The Pre-Shift – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into building great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, their strategies, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D.J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.

This episode of the Pre Shift Podcast focuses on Josh Sharkey, the founder and CEO of meez, an innovative recipe tool and culinary operating system. Josh shares his journey from a Michelin-starred chef to a tech entrepreneur. He discusses the motivation behind creating meez, driven by the loss of his recipe notebook and the need for a specialized tool for culinary professionals. Throughout the conversation, Josh elaborates on the challenges faced in transitioning to tech, the features of meez that enhance operational efficiency, and how it serves chefs and restaurant operators in maintaining consistency and profitability. Sharkey also highlights the importance of empowering teams with the right tools and maintaining a clear vision in business. Tune in for practical advice, real stories, and valuable insights into bridging creativity and profitability in the restaurant industry.

00:00 Introduction and Insight
00:29 Meet Josh Sharkey
01:21 The Birth of meez
03:03 Challenges and Solutions
05:42 Building the Company
08:30 Data and Recipe Management
22:47 Team Empowerment and Retention
27:12 Leadership and Vision
38:36 Exciting Developments
40:10 Conclusion and Farewell

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Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston

About 7shifts
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into building great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, their strategies, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D.J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.

In this episode of the Pre Shift Podcast, host D.J. Costantino welcomes Ross Groeneweg, Chief People and Strategy Officer at Pizza Ranch. They discuss the history of the family-owned business, which started in 1981 and grew into a 218-location franchise. Ross explains the company's successful franchise model and the relationship between franchisees and corporate, ensuring a consistent employee experience. He shares his personal journey within Pizza Ranch, starting from high school, advancing through various positions, and eventually becoming a leader. Ross emphasizes Pizza Ranch's core values, vision, mission, and benefits of collaborative franchisee relationships and shared learnings. The episode concludes with a sneak peek at upcoming company initiatives, including a new wing night promotion.

00:00 Introduction to the Pre-Shift Podcast
00:18 Meet Ross Groenweg, Chief People and Strategy Officer at Pizza Ranch
01:13 The Origin Story of Pizza Ranch
02:55 Franchise Model and Corporate Partnership
04:06 Ross's Journey Through Pizza Ranch
07:15 Core Values and Vision of Pizza Ranch
09:10 Challenges and Strategies in Employee Retention
13:41 Collaborative Nature of Pizza Ranch Franchisees
15:14 Career Growth and Opportunities at Pizza Ranch
21:12 Future Plans and Exciting Initiatives
22:09 Conclusion and Farewell

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7shifts Blog

Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston

About 7shifts
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams. 

Host DJ Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.

On this episode, we’re joined by Chad Mackay, CEO of Fire & Vine Hospitality in Seattle, WA.

Chad Mackay, CEO of Fire & Vine Hospitality, leads a multi-concept operator of full-service restaurants and oversees the successful Revelers Club loyalty program, boasting 80K members and contributing 30% to the company’s revenue since its 2011 inception. El Gaucho, the flagship concept founded in 1996, spans five locations, while Fire & Vine owns AQUA by El Gaucho, Aerlume, and the Witness Tree lounge. The Revelers Club extends to independently owned properties like Walla Walla Steak Co., Crossbuck Brewing, and Yellowhawk Resort in Walla Walla, WA. Drawing from two decades of hospitality expertise, Chad founded Brigado, a consulting and technology firm. He actively serves on Oracle's Customer Advisory Board for the Global Food and Beverage Industry Group and has held leadership roles in associations like the Washington Hospitality Association and Visit Seattle. Chad is a sought-after speaker on adapting compensation models for full-service restaurants in response to the $15 minimum wage.

Links
Fire & Vine Hospitality
Brigado

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7shifts Blog

Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston

About 7shifts
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams. 

Host DJ Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.

On this episode, we’re joined by Irene Shiang Li, Cofounder of Prepshift & Mei Mei Dumplings in Boston, Mass.

Irene Shiang Li co-founded Mei Mei in Boston in 2013 and built the brand around ethical, sustainable sourcing and fair and transparent employment practices, including open book management. Mei Mei is now a dumpling company and Irene is now building Prepshift, a tech-enabled coaching and workforce training firm. Prepshift focuses on aligning food business teams around their common goals and empowering them with education and transparency. Irene believes that in restaurants, everyone can win. She is a Zagat and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, six-time James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nominee, and 2022 James Beard Foundation Leadership Award winner. In 2023, Irene and her sister co-authored Perfectly Good Food: a totally achievable zero-waste approach to home cooking with W.W. Norton.

Additional Resources

• Mei Mei Dumplings
• Prepshift
• One Fair Wage
• Follow Irene Li
• Get Irene’s Book

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7shifts Blog

Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston

About 7shifts
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams. 

Host D.J. Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.

On this episode, we’re joined by Ji Hye Kim, Chef/Owner of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor.

Ji Hye was awarded one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs in 2021 and a multi-time James Beard Award semifinalist. She also advocates for fair wages in the hospitality industry, working with organizations like One Fair Wage to enact change. We get into how staff are paid above the industry average at Miss Kim, the tools Kim uses to get her teams engaged, and more.

Additional Resources

• Miss Kim
• Zingerman’s
• Zingerman’s Community of Businesses
• One Fair Wage
• RAISE: High Road Restaurants

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7shifts Blog

Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston

About 7shifts
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses.  Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Jason Hammel, Chef and Owner of Lula Cafe

Guest Bio
Chef and owner Jason Hammel grew up in New Haven, CT and is the product of a tight Italian family. He studied writing at Brown University and then traveled in Italy where an accidental stay in an apartment above a produce market left a lasting impact and presaged his career as a chef. Upon returning to the U.S., he received his M.A. in English and moved to Chicago where he met his wife, musician and Lula co-founder, Amalea Tshilds. They live in Logan Square with their two children, Ismene and Cass.   

Hammel’s writing has appeared in Bon Appetit and Lucky Peach/MAD feed. He is currently working on a cookbook to be released by Phaidon.  

Additional Resources

• Lula Cafe
• Marisol
• Pilot Light
• Lula Cafe Cookbook

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7shifts Blog

Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston

About 7shifts
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses.  Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Kwini Reed, Co-owner of Poppy + Rose, Poppy & Seed, and Root of All Foods

Guest Bio

Kwini Reed is a Southern California native, wife, mother, and entrepreneur. She is the co-owner of brunch restaurant, Poppy + Rose in Downtown Los Angeles, Orange County dining destination, Poppy & Seed, and upscale catering company, Root of All Foods with husband and chef of these concepts, Michael Reed.

She and her husband Michael Reed have received numerous accolades for these concepts, including Orange Coast Magazine's “Best New Restaurant” (Poppy & Seed); and CBS Los Angeles’ “Best All-Day Breakfast Restaurants in LA” (Poppy + Rose) - among others.

She pioneers Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed's giving back initiatives as well, coordinating meal donations to organizations across LA, supporting first responders, social justice causes, youth development programs, and more. Kwini is active with local nonprofits, such as Brown Bag Lady, which provides meals to people experiencing homelessness in LA. 

Additional Resources

• Poppy & Rose
• Poppy & Seed
• Root of All Foods
• Kwini Reed

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7shifts Blog

Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston

About 7shifts
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses.  Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Joe Kahn, Founder and CIO of Condado Tacos and Chris Artinian, CEO of Condado Tacos

Guest Bio
Joe Kahn is the Founder & Chief Innovation Officer at Condado Tacos. His passion for hospitality started at just 15 years old working at Sizzler and then Pizza Hut. Along the way, he learned to bartend and earned his first management position at The Outpost, a local Chicago venue. After decades of working in all aspects of the restaurant industry, Joe took the plunge to open his own restaurant—which failed. But instead of turning in his apron, he learned from his mistakes, borrowed money from his wife’s 401k, and founded Condado Tacos with several business partners. His focus on creating clean and craveable tacos in an environment that encourages creativity and community was a hit. By 2026, there will be 100 Condado Tacos restaurants! What’s Joe’s secret to success? Treating people well and really great tacos.

Chris Artinian serves as President & CEO at Condado Tacos. He has over 30 years of restaurant and retail experience with private and public companies and extensive experience in restaurant and consumer services. He first encountered Condado Tacos while working at The Beekman Group and loved the concept so much that he joined the company to help chart the brand’s meteoric growth because he has the chops. Chris previously held CEO titles at TooJay’s Gourmet Deli, Bakery & Restaurant, Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill, and Morton’s. He’s recognized by industry peers for his deep operational experience in developing winning strategies and exceptional teams. he also serves on the Board of Directors of Another Broken Egg, Ted’s Cafe Escondido, and Condado Tacos.

Additional Resources

• Condado Tacos
• Condado Tacos Careers
• 2021’s Breakout Brand of the Year: Condado Tacos Takes the Lead

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7shifts Blog

Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston

About 7shifts
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses.  Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Michel Falcon, Founder & CEO of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen

Guest Bio
Michel Falcon is a restaurant entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and best selling author. His expertises are company culture, employee performance, and customer experience strategies. As the CEO & Founder of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, he oversees all people and growth initiatives. Since August 2021, Brasa has succesfully opened three corporate-owned locations in Toronto, The company's next growth market in New York City in 2023.

Additional Resources

• Brasa Peruvian Kitchen
• Michel Falcon
• Brasa Peruvian Careers

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7shifts Blog

Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston

About 7shifts
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses.  Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way. 

On this episode, we’re joined by Ron Hsu, Owner of Lazy Betty, Humble Pie, and Juniper Cafe

Guest Bio

Champion of fair wages, equality and great food. James Beard nominated Atlanta restaurateur Ron Hsu envisions an industry where the workforce doesn't rely on the goodwill of customers and strives for changes to the way things have always been done.

Additional Resources

• Lazy Betty
• Humble Pie
• Juniper Cafe
• RAISE High Road Restaurants

Send us a text

Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
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7shifts Blog

Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston

About 7shifts
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.