Commercial Kitchen Chronicles
A look at what it takes to keep a commercial kitchen running. We are going to highlight all of the skilled trades it takes to keep them running.
Episodes
What if the kid who barely made it through high school…
ended up working on rack refrigeration systems, cascade units, and even equipment supporting F-15 fighter jets?
Yeah… that’s this episode.
On this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, I sit down with Mike Folta—a technician with 16 years of real-world experience in commercial HVACR and foodservice equipment repair who proves you don’t need a perfect start to buil...
In this special in-person episode of the Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, recorded at the headquarters of Parts Town, I finally caught up with John Warpinski, the Senior Director of Customer Partnerships – HVAC at Parts Town.
John brings a deep background in the HVAC industry, and in this conversation we dive into his journey through the trades before stepping into his leadership role at Parts Town. From the field to the business side...
In this episode of the Commercial Kitchen Chronicles podcast, Pat Finley and Rich Ortega sit down with Matt Golden and Megan McIntosh from Mechanical Environments to talk about one of the most specialized corners of the mechanical industry — HVAC systems for cannabis cultivation facilities.
Grow operations are a completely different animal when it comes to mechanical systems. Temperature, humidity, airflow, and environmental stabili...
What does it really mean to become who you’re meant to be?
In this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, we sit down with Josh Zolin — CEO of Windy City Equipment, author of Blue is the New White, and a powerful voice for leadership, responsibility, and purpose in the skilled trades.
Josh started as a technician working alongside his dad, building a service company from the ground up. Today he leads an 8-figure, multi-market comm...
What happens when a second-generation HVAC technician refuses to follow the “sales first” model and instead builds a company around education, integrity, and preventative maintenance done right?
In this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat Finley sits down live with Dominic Furnback of Elite Service Group to break down what it really means to build a service business the right way in today’s HVAC and commercial refrigeratio...
In this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, we’re coming to you live from the AHR Expo Podcast Pavilion with a deep dive into one of the most talked-about topics in HVAC and refrigeration right now — ACR press fittings.
I sat down with Jessica Slaughter from RLS Rapid Locking Systems to talk about how copper press technology is changing the way contractors approach commercial HVAC installs, refrigeration repairs, VRF syste...
Betting on Yourself: Kenny Postlewait on Building Postlewait Refrigeration & HVAC
In this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat Finley and Rich Ortega sit down with Kenny Postlewait, also known as RefrigerationMan1988 on TikTok, to talk about what it really takes to leave a steady job and launch your own HVAC and refrigeration business.
Kenny shares the raw, unfiltered truth about starting Postlewait Refrigeration & H...
In this episode, Pat Finley sits down with Olivia Smith, Jimmy Miller, and Ben Neal for a deep dive into the Young Professionals Committee (YPC) of CFESA and the upcoming YPC Symposium.
Together, the group breaks down what the YPC is, who it’s for, and why it has become one of the most impactful ways for young professionals in the commercial foodservice equipment industry to grow, connect, and give back. The conversation covers how ...
Recorded live from AHR Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, this episode brings you inside the Viper booth with special guests Becca Stamey and Ashley Lynds from Refrigeration Technologies.
We talk all things Viper and Refrigeration Technologies, including the products technicians rely on every day in HVACR and commercial foodservice, new releases like EZ Dose created by Robert Kraft, and what the expanded booth layout means for hands on demos a...
In this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, host Pat Finley welcomes the one and only Louise Kellar from UEi Test Instruments for a jam packed conversation covering technician safety, new diagnostic tools, real world kitchen scenarios, and what to expect at AHR Expo in Las Vegas.
Louise introduces UEi’s newest product, the UEiClip personal CO detector, and explains why every technician working in commercial kitchens, mechanica...
In this episode of the Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat sits down with Erick Kaseta from Ambro Controls for a wide-ranging, shop-talk-heavy conversation focused on real tools, real field experience, and doing the job the right way.
Pat and Erick kick things off by talking about how they first connected at AHR and why Ambro Controls has become such a go-to brand for technicians who value portability, safety, and efficiency. Erick b...
What do you do when you open a panel and roaches start crawling out like they pay rent?
Or when grease has literally vacuum-sealed a fryer to the wall?
Or when you realize the ice machine you’re working on should probably be condemned… and set on fire?
In this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat and Rich sit down together in person from South Carolina ahead of the CFESA Region 4 meeting to talk about the nasty side o...
n this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat Finley sits down with Dan Reese from CFESA to break down one of the biggest technician-focused initiatives our industry has ever launched — CFESA’s Top Tech Throwdown.
This isn’t about ego.
This isn’t about social media hype.
This is about skill, process, safety, and pride in the craft.
The Top Tech Throwdown is a skills-based competition built specifically for CFESA Master C...
Welcome back to Commercial Kitchen Chronicles — The Original Foodservice Equipment Repair Podcast.
This episode is our official Year in Review, and it’s one of the most real conversations we’ve had all year. Pat Finley is joined by co-hosts Jason Latimer and Rich Ortega as we sit down to reflect on everything that went right, everything that went wrong, and everything we learned along the way.
With no guest and no script, we dig into...
What does it really take to walk away from a 28-year corporate career and start over in the skilled trades?
In this powerful episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles — The Original Foodservice Equipment Repair Podcast, host Pat Finley sits down with Corrie Phillips, a commercial foodservice refrigeration technician who made the leap from the corporate world into HVACR and never looked back.
Corrie shares her raw, honest journey—from ...
Welcome back to Commercial Kitchen Chronicles — The Original Foodservice Equipment Repair Podcast! Today’s guest is DJ Coblentz, the Lead Technical Trainer at Viega’s brand-new state-of-the-art Ohio facility. If you’ve ever pressed a fitting, installed MegaPress, fought with threaded gas pipe, or wondered what it’s like behind the scenes at Viega’s manufacturing and training center — THIS is the episode for you. DJ shares his journ...
This week on Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat and Jason sit down with Rhydon Atzenhoffer — the Voice of Distribution, host of the HVAC R&D Podcast, and a guy who has lived HVAC life from the trenches to the top.
Born and raised in his dad’s heating and air business in the mountains of North Carolina, Rhydon worked his way up from rough-in crews to sales, project management, and eventually wholesale distribution. Today he’s an ...
In this powerhouse episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat sits down with industry legend John Bettiga—a man whose career spans automotive and marine mechanics, semi-hermetic compressor rebuilding, commercial/industrial/marine refrigeration, grocery rack systems, Whataburger facilities, building controls, kitchen design, and supporting 150+ technicians across 17 states.
This is one of the most wide-ranging and knowledge-packed...
In this powerful Young Guns episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, host Pat Finley sits down with 26-year-old technician Jacob Caira, one of the brightest rising stars in the commercial kitchen and HVAC-R trade. Jacob’s story is a blueprint for what hard work, curiosity, and dedication can produce — even at a young age.
Born and raised in the countryside of Middle Tennessee, Jacob took the leap into HVAC-R early. During his senio...
This week on Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, we’re joined by Troy Duff—a Virginia-based tech who’s carved out his own lane in the foodservice repair world. Troy started out as an electrician before taking a leap into the industry with Hobart, working alongside his grandfather who inspired his path. From running installs across Richmond and Norfolk to handling service calls, Troy climbed through the ranks and built a strong foundatio...
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