FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution

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

In this episode, I dig into one of the toughest...

What if the stable path isn’t the right one?

Mohammad Farraj was on track to be a trauma surgeon. Instead, he left medicine to launch a taco truck—against family expectations, cultural pressure, and common sense. That truck became Talkin’ Tacos, a fast-casual franchise now operating in seven states.

In this episode, Mohammad shares what pushed him to walk away from a “safe” life, how a teenage TikTok creator sparked thei...

What if your $10 chicken taco isn’t competing with food—it’s competing with feeling?

Matt Egan didn’t just open restaurants—he staged immersive experiences. Drawing from a background in film, Matt treats each concept like a set, every server like a character, and every moment like a scene that should stick with you.

In this episode, we unpack how he turned storytelling into a competitive edge, why throwaway content kills bra...

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

 In this episode, I dive into one of the most o...

What happens when the dream starts to feel like a trap?

For Paul Denamiel, chef-owner of Le Rivage, the pandemic forced a reckoning. After decades of nonstop hustle—no days off, total immersion—he finally stepped back…and liked what he saw. Time with his wife. Peace. Clarity. And the terrifying realization that maybe, just maybe, the restaurant didn’t need him anymore.

In this episode, Paul opens up about the drug of ser...

What if your biggest failure was the reason your next move actually worked?

That’s the story of Henry Rich—former candy entrepreneur turned neighborhood restaurateur—who’s spent the last 15 years building one of Brooklyn’s most beloved hospitality groups. He didn’t start with a restaurant pedigree or investor backing. He started with recession scars, a cheap lease, and a gut-level belief in community over concept.

In thi...

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

In this episode, I dig into how smart menu desi...

Could you quit at the top of your game–just as your dreams were coming true? 

At the height of critical acclaim, Kevin Tien walked away from Himitsu, not because it failed, but because it no longer aligned. That decision rewired how he thinks about success, leadership, and the cost of ignoring your gut.

In this conversation, Kevin opens up about leaving good money and momentum on the table, learning the hard way that...

What if the true path to restaurant profitability is rethinking our business model entirely?Close to a decade ago, today’s guest changed the way I saw our industry forever and he’s here to do the same for you.

Today we sit down with Celebrity Chef Neal Fraser as he pulls back the curtain on how Redbird—a 50-seat dining room attached to a cathedral—became one of LA’s most dynamic and profitable hospitality businesse...

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

In this episode, I break down why discounting i...

What if chasing prestige meant sacrificing everything else?

For Jeff Bell, managing partner at the iconic PDT in NYC, bartending has never just been about cocktails—it’s about culture, connection, and the quiet cost of longevity.

In this episode, he shares what 15 years inside one of the world’s most celebrated bars has taught him about endurance, humility, and the evolution of hospitality. We get into why bartending is both...

What if trying to control everything is the very thing holding your business back? Most operators think control means being everywhere at once. Today’s guest thinks that mindset is killing your business.

After opening 100+ stores, managing $100M in revenue, and building teams across international brands, Won J Jeong realized the real goal isn’t knowing everything—it’s building systems so you don’t have to.

In this episode, w...

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

In this episode, I dive into what it really tak...

What if AI could make your restaurant more human, not less?

That’s the bold idea Devana Bhargava is betting on. As a product leader at Yelp, she’s rethinking restaurant tech from the inside out—building tools that support staff instead of replacing them.

In this episode, we dig into the design philosophy behind Yelp Host, why your Yelp page converts better than your Instagram, and how Devana’s team builds with operat...

Does the world really need another coffee shop?

That’s the question Darren Spicer had to answer before walking away from a six-figure career to start Clutch Coffee. The answer wasn’t coffee—it was connection.

In this episode, Darren breaks down why community, not caffeine, is his true product, what he learned from Dutch Bros, how he made it his own, and why being “Chick-fil-A for coffee” means never settling for aver...

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

In this episode, I dive into how to turn restau...

How do you define luxury? What if it isn’t about white tablecloths—but about meeting every guest, every need, every time?

Aaron Bludorn didn’t just open a restaurant—he opened a new playbook for hospitality. After a business education under Daniel Boulud and Gavin Kaysen, Aaron took a massive bet: move to Houston, build a concept mid-pandemic, and serve a community he was still getting to know. And that gamble paid off.

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Everyone says restaurants are about food, service, or scale. But what if it’s really about emotional engineering?

Yann didn’t come from the kitchen. He came from the world of marketing and strategy. But when he opened Boqueria, he reimagined what a restaurant could be—vibe-forward, high-design, emotionally resonant, and built to scale.

In this episode, Yann breaks down why restaurants are “weak link systems,” how to dist...

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

In this episode, I dive into how to market rest...