Shows
My First Restaurant27: How to Raise Money for Restaurant Growth | Akash Mirchandani, Kitchen FundAkash Mirchandani is a Partner at Kitchen Fund, a leading investment firm focused on the emerging restaurant space. Kitchen Fund aims to fuel the brands that are changing how we eat, including investments in some popular restaurants you may have heard of such as sweetgreen, CAVA, and Curry Up Now.Prior to Kitchen Fund Akash worked in Blackstone’s Private Equity Group, graduated from Harvard where he was captain of the golf team, and deepened his passion for the food industry through a brief stage working in the kitchen at Alinea, the three Michelin star restaurant in Ch...
2023-08-1843 minMy First Restaurant26: Top 10 Lessons Learned From Season 1Host Bryan Tublin shares his top 10 lessons learned from Season 1 of My First Restaurant.Top 10 Lessons Learned:Know why you’re getting into the businessTest your concept first!Timing and momentum mattersRaise enough capital – Things always cost more and take longer than you thinkChoose the right contractor for your buildoutCentralized Commissary vs. Store-Level Production? There’s no right answerDo, Delegate, or DeprioritizeTake care of yourself firstLook for self awareness and a growth mindset when hiringSuccessful brands differentiate and solve a real needBONUS: Restaurants are hard, but not for the reasons you think
2023-06-2549 min
My First Restaurant25: From Line Cook to Restaurant Owner | Dominica Rice-Cisneros, Bombera“I work really hard, and my staff works really hard, so I have to be in love with that city and that community to do the work that I do.”—Dominica Rice-Cisneros is the Chef & Owner of Bombera in Oakland, California. During her long career as a line cook, Dominica worked her way up in fine dining establishments such as Chez Panisse and The Four Seasons, before opening her first restaurant Cosecha to showcase her take on California Mexican cuisine.Forced to close Cosecha during the Covid-19 pandemic due to its downtow...
2023-06-1750 min
My First Restaurant24: Secret Shoppers, Diversified Growth, & Running Two Businesses at Once | Mistie Boulton, Oren’s Hummus & EyeSpy“You want more happy employees that are gonna turn to happy guests, and in order to do that you don’t want your team to feel overwhelmed.”—Mistie Boulton is the CEO of Oren’s Hummus, and the President and Founder of EyeSpy Critiquing & Consulting, a mystery shopping and operations improvement business for the service industry. Mistie brings 20+ years of restaurant industry experience to this conversation, where we dive deep into why she decided to start a mystery shopping business in her 20’s, how she grew Oren’s Hummus to 6 brick-and-mortar locations, and her thoughts on...
2023-06-1058 min
My First Restaurant23: The Rise of “Fast Premium” and Roman Style Pizza | Gabriel Baldinucci, Baldinucci Pizza Romana“Don’t ever even consider opening a restaurant unless you have worked in and ideally managed one.”—This week’s guest is Gabriel Baldinucci, co-founder of Baldinucci Pizza Romana, a “fast premium” pizza restaurant based in Austin, Texas.In this interview we discuss the origins of the concept, as well as:Why Gabriel believes the market for “fast premium” concepts is increasing as consumer palates become more sophisticatedWhat the team did prior to opening to build buzz and refine their recipesHow the decision to serve Roman style pizza filled a gap in the market, and helped establi...
2023-05-3150 min
My First Restaurant22: How Refining Operations Can Help You Grow | James Deng, Poké House“The people that are super successful have their operations on lock.”—James Deng is the Founder & CEO of Poké House, a poké chain based in Northern California with 9 locations and counting.James opened Poké House’s first location in 2015, and has since grown the concept to 5 company-owned locations and 4 franchise operated units, with big plans to scale beyond those numbers in the coming years. In this episode James shares how Poké House grew into this success, including:- How Poké House differentiated from competition by making their tightening their operations
2023-05-2446 min
My First Restaurant21: From Pop-ups to Pizza Trendsetter | Marc Schechter, Square Pie Guys“Lean into your network, don’t be afraid to grow it, and don’t be afraid to ask people for help and reach out to people who have done it before. You never know what you’ll get back, you just have to ask.”—Marc Schechter is the Co-Founder of Square Pie Guys, a Detroit style fast casual pizza chain based in the San Francisco Bay Area.With three locations between San Francisco and Oakland, Marc has grown Square Pie Guys into a trendsetting brand inspiring square pizza concepts nationwide. I sit down with...
2023-05-171h 37
My First Restaurant20: Creating a Civic Gathering Space | Manny Yekutiel, Manny’s“The least understood thing about opening a public facing business is the feeling of it, the emotional journey you have to go on”—Manny Yekutiel is the owner of Manny’s, a civic and political event space with a bookshop, coffee shop, bar, and restaurant, located in San Francisco.As you’ll quickly find out, Manny is not your traditional business owner, and this is far from a traditional interview. Having worked in the world of fundraising for political campaigns, Manny is charismatic and persuasive, with a knack for convincing people to go along with...
2023-05-1038 min
My First Restaurant19: Tackling Climate Change Through Food Waste | David Murphy & Kayla Abe, Shuggie’s“Don’t pick the cheapest person, don’t pick the person who says they’re going to do it fast… pick the person that is the most responsible.”—In this episode we’re joined by David Murphy & Kayla Abe, co-owners of Shuggie’s Trash Pie & Natural Wine, a climate solutions restaurant highlighting upcycled ingredients, where they take all kinds of things left over from the food system and make them the stars of the menu.Shuggie’s is the new hotness of the San Francisco food scene and beyond, having been featured in the SF Chronicle, NY...
2023-05-0353 min
The QSR Experience ShowFocusing on Your Restaurant’s ”Founding Why” with Kitava’s Bryan TublinOn today’s episode of the QSR Experience Show, Bobby speaks with Bryan Tublin, Owner and Co-Founder of Kitava Kitchen, a clean, casual restaurant serving modern American cuisine with a local twist. They discuss how Kitava was founded out of a need for healthier food options, and the ways in which Kitava creates great customer experiences across its expanding locations. They also talk about how brands can scale by creating quality products, knowing your unit economics, and focusing on your "founding why."
Topics discussed:
How Bryan created Kitava in response to his own health needs, and ho...
2023-04-2716 min
My First Restaurant18: Saved by a Second Location | Todd Parent, Extreme Pizza“Whatever you think it’s gonna cost double it, whatever you think you need for working capital triple”—This week’s guest is Todd Parent, Co-Founder & CEO of Extreme Pizza, a Bay Area-born chain with over 30 locations from coast to coast.Todd had a unique journey to restaurant ownership, starting in the dish pit of a friend’s restaurant in New Jersey, honing his management skills in Aspen, then eventually making his way to San Francisco, where he was encouraged to chase his entrepreneurial dreams by the founder of Noah’s Bagels.After laun...
2023-04-251h 08
My First Restaurant17: The Restaurant Lease Episode | Roberta Economidis, GE Law Group“At some point you have to say, ‘I’m not going to make a bad business decision to get my dream space.’”—Today our guest is Roberta Economidis, co-founder and partner of Georgopoulos & Economidis, a boutique business law firm based in San Francisco, with a specialty in the hospitality industry. Roberta has helped restaurants and hospitality businesses throughout California and the US with everything from corporate structure, to lease negotiations, private equity offerings, licensing, permitting, and much more.The focus of our conversation today is the restaurant lease, a VERY important topic for anyone looki...
2023-04-1853 min
My First Restaurant16: How to Open With No Cash, No Chef, & No Time | Jennifer Peters, Just BE Kitchen“I wanted to close the gap between who I was and what I did.”—Jennifer Peters is the Founder & Foodie of Just BE Kitchen, a two-unit fast casual concept in Colorado, with an allergen friendly menu focused on serving “mindful mouthfuls from a conscious kitchen” through meals that are gluten, grain, refined sugar, and dairy-free.As you’ll hear in our conversation, Jen’s mettle was tested several times along the way to opening and sustaining Just BE, from having her funding fall through right before she opened, to her Head Chef leaving to film a TV s...
2023-04-1141 min
My First Restaurant15: SPECIAL GUEST - The Kitava Story | Sam Oches interviews Bryan Tublin about KitavaThis week we’re flipping the script. Guest host Sam Oches, Editorial Director of Informa’s Restaurant & Food Group, interviews Bryan about his journey to start and grow Kitava.Sam and Bryan discuss Kitava’s origin story, including the path from pop-ups and farmers markets to opening a brick-and-mortar location inside an old McDonald’s.Other topics covered include:- How Bryan merged his business with his eventual co-founder’s to form Kitava- The process of coming up with a name and brand that would resonate with consumers- Adju...
2023-04-0446 min
My First Restaurant14: Building a Scalable Brand Through Passion & Culture | Leo Kremer, Dos Toros Taqueria“The guest experience will never rise above the level of the team experience”—Leo Kremer is the Co-Founder of Dos Toros Taqueria.As a Berkeley, CA native, Leo and his brother Oliver grew up eating Mission-style burritos from local taquerias throughout the Bay Area. After spending time as a professional musician, including with Third Eye Blind, and working briefly in management consulting, Leo and his brother opened Dos Toros in New York City in 2009.Leo and Oliver steadily grew the business to 21 locations over the next 11 years, eventually joining forces via acquis...
2023-03-2857 min
My First Restaurant13: Pioneering the Fast-Fine Restaurant Movement | Charles Bililies, SouvlaCharles Bililies is the Founder & CEO of Souvla, a group of fast-fine Greek restaurants with six locations throughout San Francisco. Charles has built Souvla from a passion project into a brand with a cult-like following, having been named a “Top 100 Restaurant” by the San Francisco Chronicle, and a recipient of the StarChefs award for “Best Concept”, as well as being featured in national media outlets such as The Today Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Bloomberg.If you’re looking to start a restaurant in 2023 it’s hard to find advice from someone with...
2023-03-211h 18
My First Restaurant12: The Story of Ike’s (Part 2) | Ike Shehadeh, Ike’s Love & Sandwiches“The universe will pay you in direct proportion to the value that you are giving.”This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation with Ike Shehadeh. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, go back and listen to Episode 11 for full context!In this deeply philosophical episode, we cover:The difference between wealth and financial successHow to make decisions for a fulfilling careerWhy people who want to “eat the rich” are really holding themselves backWhat the amount of money a person or business makes says about the value they are providing to the worldWhat it looks like...
2023-03-1454 min
My First Restaurant11: The Story of Ike’s (Part 1) | Ike Shehadeh, Ike’s Love & Sandwiches“I’m working LESS now with a hundred locations than I did with one… It’s a MYTH that it’s hard to expand.” - Ike Shehadeh---Imagine the following…> You’ve been kicked out of college> Your first business goes broke and you become homeless> While working three jobs to make ends meet, you decide to open a sandwich shop> On your first day no one comes. You sell zero sandwiches> It takes you 3 months just to make more than $300 in gross sales per dayWhat do...
2023-03-0756 min
My First Restaurant10: Embracing Your Target Market | Benson Wang, Palm House Hospitality“You need to be all in, otherwise it doesn’t really work.” - Benson WangBenson Wang is the co-founder and CEO of Palm House Hospitality, an experience driven lifestyle and hospitality company based in the Bay Area with a diversified portfolio in restaurants, nightlife and lodging.In our interview we discuss:- How Benson and team make data-driven menu changes by sending new items to the Thunderdome- How they embraced their target market to help make operational decisions (e.g. Valentine’s Day blind dating show)- What Pal...
2023-02-281h 06
My First Restaurant09: Staying True to Your Roots | Nelson German, alaMar, Sobre Mesa“The end goal is to make people happy, and tell our stories through food” - Chef Nelson German--Nelson German is the Executive Chef/Owner of alaMar Kitchen & Bar and Sobre Mesa in Oakland, CA. His restaurants tell the stories of the African and Caribbean diasporas through cultural foodways, and have achieved local and national accolades. Chef Nelson appeared as a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef - Season 18, and he was named one of Plate magazine's “2020 Chefs to Watch,” and “Best Chef 2022” from East Bay Express.In our interview we discuss Nelson’s journ...
2023-02-2158 min
My First Restaurant08: How to Make It in a Seasonal Economy | Jaime Sparrow, SunbirdJaime Sparrow is the owner of Sunbird Cape Cod, a zero-waste cafe specializing in fresh, local, and sustainable food. In this interview Jaime shares her journey from working in San Francisco restaurants to moving back home to open a food truck, and eventually a cafe, in a seasonal economy heavily driven by tourism. We discuss how Jaime and her husband tested their concept with a food truck, why popularity with Cape Cod locals gave them confidence to open their first restaurant, their early struggles due to not raising enough money prior to opening, and how Jaime manages to run...
2023-02-1447 min
My First Restaurant07: Creating the Domino’s of Chinese Takeout | Hanson Li, Salt PartnersHanson Li is the founder and managing partner of Salt Partners, a San Francisco based restaurant group with a current portfolio around the 4 major food groups: ice cream, Chinese take-out, bars, and bakery. This episode provides a super detailed perspective on running and growing restaurants, including what makes it so difficult, the tech stack Hanson uses for his growing fast casual concept Lazy Susan, and how he’s testing his way to scaling the business.––Where to find Lazy Susan:Website: https://www.lazysusanchinese.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lazysusanchinese/?hl=enFaceb...
2023-02-071h 01
The Thread PodcastLeaving the tech industry to start a restaurant with Bryan Tublin, Owner and Co Founder of KitavaBryan Tublin, Owner and Co Founder of Kitava, joins the show to talk aboutTaking the leap to leave a stable tech job to start a restaurant.How Bryan validated the concept for his restaurant by bringing soup to house parties.His process for gathering customer and employee feedback to inform his menu and dining experienceBryan's decision to expand Kitava to multiple locations and how he used partnerships to test new markets before going all-in.Gourmet PB&Js and growth hacking through pop-up stands and food trucks.
2023-02-0328 min
My First Restaurant06: From Cookbook Author to Multi-Unit Restaurant Operator | Amanda Frederickson, RadishAmanda is a cookbook author and owner of Radish, a fast casual restaurant with two locations in Nashville. In this interview Amanda shares the opportunity she saw for a healthy fast casual concept when she moved to Nashville, and how she took matters into her own hands by opening Radish. We discuss how she planned for and opened her first two locations, Radish’s org chart and what she looks for when hiring General Managers, the layers she implemented to allow her to step away from day-to-day operations and focus on growing the business, the opportunity of focusing on “B ci...
2023-01-3141 min
My First Restaurant05: Building a College Town Institution | Alex Brandwein, Brandwein's BagelsAlex Brandwein is the owner and founder of Brandwein’s Bagels, an authentic New York-Style Bagel Shop located in Chapel Hill, NC. In this interview Alex tells the story of how a “breaking point” in his finance career led him to make the big life change to become an entrepreneur, and ultimately open a bagel shop while he was in grad school at the University of North Carolina. He also shares where the initial insight to open a college bagel shop came from, how a fortuitous meeting with an early mentor led to his first pop-up and eventual storefront lease...
2023-01-2448 min
The Dream Architect Life: Where Money and Mindset MeetUnderstanding Your Emotional Intelligence With Dr. Patty Ann Tublin (Ep.27)Although we live in a time where there are so many ways to communicate, it seems there are still so many communication problems between spouses, family members, and people we meet online. In this episode, Brittany talks with Dr. Patty Ann Tublin, CEO and founder of Relationship Toolbox LLC a training and development consulting firm. … Read More Read More
2023-01-1841 min
My First Restaurant04: Building a Restaurant to Fit Your Lifestyle | Mat Schuster, CanelaMat Schuster is the Chef and Owner of Canela Bistro & Wine Bar, a Spanish restaurant in San Francisco specializing in ingredients and dishes from Spain and California. Mat also serves as the President of the Board for the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, and generously lends his talents to helping restaurants succeed in the Bay Area. In this interview Mat shares how he became interested in becoming a chef and restaurant owner, menu tweaks he made based on customer feedback, and his thoughts on building a restaurant to fit the lifestyle you want for yourself. ––Where...
2023-01-1757 min
My First Restaurant03: Finding Your Michelin Star Business Partner | Ben Moore, MamahuhuBen Moore is a Partner and Co-Founder of Mamahuhu, a fast casual Chinese American restaurant concept that puts a modern spin on classic Chinese American favorites. In this interview Ben shares the story of how he fell in love with Chinese culture after living in Shanghai, was ultimately inspired to modernize Chinese American cuisine back in the States, then teamed up with a dream culinary partner in Brandon Jew, owner of Michelin-starred restaurant Mister Jiu’s in San Francisco.––Where to find Mamahuhu:Website: https://www.eatmamahuhu.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ea...
2023-01-1057 min
My First Restaurant02: How to Save Your Restaurant From the Brink of Failure | Laurie Thomas, Rose's Cafe, Terzo, GGRALaurie Thomas is the Executive Director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, and the Owner of Rose’s Café and Terzo in San Francisco. In this interview Laurie shares her journey from working in marketing for a tech company in Silicon Valley to becoming an investor in a restaurant group in San Francisco, and ultimately transitioning to running the business full-time as she was tasked with turning the company around from the brink of failure.––Where to find Laurie Thomas:Website: https://ggra.org/, https://rosescafesf.com/, https://terzosf.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ggr...
2023-01-0351 min
My First Restaurant01: Growing a Food Truck Empire | Evan Kidera, Señor SisigEvan Kidera is the Founder and CEO of Señor Sisig, a Filipino Fusion food truck innovator and now growing restaurant chain in the San Francisco Bay Area. In this interview Evan shares how he got started in the food truck scene, grew his concept to multiple food trucks, then ultimately decided to focus on growing the business through brick-and-mortar restaurants.––Where to find Señor Sisig:Website: https://www.senorsisig.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senorsisig/Twitter: https://twitter.com/senorsisigFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/senorsisig––Where to f...
2022-12-271h 08
My First RestaurantTrailer: Introducing My First RestaurantLearn how to start, run, and grow a successful restaurant business from those who have been there before. My First Restaurant features interviews with successful restaurant owners about the process of opening their first restaurant, and what it took for them to succeed. Hosted by Bryan Tublin, Co-Founder & CEO of Kitava, a clean casual restaurant brand based in the Bay Area.
2022-12-2502 min
Seeker + SageYogi Misfit Sessions: S46 Bryan TublinIf you're local to SF, you may have heard of Kitava Kitchen. Kitava is an establishment rooted in community, education, and healthy eating co-founded by this week's guest, Bryan Tublin. We chat about his journey to discovering his purpose to help people lead healthy lives, how food plays an important role in the mind-body connection within each of us, and how he's changing the world--one plate of food at a time. Special thanks to our friends at SF Yoga Magazine as always, and I hope you enjoy this session.Learn more about Bryan's work at Kitava:
2018-07-1100 min