 00:00 – Payday super update: no major issues so far 02:00 – Tourism is rebounding — record weeks across the country 03:00 – Cash is back: the RBA's push for cash discounts before the surcharge ban 05:00 – Why the Telstra outage proved you need alternatives to card payments 07:00 – The 10% price increase you'll need across 2026 09:30 – CGT and negative gearing laws have passed — what it means for your business 11:30 – Trust tax changes: why you need advice now, not later 14:00 – Consumer spending, interest rates and the road to 2027 15:30 – The acquisition market is red hot — buy or sell opportunities everywhere 17:00 – When it's time to restructure or exit — and why that's not failure 19:00 – The AI revolution — what every hospitality business should be adopting now LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Join ARCA: arca.org.au GSE Business Brokers: https://www.gsehospitalitybrokers.com.au/ Restaurant Revive: https://www.restaurantrevive.com/home Book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team: https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld
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July 14 · 41 min
He Was Ready to Sell. Now He's at 267% Profit Growth: Brad Fitzgibbons on Saving His Own Pub
Brad Fitzgibbons is the fourth generation of Fitzgibbons in the family pub trade. His parents handed him and his sister Anita the keys to Fitzy's Toowoomba — a 25-year-old iconic Queensland venue with restaurants, bars, gaming and retail across one massive site. By late 2021 he was running the whole thing into the ground. Trading was a mess. He was pouring drinks behind the bar to save $30 an hour. He'd hidden the numbers from his own team for so long that when his hotel manager finally found out, he said, "Boss, I didn't realise. We could have helped." His relationship with his head chef had broken down to the point where they were passing each other in the hallway without speaking. And his plan was to sell the business, exit, and walk away. He called Foodie Coaches looking for someone to save him. Three years later, Fitzy's is 267% more profitable. He projects 400% by end of financial year. He's barely on the roster anymore. And his entire core team — including the chef he wasn't speaking to — is still standing beside him. In this episode, Brad sits down with Tim to talk through the turnaround in his own words. The mindset, the team, the spreadsheets, the gym at 4:30am, and the brutal honesty about how he himself was the biggest problem. This one is for anyone reading the numbers at midnight and wondering if they should just sell. You'll hear: 00:00 – Generational pub: taking over from Mum and Dad 03:00 – Where Brad was when he first called Foodie Coaches 05:00 – 267% profit growth — and the call that was meant to be an exit plan 08:00 – Why his entire core team stayed through the turnaround 11:00 – The chef relationship that had completely broken down 13:00 – How working on himself changed everything in the business 21:00 – Diversification, bottleshops and the next chapters at Fitzy's Key takeaways: No one is coming to save you. The first move has to be yours. Hiding the numbers from your team is hiding the problem from the people best placed to fix it You can't lead a business out of duress if you're not leading yourself out of duress first The team you have right now may be more capable of the turnaround than you think Spreadsheets aren't boring once Monday is the day you find out you made money If you're reading the numbers at midnight and wondering whether to sell, book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Brad and Fitzy's: @fitzystoowoomba Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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July 7 · 54 min
He's Spent 41 Years in Hospitality. Here's What Simon Sandall Wishes Every Owner Knew.
How to last 41 years in hospitality, build a career across the world's most iconic restaurants, and learn the lessons every restaurant owner wishes they'd been told earlier. Simon Sandall on consistency, ownership, hospitality and the standards that built one of Australia's most respected culinary careers. Simon Sandall came to Australia from Rugby, UK, 31 years ago for a six-month working holiday. He never went home. For 41 years he's been in hospitality. 17 of those as Matt Moran's Group Executive Chef — running Aria Sydney, Aria Brisbane, Chiswick, Chiswick at the Gallery, Opera Bar, North Bondi Fish, River Bar and Aria Catering. 21 New Year's Eves at the Sydney Opera House. Hat-rated kitchens, three-figure covers a night, every level of the industry. Then he walked away to build his own. His restaurant Boronia Kitchen in Hunters Hill. A catering company. A consultancy. And a quieter, deeper relationship with the craft. In this episode, Simon sits down with Tim and gives away the kind of hard-won wisdom you usually only get from someone who's done four decades at the top. Consistency. Ownership. Standards. Vulnerability as leadership. And why — after losing 20% of his pancreas, 9 years sober, and one year off the cigarettes — he believes the only thing that matters in hospitality is how you make people feel. This is one of the most generous masterclasses on hospitality longevity we've ever recorded. You'll hear: 00:00 – Rugby to Sydney via Sweden, Boston and Paris 06:00 – 17 years as Matt Moran's right-hand man 14:00 – Why losing a chef's hat became one of the best things that ever happened 22:00 – Consistency: the biggest killer in hospitality (and the one thing he wishes more owners protected) 30:00 – The night he signed the Boronia Kitchen lease from intensive care 38:00 – Tell people you love them — and why that's a leadership skill, not a soft one 46:00 – How to walk into someone else's business and actually help them 54:00 – The standards that separate the operators who last from the ones who burn out 1:02:00 – What 41 years in hospitality taught him about himself Key takeaways: Take ownership of everything that happens in your business — the good, the bad, and the ugly. The owners who last are the ones who don't pass the blame. Consistency is the biggest killer in hospitality. The dish that's incredible on Friday and average on Tuesday loses you the customer. Hospitality is a feeling. People don't go back for the coffee. They go back for how you made them feel. Tell the people around you that you love them. It costs nothing and changes everything. Standards aren't a culture statement. They're a personal discipline that everyone else takes their cue from. You don't need to be the loudest in the kitchen to be the most respected. Quiet authority, built on craft, lasts the longest. If you're building a hospitality career — or running a venue and wondering how to make it last — book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Simon and Boronia Kitchen: @simonsandall @boroniakitchen Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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June 30 · 56 min
Inside One of the World's Best Bars: How Stefano Catino Builds World-Class Hospitality
How to build world-class hospitality, train a restaurant or bar team that wins awards, and run a hospitality business that gets onto The World's 50 Best Bars list. If you're a restaurant owner, café owner or bar owner who wants to understand what separates the best in the world from everyone else — this is the episode. Maybe Sammy isn't just one of the best bars in Sydney. It's one of the best bars on the planet. Seven years running on The World's 50 Best Bars list. Five-time winner of Best Bar in Australasia. The inaugural winner of the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award — a category that exists solely to recognise the world's single greatest service experience. In this episode, co-founder Stefano Catino sits down with Tim to talk about how he and business partner Vince Lombardo actually built Maybe Sammy — plus Maybe Frank (their pizzeria), El Primo Sanchez (tequila bar in Surry Hills), the Maybe Sammy Cocktail bottled cocktail company (now on Qantas flights), and consultancy work with Dina Group and Accor Hotels. Stefano grew up in a small touristy town in Cinque Terre, north Italy. He treats his team like a football squad. He refuses to sit down in his own bar. And he says hospitality isn't a word — it's the centre of everything he does. This is one of the most generous masterclasses on hospitality culture and team-building we've ever recorded. You'll hear: 00:00 – Three venues, a cocktail company, and a Maybe Group empire 03:00 – How Stefano and Vince split roles to run multiple venues without burning out 06:00 – Why he treats his team like a football team — players, coaches, fans, the lot 09:00 – The two-way trial: "I want to see if I like you. I also want to see if you like me." 15:00 – Why he'll never sit down in his own venue 22:00 – The hospitality philosophy that won the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award 30:00 – Working with hotel groups: why most hotels under five stars get F&B completely wrong 40:00 – The cocktail bottle business: making world-class cocktails accessible at home and in pubs 48:00 – Building Maybe Sammy in the middle of a quiet Sydney street — and why location wasn't the issue Key takeaways: Hospitality isn't a word. It's everything you think about from the moment you wake up to the moment you finish your shift. Lead by example so hard your team can't stand to disappoint you. A two-way trial protects your culture better than any HR process. If they don't like you and your team, they're gone — fast. Your venue is a football team. Owners, coaches, players, fans. Every role matters. Every role needs care. Integrity is easy to say. It's hard to do. The bars that win awards are the ones that do it every day. The fancy stuff (cocktails, design, theatre) gets the press. The hospitality is what gets people back. If you want to build a hospitality business with culture this strong, book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Stefano and the Maybe Group: @maybesammy @maybefrank @elprimosanchez_ Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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June 23 · 22 min
Burnout, Modernising the Family Business & Scared to Raise Prices (Q&A Special)
How to handle restaurant owner burnout, modernise a family restaurant business without losing what made it special, and raise your prices when you're scared people won't pay them. Four real restaurant owners. Four totally different problems. Honest answers, fast. You asked. Tim answered. In this Q&A special, four owners from around the world wrote in with the kind of problems that don't show up on the P&L — but quietly eat away at the business and the operator behind it. If you've ever told yourself the numbers are "fine" while privately falling out of love with the business — this one's for you. This episode covers: 00:00 – Is this a sell-it moment or a take-a-holiday moment? 06:30 – Am I being precious about tradition, or is she onto something? 13:30 – At what point is this a training problem vs the wrong staff? 18:00 – I freeze every time I think about raising prices. How do I change what people think my bread is worth? Key takeaways: "Fine" is the most dangerous word in hospitality. It's the trap that keeps owners stuck in jobs they used to love. You can't grow a tired version of yourself. Reset the operator before you reset the business. Modernising a family restaurant is not abandoning tradition. Standing still is what kills tradition. Most COGS problems aren't staff problems or cost problems — they're culture problems People buy your story before they buy your product. Educate the market before you change the price tag. Don't discount yourself. Lift the perception of what you're worth. If you've got a question you want Tim to answer on the show, write in and we'll pick the best ones. If you're "fine" but ready to be better than fine, book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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June 14 · 21 min
Wage Hike Confirmed, Payday Super Looms & Trust Tax Changes: What's Coming for Hospo | June Hospo Update
What's coming for hospo in June: the 4.75% award wage hike confirmed, payday super landing on 1 July, and the looming trust tax changes that could double-tax small business owners. If you're a restaurant owner, café owner or bar owner in Australia, here's exactly what's coming and what to do about it. Three things landed on hospitality this month, and all three need action. In this month's industry update, Tim sits down with Wes Lambert — CEO of ARCA and the man in Parliament advocating for every café and restaurant in Australia — to break down the confirmed 4.75% award wage rise (third-largest since the GFC), the payday super deadline on 1 July, and the trust tax changes that could quietly cost small business owners a fortune in fiscal 27. Plus the small business CGT carve-out (good news, for once), where the surcharge ban stands as it approaches end of year, and what's happening with the phase-out of junior rates. If you haven't lifted your prices yet this year, this is your last warning. You'll hear: 00:00 – The 4.75% award wage hike: confirmed, predicted months ago 03:00 – What this means for your roster, your rates, and your menu prices 05:00 – Payday super lands 1 July: what changes and how to prepare 08:00 – Trust tax changes: the looming threat most owners don't know about 12:00 – The small business CGT carve-out — and why it might actually be good news 14:00 – Where the surcharge ban stands as we head into October 16:00 – End of junior rates: timeline update 18:00 – EOFY compliance: single-use plastics, seafood labelling, payday super 20:00 – What every operator needs to do this month Key takeaways: Award wages confirmed up 4.75% from 1 July. If you haven't raised your menu prices by at least that much, you're absorbing the hit yourself. Payday super starts 1 July — every pay run now triggers a super payment. Cash flow planning starts now. Trust tax changes proposed for fiscal 27 could result in double taxation for small business owners running through trust structures. Talk to your accountant now. Not acting is a decision — and right now it's the most expensive one you can make. ARCA is your voice in Parliament. The more members they have, the louder it gets. Checkout the Payday Super Webinar Replay: https://learn.foodiecoaches.com.au/payday-super-replay Join our Foundation Programs: https://foundations.foodiecoaches.com.au/programs If you're not on top of your pricing, your labour costs and your margins right now, book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Join ARCA at arca.org.au The people advocating for your industry need your support. Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New updates every month
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June 9 · 55 min
"I Wouldn't Open a Burger Shop Today": James Hurlston on 11 Years Running Melbourne's Most Iconic Burger Joint
James "Jimmy" Hurlston was studying intellectual property law when he decided he'd had enough. So he quit, ate over 800 burgers in a year, wrote The Burger Book, and three years later opened Easey's — the now-iconic Collingwood burger joint with a train carriage on the roof, graffiti walls, and a rotating cast of Melbourne's hospitality and street art scene. Eleven years on, Easey's is still standing. But James says he wouldn't open a burger shop today. In this episode, he sits down with Tim to talk about how Easey's actually survived, the failed Sydney expansion that nearly broke him, the ego he had to lose to grow, and why the train carriage on the roof has been both his biggest strength and his most expensive lease. He's also brutally honest about what he got wrong, why the next venue wouldn't be in Victoria or Sydney, and the one achievement he's most proud of after 11 years. This is the kind of conversation you only get from someone who's been in the trenches long enough to tell the truth. You'll hear: 00:00 – From law school to 800 burgers a year 08:30 – How Easey's actually survived the early years 14:30 – The Sydney expansion that failed (and the ego that caused it) 30:00 – Why he wouldn't open a burger shop today 50:00 – Building a community in burgers and what 11 years has really taught him Key takeaways: Passion is the only thing that gets you through 11 years in hospo — every operator who opened a burger shop chasing the trend is gone A unique venue can hide a lot of mistakes early on — but it also locks you into a rent you can't escape from Expansion needs full control of the venue. Sub-letting your brand into someone else's pub is a fast way to lose it. Once you upset the locals in a tight community, you can't come back. Doesn't matter what your product is. Your greatest achievement as an owner isn't your venues. It's the team members who go on to open their own. If you're serious about building a hospo business that lasts — without burning yourself out chasing a trend — book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow James and Easey's: @jimmysburgers @easeysburgers Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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June 2 · 50 min
He Has 8 Locations & 1000+ Staff: How Rob Comiskey Runs Australia's Most Iconic Pub Empire
Rob Comiskey runs one of the biggest hospitality groups in Australia. 8 venues. 1,000+ staff. And another 6-7 venues under construction, including a $250 million expansion at Sandstone Point that will bring the area's first 5-star resort. The Comiskey Group's portfolio reads like a who's who of iconic Queensland venues — Eatons Hill Hotel (where Prince, Ice Cube and Post Malone have all played), Sandstone Point Hotel, the BIG4 holiday resort that's the highest selling in Australia, plus the Dakabin, Mundy, Samford, Doonan and Eumundi. But the real story isn't the scale. It's what Rob, his brother and his father — still working at 83 — built from three pubs they took over decades ago, and the operating rhythms that keep it consistent across every venue. In this episode, Rob sits down with Tim to talk through how he actually runs a business this big — the monthly 6-hour finance meetings where every GM reviews every line of every P&L, the $500K butchery they built purely for quality, why food and beverage matters more than gaming in every pub they own, and the family decision-making style that's seen them invest tens of millions on gut feel. It's the most operationally generous conversation we've ever had on this show. You'll hear: 00:00 – Inside the Comiskey Group: 8 venues and what's coming 05:00 – The monthly 6-hour open-book finance meeting every GM attends 07:30 – The $500K butchery that sometimes loses money — and why he'd still vote for it every time 10:30 – Why every pub is 5 businesses in one (and why you can't rely on gaming) 14:00 – How they built Eatons Hill: 15,000 capacity, 5 levels, $80M, and everyone said it was crazy 20:00 – How to make calculated decisions without losing momentum 22:30 – Maintaining culture and consistency across 1,000+ staff 28:00 – Why every venue needs its own personality (and one hero product) 29:00 – Weekly on-site management meetings and how Rob splits his time 35:00 – The brutal truth about hiring: you can't change personality Key takeaways: Open-book financials with your GMs creates accountability, not exposure Every part of your business should be self-sufficient — don't let one revenue stream carry the rest Quality and consistency build the brand. The money comes from that, not the other way around. You can't make decisions without facts. Ask the questions until the answer becomes obvious. Hire for personality and work ethic. You can train everything else. You can't train those. Build with intention, but renovate constantly. The standard you set is the standard you have to keep raising. If you're ready to build a hospitality business that runs at this level — or even just the next level up from where you are now — book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Rob and the Comiskey Group: @comiskeygroup @sandstonepointhotel @eatonshillhotel Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday
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May 26 · 52 min
He Runs His Café From 1,700km Away: Cam Henderson on Building The Winey Cow
Cam Henderson and his wife Jill opened The Winey Cow in Mornington, Victoria in 2014. For nearly a decade it became one of the Mornington Peninsula's most loved cafés — Cafe of the Year, Best Breakfast Restaurant Victoria, the lot. Then COVID happened. Three years of opening, closing, opening, closing. By the end of it, Cam was mentally beat up. So he turned to Jill and said: "I think we need to move." Two weeks of quarantine in Cairns later, they landed on the Gold Coast — into a house they'd never seen, a school they'd never visited, with Mornington still running 1,700km behind them. Eighteen months after that, they opened a second venue in Main Beach. Brought their long-time staff members in as co-owners. And nearly broke themselves doing it. In this episode, Cam sits down with Tim to talk through what it actually takes to run a café from another state — the systems, the weekly rhythms, the team culture that holds it all together, and the hard lessons from a second venue that nearly took them out. This is the conversation for anyone wondering if you can actually step back from your business without losing it. You'll hear: 00:00 – How to move interstate without losing your café 09:30 – How to run a café remotely (the systems that hold it together) 21:30 – How to track the right numbers across multiple cafés 28:00 – How to recover when a second venue is losing money 40:00 – How to step back from your business without burning it down Key takeaways: - You can run a venue from anywhere — but only if the systems, the culture, and the weekly rhythm are non-negotiable - Always have a strong 2IC ready to step up. It's the difference between a hiccup and a disaster. - Your regulars don't only stay loyal to you — they become loyal to the team you build - Standards drift the moment you stop showing up for them. Weekly meetings are how you hold the line. - A new venue is not a copy-paste of the last one. Arrogance in expansion is what nearly took Cam out. - The best way to keep your best people is to invite them in as owners If you're ready to build a business you can actually step back from — without losing what you built — book a free Profit Finding Session with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Cam and The Winey Cow: @thewineycow Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday
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May 19 · 14 min
Food Truck Trouble, Empty Sports Bars & Teams That Don't Care (Q&A Special)
You asked. Tim answered. Four real owners. Four totally different problems. And the kind of straight-up answers that come from someone who's worked with over 2,000 venues across the world. In this Q&A special, Tim breaks down what's actually broken — and exactly what to do about it. This episode covers: 00:00 – How do you build consistent revenue when your fixed location is unpredictable? 05:00 – How do you manage labour cost during quiet periods without gutting service? 09:00 – What do you do when your team doesn't care anymore? 12:00 – How do you measure true profitability when multiple brands share one kitchen? If you've got a question you want Tim to answer on the show, send it through — details in the comments. If you're stuck, plateaued, or on a growth trajectory and you need someone in your corner, book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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May 17 · 21 min
Federal Budget, Surcharge Ban Update & Wage Rises Ahead: What's Coming for Hospo | May Hospo Update
The federal budget just dropped. The surcharge ban is creeping closer. And the next round of wage rises is about to land. In this month's industry update, Tim sits down with Wes Lambert — CEO of ARCA and the man in Parliament advocating for every café and restaurant in Australia — to break down what's just happened, what's coming, and what you need to be doing about it right now. It's the most direct conversation we've had yet. If you're already break-even, you need to hear this. You'll hear: 00:00 – Wes is back from the US — what he saw in New York and why credit card surcharges are on every menu there 03:00 – The federal budget: tax, spend, broken promises and the one tiny piece of good news for small business 04:30 – Instant asset write-off made permanent at $20K — what it means for you before EOFY 05:30 – The surcharge ban update: why the banks have gone silent (and what it might mean on 1 October) 07:00 – The fear nobody's talking about: you could end up paying the same merchant fees with nothing in return 08:30 – Why you must be planning a menu price increase before 1 October 09:00 – The next interest rate rise expected before 1 July 09:30 – Award wages likely up mid-5% — and how the Fair Work Commission calculates the jump 10:00 – Payday super lands on 1 July: what it actually means for your weekly cash flow 12:00 – Why operators already at break-even are the ones most at risk 13:00 – "If your only excuse for not raising prices is 'I'll lose customers,' you'll say that until the day you close" 14:30 – What ARCA is fighting for right now: rent renegotiation, tourism spend, red tape reduction 16:00 – Why rent should be 8-10% in restaurants — and what to do if yours has crept beyond that 17:00 – The case for doubling tourism advertising and bringing Michelin Guide to Australia 19:00 – Why fiscal 2027 needs to be a reset period for the industry Key takeaways: The federal budget is a tax-and-spend budget — there's no relief coming for small business The surcharge ban is on track for 1 October — but the banks haven't moved on merchant fees, so you may end up absorbing the cost with no relief Award wages are expected to rise mid-5% from 1 July. Payday super hits on the same day. If you haven't raised your prices by 10% this year, you're absorbing every cost increase yourself Rent is the largest negotiable line item on your P&L. If yours is above 10%, it's time to negotiate. ARCA has put together a rent renegotiation pack for members and non-members. Use it. If you're already at break-even and worried about what's coming, this is the moment to book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Join ARCA at arca.org.au — the more members ARCA has, the louder the voice in Parliament. Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld
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May 12 · 54 min
You Don't Own Your Business. The Community Does: Rabih Yanni on 33 Years in Hospitality
Rabih Yanni has spent 33 years in hospitality. Nine venues across nine different postcodes. Currently runs Botanical Hotel in South Yarra — the iconic Melbourne pub he's brought back to life since 2019. Founded South Yarra Deli during COVID and took it national. He's the kind of operator who can walk into a venue, look around, and tell you in five minutes what's broken and how to fix it. But the line that stopped Tim in this conversation was this: "You never own a business. The community does. Your role is to navigate that community expectation." In this episode, Rabih breaks down 33 years of hard-won lessons — the standards he refuses to compromise on, the way he holds team for 20+ years, why he's never bought a business from a good operator, and the one mindset shift that separates owners who survive from owners who scale. This one's a masterclass. You'll hear: 00:00 – "You either win or you learn. You don't make mistakes." 01:00 – Why a 10K week venue is harder than a 100K week venue 02:00 – The line that changes how you see ownership forever 04:00 – Walking the guest's path — how to read what your community actually wants 07:00 – How to stop being store-blind in your own venue 09:00 – Why your suppliers are part of the team, not just service providers 10:00 – Holding staff for 20+ years — what actually creates loyalty 12:00 – Non-negotiables: fingerprints, dog-eared menus, dust on bottles 13:00 – "The standard you walk past is the standard you accept" 15:00 – How Rabih's "intent" shifted from working for himself to growing his team 19:00 – Why hospitality is one of the safest industries to be in right now 20:00 – Never buy a business from a good operator — Rabih's rule for acquisitions 21:00 – "You make your money when you buy" 42:00 – Weekly stocktakes and why most owners avoid them 45:00 – "If you're at $2M with aspirations to grow, do the work or concede you bought a job" 46:00 – Act quicker, fail fast — the lesson Rabih wishes he'd learned earlier 50:00 – The difference between an opportunity and a distraction 51:00 – Advice for anyone thinking about buying their first venue Key takeaways: - You never own a business. The community does. Your job is to navigate the community's expectation. - Secondary can never become primary — but you can't get primary right if you don't get secondary right. - Everyone needs to share in the heavy lifting. Suppliers, service providers, team — not just the owner. - The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. - If you're going to fail, fail fast. Procrastination is the most expensive habit in hospo. - You don't get a second chance at a first impression. If you're ready to build something worth being proud of — and stop being a stranger to your own numbers — book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com Follow Rabih and Botanical Hotel: @botanicalhotel Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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May 5 · 48 min
Fried Chicken, Champagne and Wu-Tang: How Julian Cincotta Built Sydney's Most Unique Restaurant
Julian Cincotta grew up cooking at his family's café in Western Sydney. He went on to train under Neil Perry at Rockpool, won Young Chef of the Year, staged at some of the best restaurants in the world — and then opened a fried chicken and champagne bar in Surry Hills with a sneaker wall and a Wu-Tang soundtrack. Two weeks after they opened, Wu-Tang Clan walked in. That was ten years ago. In this episode, Julian sits down with Tim to talk through the whole decade — the concept nobody believed in, the three venues COVID stripped back to one, the emotional weight of closing something you built, and why he's now one of the loudest voices on sustainability in the Australian hospitality industry. It's a conversation about what it takes to stay relevant, stay true to what you built, and still be standing after ten years in one of the hardest industries in the world. You'll hear: 00:00 – Fried chicken, champagne, sneakers and hip hop — where the idea came from 03:00 – Training at Rockpool and what fine dining teaches you about everything else 06:00 – Winning Young Chef of the Year and what happened next 08:00 – Opening Butter and why nobody thought it would work 10:00 – Wu-Tang walked in two weeks after they opened 13:00 – Scaling to three venues — and why one to three nearly broke them 18:00 – COVID, leases and the decision to close three venues down to one 22:00 – Why closing felt like failure — and why it wasn't 25:00 – Staying relevant after ten years and through a generation of change 28:00 – The partnership lessons nobody tells you upfront 32:00 – How Julian got obsessed with sustainability 36:00 – Compostable packaging, PFAS and why it's more complicated than it looks 42:00 – Turning Mayo buckets into reusable containers 45:00 – The one thing every owner can do today to reduce waste and save money 47:00 – What ten years at Butter actually taught him If you want to go further on sustainability in your venue, Julian is part of HospoDECLARE — a movement connecting hospitality operators across Australia to share practical strategies for reducing waste, electrifying operations, and building more responsible supply chains. It's industry-wide collaboration built for people who actually want to make changes that stick. Check out https://www.hospodeclare.com/ Book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.
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