Foodie Coaches

Make Restaurants Profitable

A Management , Business and Education podcast

#17 in Management · 🇦🇺 #19 in Management · 🇳🇬

About the show

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

Newest episodes

How to Grow a Hospitality Group to $71M+ with Julien Moussi

Nov 11, 2026 45 min

Julien Moussi has opened 40+ venues and has scaled Only Hospitality Group to $71M+. His success came from strategic decisions like selling the cafes that stopped paying for his time, learning that more venues is not the answer, and building a team so he could step off the tools. Time is the most valuable asset you have as a restaurant owner. Foodie Coaches is built to find the profit in your venue and free up your time. If you're ready to get your time back, book a call. ▶ Book a Profit Finding Session: https://foodiecoaches.co/yt-bac 0:00 Intro 4:05 How much does it cost to open a cafe? 4:50 How to turn around a failing cafe 7:05 Are $1M revenue cafes profitable? 9:37 How to sell coffee online to 100,000 homes 15:37 Should you open a cafe in a shopping centre? 19:12 When to sell a cafe: under $2M revenue 20:55 Pub vs cafe business: $10M vs $2M revenue 22:55 When to build a head office for multiple venues 25:22 How to build a leadership team: COO and CFO 30:22 Should you open more venues? Why more isn't the answer 33:08 Should you build a central kitchen? Why he removed his 39:20 Why venues struggle: blaming costs vs owner decisions 44:20 How to find profit in your restaurant business ▶ Book a Profit Finding Session: https://foodiecoaches.co/yt-bac Make Restaurants Profitable is the podcast for restaurant, cafe and bar owners who want to see how profitable venues are really run. Tim Kummerfeld sits down with hospitality operators to unpack the decisions, mistakes and numbers behind their results, so you can apply them to your own venue. Subscribe to get notified for weekly releases.

Australian Hospitality Is Heading for a 100,000 Worker Shortage (Visa Changes Explained)

Nov 9, 2026 24 min

Wes Lambert from the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association (ARCA) says Australian hospitality could be 100,000 workers short in the next 12 months. The reason is the new visa rules. Open hospitality jobs have already gone from 45,000 to 68,000 in just two months. In this update, hospitality experts explain how the new visa rules for skilled workers, students and working holiday visitors are creating this gap. They also talk about what owners can do about staff and prices. Plus, they cover what happened after the surcharge ban, the trust tax changes and the Michelin Guide launch in Adelaide. ▶ Book a Profit Finding Session: https://foodiecoaches.co/yt-bac 0:00 Hospitality visa changes in Australia: 100,000 worker shortage 0:39 Credit card surcharge ban: menu prices and service charges 4:37 Trust tax changes in Australia: restructure costs and stamp duty 7:09 Why migration is the bigger issue for hospitality 8:30 482 skilled visa processing times for chefs and cooks 9:30 Student visa partner ban explained 11:40 Working holiday visa delays and the new ballot 13:20 Hospitality jobs on SEEK: 68,000 open jobs 14:00 Should you sponsor your staff? 16:54 Michelin Guide South Australia: Adelaide launch and NSW reusable cups ▶ Book a Profit Finding Session: https://foodiecoaches.co/yt-bac DISCLAIMER Update on the NSW reusable cup legislation: This episode was recorded before the NSW Government changed its position. On Wednesday 28 October 2026, the NSW Environment Minister announced that the reusable cup requirements discussed in this episode would be changed in response to small business concerns. The proposed rules to ban single-use cups for dine-in customers and make cafes provide free reusable cups are no longer going ahead. Some changes remain: from 2028, single-use takeaway coffee cups will need to be recyclable, and cafes and fast-food outlets will need to accept customers’ own reusable cups. The rest of the episode reflects the situation at the time of reco...

How to scale a restaurant business without scaling chaos: the systems behind 400 Gradi

Nov 6, 2026 1 hr 8 min

How to scale a restaurant business: Johnny Di Francesco, 2014 World Pizza Champion and owner of 400 Gradi and The Gradi Group, shares what he learned going from one Melbourne restaurant to seven restaurants in Australia, plus licensed sites in the Middle East and the US. ▶ Book a Profit Finding Session: https://foodiecoaches.co/yt-bac Tim sits down with Johnny to talk about why opening a second restaurant too early means you scale chaos, and why he asks every owner how many hours they work in their site before he gives advice. They also cover turnover vs profit, when a central kitchen helps or hurts, how restaurant licensing differs from franchising, and how he got his food into Coles and Woolworths. People Power, Johnny's HR and payroll service for hospitality: [add link] 00:00 Intro 00:25 Johnny's restaurant group: Italian restaurants, manufacturing and HR 02:27 How to build an Italian restaurant concept (and survive the early years) 07:33 How restaurant licensing started: from Melbourne to the Middle East 11:50 Restaurant licensing vs franchising explained 16:10 Why opening a second restaurant too early scales chaos 21:55 Restaurant turnover vs profit: why a second site can lose money 23:42 How to sell restaurant food to supermarkets 30:10 Restaurant central kitchen: when it helps and when it hurts profit 37:46 Personal brand for restaurant owners 45:10 How to choose a restaurant business coach 53:29 Restaurant numbers, culture and where hospitality is going 56:00 Restaurant culture: why you need a learning and development role 1:02:00 Restaurant HR and payroll support ▶ Book a Profit Finding Session: https://foodiecoaches.co/yt-bac Subscribe for more hospitality business coaching content. #scalearestaurant #opensecondrestaurant #restaurantbusiness #restaurantlicensing #400Gradi #FoodieCoaches

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All episodes

How to Grow a Hospitality Group to $71M+ with Julien Moussi

Nov 11, 2026 45 min

Australian Hospitality Is Heading for a 100,000 Worker Shortage (Visa Changes Explained)

Nov 9, 2026 24 min

How to scale a restaurant business without scaling chaos: the systems behind 400 Gradi

Nov 6, 2026 1 hr 8 min

How to scale YOUR restaurant business (and the mistake Fricken Chicken almost made)

Oct 27, 2026 58 min

How to scale a restaurant business: Mo Saad, co-founder of Fricken Chicken, explains how he went from one food truck to four locations across two states. ▶ Book a Profit Finding Session: https://foodiecoaches.co/yt-bac Mo nearly built a central kitchen just before the move interstate. He explains why he's glad he didn't, and what moving to contract manufacturing did to his food cost, his rosters and his quality control. He also covers choosing a location, rebranding, training, managing a team across four sites, and running the back office with AI. 00:00 Intro 00:40 How to choose a restaurant location and expand interstate 06:13 Supply chain, central kitchen and food cost when you expand 11:29 Restaurant branding that fits your customer 16:49 How to train restaurant kitchen staff and keep food safe 23:03 How to build a high performing restaurant management team 29:19 How to use AI in a restaurant business 48:04 Uber Eats commission and delivery strategy 55:23 Advice before you open a restaurant ▶ Book a Profit Finding Session: https://foodiecoaches.co/yt-bac Subscribe for more hospitality business coaching content.

How Tara Saved Her Business, Rebuilt Her Identity, and 5Xed Her Revenue

Oct 21, 2026 46 min

At one point, Tara felt like she had completely lost control—not just of her business, but of who she was. Burnt out, drowning in debt, and facing bankruptcy, she found herself isolating, second-guessing every decision, and questioning everything. But what she did next changed everything. This episode is a raw look at what it takes to come back stronger: the brutal self-talk, the wrong advice, the fearless decisions, and the one shift that 5Xed her revenue almost overnight. Tara also shares how she rebuilt her culture, transformed her food costs, and built a team that lives and breathes the experience she dreamed of. You’ll hear: 00:00 – Feeling like a failure (and what came next) 06:00 – Why your worst-performing venue is draining more than just cash 09:30 – How Tara found the right plan (after 3 wrong ones) 14:00 – The $600K mistake and the decision that changed it all 18:30 – What 5Xed her weekly revenue instantly 22:00 – Choosing the right partner—in life and business 27:30 – How Tara dropped her food cost from 32% to 20% 30:00 – Building culture through “Meraki Impact Days” 35:00 – What real customer experience actually looks like 38:00 – The advice that could’ve saved her $100K (and 6 months of stress) 41:00 – What to do when everything’s “fine” but you’re bored 43:00 – Why your next venue is probably a bad idea 44:30 – The number one thing every new owner should do before signing a lease If you’re in deep—or just don’t know what the next move is—book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com. 📱 Behind the scenes + more tips: @foodie_coaches | @tim.kummerfeld

The Accounting Mistakes That Send Restaurants Broke: With Tim Niesler from The FC Accounting Co

Oct 12, 2026 46 min

How to run a profitable restaurant comes down to your numbers, and most restaurant owners are being let down by the people meant to look after them. For restaurant owners, café owners, and anyone in a hospitality business, the right accounting setup is the difference between building wealth and quietly going backwards every week. Tim Niesler is the director of The FC Accounting Co, the accounting firm built specifically to service hospo owners, and he's seen exactly where the industry gets failed. For years, accountants told hospitality owners not to bother with tax planning because they probably wouldn't be around next year. Tim built something different. An accounting firm that sets owners up for the future, not just the next tax return. In this one, the two Tims go deep on the stuff most owners were never taught. Why your business structure matters more than you think. How putting GST, PAYG and super aside weekly gives you an early warning system. Why, in hospitality, you almost never have a cash flow problem, you have a profit problem. And the Division 7A trap that quietly snowballs into a tax bill you can't pay. If you've ever told yourself "I've just got a cash flow issue," this episode is for you. You'll hear: → What a hospo-specialist accountant does differently from a traditional firm → Why the right business structure protects your personal assets → The weekly habit that flags trouble in your first three weeks, not five months later → Cash flow vs profit, and why hospitality owners confuse the two → How to handle ATO debt without going further backwards Key takeaways: Put your GST, PAYG and super aside weekly from day one. It becomes your red flag.In hospitality you get paid every day, so a cash flow problem is usually a profit problem.Your real break-even includes loan repayments and ATO debt, not just your P&L.Pay yourself a wage and your super. Your business sale is not your retirement plan.Ready to build a restaurant that makes money and runs witho...

Why Beautiful Restaurants Go Broke (And Ugly Ones Thrive): With Gerrick Numan from Restaurant Design Academy

Sep 28, 2026 1 hr 4 min

How to design a restaurant that actually makes money is a question most owners never ask until it's too late. For restaurant owners, café owners, and anyone in a hospitality business, the design of your space either sets you up for profit or quietly drags you under. Gerrick Numan has been involved in 500+ venue designs through his studio Millé, owned four of his own venues, and now runs Restaurant Design Academy, teaching hospo owners to take control of the process themselves. He's seen it both ways. The stunning fit-out sitting empty while a dingy bar next door is packed and pumping. The two-million-dollar build doing twenty grand a week in sales. A beautiful space that takes fifteen years to pay off and needs renovating in six. Gerrick's point is simple and uncomfortable. Winning a design award means nothing. What matters is whether the space is comfortable to be in, whether it grabs attention from the street, and whether it's laid out to make money instead of forcing an extra two staff on every shift. This one will have you auditing your own venue by the end. Because most of the fixes cost a few hundred dollars, not a few hundred thousand. Key takeaways: Get clear on who you are and who you're for before you touch a single material.Great street presence can pull in 5 to 15 more people a day without a full renovation.Product and experience come first. A phenomenal fit-out won't save bad food.Design is a financial decision, not a decorating one.Ready to build a restaurant that makes money and runs without you? Book a Profit Finding Session: https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Check our Restaurant Design Academy: https://www.restaurantdesignacademy.com/ Follow Gerrick: @restaurantdesignacademy Follow Foodie Coaches: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.

The Bookkeeping Habit That Fixes A Struggling Restaurant: With Kylie Patch

Sep 8, 2026 1 hr 0 min

How to run a profitable restaurant starts with knowing your real numbers. For restaurant owners, café owners, and anyone in a hospitality business, weekly bookkeeping is the difference between guessing and knowing. Kylie Patch runs the bookkeeping division at FC Accounting Co, and she's built the reporting rhythm that gives hospo owners accurate numbers every single week. Most owners are making decisions from numbers that are flat-out wrong. Bank accounts that aren't reconciled. Expenses landing in the wrong week. A P&L pulled on the wrong basis that tells a story that isn't true. Kylie has seen it hundreds of times across the 75 businesses her team services. And she's watched what happens when an owner finally sees their real position for the first time. One client cried happy tears when the report went up on screen, because she could finally see where she actually stood. This one is about confidence. The kind that comes from trusting your numbers enough to act on them. You'll hear: → Why your numbers are almost certainly wrong (and the reconciliation habit that fixes it) → Cash vs accrual explained in plain English, and why it changes everything you see → The weekly reporting rhythm that makes accurate numbers possible → Kylie's honest take on POS systems and what actually integrates well → The real return on outsourcing your bookkeeping, in time and in decisions Key takeaways: If you don't like numbers, don't do your own books. Stick to your genius.Numbers with your feelings beats feelings alone, every time.A reconciled bank account is the difference between real numbers and fiction.Accurate weekly reporting buys back roughly a day a week for owners already doing the work.Ready to get clear on your numbers and build a restaurant that runs without you? Book a Profit Finding Session: https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/bac Follow Foodie Coaches: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.

How They Built A Coffee Brand From A Garage To 120 Cafés: With Richard Corney and Nick Clark from Flight Coffee

Sep 1, 2026 1 hr 7 min

How to scale a coffee business is one of the hardest questions in hospitality, and few have done it like Flight Coffee. For café owners, roasters, and anyone in a hospitality business, this is a real look at what it takes to grow a brand from a home garage to national distribution. Richard Corney and Nick Clark co-founded Flight Coffee in a garage in Napier back in 2009, and today they supply around 120 cafés across New Zealand plus a growing retail and ready-to-drink range. The story is anything but smooth. A roaster crammed into the middle of a café because there was nowhere else to put it. Six months building out an old car park on the smell of an oily rag. Outgrowing the space before they'd even finished it. Taking on investment in 2018 so the business could grow without their houses on the line. Along the way they learned what actually drives growth. Nick winning the 2013 NZ Barista Championship. Roastery tours that turned into brand goodwill with international guests. Deliberate decisions to diversify products and channels as a new generation of coffee drinkers arrived. If you make coffee, sell coffee, or dream of building a brand that scales beyond your four walls, this one is for you. You'll hear: → How Flight went from a garage roaster to supplying 120 cafés → Why putting a roaster inside your café looks great but doesn't scale → How competition wins and roastery tours built the brand → Why they took on investment, and what it freed up → Diversifying products and channels for the next generation of coffee drinker Key takeaways: Growth is hard and growth is expensive. Plan the facilities to grow with production.A great story and brand goodwill can do more than any ad spend.Taking on the right investment can grow the business without risking your home.The coffee drinker is changing. Meet them with new products and channels.Ready to build a hospitality business that makes money and runs without you? Book a Profit Finding Session: https://foodiecoaches.co/f...

How Cooking Classes and Micro-Influencers Built This Top 50 Texas BBQ Restaurant

Aug 26, 2026 1 hr 1 min

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...

He Makes the Australia's Best Pizza: Lucio De Falco on 17 Years of Building Lucio Pizzeria

Aug 18, 2026 52 min

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 Darlingh...

Michelin Comes to Australia, Surcharge Ban Deadline & Rate Rise Warning: What's Coming for Hospo | August Hospo Update

Aug 17, 2026 21 min

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 Austra...

80% of Restaurant Owners Have This Finance Problem: Here's What They Can Do About It

Aug 11, 2026 47 min

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...

How a Third-Generation Restaurant Owner Almost Killed His First Restaurant and Turned It All Around

Aug 4, 2026 1 hr 3 min

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 r...

Brisbane's Biggest Hospitality Group Founder Talks the Real Cost of Scaling to 12 Restaurants: Meet Michel Tassis

Jul 28, 2026 48 min

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,...

He Sold Most of His Restaurants and Says It Was the Best Decision He Ever Made

Jul 21, 2026 55 min

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 n...

Cash Comes Back, Tourism Rebounds & the Acquisition Market Heats Up: What's Coming for Hospo | July Hospo Update

Jul 20, 2026 25 min

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...

He Was Ready to Sell. Now He's at 267% Profit Growth: Brad Fitzgibbons on Saving His Own Pub

Jul 14, 2026 41 min

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...

He's Spent 41 Years in Hospitality. Here's What Simon Sandall Wishes Every Owner Knew.

Jul 7, 2026 54 min

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 separa...

Inside One of the World's Best Bars: How Stefano Catino Builds World-Class Hospitality

Jun 30, 2026 56 min

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-c...

Burnout, Modernising the Family Business & Scared to Raise Prices (Q&A Special)

Jun 23, 2026 22 min

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.

Wage Hike Confirmed, Payday Super Looms & Trust Tax Changes: What's Coming for Hospo | June Hospo Update

Jun 14, 2026 21 min

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 throug...

"I Wouldn't Open a Burger Shop Today": James Hurlston on 11 Years Running Melbourne's Most Iconic Burger Joint

Jun 9, 2026 55 min

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 goneA unique venue can hide a lot of mistakes early on — but it also locks you into a rent you can't escape fromExpansion 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...

He Has 8 Locations & 1000+ Staff: How Rob Comiskey Runs Australia's Most Iconic Pub Empire

Jun 2, 2026 50 min

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 per...

He Runs His Café From 1,700km Away: Cam Henderson on Building The Winey Cow

May 26, 2026 52 min

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 wa...

Food Truck Trouble, Empty Sports Bars & Teams That Don't Care (Q&A Special)

May 19, 2026 14 min

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.

Federal Budget, Surcharge Ban Update & Wage Rises Ahead: What's Coming for Hospo | May Hospo Update

May 17, 2026 21 min

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 businessThe...

You Don't Own Your Business. The Community Does: Rabih Yanni on 33 Years in Hospitality

May 12, 2026 54 min

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...

Fried Chicken, Champagne and Wu-Tang: How Julian Cincotta Built Sydney's Most Unique Restaurant

May 5, 2026 48 min

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 c...

From Food Truck to Full Restaurant: The Kings of the Wings Share 13 Years of Hard Lessons

Apr 28, 2026 47 min

Dylan and Katrina started King of the Wings from a little food trailer in 2013. They were among the first food trucks doing wings in Australia. No blueprint. No safety net. Just a gap in the market and a bet on themselves. Thirteen years later they're running a restaurant, a food truck, popups and an interstate operation. But the road there was anything but straight. A collab that went sideways on opening day. A food court concept that COVID killed two weeks in. A Commonwealth Games that turned Surfers Paradise into a ghost town. And a moment where they had to roll up in the middle of the night and take back what was theirs. In this episode, Dylan and Katrina share the real story — the hard lessons, the partnership mistakes, the pivot to bricks and mortar, and why after all of it they'd still do it again. You'll hear: 00:00 – From food trailer to one of Brisbane's most recognised wing brands 03:00 – The collab that looked like a no-brainer — and fell apart on opening day 06:00 – Rolling up in the middle of the night to take back their equipment 08:00 – COVID, a food court concept and pulling the pin after 12 months 09:00 – Going all in on their own — signing the Stafford lease 12:00 – Food truck vs bricks and mortar: what nobody tells you about the switch 18:00 – Why the food truck makes in 2 hours what the restaurant makes in 10 22:00 – The menu engineering lesson that changed everything 28:00 – How JobKeeper changed the labour landscape and why they're still salty about it 35:00 – How to find and keep staff for a food truck operation 42:00 – Hire on attitude, train everything else 45:00 – Their advice for anyone thinking about opening a food truck today If you're ready to build something that actually works — food truck, restaurant or both — book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.

The Man Behind Brisbane's Best Bars on What It Actually Takes to Build Them with Martin Lange

Apr 21, 2026 1 hr 2 min

Martin Lange has opened eight bars in Brisbane since 2006. He currently runs four. Takes three and a half months off a year. And has trained bartenders now working in some of the best bars in Paris and London. He didn't do it by cutting corners or chasing trends. He did it by committing to a 10-year minimum on every lease, never taking over another venue's location, spending hundreds of thousands on R&D, and building a team culture so strong that the staff who leave for bigger money keep coming back. In this episode, Martin sits down with Tim to talk through what it actually takes to build bars that last — the landlord lessons, the location rules, the obsessive craft standards, and how he built a business that runs without him for months at a time. You'll hear: 00:00 – From Argentina to Brisbane — how Martin ended up in bars 02:00 – The 10-year lease rule and why most operators think too small 05:00 – Paying a year's rent upfront on his first bar (and what it taught him) 08:00 – Why you should never take over an existing venue's location 12:00 – Building a specialty cocktail bar in a city that wasn't ready for it 14:00 – How knowledge trickles down through a team without Chinese whispers 16:00 – Staff who left for bigger pay — and came back within a year 18:00 – The R&D warehouse, the $15K ice machine and why craft is the business model 25:00 – Finding the right landlord (and why it matters more than the location) 35:00 – The block ice business nobody saw coming 53:00 – Cutting ice, losing fingers and taking safety seriously 56:00 – Three and a half months off a year — and why the bars thrive because of it Book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.

How John Rivera Built His Dream Restaurant Without Sacrificing Time With His Kids

Apr 14, 2026 48 min

John Rivera spent his twenties in fine dining kitchens. Working every Saturday. Missing birthdays. Missing weddings. Then he opened his own restaurant — and found himself video-calling his kids from the pass just to see them awake. Something had to change. In this episode, John — chef and owner of Ascal Restaurant, Inman bar, and Filipino gelato concept Carton — talks about the decision that shifted everything. The boundaries he set, the systems he built, and how he went from working every day on the tools to dropping his kids at kinder before heading into work at midday. He didn't give up the craft. He just refused to let it cost him everything else. You'll hear: 00:00 – Born in the Philippines, raised in New Zealand, built in Melbourne 02:00 – 10 years in fine dining and what it conditions you to accept 05:00 – The viral dish that was costing more than it made 08:00 – Why your numbers are scarier to avoid than to face 13:00 – Two turbulent years and what the growing pains taught him 15:00 – Three days without seeing his kids awake 17:00 – The decision: set the boundary before the burnout 25:00 – Letting staff take risks and why protecting your ego costs more 30:00 – Partnership lessons the hard way 40:00 – Building community vs chasing foot traffic 45:00 – What's coming and how to get ahead of it Book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.

Pricing Problems, Lazy Staff & Delivery Apps Killing Profit (Q&A Special)

Apr 7, 2026 23 min

You asked. Tim answered. In this Q&A special, four real owners share the exact problems keeping them up at night — and Tim gets into the specifics of each one. No fluff. No theory. Just honest, practical answers to the questions most hospo owners are too afraid to say out loud. This episode covers: 00:00 – Is handmade baking even financially viable anymore or should I just switch to frozen? 07:00 – Standards are slipping. How do I fix it without becoming the boss everyone hates? 14:00 – Delivery apps are 45% of my sales. I have no idea if I'm actually making money on them. 18:00 – thought scaling to three venues would make things easier. Somehow I feel more out of control than ever. If you're serious about building a profitable, sustainable restaurant — without working yourself into the ground — book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com Follow along: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.

Surcharges Banned, Junior Rates Scrapped & Wages Rising Again: What's Coming for Hospo | April Hospo Update

Apr 7, 2026 24 min

On the 31st of March, two major blows landed on the hospitality industry. And most owners didn't see them coming. In this month's industry update, Tim sits down with Wes Lambert — CEO of ARCA and the man in Parliament having these conversations on behalf of every café and restaurant owner in Australia — to break down exactly what's changed, what's coming, and what you need to do about it right now . This isn't doom and gloom for the sake of it. It's the information you need to make the right moves before the next wave hits. You'll hear: 00:00 – What just happened on March 31 (and why it matters) 02:30 – The surcharge ban explained: what it actually means for your margins 05:30 – You can't pass on merchant fees anymore — here's the real cost 07:00 – Junior wage rates getting scrapped: who it affects and when 09:30 – Why this will almost certainly roll out across all of hospo 11:00 – Rate rises coming in May, June and August 12:30 – Award wages rising 4.5–6%: how to budget for it now 13:30 – Payday super hitting 1 July — are you ready for the cash flow hit? 14:30 – Fuel levies up 30% and tourism down: the full picture 15:00 – Wes's headline for 2026: the great reset 16:00 – Why you must put your prices up this year (and how to do it right) 19:00 – What separates the operators who survive from the ones who don't 21:00 – Why joining an industry association matters more than ever right now Key takeaways: From 1 October, you cannot pass on merchant fees to customers — that's a 1–2% hit to your bottom line, starting nowJunior rates for 18, 19 and 20-year-olds are being phased out from December — and the rest of hospo is likely nextIf you haven't raised your prices by 10% in 2026, you will lose significant marginNot acting is a decision — and right now it's the most expensive one you can makeARCA has a seat at the table in Parliament. The more members they have, the louder the voice. If you're not on top of your pricing, your labour costs, and your margins r...

Fired, Broke & Starting Again: How Tony Kelly Rebuilt from Scratch

Apr 2, 2026 1 hr 6 min

Tony Kelly had multiple restaurants across three states. Then one day, he walked into work and was handed a letter. He was out. In this episode, Tony breaks down the real story behind the comeback — the mistakes, the systems, the partnership lessons, the financial discipline, and the mindset shift that changed everything. If you’ve ever felt stretched, betrayed, burnt out, or one bad month away from disaster… This one will hit home. You’ll hear: 00:00 – The day Tony got forced out of his own business 06:30 – The financial reality: personal guarantees & starting over 10:30 – Opening Rice Boy with $600 in the bank 18:00 – Why tracking numbers weekly is non-negotiable 22:00 – “Why are you forecasting to fail?” 25:30 – The real key to successful partnerships 30:00 – No reservations, controlled capacity & protecting kitchen flow 36:00 – Designing venues for profit (and experience) 42:00 – Expensive failures & $1.7M lessons 46:30 – Why personal guarantees can destroy you 59:00 – Training problem or recruitment problem? 1:03:00 – The brutal truth about “passive” restaurant investments If you’re serious about building a profitable, sustainable restaurant — without risking your house — book a call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com Follow along behind the scenes: @foodie_coaches @tim.kummerfeld New episodes every Wednesday.

From Single Mum to 140 Staff: How Jenna Sanders Built Kenilworth Bakery

Apr 2, 2026 56 min

Jenna Sanders was 21 years old, a single mum with two kids… And decided to buy a bakery. No systems. No tech. No real plan. Just grit, fresh product, and a vision to turn a small country bakery into a destination people would drive hours for. Fast forward 10 years: 4 locations. 140 staff. Thousands of donuts sold every single day. And one viral moment that changed everything. In this episode, Jenna breaks down the real story behind Kenilworth Bakery. From $500 days and handwritten notebooks… to going viral with a kilo donut… to building a scalable, profitable business without losing the “magic” that made it special. This is a masterclass in branding, social media, team culture, and knowing your numbers. You’ll hear: 00:00 – From single mum to buying a bakery at 24 05:00 – The early days: $500 revenue and starting from scratch 08:00 – The kilo donut that went viral (3.5M views overnight) 12:30 – Handling explosive demand with no systems in place 16:00 – Using social media as free marketing (before it was normal) 20:00 – Why going viral means nothing without a great product 24:00 – Bringing in structure: the role of Jenna’s brother 27:30 – The simple data shift that made the business profitable 32:00 – Expanding to multiple locations (and the challenges) 38:00 – Hiring for personality over experience 42:00 – Creating “magic” in-store that keeps customers coming back 46:00 – Building culture, team morale & making work fun 50:00 – Why most businesses are underutilising social media 54:00 – Jenna’s advice for anyone starting from scratch Key Takeaways Going viral is powerful — but only if your product makes people come backYou don’t need fancy systems to start, but you do need them to scaleHire for personality — skills can be taught, energy can’tData and numbers are what turn growth into profitSocial media is still one of the most underused tools in hospitalityCreating a memorable customer experience is what builds long-term success If you’re ready to tur...

He Closed His Restaurant After 10 Years: How to Know It’s Time with Peter Gunn

Apr 2, 2026 1 hr 4 min

After 10 years running one of Melbourne’s most respected restaurants, Peter Gunn made a decision most owners struggle to make: He closed it. Not because the restaurant failed. Not because the food wasn’t good enough. Not because the guests stopped coming. But because deep down... he knew it was time. In this episode, Peter shares the full story behind Ides — from starting as a monthly popup, to building a decade-long restaurant brand, to the moment he realised the business he built was no longer the one he wanted to run. We talk about the realities of fine dining, the pressure of constant evolution, how popups helped build momentum before opening a permanent venue, and the honest conversations owners need to have when a business reaches its natural end. This is one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on the show about ownership, ego, and knowing when to walk away. You’ll hear: 00:00 – Introducing Peter Gunn and the story behind Ides 04:30 – Moving from New Zealand to Melbourne’s restaurant scene 07:00 – Why starting with popups is the smartest way to test a concept 13:30 – Building a loyal audience before opening a restaurant 20:00 – Marketing a restaurant before social media took off 26:00 – The danger of building a business that traps you 33:00 – Why some restaurants overspend on fit-outs 39:00 – How to build long-term staff loyalty in hospitality 48:00 – The moment Peter realised the restaurant had become too complicated 53:00 – Simplifying the menu and evolving the concept 56:00 – The honest process of deciding to close after 10 years 59:00 – What Peter is planning next Key Takeaways ● Starting with popups can help build demand before opening a venue ● Simplicity in menus often leads to better operations and happier guests ● Long-term staff loyalty comes from respect and relationships ● Just because a restaurant is working doesn’t mean it should run forever ● Sometimes the smartest business decision is knowing when to walk away If you’re serious abo...

Restaurants Closing, Supply Chain Disruptions & Rising Costs: What's Coming for Hospo | March Update

Apr 2, 2026 17 min

Welcome back to our monthly Hospitality Industry Update, where Tim sits down with Wes Lambert from ARCA to break down what’s happening behind the scenes in Canberra — and what it means for restaurant, cafe and bar owners across Australia. In this March update, we unpack the latest economic and industry developments impacting hospitality right now — including the growing number of venue closures, global supply chain disruptions, rising operating costs, and the upcoming Payday Super changes hitting in July. We also talk about what operators should be doing now to prepare for the months ahead, why experience-driven venues will continue to outperform, and where the industry may find opportunities despite the challenges. If you’ve been too busy running your venue to keep up with everything happening in government and the economy — this is your quick industry briefing. You’ll hear: 00:00 – Welcome to the March Hospitality Industry Update 02:00 – Recap of the major policy issues affecting hospitality 04:00 – Payday Super changes and what they mean for cash flow 06:30 – Interest rates, mortgages and shrinking disposable income 08:30 – Why experience-driven venues will still win 10:00 – 1 in 9 restaurants closing: the reality of industry pressure 12:00 – Global conflict and supply chain disruptions 14:00 – Rising fuel, energy and supplier costs 15:30 – Migration pathways and staffing updates 17:30 – Government discussions around AI in hospitality 19:30 – What operators should be doing now to prepare Want to have a stronger voice for hospitality? Join ARCA: arca.org.au Concerned about how rising costs might impact your venue? Book a call with the Foodie Coaches team: foodiecoaches.com

From Broke Bouncer to Michelin-Recognized Restaurateur: How CK Chin Built a Hospitality Empire

Apr 2, 2026 1 hr 11 min

CK Chin didn’t plan on becoming a hospitality powerhouse. He just needed a night job. But what started as bouncing at a nightclub became the beginning of a remarkable journey—one that now includes Michelin recognition, multi-million dollar businesses, a 6-seat restaurant with a waitlist, a community art park, and a dance studio built with his wife. This episode dives into how CK makes it all work—with heart, with humility, and with a relentless focus on people. You’ll hear: 00:00 – CK’s unlikely start in hospitality 06:00 – What real hospitality looks like behind the scenes 13:50 – How a 6-seat restaurant became a powerhouse concept 21:00 – Building an art park from graffiti walls to a movement 28:00 – Payroll, purpose, and why business is a privilege 33:00 – The $70 appetizer that no one should sell 38:00 – Why creativity must meet business reality 44:00 – The banana bread story you’ll never forget 50:00 – Staying full while leading others 57:00 – Why conscious capitalism creates real wins 1:06:00 – Giving gifts vs discounts: the profit lesson no one teaches 1:11:00 – Leading teams with humanity, not hierarchy 1:12:00 – The story that will change how you see business You can find see CK here: https://www.instagram.com/seekaychin/ To use our Profit Levers Calculator click this link: https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/kpi-calc-lp Need help building a business that doesn’t just serve food—but truly serves your people? 👉 Book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team to talk through your biggest challenge right now. Follow behind the scenes on Instagram: 📸 @foodie_coaches | @tim.kummerfeld

How 1 Viral TikTok Nearly Destroyed Their Business (And What Saved It)

Apr 2, 2026 40 min

Watch the full CHEFS HAT CALCULATOR TRAINING here: https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/chefs-hat-calculator-v1 Richard and Jade’s food truck went viral overnight. Massive lines, booming sales, non-stop growth. But behind the scenes? They were three months behind on rent, losing money, and working 80-hour weeks just to stay afloat. The pressure nearly broke them—and their relationship. In just six months, they turned it all around. In this episode, they share how they took ownership, fixed their numbers, rebuilt their culture, and created a business (and life) they actually wanted—with a second venue now on the way. You’ll hear: 00:00 – Viral success, hidden chaos 06:00 – Realizing the money was gone 10:30 – From 80-hour weeks to systems that work 15:45 – The spreadsheet that saved their sanity 19:30 – Raising prices, boosting profit instantly 23:50 – Culture shifts: how to find the right team 30:15 – Managing a business and a 5-year-old 35:00 – Building a second venue the right way 41:00 – The “hour of power” strategy that keeps them focused 48:10 – How delaying action cost them $100K Check out Smoking Gringos on their instagram @smokinggringos If you're grinding hard but getting nowhere—book a call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com. We'll help you fix the root problem, fast. 📱 Follow behind the scenes: @foodie_coaches | @tim.kummerfeld

How AI Is Reshaping Hospitality (And What You Need to Change) with Bianca Brady

Apr 2, 2026 1 hr 0 min

AI isn’t coming for hospitality. It’s already here. From missed phone calls costing you reservations… to real-time dynamic pricing… to AI agents handling guest conversations 24/7 — the gap between early adopters and everyone else is widening fast. In this episode, Tim sits down with Bianca Brady, co-founder & CEO of FY.ai and MIT-trained data scientist, to break down what’s actually happening in the industry — without the hype. This isn’t about robots replacing chefs. It’s about removing admin noise, answering every call, understanding your data, and giving owners their time back so they can focus on what actually matters: the guest experience. If AI feels overwhelming, this episode will simplify it. If you’re already experimenting, this will show you what’s next. You’ll hear: 00:00 – What “agentic AI systems” actually mean (in plain English) 04:30 – Why hospitality is behind in tech — and why that’s changing fast 08:00 – How to start using AI today (without overcomplicating it) 13:30 – Turning customer data into real revenue growth 19:00 – The hidden profit leak in most restaurants: unanswered phones 23:30 – Dynamic pricing explained (and why it’s coming) 27:00 – AI concierge systems & 24/7 guest management 32:30 – Facial recognition, guest sentiment & the future of personalisation 36:00 – Will guests reject AI? The friction test 42:00 – What hospitality will look like in 5–10 years 48:00 – AI agents vs automation: what’s the difference? 55:00 – Where operators should start if they’re feeling behind Key Takeaways: AI won’t replace hospitality — it will amplify it. If you’re not using AI, someone in your market is. The goal isn’t automation for automation’s sake — it’s freeing your team to deliver better service. Start simple. Ask better questions. Use the tools already in your pocket. If you’re ready to fix the fundamentals before layering in tech, book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com If you want to learn more about Bianca and Axify v...

How Justin Newton Came Back From Burnout to Build His Most Profitable Venue Yet

Apr 2, 2026 1 hr 6 min

Justin Newton had it all on paper—multiple venues, awards, a booming reputation—but behind the scenes, he was burned out, emotionally exhausted, and quietly unraveling. In this brutally honest episode, Justin shares what finally broke him, how he got clear on what really matters, and why walking away from two venues helped him build a leaner, stronger, more profitable business than ever before. If you've ever felt trapped by your own success, this is the episode you need. You’ll hear: 00:00 – Burnout, identity loss, and feeling like a failure 07:00 – The illusion of success (and the cost of keeping up the image) 11:30 – Hiding in the kitchen, avoiding leadership, losing purpose 18:45 – Selling two venues to save himself—and rebuild stronger 23:00 – The mindset shift that made profit (and life) possible again 27:30 – Justin’s new model: lean team, tighter margins, more impact 33:10 – How to lead when you’ve got nothing left in the tank 38:40 – The systems he wishes he built years earlier 42:00 – Redefining success: what matters now 💡 If you’re tired of pretending everything’s fine and ready to make real change—Book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team: ⁠foodiecoaches.com⁠ 📱 Follow the journey:⁠ @foodie_coaches⁠ | ⁠@tim.kummerfeld⁠

Toxic Staff, Weekend Roster Drama & Broken Training Systems (Q&A Special)

Apr 2, 2026 7 min

Staff showing up late (or not at all), demanding flexibility but giving none back, forgetting everything you trained last week—and that one toxic "rockstar" who's quietly destroying your team? You're not alone. In this Q&A Special, Tim tackles real questions from hospitality owners struggling with modern staffing challenges—and gives you the scripts, mindset, and systems to take control without burning out. You'll hear: 00:00 – Why flexible staff are breaking the roster 01:10 – What to do when the team won't work nights or weekends 03:00 – How to set (and enforce) non-negotiable expectations 04:15 – That "skilled but toxic" staff member? Here's what to do 05:45 – The truth about staff retention vs team growth 06:30 – Why your training doesn't stick (and how to fix it fast) 08:00 – The trick to weaning your team off relying on you 09:30 – Why disappearing might be the best leadership move you make 💡 Got your own question for an upcoming Q&A? DM us on Instagram or email your scenario in—we might cover it in a future episode. 🔧 Ready to stop staffing chaos for good? Book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team: foodiecoaches.com 📱 Follow behind the scenes: @foodie_coaches | @tim.kummerfeld

Wage Hikes, Surcharge Bans & Rate Rises: What's Coming for Hospo | February Hospo Update

Apr 2, 2026 29 min

This is the first of our new monthly hospitality industry updates-where Tim sits down with Wes Lambert from ARCA to break down what's happening behind the scenes that every venue owner needs to know. In this February edition, we cover everything from upcoming 30% junior wage increases, a potential ban on debit card surcharges, RBA interest rate outlook, and how to get ahead of the 5%+ wage rise expected in 2026. If you've been too busy in the day-to-day to track it all-this is your shortcut. You'll hear: 00:00 - Why this new monthly series exists 02:40 - What's driving inflation (and why it won't ease soon) 06:10 - RBA's outlook: no rate cuts until 2028 09:30 - Junior wages could rise 30%: here's what that means 13:00 - Why your award wage bill is set to rise 5-5.5% 18:00 - Surcharge bans? RBA ruling lands March 27 22:45 - Superannuation must be paid weekly from July 1 26:00 - Slowdown in visa approvals (and how to speed it up) 31:00 - Al in hospo: what the government's signalling next 36:10 - The experience economy is here-are you ready for it? 40:00 - Tourism trends, CBD recovery & shifting consumer habits 46:00 - Why now is the time to optimise, not panic Want help planning for the upcoming wage increases or compliance changes? Book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team: www.foodiecoaches.com Want to join ARCA and get directly involved in shaping hospo's future? Join here: www.arca.org.au

From Kicked Out of School at 15 to a 3-Star Michelin Kitchen: How Luke Mangan Built a Restaurant Empire

Apr 1, 2026 51 min

Luke Mangan got asked to leave school at 15. No HSC. No plan. No backup. Just a two-week work experience at one of Australia's best restaurants — and a quiet feeling that maybe this was something he could do. What followed was a career that took him from washing dishes in Melbourne, to a cold call that landed him a stage at a 3-star Michelin kitchen in London, to opening Salt in Sydney the year of the Olympics, to restaurants in Tokyo, Singapore, Indonesia, and cruise ships across the Pacific. But it wasn't a straight line. Three restaurants went broke around him before he ever opened his own. He believed his own press, expanded too fast, and nearly lost everything. Then a Japanese investor walked through the door at exactly the right moment. In this episode, Tim sits down with Luke to talk through all of it — the graft, the mistakes, the moments of luck, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts in this industry. You'll hear: 00:00 – Kicked out of school at 15 — and what happened next 03:30 – Two weeks washing dishes at one of Australia's best restaurants 05:00 – The cold call to a Michelin chef that changed everything 09:00 – Coming back from London and watching three restaurants go broke 12:00 – How a stranger's card in a jacket pocket led to his biggest break 16:00 – Opening Salt at 29 — $5M first year and the Sydney Olympics 20:00 – Believing your own press: how success nearly destroyed him 24:00 – The Japanese investor who showed up at exactly the right time 28:00 – Expanding to Tokyo, Singapore, Indonesia and cruise ships 33:00 – What a restaurant is actually about (hint: it's not the food) 37:00 – Holding great staff in a tough labour market 41:00 – Finding talent when nobody's applying 44:00 – Luke's take on AI in hospitality 46:00 – What he'd tell a young chef starting out today Key takeaways: The people you get trained by early in your career set the ceiling for what you think is possibleSuccess is when you stop doing the fund...

Lessons in Ownership and Leadership: How Vanessa Walker Made Money On Her First Pub Without Operating It

Jan 20, 2026 42 min

Vanessa went from corporate HR executive to pub owner. She joins us today to discuss the lessons she’s learned, and the structures she put in place to turn a failing business around in less than 24 months. We discuss how to lead staff as a team rather than just managing them, get everyone onboard with making the business as successful as possible, and when necessary, make the hard decisions.You’ll hear:00:00 - 70% staff quit in month one06:29 - Why throwing out corporate structures was a big mistake10:16 - How the break even point removed all stress14:08 - Numbers over feelings: The number one rule in business19:43 - Delaying staff decisions costs tens of thousands of dollars28:19 - The importance of sharing data with the team36:59 - Young manager's nightclub idea gets approved39:19 - Advice for new business ownersAnd so much more…You can find more from Vanessa on LinkedInWatch the YouTube Version of the Podcast hereIf you're currently struggling or you want to build a business you love and get more time back, book a Call with our team here so we can help you work through your biggest problem right now. Check out the behind the scenes over at @foodie_coaches and @tim.kummerfeld

How to Manage Quiet Periods, Promoting Staff to Supervisory Positions, and Being Fully Booked But Broke (Q&A Special)

Jan 13, 2026 11 min

From dealing with staff not respecting their friend turned superviser, to having a fully packed restaurant that still isn’t making money, today we’re answering YOUR questions in this special Q&A episode of Make Restaurants Profitable.You’ll hear:00:00 - There are good problems to have, and bad problems: This is a good one02:43 - How to know when to exit vs fix06:02 - Don’t repeat history, make a plan06:43 - Maximize profit while you're busy 08:30 - Promoted best worker to supervisor, but the team won't listen to them09:03 - Being great ≠ wanting to lead09:35 - How to reframe relationships when someone gets promoted10:11 - Training plan for new leadersAnd so much more…Watch the YouTube Version of the Podcast hereIf you're currently struggling or you want to build a business you love and get more time back, book a Call with our team here so we can help you work through your biggest problem right now. Check out the behind the scenes over at @foodie_coaches and @tim.kummerfeld

From Rock Bottom to $300K Months: How You Can Turn It All Around in 6 Months, with Mack Bowers

Jan 6, 2026 52 min

Mack went from depression, substance abuse, and losing $10K per month, to completely turning both his life and sandwich shop around in JUST 6 MONTHS. He shares how he fixed his numbers, went viral on TikTok, and now does $300K+ months while selling out daily.You’ll hear:01:41 - The Reality of Depression & Substance Abuse in Hospitality04:29 - Hemorrhaging $10K Per Month While Living a Lie to Everyone05:33 - The Couples Counseling Session That Changed Everything09:07 - "My Entire Team Had Left Because They Didn't Like Me"12:20 - The Excel Spreadsheet That Saved His Business (Getting Numbers Sorted)16:04 - How a $7 Menu Price Increase Changed His Life Forever16:59 - The $5,000 Cheese Hack That Printed Money 32:21 - One TikTok Video Hit 400K Views & Customers FLOODED In (The Presentation Change That Went Viral)33:04 - From $90K Months to $300K Months: Insane GrowthAnd so much more…Watch the YouTube Version of the Podcast hereIf you're currently struggling or you want to build a business you love and get more time back, book a Call with our team here so we can help you work through your biggest problem right now. You can find more from Mack on LinkedIn Check out the behind the scenes over at @foodie_coaches and @tim.kummerfeld

3 Things Every Business Owner Needs To Do Coming into 2026

Dec 30, 2025 15 min

80% of people quit their New Years resolutions by January 19th. Don’t become another statistic. Let’s lay out the framework to make sure that by the end of 2026, you’re looking at the exponential growth you’ve had since TODAY. Thanks to everyone who’s come along for the 2025 Make Restaurants Profitable journey. Comment LET’S CRUSH IT if you’re ready to commit to making 2026 your best year yet!You’ll hear:00:00 - "I can't keep going like this" The feeling underneath every struggling restaurant owner03:15 - Case study: $300K extra profit, same business, different version of herself05:37 - Using the KPI calculator: Breaking down $100K profit goals into weekly actions08:01 - Don’t be afraid of your numbers09:00 - Your brain is addicted to chaos: Why you keep reverting to old patterns13:57 - 52 weeks at 60% beats 3 weeks crushing it then nothingAnd so much more…You can find the free KPI calculator here.Sign up for the Foodie Coaches 2026 Workshop here. Watch the YouTube Version of the Podcast hereIf you're currently struggling or you want to build a business you love and get more time back, book a Call with our team here so we can help you work through your biggest problem right now. Check out the behind the scenes over at @foodie_coaches and @tim.kummerfeld

Running a 93 Year Old Business: How To Honor Tradition While Looking Forward, with Barrett Black

Dec 23, 2025 41 min

Barrett Black, fourth generation pitmaster at Black's Barbecue (est. 1932), joins us to discuss managing a family business across 4 locations with his dad and brother, how a $30 beef rib they thought would fail became a bestseller, how they predict price increases on meat products, and the challenges of honoring 93 years of tradition while staying relevant in an increasingly competitive BBQ market.You’ll hear:00:00 - 1932 Great Depression origins: How it started as a meat market with no refrigeration12:46 - "You must make a profit - it's your responsibility, not a nice-to-have"13:10 - From 1 to 3 restaurants in a month: "I had to learn to run a company, not just a restaurant"15:17 - Hiring process: Why they take 3-4 weeks minimum (even when it's painful)19:07 - Family business dynamics - “Are you asking as my father or as my boss?”34:03 - Trading beef futures: Why they watch what fast food chains do with brisket38:49 - The struggle to define your ideal customer 44:17 - The $30 beef rib gamble: "We thought we'd sell a few a day - it became our biggest seller"And so much more…Watch the YouTube Version of the Podcast hereIf you're currently struggling or you want to build a business you love and get more time back, book a Call with our team here so we can help you work through your biggest problem right now. Check out the behind the scenes over at @foodie_coaches and @tim.kummerfeld

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Podcast details

Created by: Foodie Coaches
Status: Active
Latest episode: Nov 11, 2026
Episodes: 74
Release period: Weekly
Avg. episode length: 43 min
Explicit: No
Language: English

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