October 27, 2025 • 40 mins
Milestones matter when they sharpen your focus.
As we hit 100 episodes, Christin welcomes chef Britt Rescigno of Fiama in Sun Valley, a TV chef turned mountain-town restaurateur who pairs sexy, high-end Italian with a culture built on respect.
The conversation cuts through hype and gets tactical about what it takes to open strong, stay open through off-season, and keep a team engaged when the crowds thin.
Britt shares the boundary that makes running a restaurant with her spouse work: leave home emotions at home and speak with intention on the line.
That standard lifted the whole crew, turning high-heat moments into calm, decisive service.
We talk brand and guest experience that feel elegant yet approachable, the pricing confidence that comes from making everything in-house, and why clear storytelling on your website and socials sets expectations before guests ever sit down.
If you’ve wondered how to pick the right city, Britt’s year of pop-ups becomes a blueprint for market research.
She and Kinsey cooked 50 dinners across the country, read demand signals, and chose Sun Valley because the niche fit the people, not just the postcard views.
We unpack PR as an upfront investment that compounds early, how to measure its real-world impact, and why cutting it first can stall momentum.
Then we face Slack season head on: holding firm on hours, launching a true apertivo hour to seed early covers, and keeping staff employed so you don’t pay the tax of retraining when the snow hits.
Britt also opens up about her TV path from a liquid-courage Chopped application to national competitions, and how that platform feeds the restaurant with credibility and fresh ideas.
Finally, we look forward: more Fiama locations, possibly in other mountain towns, and a commitment to mentoring young cooks so they see culinary as a craft worth chasing.
If you lead in restaurants, you’ll walk away with a playbook: respect as policy, consistency as strategy, pop-ups as research, PR as acceleration, and offers that protect brand while driving covers.
Enjoy the conversation, share it with someone who needs a lift, and tell us your best tactic for staying busy through the off-season.
Resources:
P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? Here are 3 ways I can support you:
- One-on-One Coaching - Work directly with me to tackle your biggest leadership challenges and scale your operations with confidence. Learn more at christinmarvin.com
- Multi-Unit Mastery Book - Get the complete Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com
- Group Coaching & Leadership Workshops - Join other passionate restaurant leaders in transformative group sessions designed to elevate your entire team. Details at christinmarvin.com
Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:08):
Welcome back to the show, everybody.
This week is super exciting, andI know I say that a lot uh every
week, but just filled with a lotof gratitude today.
This is officially my 100thepisode of the show.
That is uh very overwhelming andhard to say.
I think when I started this showa couple years ago, my mission
(00:31):
and goal was to provide aleadership development resource
in a different form, uh, besidesnewsletters and books.
And the response has just beenabsolutely overwhelming, thanks
to you all.
So this moment of gratitude goesout to you today for listening,
for commenting, um, for lettingme know when I when I see you in
(00:53):
person that you're listening tothe show or you took something
of value away from the show.
That's really what this is allabout, and that feedback keeps
me going.
Um, I am still working on notbeing as a high of achiever as I
am and slowing down.
And my um, my lovely humanConnor, who partners with me on
(01:16):
the show, reminded me a coupleweeks ago.
He said, Kristen, your hundredthepisode is coming up, and I it
snuck up on me faster than Irealized.
And thanks to Connor, I knowhe's listening to this as he
helps prepare the show, but um,thank you for helping me slow
down and realize and recognizethat this is a really awesome
moment um to share witheverybody.
So, that being said, for any ofyou restaurant owners out there,
(01:40):
multi-unit restaurant ownersthat are listening to the show
today, I would love to gift youa coaching session so you can
figure out how to make 2026 theabsolute best year that your
restaurant group has seen yet.
So if you'd like to um toindulge in a coaching
(02:01):
conversation with me, feel freeto reach out via email,
kristenlmarvin at gmail.com, andwe can schedule some time
together.
You can also send me a textmessage in the show notes at the
very, very top.
Just click the link at the verytop of the show notes.
Just know that I can't respondto that link.
So be sure to put your contactinformation, your phone number,
or your email in there, andwe'll get connected.
(02:23):
In honor of a hundred episodes,that would do something pretty
fun and different.
I had a PR firm reach out to meon behalf of Brett Rocino, chef
Brett Rocino, who is a TVcelebrity chef.
She has an amazing restaurantcalled Fiama in Sun Valley,
(02:45):
Idaho.
And she's been on, she beatBobby Flay on his show.
She's on Tournament ofChampions.
She's she's got just a crazy,crazy killer uh resume.
And on the show today, we get toindulge a little bit and learn
more about her behind thescenes, behind the flashy
productions and all the funcompetitions.
(03:08):
And she gives advice on how torun a successful restaurant with
your spouse, which is somethingI talk to a lot of people about.
She gives advice on how to domarket research and figure out
exactly what niche is going tofit where when you're talking
(03:31):
about opening your firstrestaurant, which is just so
impactful and so important tothe success.
And we dive into her strategy alittle bit as she is starting to
go into her first down season.
Uh, they call it Slack season inSun Valley.
She's been open for six months,she's already gotten a
four-diamond award, absolutelymagical and incredible, so well
(03:53):
deserved.
And we talk about how she'spreparing for that off season
and her goals about thinkingdifferently around what mountain
towns typically do when it comesto hours of operation and
staffing.
Loved this conversation.
Cannot wait to cheer her on andwatch her more as she continues
(04:14):
to manage these careers of TVcelebrity chef and restaurateur.
So I hope you enjoyed thisepisode and thank you again for
um allowing me to stay on theair for 100 episodes.
I can't wait for the next 100.
Welcome to the RestaurantLeadership Podcast, the show
(04:36):
where restaurant leaders learntools, tactics, and habits from
the world's greatest operators.
I'm your host, Kristen Marvin,with Solutions by Kristen.
I've spent the last two decadesin the restaurant industry and
now partner with restaurantowners to develop their leaders
and scale their businessesthrough powerful one-on-one
(04:56):
coaching, group coaching, andleadership workshops.
This show is complete withepisodes around coaching,
leadership development, andinterviews with powerful
industry leaders.
You can now engage with me onthe show and share topics you'd
like to hear about, leadershiplessons you want to learn, and
(05:17):
any feedback you have.
Simply click the link at the topof the show notes, and I will
give you a shout-out on a futureepisode.
Thanks so much for listening,and I look forward to
connecting.
Britt, thanks for being heretoday.
Um we're gonna we're gonna talkabout background a little bit.
I know you've been on a ton ofinterviews, you're total pro
(05:39):
with this, but this these thingshappen where I I tend to have a
conversation with somebody teedup for the show, and then the
day or two before I have aconversation with someone that
is just very fitting for whatwe're gonna talk about today.
So last night I had dinner witha couple who wants to open their
own restaurant together, theirfirst restaurant.
And and you run the restaurantwith your wife, right with
(06:02):
Kinsey.
Yep.
So I I would like to start offwith one piece of advice that
you would give to this couplegoing into business together for
the first time.
SPEAKER_00 (06:10):
Uh leave everything at the door.
Leave your relationship at thefront door of your house, leave
the restaurant emotions at theback door of the restaurant.
SPEAKER_01 (06:20):
Okay.
How do you do that?
I was thinking about them thismorning, like on the, you know,
I was thinking, could I could Iever be in a relationship and
run a restaurant with somebody?
I couldn't.
I know myself too well.
Like, how do you how do you dothat?
I mean, it sounds so simple,right?
Just make the commitment, leaveit at the door.
But when things come up duringservice and thing, you know, and
(06:41):
you're both chefs, right?
So I'm sure you're super fuckingpassionate.
How do you check yourself, youknow, check each other and and
and remember that there's peoplearound watching you all the
time?
SPEAKER_00 (06:53):
Yeah, I think I think the best thing is that you
have to have mutual respect.
Um, and that has actually helpedme be a better leader.
Um, you know, running a businesswith my wife, because, you know,
I grew up in kitchens, myfamily-owned restaurant.
Like emotions get high.
(07:13):
And unfortunately, there's a lotof things said that like you
wouldn't normally say, but it'sunder the pressure and the heat,
right?
Yeah.
Well, I'm not gonna say thosethings to my wife.
Like that's just not happening.
So it's made me process things alittle bit better and say things
with more respect and intention.
Um, and that just goes to mywhole staff as well.
Like, if I hear someone talking,you know, aggressively towards
(07:36):
another one and I know it's justpressure, it's like, hey, man,
take a second, take a deepbreath.
You don't want to be spoken tothat way.
So don't speak to other peoplethat way.
And I think it's just created areally healthy environment for
the restaurant because everyonetalks to everybody with nothing
but respect.
SPEAKER_01 (07:54):
I love that.
Did you guys have that intentiongoing in that that we want to
create this environment ofmutual respect?
Or did it just kind oforganically come up through your
relationship?
SPEAKER_00 (08:03):
Honestly, it just kind of came up organically and
it was it was wonderful becauseI actually feel less stressed.
Because I'm now learning how toprocess my emotions a little bit
better and take that second totake a deep breath, or we'll
talk about this later.
You know, and that's fine.
You could still have those hardconversations and adjust and let
(08:25):
people know that you're you'rethe boss for the day, you know.
But you just have to have thatmature and respectful
conversation.
SPEAKER_01 (08:33):
Yeah, I love it.
Um, I'm gonna I'm gonnacompletely switch gears for a
second because I have a veryselfish question for you.
So your your website and yourbranding is fucking gorgeous.
SPEAKER_00 (08:44):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_01 (08:46):
When I was on your website, I and I love this.
You know, I've heard of I'vetaken some classes on branding
and marketing, and and it'sconstantly something that I'm
trying to work on in my ownbusiness.
But I love that when you firstjump on your website, you've got
the video there that youactually feel like you're in the
restaurant and you feel likeyou're part of the experience.
I mean, you just you guystotally fucking nailed it.
(09:07):
It's great.
SPEAKER_00 (09:07):
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah, our whole point was like,you know, we obviously want to
do the food that we love.
Yeah.
Uh we want it to be swanky, alittle sexy, but we always want
it to be approachable.
And we always equated it to likeyou're going to your
grandmother's house, right?
Um, your grandmother's house isalways nice.
She's got the fine china.
You're not running aroundbumping into things because
(09:29):
something's gonna break, butlike you feel at home and you
feel at peace when you're there.
And that's the whole vibe thatwe were trying to create was
like, sure, you're gonna have areally nice dinner.
It's gonna be fancy, it's gonnabe beautiful, but it's
approachable and you feelcomfortable.
SPEAKER_01 (09:44):
I love that.
So you knew exactly what youwanted going in.
Yeah, that's great.
I'm in the process of doing arebrand and I'm starting from
scratch, and it's it's hard toput your vision and the the
guest experience into words likeyou've just articulated.
So thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (10:00):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
It's the hardest thing.
Like you can you can think it inyour head, but that doesn't mean
that that's what's going totranscribe on a piece of paper.
SPEAKER_01 (10:08):
Yeah, 100%.
I love it.
I've got a lot of work to do.
Before we dive deeper intotoday's topic, I want to share
something that's been a gamechanger for the restaurant
owners I work with.
You know how we've been talkingabout building stronger
foundations for your restaurant?
Well, I've taken everything Iteach my coaching clients about
creating core values, missionstatements, and long-term
(10:31):
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(10:54):
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The best part is each course isonly$49, or you can grab all
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That's less than what mostrestaurants spend on a single
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(11:14):
You can check them out atkristinmarvin.com slash courses.
You can also text me directly inthe show notes.
There's a link at the top of theshow if you want a special promo
code to save an additionalamount of money on any of the
courses, including the bundle.
Now let's get back to ourconversation.
(11:40):
So take us on this journey.
You know, when you and I firstspoke, I was just really
intrigued by your story and thisamazing journey that you and
Kinsey went on around thepop-ups.
But let's talk a little bitabout how, you know, how does a
chef from Jersey end up in SunValley, Idaho?
SPEAKER_00 (11:58):
Uh, there's a local culinary school that asked me, I
think it was three and a halfyears ago, they asked me to do
their first ever food and winefestival.
Um, actually, Jonathan Sawyer,um, who we all know and love
from Food Network.
Um, me and him connected on myfirst season of Tournament of
Champions.
Okay.
And we connected in like fiveminutes.
(12:18):
And he was just like, I reallylike you.
Do you want to come to SunValley and do a food and wine
event with me?
And I was like, Yeah, have noclue where Sun Valley is.
Yeah.
I was like, Yeah, I have no cluewhere Idaho is.
Um so went to the culinaryschool, did the food and wine
festival for them.
(12:40):
Um, and then I wound up donatingfour dinners that we had to come
back for to raise money for thekids for their scholarships and
such.
Um, and basically Kinse,Jonathan, and I spent a summer
here three years ago, fell inlove with the area, saw a niche
that we could, you know, slideright into, and it would be
(13:04):
pretty seamless.
And it's probably one of themost beautiful places I've seen
in America.
Nice.
Um, you know, we live in themiddle of the Rocky Mountains
and it's just stunning.
SPEAKER_01 (13:16):
Yeah.
I bet fall is amazing right now.
SPEAKER_00 (13:19):
Uh yeah, we're just getting into fall.
The leaves are starting tochange.
I'm looking up at the mountainright now.
Yeah.
Um, fall is happening, and thatmakes me super happy.
Being from the East Coast, Ineed my seasons.
I need it to be hot in thesummer, I need it to be cold in
the winter, and I need thatbeautiful fall and spring, and
you get it here.
SPEAKER_01 (13:36):
Love it.
How did you know that that nichewas gonna work?
Talk to me about price point,menu.
How did you know that it wasgonna be accepted?
Or did you?
SPEAKER_00 (13:46):
Um, you know, I'm a unique individual, and I tend to
think that you either love me oryou hate me.
Okay.
Uh, because I am justauthentically me.
Like I'm unapologetic about whoI am, and um, I'm very confident
in who I am.
And that's either a really goodthing for you or a really bad
(14:08):
thing.
And I'm fine with that because Inever have to be someone else.
Um, and I was my my most uniqueself while I was here and just
having fun, but also having, youknow, business conversations and
really diving into the dynamicsof what this area is.
(14:28):
Um, and I was so wildlyaccepted.
unknown (14:32):
Nice.
SPEAKER_00 (14:32):
Um, you know, I I talk about my food all the time.
My food, it's fucking sexy.
Like that's just how I say it.
I don't care if you make$2 ayear or if you make$2 billion a
year.
That's how I talk about my food.
And if you love that and youlove my food, then you love our
whole vibe.
And having doing the all thosedinners, you know, we were in
(14:56):
front of tons of people.
And I mean, it was hundreds ofpeople that were just like, you
gotta open a restaurant here,you have to open a restaurant
here.
Doing some market research,seeing, you know, the type of
people that live here, andknowing, knowing all of the
information and doing that realdue diligence to really immerse
ourselves into the community tofigure out like, hey, is this
(15:19):
actually the spot, or do we wantto be in Charleston, South
Carolina?
Yeah.
Where we know it's gonna befine.
So we did a lot of work to seeif it was gonna be a good fit.
And, you know, honestly, it waslike sliding that right puzzle
piece right in.
SPEAKER_01 (15:33):
Nice.
So you've been open for how longnow?
SPEAKER_00 (15:36):
We opened March 5th.
So we just hit our sixth month acouple weeks ago, going on to
our seventh month.
SPEAKER_01 (15:44):
And it's going pretty well, right?
SPEAKER_00 (15:46):
Oh my gosh, it's incredible.
Honestly, I walk through thebuilding every every day, and
I'm just like, wow, this is thisis ours.
Like, this is our dream cometrue.
SPEAKER_01 (15:54):
Yeah.
Did you have a PR firm out ofthe gate?
SPEAKER_00 (15:58):
We did not.
Um, I did I was sponsored by abeef company out of Chicago.
Um, and their PR firm was waswho I was connected with, you
know, being sponsored by them.
Um, and then just made a reallygreat connection with someone in
that PR firm and just stuck withit.
(16:19):
And uh, you know, Sam's beensuch a blessing to us.
SPEAKER_01 (16:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (16:24):
And I think it's, you know, it's a lot of money
that goes out the door, but it'sa lot of well well spent money.
SPEAKER_01 (16:31):
Do you see yourself working with a PR firm for the
entirety of your restaurantcareer?
Do you think it's more valuablein the beginning stages?
SPEAKER_00 (16:40):
Um Truthfully, I think it's really, really
important in the beginning toreally spend that money, right?
You have to spend the money, dothe work, talk to people, um,
make the connections and reallyjust put yourself out there.
If you wait too long, you'reyou're just you're late to the
race, you know?
(17:01):
Um, so I think it's reallyimportant to spend a lot of
money on PR in the beginning.
Um, and then I think that we'llcontinue to use PR probably for
a very long time, but not as notas uh, you know, in a grand
scale as we are.
SPEAKER_01 (17:17):
No, yeah, like you said, it's it's really
expensive.
And it's sometimes it's hard tosee the ROI, right, uh, out of
the gate on it for sure.
SPEAKER_00 (17:26):
Um, you think all the time you're like, wow, this
is four or five thousand dollarsevery month.
Like you know, we gotta cutcosts.
I'm working on food costs andall this stuff.
And it's like, it's an easy oneto say, like, all right, let's
just cut the PR.
That's four thousand dollars,five thousand dollars a month.
SPEAKER_01 (17:43):
Yeah, put it in your pocket.
SPEAKER_00 (17:45):
But that that effort and having that PR firm is
giving you tenfold.
SPEAKER_01 (17:51):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
SPEAKER_00 (17:52):
So you you know, you bite the bullet while you can,
and you know, it it it's worthit, it's worth every penny.
I love it.
SPEAKER_01 (17:59):
Talk to me a little bit about Communion Bay Supper
Club.
Was this part of marketresearch?
SPEAKER_00 (18:04):
It was so uh Kinse and I were what we call both
coastal.
So she lived in Seattle.
I lived in New Jersey.
Um, we worked together inSeattle for about two months.
I got hired as a consulting cheffor a place that she was working
for.
Um, and she was just like, hey,we work really well together.
(18:26):
Do you want to like do somepop-ups and stuff?
And I was like, Yeah, thissounds great.
We were, you know, just friends.
We had worked together for twomonths.
Um, so she left the job and westarted just traveling around
doing dinners at people'shouses.
I mean, we would be flying toFlorida the next day, be flying
(18:46):
to Portland, Oregon.
Two days after that, we'reflying back to Idaho, back to
New Jersey, Seattle.
Like we were on so many flights,you know, flying with
ingredients.
Yeah.
You know, TSA is always checkingyour bag.
You have a note.
I'm like, oh yeah, there's acouple white powders in there,
they're gonna be checking itout.
(19:07):
Don't worry, guys.
It's just Xanthem gum.
SPEAKER_01 (19:11):
How many how many pop-ups did you guys do?
Oh God 50?
In in what time span?
Less than a year.
unknown (19:22):
Oh my god.
SPEAKER_01 (19:24):
So how like talk to me about how that business was
running?
How were people finding you?
Were you marketing yourself?
Like, were the menus differentor the same?
Walk me through all that.
SPEAKER_00 (19:34):
Yeah, it was super cool.
So I would whenever wherever wewere at, I would go to the local
markets and stuff, and I wouldjust find things and then base
the menu off of whatever I foundthat was local in season.
Um, so that was a lot of fun,you know, especially when you're
(19:54):
going to places that I'm notfamiliar with, like Portland, or
you know, I'm familiar with withFlorida, but like I've never
been a chef there.
So like utilizing what they haveseasonally is a lot of fun.
Like we got to work with somegreat fish and everything.
So we would just write the menuas we were walking the store
together.
SPEAKER_01 (20:15):
Amazing.
Yeah, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (20:17):
It was it was so cool, and then we would, you
know, get it printed.
We would find a print shop, alocal print shop.
We would get the menu printed,and then we would go to the
person's house and just cook outof their house.
Sometimes it was easy, sometimesit was super challenging.
SPEAKER_01 (20:33):
Yeah.
How did people find you?
SPEAKER_00 (20:35):
Um, mostly through Instagram.
Um, you know, having thankfullyhaving a big following helps
with that.
Um, so the marketing was waspretty easy.
Um, and people just wanted me tocome to their house and and have
a dinner party, and it was a lotof fun.
You know, it was like eightcourses, 10 courses sometimes.
(20:58):
Yeah.
Um, but it was just aboutconnecting with people, talking
about the area, trying to figureout where was going to be a good
spot for us to open arestaurant.
Because that was the end goal,and that was the whole goal of
Communion Bay Supper Club was totravel around America and figure
out where we wanted to open arestaurant.
SPEAKER_01 (21:15):
And what did you know you were looking for?
SPEAKER_00 (21:19):
Um, well, we knew we wanted to do high-end Italian.
So the the demographics had tobe there for that.
SPEAKER_01 (21:27):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (21:28):
You know, you you have to have people that don't
mind spending$45 on a bowl ofpasta versus, you know, the
demographic of well, I can go toOlive Garden and get Endless
Pasta Bowl for$19.99.
SPEAKER_01 (21:45):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (21:46):
Why can't I get Endless Pasta with you?
Well, you know, we makeeverything in-house.
There's there's a difference andthere's a quality.
Um, you know, we don't we don'tbuy anything, we buy raw
ingredients and we makeeverything in-house.
And, you know, the perception ofItalian cuisine is that it's
cheap.
You know, a box of pasta is awhole pound of pasta is a
(22:08):
dollar.
So there's this conception, andyou have to find the market that
really cares about the quality.
And I think that was somethingthat we were really looking for.
SPEAKER_01 (22:20):
Yeah.
Nice.
Did you have two or three backupcities?
SPEAKER_00 (22:26):
We actually had uh an LOI on a building um in
Charleston, South Carolina.
Okay.
Uh we were pretty dead set.
I knew we would I knew we woulddo well.
SPEAKER_01 (22:38):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (22:39):
Um the market is obviously saturated there, but
you still can't get in anywhere.
So as saturated as it is, arestaurateur would do fine as
long as you put out really goodstuff.
SPEAKER_01 (22:52):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (22:53):
Um so, you know, that was that was our plan.
But you know, we were alsothinking about, you know, do we
stay to my roots and stay in NewJersey?
Do we go to Seattle whereKinsey's from and open a place
there?
Neither one of those placesreally called to us because
(23:14):
wherever we were, we wanted tolay our roots, our personal
roots.
SPEAKER_01 (23:18):
Yeah.
So nice.
I love it.
So you're six months in.
SPEAKER_00 (23:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (23:24):
What are you most looking forward to the next six
months?
SPEAKER_00 (23:29):
The next six months.
I am really looking forward towinter season.
Uh winter is coming, the weatheris changing, it's cold.
Um, but I am very much lookingforward to the winter season.
It's my favorite my favoriteseason here.
Um I love the people that comehere because it's truly just
(23:51):
joyous.
They love the the snow, they'rehere for our vacation, the
locals are happy because there'ssnow on the ground.
It's just such a wonderful,thrilling time to be in Idaho.
SPEAKER_01 (24:03):
Yeah, I love it.
I've never been.
I'll have to come check it out.
SPEAKER_00 (24:06):
It's it's truly like you see those pictures of like
Montana and these giantmountains and everything.
That's literally where we live.
SPEAKER_01 (24:15):
Awesome.
What's your biggest challengeahead of you?
SPEAKER_00 (24:18):
We are coming into Slack right now.
So Slack is our off season.
Um there is no tourists.
It's right before, it's afterthe beautiful summer, going into
winter, that lull, everyoneleaves, all the locals leave,
they go to their favorite spotto chill and wait for the snow
(24:39):
to start hitting the ground.
SPEAKER_01 (24:40):
What is how long is Slack?
SPEAKER_00 (24:43):
Um truly, it depends on snow.
SPEAKER_01 (24:47):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (24:48):
Uh so our mountain opens Thanksgiving.
SPEAKER_01 (24:51):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (24:52):
So basically October, November until
Thanksgiving.
SPEAKER_01 (24:56):
What does success look like for you coming out of
Slack?
SPEAKER_00 (25:00):
Success coming out of Slack is still having a full
staff.
Um and the doors easily gettingopen every day.
Not having to worry about are wemaking the right choice?
Should we have closed for alittle bit?
Um, you know, just being happywith, you know, there's still a
(25:22):
bunch of locals between Haley,Sun Valley, and Ketchum.
There's tons of people.
Are we hitting that market?
Are we hitting it well enoughthat we can open the doors and
not have to close for a monthlike everyone else does?
SPEAKER_01 (25:37):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (25:38):
So I think success is measured by still having a
beautiful staff like we do,maintaining them all, uh, not
having to put anyone onunemployment and feeding the
locals.
SPEAKER_01 (25:52):
Yeah.
Yeah.
What do you need to do to makethat happen?
SPEAKER_00 (25:55):
Uh we're actually starting an apertivo hour.
Um, so we open at 4 30 everyday.
Um we're gonna start ourapertivo hour from 4 30, 5 30.
It'd be a true hour.
Um, and I'm not gonna say thatwe have cheap bites, but it's a
true apertivo hour.
(26:17):
Warmed olives, you know, burratawith pepperinata, um, some nice
cocktails and everything.
And I I hate I hate the the wordhappy hour because that's not
it.
We're celebrating justingredients in a different way.
unknown (26:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (26:35):
Um, but we're trying to show the locals that, like,
hey, we got an hour that, youknow, we have some snacks, we
have some great drinks that are20% off.
Come on in early before yourdinner, have a little snack, and
then stay for your reservationthat everyone comes in at six
o'clock for.
SPEAKER_01 (26:52):
Love it.
Love it.
So you feel like that's gonnacontinue to pull the market that
you need.
SPEAKER_00 (26:58):
I do.
And and I'm a I'm a I'm an earlydinner lover.
SPEAKER_01 (27:03):
Yeah, me too.
SPEAKER_00 (27:04):
I'm like 5 30 is my favorite time, maybe five
o'clock.
unknown (27:08):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (27:10):
Um and you know, right now we're not really
hitting that 4 30, five between4 30 and 5 30.
We're just yeah, we're just nothitting the mark right now.
And, you know, we're we'retrying to think about things
that we can do for our localsand for us to make sure that we
are still getting that thatearly business because I want to
(27:30):
keep my employees employed forthose amount of hours.
I don't want to open up at five.
SPEAKER_01 (27:36):
Totally.
Is your restaurant one that'sgetting are you getting one turn
during the week and two turns onthe weekends?
What what is Sun Valley like asfar as dining preferences?
SPEAKER_00 (27:45):
We're still getting two turns right now.
Nice.
Uh talk to me in two weeks, thatmight be a different story.
Yeah, but as of right now, we'restill getting two turns during
the week, three turns on theweekends.
SPEAKER_01 (27:59):
Okay.
Awesome.
Um what do you need to do tokeep the staff?
SPEAKER_00 (28:05):
We just need to have the business.
We're we my whole thing is Iwant to have year-round staff.
I don't want to have to train,you know, a lot of restaurants
they close in the winter orsorry, they close in the spring
and fall for a little bit oftime.
And you know, you just can'tsend people off and be like,
(28:25):
hey, we'll we'll see you in fourto six weeks.
Right.
Some people can do that, somepeople can't.
And then you always have totrain new staff and everything.
So for us, it's just making surethat the doors stay open and
that we're nice and busy still.
SPEAKER_01 (28:40):
Yeah.
Awesome.
What how do you how will youhandle you and Kinzie handle
this pressure over the nextcouple months?
Just this uncertainty and andnot knowing how the business is
gonna operate since it's yourfirst year.
SPEAKER_00 (28:56):
Totally.
It's you know, this year is it'sa learning curve.
Um, but consistency is key andcommunication is key.
And, you know, we just we justhave to stick to our guns.
And um, something that I'm bigon is continuity.
If we say we're gonna dosomething, let's do it and let's
do it 100%.
So if we say that we're open at4 30, we open at 4 30 no matter
(29:19):
what.
Even if we don't have a singleperson that walks through the
door until 5 45, we have tomaintain consistency so that
everyone around us knows thatwe're serious and we're here for
them.
SPEAKER_01 (29:30):
So important.
So important.
It's I think it's I I see ithappening often in um whether
it's, you know, I lived inArizona for three years, where
summer, a lot of people eithercompletely close the restaurant,
go down to very limited hoursand days of the week, or they
just open up to locals only andgive them a menu that only they
want to eat.
(29:50):
Right.
Um, which is pretty wild.
But I agree with you, theconsistency is so key.
And and uh it I see that in themountain towns too.
I talk to some people, right?
It's Um, oh yeah, we'll open anhour earlier or we'll close an
hour, you know, we'll close anhour.
It's like, no, it's it's sodangerous to your business.
And I've worked for, you know,massive companies where, you
(30:11):
know, we get five feet of snow,and yeah, you want to close, but
it's just so dangerous to yourreputation.
And it's it's detrimental.
Totally, totally.
SPEAKER_00 (30:21):
Yeah, you know, I've worked, I've worked for
restaurants where uh again,being from New Jersey, I'm from
the shore.
So our summers are popping,they're nuts, they're crazy.
You extend your hours, and thenin the winter, you shorten your
hours, not even to regularhours, you shorten them.
And I have always found that,you know, July and August,
(30:47):
you're fine, right?
But September and June, you'vegotten your customers used to
you closing early.
So their mindset, normally youclose at 10 o'clock, right?
You start closing at nineo'clock because you don't have
any customers.
Well, nobody wants to be thelast customer in the building.
(31:07):
So now they're coming at eighto'clock.
unknown (31:09):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (31:09):
And now you've ruined two hours of business for
yourself.
SPEAKER_01 (31:12):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (31:13):
100%.
And it's just it as much as youwant to do it and it's painful
to sit there and stay open, yougot to do it because you got to
show everyone that you'reconsistent and that you're the
real deal.
And I think that's somethingthat is so important and also
the hardest thing to teach yourstaff.
SPEAKER_01 (31:31):
Yeah, absolutely.
It's uh it's so hard to changeguest preferences.
You know, I talked to a lot ofoperators that are they're like,
my sales are down, which youknow, it's happening everywhere
right now, uh, especially in theDenver market because it's so
saturated.
And people say, you know, I Iwant to build sales, I want to
start with building uh sales onTuesdays and Wednesday nights.
It's like that's not when peoplego out to eat.
(31:52):
Let's talk about Friday andSaturday and Sundays and
maximizing those first if you'renot at capacity.
It's so much easier to bringpeople in because you're
probably saying no to somereservations that you could get
creative with, right?
Or offer some different timesaround and find seats for those
people.
Totally.
Kudos to you.
That's great.
Thanks.
That's a great mindset.
Um, now are you still going toum are you still traveling and
(32:16):
doing some fun competitions?
Like, do you want to go back onBobby Flay and kick his ass
again with your grandmother'schicken and dumpling recipe?
Like, what does what doesmarketing for you look like
outside of the restaurant?
SPEAKER_00 (32:28):
Yeah, I have uh I have two careers.
I'm a restaurant owner and I'm aTV chef.
unknown (32:33):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (32:34):
And I will always do it as long as I'm called.
Um, it's a passion of mine.
I truly love it.
Um especially the competitionpart, like whether I'm judging
or I'm competing at the end ofthe day.
Every time I do it, it's likebeing in the Super Bowl.
SPEAKER_01 (32:56):
How did you get into that?
SPEAKER_00 (33:00):
Funny story.
Um a lot of people all the timewere just like, you're
hilarious, you're funny, youhave a great personality, you
should do chopped.
And I was like, no way, no way,no way.
I'm a chef.
Put me behind the scenes for areason.
Yeah.
Like I'm funny to you guys, andI'm funny into everyone else
(33:23):
because I'm comfortable.
SPEAKER_01 (33:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (33:25):
But put me on stage and I can't say two words.
Yeah.
I was like, it'll never work.
So one of my friends was justlike, you gotta do it, gotta do
it, gotta do it.
And one day I was sitting on thecouch, might have had one too
many whiskies, and was like, I'mjust gonna do it.
And I applied to Chopped andwoke up the next morning and was
(33:46):
like, oh, I can't believe I didthat.
Thankfully, they'll never callme.
And I gotta call that afternoon.
SPEAKER_01 (33:53):
Some liquid courage.
SPEAKER_00 (33:55):
Oh gosh.
Great.
But it honestly, I'm so thankfulthat it happened because it has
changed my life and in so manygood ways.
And I found a new passion.
And I think when you get intoyour career for as long as I
have, that it's it's sometimesit's hard to find new passion.
(34:16):
Um in doing this, I haveconnected with so many chefs and
we talk about food.
And and you know, when we're alltogether and we're doing things
like turn them into champions,like all we do is talk about
food and how the restaurants aredoing, and and I just get so
fueled.
And now I get to do all thesefood and wine events, and I, you
(34:41):
know, it's just it's fun.
SPEAKER_01 (34:43):
Yeah, I love it.
In the early days, all right,because I don't know how you get
into that circuit or or orreally anything about it, but
are you just applying yourselfuntil and I'm I'm sure now the
PR firm helps you uh manage allthat and do all the reach outs
for that, right?
SPEAKER_00 (34:58):
Uh I don't I don't reach out at all.
SPEAKER_01 (35:01):
You okay, okay.
SPEAKER_00 (35:02):
But in the beginning it was all the only one I did
reach out for was Chopped, andI've been called for all the
different shows since then.
SPEAKER_01 (35:10):
Got it.
Okay, so you're you got yourselfout there.
You apparently said more thantwo words on the first chapter.
SPEAKER_00 (35:16):
I might have said three, but I don't know that it
was much more.
SPEAKER_01 (35:19):
But it was another attention.
SPEAKER_00 (35:21):
Thankfully, I can cook.
SPEAKER_01 (35:23):
Yeah, I love it.
That's great.
Um, is there a show that youhaven't been on yet that you
want to go on?
SPEAKER_00 (35:29):
I want to be on Bobby's Triple Threat so bad.
SPEAKER_01 (35:32):
Okay, we put it out there.
Here it is.
I anybody listening.
SPEAKER_00 (35:37):
Fingers and toes are crossed.
SPEAKER_01 (35:39):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (35:39):
I can cross my eyes too if I need to.
SPEAKER_01 (35:42):
What is it about that show?
SPEAKER_00 (35:45):
You know, I have so much respect for my friends,
Bobby and Brooke and Michael.
Uh, I know there's a new chef,Aisha, that's on now that I
haven't met, but I'm I'm I'mfriends with Michael Voltaggio.
I'm friends with BrookeWilliamson.
And I have so much respect forthem growing up watching them
(36:07):
competing on Top Chef, the thebeginnings of Top Chef and
everything, and just being soinspired by them.
Like I haven't had a chance togo against them.
And I'm always a firm believerin you're only you're only as
good as the best person you cango against, whether you win or
lose, it's putting yourself outthere.
Um, and I just I want to putmyself out there.
(36:30):
I know I'll probably get my asskicked, but that's okay.
unknown (36:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (36:36):
I just want to hang.
SPEAKER_01 (36:37):
Yeah.
I love it.
What would you I mean, lookingback on your career?
I mean, you've got so far to go,but like of all all the things
that you've absolutelyaccomplished.
I mean, a four diamond award andfour months of opening your
first restaurant, likeabsolutely fucking insane.
If you look back now at that13-year-old cook in your
family's kitchen, what would yousay to her?
SPEAKER_00 (36:59):
Keep going.
unknown (37:00):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (37:01):
Dream big and just keep going.
Don't stop ever.
Um, that's something that mygrandmother told me when I was
younger.
Like, if this is what you wantto do, then do it and do it all.
And that's something I've I'vetaken with me.
That's something that I try toteach to anyone that wants to
(37:23):
talk to me about culinary, itwhether they want to get into
the business or they want to goto culinary school.
Um, if you're gonna do it, doit.
Yeah, go big, go home.
SPEAKER_01 (37:35):
Love it.
Do you have plans to open morerestaurants?
SPEAKER_00 (37:39):
Heck yes.
Without hesitation, nohesitation whatsoever.
SPEAKER_01 (37:45):
Love it in Sun Valley.
SPEAKER_00 (37:47):
Um, we're trying to decide on whether we want to
build an empire here or if wewant to go to different mountain
towns um and open more fiamas.
SPEAKER_01 (38:01):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (38:02):
Love it.
So that's something that we'restill going back and forth on,
trying to figure out, you know,the pluses and minuses.
And small mountain towns arehard because, you know, you open
a restaurant and it does well.
You're great.
SPEAKER_01 (38:16):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (38:16):
But are you gonna take business away if you open a
second?
Because you know it's gonna begreat.
SPEAKER_01 (38:21):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (38:22):
I know, I know that our restaurant's gonna be great.
SPEAKER_01 (38:24):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (38:25):
So that's that's something that we are constantly
going back and forth on.
And we might have talks about asecond restaurant with some
people already.
SPEAKER_01 (38:34):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (38:34):
Um, but right now it's kind of the Venn diagram,
like pros, cons, the in-between,like what what weighs heavier.
SPEAKER_01 (38:44):
What what role do you see yourself in in five
years from now?
SPEAKER_00 (38:50):
Five years from now, I would like to be the owner of
three restaurants.
Okay.
Uh, I would like to have a TOCbelt.
Okay.
And I would like to be a mentorto multiple young chefs.
That's something that's reallyimportant to me is to inspire
(39:11):
the next generation.
Um and maybe I should say thenext next generation, because I
want to develop that passionwith children while they're
young, because I had that when Iwas young.
And I think it's so important.
And my parents let me make allof my decisions, what I wanted
(39:34):
to do.
They never wanted me to be achef, but here I am.
Uh, they tried so hard to talkme out of it, but again, here I
am.
And I think this is one of thehardest careers to make it in,
to make money, to make it to besuccessful.
Um, and if I can import someknowledge into a young, creative
(39:58):
being, I think it's just soimportant.
SPEAKER_01 (40:01):
Love it.
Britt, you are uh absolutelyfucking awesome.
You're such a powerhouse.
Thank you.
I I love your confidence.
And I love that the ego thatcomes with that is all about
competition in a really fun,playful way and learning and
mentorship.
Um, I think that's very uniqueand it's very special.
(40:23):
And uh wish you absolutely allthe best with building your
empire.
It's it's gonna be incredible.
I can't wait to come out andcheck out your food one day.
SPEAKER_00 (40:32):
Seriously, you gotta come out and have some sexy
food.
SPEAKER_01 (40:35):
Yeah, I love it.
Thank you so much for your time.
Absolutely for coming on.
Really appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00 (40:40):
Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_01 (40:41):
Absolutely.
Thank you all so much forlistening this week.
It's been a really amazingepisode, tons of value here.
Um, please share this episodewith anybody that you know in
the industry that can benefit.
Welcome back to the show, everybody.
This week is super exciting, andI know I say that a lot uh every
week, but just filled with a lotof gratitude today.
This is officially my 100thepisode of the show.
That is uh very overwhelming andhard to say.
I think when I started this showa couple years ago, my mission
(00:31):
and goal was to provide aleadership development resource
in a different form, uh, besidesnewsletters and books.
And the response has just beenabsolutely overwhelming, thanks
to you all.
So this moment of gratitude goesout to you today for listening,
for commenting, um, for lettingme know when I when I see you in
(00:53):
person that you're listening tothe show or you took something
of value away from the show.
That's really what this is allabout, and that feedback keeps
me going.
Um, I am still working on notbeing as a high of achiever as I
am and slowing down.
And my um, my lovely humanConnor, who partners with me on
(01:16):
the show, reminded me a coupleweeks ago.
He said, Kristen, your hundredthepisode is coming up, and I it
snuck up on me faster than Irealized.
And thanks to Connor, I knowhe's listening to this as he
helps prepare the show, but um,thank you for helping me slow
down and realize and recognizethat this is a really awesome
moment um to share witheverybody.
So, that being said, for any ofyou restaurant owners out there,
(01:40):
multi-unit restaurant ownersthat are listening to the show
today, I would love to gift youa coaching session so you can
figure out how to make 2026 theabsolute best year that your
restaurant group has seen yet.
So if you'd like to um toindulge in a coaching
(02:01):
conversation with me, feel freeto reach out via email,
kristenlmarvin at gmail.com, andwe can schedule some time
together.
You can also send me a textmessage in the show notes at the
very, very top.
Just click the link at the verytop of the show notes.
Just know that I can't respondto that link.
So be sure to put your contactinformation, your phone number,
or your email in there, andwe'll get connected.
(02:23):
In honor of a hundred episodes,that would do something pretty
fun and different.
I had a PR firm reach out to meon behalf of Brett Rocino, chef
Brett Rocino, who is a TVcelebrity chef.
She has an amazing restaurantcalled Fiama in Sun Valley,
(02:45):
Idaho.
And she's been on, she beatBobby Flay on his show.
She's on Tournament ofChampions.
She's she's got just a crazy,crazy killer uh resume.
And on the show today, we get toindulge a little bit and learn
more about her behind thescenes, behind the flashy
productions and all the funcompetitions.
(03:08):
And she gives advice on how torun a successful restaurant with
your spouse, which is somethingI talk to a lot of people about.
She gives advice on how to domarket research and figure out
exactly what niche is going tofit where when you're talking
(03:31):
about opening your firstrestaurant, which is just so
impactful and so important tothe success.
And we dive into her strategy alittle bit as she is starting to
go into her first down season.
Uh, they call it Slack season inSun Valley.
She's been open for six months,she's already gotten a
four-diamond award, absolutelymagical and incredible, so well
(03:53):
deserved.
And we talk about how she'spreparing for that off season
and her goals about thinkingdifferently around what mountain
towns typically do when it comesto hours of operation and
staffing.
Loved this conversation.
Cannot wait to cheer her on andwatch her more as she continues
(04:14):
to manage these careers of TVcelebrity chef and restaurateur.
So I hope you enjoyed thisepisode and thank you again for
um allowing me to stay on theair for 100 episodes.
I can't wait for the next 100.
Welcome to the RestaurantLeadership Podcast, the show
(04:36):
where restaurant leaders learntools, tactics, and habits from
the world's greatest operators.
I'm your host, Kristen Marvin,with Solutions by Kristen.
I've spent the last two decadesin the restaurant industry and
now partner with restaurantowners to develop their leaders
and scale their businessesthrough powerful one-on-one
(04:56):
coaching, group coaching, andleadership workshops.
This show is complete withepisodes around coaching,
leadership development, andinterviews with powerful
industry leaders.
You can now engage with me onthe show and share topics you'd
like to hear about, leadershiplessons you want to learn, and
(05:17):
any feedback you have.
Simply click the link at the topof the show notes, and I will
give you a shout-out on a futureepisode.
Thanks so much for listening,and I look forward to
connecting.
Britt, thanks for being heretoday.
Um we're gonna we're gonna talkabout background a little bit.
I know you've been on a ton ofinterviews, you're total pro
(05:39):
with this, but this these thingshappen where I I tend to have a
conversation with somebody teedup for the show, and then the
day or two before I have aconversation with someone that
is just very fitting for whatwe're gonna talk about today.
So last night I had dinner witha couple who wants to open their
own restaurant together, theirfirst restaurant.
And and you run the restaurantwith your wife, right with
(06:02):
Kinsey.
Yep.
So I I would like to start offwith one piece of advice that
you would give to this couplegoing into business together for
the first time.
SPEAKER_00 (06:10):
Uh leave everything at the door.
Leave your relationship at thefront door of your house, leave
the restaurant emotions at theback door of the restaurant.
SPEAKER_01 (06:20):
Okay.
How do you do that?
I was thinking about them thismorning, like on the, you know,
I was thinking, could I could Iever be in a relationship and
run a restaurant with somebody?
I couldn't.
I know myself too well.
Like, how do you how do you dothat?
I mean, it sounds so simple,right?
Just make the commitment, leaveit at the door.
But when things come up duringservice and thing, you know, and
(06:41):
you're both chefs, right?
So I'm sure you're super fuckingpassionate.
How do you check yourself, youknow, check each other and and
and remember that there's peoplearound watching you all the
time?
SPEAKER_00 (06:53):
Yeah, I think I think the best thing is that you
have to have mutual respect.
Um, and that has actually helpedme be a better leader.
Um, you know, running a businesswith my wife, because, you know,
I grew up in kitchens, myfamily-owned restaurant.
Like emotions get high.
(07:13):
And unfortunately, there's a lotof things said that like you
wouldn't normally say, but it'sunder the pressure and the heat,
right?
Yeah.
Well, I'm not gonna say thosethings to my wife.
Like that's just not happening.
So it's made me process things alittle bit better and say things
with more respect and intention.
Um, and that just goes to mywhole staff as well.
Like, if I hear someone talking,you know, aggressively towards
(07:36):
another one and I know it's justpressure, it's like, hey, man,
take a second, take a deepbreath.
You don't want to be spoken tothat way.
So don't speak to other peoplethat way.
And I think it's just created areally healthy environment for
the restaurant because everyonetalks to everybody with nothing
but respect.
SPEAKER_01 (07:54):
I love that.
Did you guys have that intentiongoing in that that we want to
create this environment ofmutual respect?
Or did it just kind oforganically come up through your
relationship?
SPEAKER_00 (08:03):
Honestly, it just kind of came up organically and
it was it was wonderful becauseI actually feel less stressed.
Because I'm now learning how toprocess my emotions a little bit
better and take that second totake a deep breath, or we'll
talk about this later.
You know, and that's fine.
You could still have those hardconversations and adjust and let
(08:25):
people know that you're you'rethe boss for the day, you know.
But you just have to have thatmature and respectful
conversation.
SPEAKER_01 (08:33):
Yeah, I love it.
Um, I'm gonna I'm gonnacompletely switch gears for a
second because I have a veryselfish question for you.
So your your website and yourbranding is fucking gorgeous.
SPEAKER_00 (08:44):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_01 (08:46):
When I was on your website, I and I love this.
You know, I've heard of I'vetaken some classes on branding
and marketing, and and it'sconstantly something that I'm
trying to work on in my ownbusiness.
But I love that when you firstjump on your website, you've got
the video there that youactually feel like you're in the
restaurant and you feel likeyou're part of the experience.
I mean, you just you guystotally fucking nailed it.
(09:07):
It's great.
SPEAKER_00 (09:07):
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah, our whole point was like,you know, we obviously want to
do the food that we love.
Yeah.
Uh we want it to be swanky, alittle sexy, but we always want
it to be approachable.
And we always equated it to likeyou're going to your
grandmother's house, right?
Um, your grandmother's house isalways nice.
She's got the fine china.
You're not running aroundbumping into things because
(09:29):
something's gonna break, butlike you feel at home and you
feel at peace when you're there.
And that's the whole vibe thatwe were trying to create was
like, sure, you're gonna have areally nice dinner.
It's gonna be fancy, it's gonnabe beautiful, but it's
approachable and you feelcomfortable.
SPEAKER_01 (09:44):
I love that.
So you knew exactly what youwanted going in.
Yeah, that's great.
I'm in the process of doing arebrand and I'm starting from
scratch, and it's it's hard toput your vision and the the
guest experience into words likeyou've just articulated.
So thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (10:00):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
It's the hardest thing.
Like you can you can think it inyour head, but that doesn't mean
that that's what's going totranscribe on a piece of paper.
SPEAKER_01 (10:08):
Yeah, 100%.
I love it.
I've got a lot of work to do.
Before we dive deeper intotoday's topic, I want to share
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(10:31):
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(11:14):
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Now let's get back to ourconversation.
(11:40):
So take us on this journey.
You know, when you and I firstspoke, I was just really
intrigued by your story and thisamazing journey that you and
Kinsey went on around thepop-ups.
But let's talk a little bitabout how, you know, how does a
chef from Jersey end up in SunValley, Idaho?
SPEAKER_00 (11:58):
Uh, there's a local culinary school that asked me, I
think it was three and a halfyears ago, they asked me to do
their first ever food and winefestival.
Um, actually, Jonathan Sawyer,um, who we all know and love
from Food Network.
Um, me and him connected on myfirst season of Tournament of
Champions.
Okay.
And we connected in like fiveminutes.
(12:18):
And he was just like, I reallylike you.
Do you want to come to SunValley and do a food and wine
event with me?
And I was like, Yeah, have noclue where Sun Valley is.
Yeah.
I was like, Yeah, I have no cluewhere Idaho is.
Um so went to the culinaryschool, did the food and wine
festival for them.
(12:40):
Um, and then I wound up donatingfour dinners that we had to come
back for to raise money for thekids for their scholarships and
such.
Um, and basically Kinse,Jonathan, and I spent a summer
here three years ago, fell inlove with the area, saw a niche
that we could, you know, slideright into, and it would be
(13:04):
pretty seamless.
And it's probably one of themost beautiful places I've seen
in America.
Nice.
Um, you know, we live in themiddle of the Rocky Mountains
and it's just stunning.
SPEAKER_01 (13:16):
Yeah.
I bet fall is amazing right now.
SPEAKER_00 (13:19):
Uh yeah, we're just getting into fall.
The leaves are starting tochange.
I'm looking up at the mountainright now.
Yeah.
Um, fall is happening, and thatmakes me super happy.
Being from the East Coast, Ineed my seasons.
I need it to be hot in thesummer, I need it to be cold in
the winter, and I need thatbeautiful fall and spring, and
you get it here.
SPEAKER_01 (13:36):
Love it.
How did you know that that nichewas gonna work?
Talk to me about price point,menu.
How did you know that it wasgonna be accepted?
Or did you?
SPEAKER_00 (13:46):
Um, you know, I'm a unique individual, and I tend to
think that you either love me oryou hate me.
Okay.
Uh, because I am justauthentically me.
Like I'm unapologetic about whoI am, and um, I'm very confident
in who I am.
And that's either a really goodthing for you or a really bad
(14:08):
thing.
And I'm fine with that because Inever have to be someone else.
Um, and I was my my most uniqueself while I was here and just
having fun, but also having, youknow, business conversations and
really diving into the dynamicsof what this area is.
(14:28):
Um, and I was so wildlyaccepted.
unknown (14:32):
Nice.
SPEAKER_00 (14:32):
Um, you know, I I talk about my food all the time.
My food, it's fucking sexy.
Like that's just how I say it.
I don't care if you make$2 ayear or if you make$2 billion a
year.
That's how I talk about my food.
And if you love that and youlove my food, then you love our
whole vibe.
And having doing the all thosedinners, you know, we were in
(14:56):
front of tons of people.
And I mean, it was hundreds ofpeople that were just like, you
gotta open a restaurant here,you have to open a restaurant
here.
Doing some market research,seeing, you know, the type of
people that live here, andknowing, knowing all of the
information and doing that realdue diligence to really immerse
ourselves into the community tofigure out like, hey, is this
(15:19):
actually the spot, or do we wantto be in Charleston, South
Carolina?
Yeah.
Where we know it's gonna befine.
So we did a lot of work to seeif it was gonna be a good fit.
And, you know, honestly, it waslike sliding that right puzzle
piece right in.
SPEAKER_01 (15:33):
Nice.
So you've been open for how longnow?
SPEAKER_00 (15:36):
We opened March 5th.
So we just hit our sixth month acouple weeks ago, going on to
our seventh month.
SPEAKER_01 (15:44):
And it's going pretty well, right?
SPEAKER_00 (15:46):
Oh my gosh, it's incredible.
Honestly, I walk through thebuilding every every day, and
I'm just like, wow, this is thisis ours.
Like, this is our dream cometrue.
SPEAKER_01 (15:54):
Yeah.
Did you have a PR firm out ofthe gate?
SPEAKER_00 (15:58):
We did not.
Um, I did I was sponsored by abeef company out of Chicago.
Um, and their PR firm was waswho I was connected with, you
know, being sponsored by them.
Um, and then just made a reallygreat connection with someone in
that PR firm and just stuck withit.
(16:19):
And uh, you know, Sam's beensuch a blessing to us.
SPEAKER_01 (16:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (16:24):
And I think it's, you know, it's a lot of money
that goes out the door, but it'sa lot of well well spent money.
SPEAKER_01 (16:31):
Do you see yourself working with a PR firm for the
entirety of your restaurantcareer?
Do you think it's more valuablein the beginning stages?
SPEAKER_00 (16:40):
Um Truthfully, I think it's really, really
important in the beginning toreally spend that money, right?
You have to spend the money, dothe work, talk to people, um,
make the connections and reallyjust put yourself out there.
If you wait too long, you'reyou're just you're late to the
race, you know?
(17:01):
Um, so I think it's reallyimportant to spend a lot of
money on PR in the beginning.
Um, and then I think that we'llcontinue to use PR probably for
a very long time, but not as notas uh, you know, in a grand
scale as we are.
SPEAKER_01 (17:17):
No, yeah, like you said, it's it's really
expensive.
And it's sometimes it's hard tosee the ROI, right, uh, out of
the gate on it for sure.
SPEAKER_00 (17:26):
Um, you think all the time you're like, wow, this
is four or five thousand dollarsevery month.
Like you know, we gotta cutcosts.
I'm working on food costs andall this stuff.
And it's like, it's an easy oneto say, like, all right, let's
just cut the PR.
That's four thousand dollars,five thousand dollars a month.
SPEAKER_01 (17:43):
Yeah, put it in your pocket.
SPEAKER_00 (17:45):
But that that effort and having that PR firm is
giving you tenfold.
SPEAKER_01 (17:51):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
SPEAKER_00 (17:52):
So you you know, you bite the bullet while you can,
and you know, it it it's worthit, it's worth every penny.
I love it.
SPEAKER_01 (17:59):
Talk to me a little bit about Communion Bay Supper
Club.
Was this part of marketresearch?
SPEAKER_00 (18:04):
It was so uh Kinse and I were what we call both
coastal.
So she lived in Seattle.
I lived in New Jersey.
Um, we worked together inSeattle for about two months.
I got hired as a consulting cheffor a place that she was working
for.
Um, and she was just like, hey,we work really well together.
(18:26):
Do you want to like do somepop-ups and stuff?
And I was like, Yeah, thissounds great.
We were, you know, just friends.
We had worked together for twomonths.
Um, so she left the job and westarted just traveling around
doing dinners at people'shouses.
I mean, we would be flying toFlorida the next day, be flying
(18:46):
to Portland, Oregon.
Two days after that, we'reflying back to Idaho, back to
New Jersey, Seattle.
Like we were on so many flights,you know, flying with
ingredients.
Yeah.
You know, TSA is always checkingyour bag.
You have a note.
I'm like, oh yeah, there's acouple white powders in there,
they're gonna be checking itout.
(19:07):
Don't worry, guys.
It's just Xanthem gum.
SPEAKER_01 (19:11):
How many how many pop-ups did you guys do?
Oh God 50?
In in what time span?
Less than a year.
unknown (19:22):
Oh my god.
SPEAKER_01 (19:24):
So how like talk to me about how that business was
running?
How were people finding you?
Were you marketing yourself?
Like, were the menus differentor the same?
Walk me through all that.
SPEAKER_00 (19:34):
Yeah, it was super cool.
So I would whenever wherever wewere at, I would go to the local
markets and stuff, and I wouldjust find things and then base
the menu off of whatever I foundthat was local in season.
Um, so that was a lot of fun,you know, especially when you're
(19:54):
going to places that I'm notfamiliar with, like Portland, or
you know, I'm familiar with withFlorida, but like I've never
been a chef there.
So like utilizing what they haveseasonally is a lot of fun.
Like we got to work with somegreat fish and everything.
So we would just write the menuas we were walking the store
together.
SPEAKER_01 (20:15):
Amazing.
Yeah, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (20:17):
It was it was so cool, and then we would, you
know, get it printed.
We would find a print shop, alocal print shop.
We would get the menu printed,and then we would go to the
person's house and just cook outof their house.
Sometimes it was easy, sometimesit was super challenging.
SPEAKER_01 (20:33):
Yeah.
How did people find you?
SPEAKER_00 (20:35):
Um, mostly through Instagram.
Um, you know, having thankfullyhaving a big following helps
with that.
Um, so the marketing was waspretty easy.
Um, and people just wanted me tocome to their house and and have
a dinner party, and it was a lotof fun.
You know, it was like eightcourses, 10 courses sometimes.
(20:58):
Yeah.
Um, but it was just aboutconnecting with people, talking
about the area, trying to figureout where was going to be a good
spot for us to open arestaurant.
Because that was the end goal,and that was the whole goal of
Communion Bay Supper Club was totravel around America and figure
out where we wanted to open arestaurant.
SPEAKER_01 (21:15):
And what did you know you were looking for?
SPEAKER_00 (21:19):
Um, well, we knew we wanted to do high-end Italian.
So the the demographics had tobe there for that.
SPEAKER_01 (21:27):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (21:28):
You know, you you have to have people that don't
mind spending$45 on a bowl ofpasta versus, you know, the
demographic of well, I can go toOlive Garden and get Endless
Pasta Bowl for$19.99.
SPEAKER_01 (21:45):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (21:46):
Why can't I get Endless Pasta with you?
Well, you know, we makeeverything in-house.
There's there's a difference andthere's a quality.
Um, you know, we don't we don'tbuy anything, we buy raw
ingredients and we makeeverything in-house.
And, you know, the perception ofItalian cuisine is that it's
cheap.
You know, a box of pasta is awhole pound of pasta is a
(22:08):
dollar.
So there's this conception, andyou have to find the market that
really cares about the quality.
And I think that was somethingthat we were really looking for.
SPEAKER_01 (22:20):
Yeah.
Nice.
Did you have two or three backupcities?
SPEAKER_00 (22:26):
We actually had uh an LOI on a building um in
Charleston, South Carolina.
Okay.
Uh we were pretty dead set.
I knew we would I knew we woulddo well.
SPEAKER_01 (22:38):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (22:39):
Um the market is obviously saturated there, but
you still can't get in anywhere.
So as saturated as it is, arestaurateur would do fine as
long as you put out really goodstuff.
SPEAKER_01 (22:52):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (22:53):
Um so, you know, that was that was our plan.
But you know, we were alsothinking about, you know, do we
stay to my roots and stay in NewJersey?
Do we go to Seattle whereKinsey's from and open a place
there?
Neither one of those placesreally called to us because
(23:14):
wherever we were, we wanted tolay our roots, our personal
roots.
SPEAKER_01 (23:18):
Yeah.
So nice.
I love it.
So you're six months in.
SPEAKER_00 (23:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (23:24):
What are you most looking forward to the next six
months?
SPEAKER_00 (23:29):
The next six months.
I am really looking forward towinter season.
Uh winter is coming, the weatheris changing, it's cold.
Um, but I am very much lookingforward to the winter season.
It's my favorite my favoriteseason here.
Um I love the people that comehere because it's truly just
(23:51):
joyous.
They love the the snow, they'rehere for our vacation, the
locals are happy because there'ssnow on the ground.
It's just such a wonderful,thrilling time to be in Idaho.
SPEAKER_01 (24:03):
Yeah, I love it.
I've never been.
I'll have to come check it out.
SPEAKER_00 (24:06):
It's it's truly like you see those pictures of like
Montana and these giantmountains and everything.
That's literally where we live.
SPEAKER_01 (24:15):
Awesome.
What's your biggest challengeahead of you?
SPEAKER_00 (24:18):
We are coming into Slack right now.
So Slack is our off season.
Um there is no tourists.
It's right before, it's afterthe beautiful summer, going into
winter, that lull, everyoneleaves, all the locals leave,
they go to their favorite spotto chill and wait for the snow
(24:39):
to start hitting the ground.
SPEAKER_01 (24:40):
What is how long is Slack?
SPEAKER_00 (24:43):
Um truly, it depends on snow.
SPEAKER_01 (24:47):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (24:48):
Uh so our mountain opens Thanksgiving.
SPEAKER_01 (24:51):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (24:52):
So basically October, November until
Thanksgiving.
SPEAKER_01 (24:56):
What does success look like for you coming out of
Slack?
SPEAKER_00 (25:00):
Success coming out of Slack is still having a full
staff.
Um and the doors easily gettingopen every day.
Not having to worry about are wemaking the right choice?
Should we have closed for alittle bit?
Um, you know, just being happywith, you know, there's still a
(25:22):
bunch of locals between Haley,Sun Valley, and Ketchum.
There's tons of people.
Are we hitting that market?
Are we hitting it well enoughthat we can open the doors and
not have to close for a monthlike everyone else does?
SPEAKER_01 (25:37):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (25:38):
So I think success is measured by still having a
beautiful staff like we do,maintaining them all, uh, not
having to put anyone onunemployment and feeding the
locals.
SPEAKER_01 (25:52):
Yeah.
Yeah.
What do you need to do to makethat happen?
SPEAKER_00 (25:55):
Uh we're actually starting an apertivo hour.
Um, so we open at 4 30 everyday.
Um we're gonna start ourapertivo hour from 4 30, 5 30.
It'd be a true hour.
Um, and I'm not gonna say thatwe have cheap bites, but it's a
true apertivo hour.
(26:17):
Warmed olives, you know, burratawith pepperinata, um, some nice
cocktails and everything.
And I I hate I hate the the wordhappy hour because that's not
it.
We're celebrating justingredients in a different way.
unknown (26:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (26:35):
Um, but we're trying to show the locals that, like,
hey, we got an hour that, youknow, we have some snacks, we
have some great drinks that are20% off.
Come on in early before yourdinner, have a little snack, and
then stay for your reservationthat everyone comes in at six
o'clock for.
SPEAKER_01 (26:52):
Love it.
Love it.
So you feel like that's gonnacontinue to pull the market that
you need.
SPEAKER_00 (26:58):
I do.
And and I'm a I'm a I'm an earlydinner lover.
SPEAKER_01 (27:03):
Yeah, me too.
SPEAKER_00 (27:04):
I'm like 5 30 is my favorite time, maybe five
o'clock.
unknown (27:08):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (27:10):
Um and you know, right now we're not really
hitting that 4 30, five between4 30 and 5 30.
We're just yeah, we're just nothitting the mark right now.
And, you know, we're we'retrying to think about things
that we can do for our localsand for us to make sure that we
are still getting that thatearly business because I want to
(27:30):
keep my employees employed forthose amount of hours.
I don't want to open up at five.
SPEAKER_01 (27:36):
Totally.
Is your restaurant one that'sgetting are you getting one turn
during the week and two turns onthe weekends?
What what is Sun Valley like asfar as dining preferences?
SPEAKER_00 (27:45):
We're still getting two turns right now.
Nice.
Uh talk to me in two weeks, thatmight be a different story.
Yeah, but as of right now, we'restill getting two turns during
the week, three turns on theweekends.
SPEAKER_01 (27:59):
Okay.
Awesome.
Um what do you need to do tokeep the staff?
SPEAKER_00 (28:05):
We just need to have the business.
We're we my whole thing is Iwant to have year-round staff.
I don't want to have to train,you know, a lot of restaurants
they close in the winter orsorry, they close in the spring
and fall for a little bit oftime.
And you know, you just can'tsend people off and be like,
(28:25):
hey, we'll we'll see you in fourto six weeks.
Right.
Some people can do that, somepeople can't.
And then you always have totrain new staff and everything.
So for us, it's just making surethat the doors stay open and
that we're nice and busy still.
SPEAKER_01 (28:40):
Yeah.
Awesome.
What how do you how will youhandle you and Kinzie handle
this pressure over the nextcouple months?
Just this uncertainty and andnot knowing how the business is
gonna operate since it's yourfirst year.
SPEAKER_00 (28:56):
Totally.
It's you know, this year is it'sa learning curve.
Um, but consistency is key andcommunication is key.
And, you know, we just we justhave to stick to our guns.
And um, something that I'm bigon is continuity.
If we say we're gonna dosomething, let's do it and let's
do it 100%.
So if we say that we're open at4 30, we open at 4 30 no matter
(29:19):
what.
Even if we don't have a singleperson that walks through the
door until 5 45, we have tomaintain consistency so that
everyone around us knows thatwe're serious and we're here for
them.
SPEAKER_01 (29:30):
So important.
So important.
It's I think it's I I see ithappening often in um whether
it's, you know, I lived inArizona for three years, where
summer, a lot of people eithercompletely close the restaurant,
go down to very limited hoursand days of the week, or they
just open up to locals only andgive them a menu that only they
want to eat.
(29:50):
Right.
Um, which is pretty wild.
But I agree with you, theconsistency is so key.
And and uh it I see that in themountain towns too.
I talk to some people, right?
It's Um, oh yeah, we'll open anhour earlier or we'll close an
hour, you know, we'll close anhour.
It's like, no, it's it's sodangerous to your business.
And I've worked for, you know,massive companies where, you
(30:11):
know, we get five feet of snow,and yeah, you want to close, but
it's just so dangerous to yourreputation.
And it's it's detrimental.
Totally, totally.
SPEAKER_00 (30:21):
Yeah, you know, I've worked, I've worked for
restaurants where uh again,being from New Jersey, I'm from
the shore.
So our summers are popping,they're nuts, they're crazy.
You extend your hours, and thenin the winter, you shorten your
hours, not even to regularhours, you shorten them.
And I have always found that,you know, July and August,
(30:47):
you're fine, right?
But September and June, you'vegotten your customers used to
you closing early.
So their mindset, normally youclose at 10 o'clock, right?
You start closing at nineo'clock because you don't have
any customers.
Well, nobody wants to be thelast customer in the building.
(31:07):
So now they're coming at eighto'clock.
unknown (31:09):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (31:09):
And now you've ruined two hours of business for
yourself.
SPEAKER_01 (31:12):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (31:13):
100%.
And it's just it as much as youwant to do it and it's painful
to sit there and stay open, yougot to do it because you got to
show everyone that you'reconsistent and that you're the
real deal.
And I think that's somethingthat is so important and also
the hardest thing to teach yourstaff.
SPEAKER_01 (31:31):
Yeah, absolutely.
It's uh it's so hard to changeguest preferences.
You know, I talked to a lot ofoperators that are they're like,
my sales are down, which youknow, it's happening everywhere
right now, uh, especially in theDenver market because it's so
saturated.
And people say, you know, I Iwant to build sales, I want to
start with building uh sales onTuesdays and Wednesday nights.
It's like that's not when peoplego out to eat.
(31:52):
Let's talk about Friday andSaturday and Sundays and
maximizing those first if you'renot at capacity.
It's so much easier to bringpeople in because you're
probably saying no to somereservations that you could get
creative with, right?
Or offer some different timesaround and find seats for those
people.
Totally.
Kudos to you.
That's great.
Thanks.
That's a great mindset.
Um, now are you still going toum are you still traveling and
(32:16):
doing some fun competitions?
Like, do you want to go back onBobby Flay and kick his ass
again with your grandmother'schicken and dumpling recipe?
Like, what does what doesmarketing for you look like
outside of the restaurant?
SPEAKER_00 (32:28):
Yeah, I have uh I have two careers.
I'm a restaurant owner and I'm aTV chef.
unknown (32:33):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (32:34):
And I will always do it as long as I'm called.
Um, it's a passion of mine.
I truly love it.
Um especially the competitionpart, like whether I'm judging
or I'm competing at the end ofthe day.
Every time I do it, it's likebeing in the Super Bowl.
SPEAKER_01 (32:56):
How did you get into that?
SPEAKER_00 (33:00):
Funny story.
Um a lot of people all the timewere just like, you're
hilarious, you're funny, youhave a great personality, you
should do chopped.
And I was like, no way, no way,no way.
I'm a chef.
Put me behind the scenes for areason.
Yeah.
Like I'm funny to you guys, andI'm funny into everyone else
(33:23):
because I'm comfortable.
SPEAKER_01 (33:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (33:25):
But put me on stage and I can't say two words.
Yeah.
I was like, it'll never work.
So one of my friends was justlike, you gotta do it, gotta do
it, gotta do it.
And one day I was sitting on thecouch, might have had one too
many whiskies, and was like, I'mjust gonna do it.
And I applied to Chopped andwoke up the next morning and was
(33:46):
like, oh, I can't believe I didthat.
Thankfully, they'll never callme.
And I gotta call that afternoon.
SPEAKER_01 (33:53):
Some liquid courage.
SPEAKER_00 (33:55):
Oh gosh.
Great.
But it honestly, I'm so thankfulthat it happened because it has
changed my life and in so manygood ways.
And I found a new passion.
And I think when you get intoyour career for as long as I
have, that it's it's sometimesit's hard to find new passion.
(34:16):
Um in doing this, I haveconnected with so many chefs and
we talk about food.
And and you know, when we're alltogether and we're doing things
like turn them into champions,like all we do is talk about
food and how the restaurants aredoing, and and I just get so
fueled.
And now I get to do all thesefood and wine events, and I, you
(34:41):
know, it's just it's fun.
SPEAKER_01 (34:43):
Yeah, I love it.
In the early days, all right,because I don't know how you get
into that circuit or or orreally anything about it, but
are you just applying yourselfuntil and I'm I'm sure now the
PR firm helps you uh manage allthat and do all the reach outs
for that, right?
SPEAKER_00 (34:58):
Uh I don't I don't reach out at all.
SPEAKER_01 (35:01):
You okay, okay.
SPEAKER_00 (35:02):
But in the beginning it was all the only one I did
reach out for was Chopped, andI've been called for all the
different shows since then.
SPEAKER_01 (35:10):
Got it.
Okay, so you're you got yourselfout there.
You apparently said more thantwo words on the first chapter.
SPEAKER_00 (35:16):
I might have said three, but I don't know that it
was much more.
SPEAKER_01 (35:19):
But it was another attention.
SPEAKER_00 (35:21):
Thankfully, I can cook.
SPEAKER_01 (35:23):
Yeah, I love it.
That's great.
Um, is there a show that youhaven't been on yet that you
want to go on?
SPEAKER_00 (35:29):
I want to be on Bobby's Triple Threat so bad.
SPEAKER_01 (35:32):
Okay, we put it out there.
Here it is.
I anybody listening.
SPEAKER_00 (35:37):
Fingers and toes are crossed.
SPEAKER_01 (35:39):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (35:39):
I can cross my eyes too if I need to.
SPEAKER_01 (35:42):
What is it about that show?
SPEAKER_00 (35:45):
You know, I have so much respect for my friends,
Bobby and Brooke and Michael.
Uh, I know there's a new chef,Aisha, that's on now that I
haven't met, but I'm I'm I'mfriends with Michael Voltaggio.
I'm friends with BrookeWilliamson.
And I have so much respect forthem growing up watching them
(36:07):
competing on Top Chef, the thebeginnings of Top Chef and
everything, and just being soinspired by them.
Like I haven't had a chance togo against them.
And I'm always a firm believerin you're only you're only as
good as the best person you cango against, whether you win or
lose, it's putting yourself outthere.
Um, and I just I want to putmyself out there.
(36:30):
I know I'll probably get my asskicked, but that's okay.
unknown (36:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (36:36):
I just want to hang.
SPEAKER_01 (36:37):
Yeah.
I love it.
What would you I mean, lookingback on your career?
I mean, you've got so far to go,but like of all all the things
that you've absolutelyaccomplished.
I mean, a four diamond award andfour months of opening your
first restaurant, likeabsolutely fucking insane.
If you look back now at that13-year-old cook in your
family's kitchen, what would yousay to her?
SPEAKER_00 (36:59):
Keep going.
unknown (37:00):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (37:01):
Dream big and just keep going.
Don't stop ever.
Um, that's something that mygrandmother told me when I was
younger.
Like, if this is what you wantto do, then do it and do it all.
And that's something I've I'vetaken with me.
That's something that I try toteach to anyone that wants to
(37:23):
talk to me about culinary, itwhether they want to get into
the business or they want to goto culinary school.
Um, if you're gonna do it, doit.
Yeah, go big, go home.
SPEAKER_01 (37:35):
Love it.
Do you have plans to open morerestaurants?
SPEAKER_00 (37:39):
Heck yes.
Without hesitation, nohesitation whatsoever.
SPEAKER_01 (37:45):
Love it in Sun Valley.
SPEAKER_00 (37:47):
Um, we're trying to decide on whether we want to
build an empire here or if wewant to go to different mountain
towns um and open more fiamas.
SPEAKER_01 (38:01):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (38:02):
Love it.
So that's something that we'restill going back and forth on,
trying to figure out, you know,the pluses and minuses.
And small mountain towns arehard because, you know, you open
a restaurant and it does well.
You're great.
SPEAKER_01 (38:16):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (38:16):
But are you gonna take business away if you open a
second?
Because you know it's gonna begreat.
SPEAKER_01 (38:21):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (38:22):
I know, I know that our restaurant's gonna be great.
SPEAKER_01 (38:24):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (38:25):
So that's that's something that we are constantly
going back and forth on.
And we might have talks about asecond restaurant with some
people already.
SPEAKER_01 (38:34):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (38:34):
Um, but right now it's kind of the Venn diagram,
like pros, cons, the in-between,like what what weighs heavier.
SPEAKER_01 (38:44):
What what role do you see yourself in in five
years from now?
SPEAKER_00 (38:50):
Five years from now, I would like to be the owner of
three restaurants.
Okay.
Uh, I would like to have a TOCbelt.
Okay.
And I would like to be a mentorto multiple young chefs.
That's something that's reallyimportant to me is to inspire
(39:11):
the next generation.
Um and maybe I should say thenext next generation, because I
want to develop that passionwith children while they're
young, because I had that when Iwas young.
And I think it's so important.
And my parents let me make allof my decisions, what I wanted
(39:34):
to do.
They never wanted me to be achef, but here I am.
Uh, they tried so hard to talkme out of it, but again, here I
am.
And I think this is one of thehardest careers to make it in,
to make money, to make it to besuccessful.
Um, and if I can import someknowledge into a young, creative
(39:58):
being, I think it's just soimportant.
SPEAKER_01 (40:01):
Love it.
Britt, you are uh absolutelyfucking awesome.
You're such a powerhouse.
Thank you.
I I love your confidence.
And I love that the ego thatcomes with that is all about
competition in a really fun,playful way and learning and
mentorship.
Um, I think that's very uniqueand it's very special.
(40:23):
And uh wish you absolutely allthe best with building your
empire.
It's it's gonna be incredible.
I can't wait to come out andcheck out your food one day.
SPEAKER_00 (40:32):
Seriously, you gotta come out and have some sexy
food.
SPEAKER_01 (40:35):
Yeah, I love it.
Thank you so much for your time.
Absolutely for coming on.
Really appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00 (40:40):
Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_01 (40:41):
Absolutely.
Thank you all so much forlistening this week.
It's been a really amazingepisode, tons of value here.
Um, please share this episodewith anybody that you know in
the industry that can benefit.
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