The Pre-Shift – Details, episodes & analysis

How do you grow from a single taco joint to a 50+ location brand without losing the soul of your company? For Joe Kahn and Chris Artinian of Condado Tacos, the answer is simple: QUESO. In this episode, Founder Joe Kahn and CEO Chris Artinian share the origin story of Condado Tacos, built on the principle of creating a restaurant where people would want to work forever. They detail their unique "QUESO" framework—Quality, Unique, Empowered, Service, and Opportunity—that serves as the lens for every business decision. From making tough calls on ingredient quality to fostering a pipeline of internal talent (with 66% of promotions from within), they provide a masterclass in scaling a people-first culture in the face of rapid expansion.

Key Takeaways

• Culture as a Foundation: Learn how Condado Tacos was founded with the mission to correct the "injustice" of the restaurant industry by creating a respectful and opportunity-rich environment.
• Codifying Your Values: Discover the "QUESO" (Quality, Unique, Empowered, Service, Opportunity) framework and how it provides a clear guide for decision-making across the organization.
• Values-Driven Decisions: Hear real-world examples of how their values led them to absorb costs rather than compromise on quality, mirroring the famous "In-N-Out" philosophy.
• Scaling Culture: Understand the challenges of maintaining a strong culture during rapid growth and the strategies they use, including a focus on internal promotion and robust communication.
• Hiring for Heart: Find out what Condado looks for in new hires, prioritizing friendliness, integrity, and a desire to make a difference above all else.

Resources Mentioned

• Condado Tacos: https://condadotacos.com/
• Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org/

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About Us
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.

In an industry struggling with retention and wage disparity, how can operators build a business that is both profitable and truly equitable? In this episode, we talk to Ji Hye Kim, the celebrated chef-owner of Miss Kim and a leading advocate for One Fair Wage. She shares the innovative and practical systems she uses to foster a transparent and engaged team culture. From daily "Best Next Time" conversations that empower staff voices to "Gross Games" that make open-book finance an exciting team sport, Ji Hye offers a blueprint for a new kind of restaurant management. She details the evolution of her compensation model—from no-tip to a base pay plus tip-share system—and explains how it has eliminated the front-of-house/back-of-house divide, creating a unified and motivated team.

Key Takeaways

• Simple Tools for Engagement: Learn about "Best Next Time," a simple post-shift framework to encourage open, constructive, and action-oriented feedback from the entire team.
• Making Open-Book Finance Fun: Discover how "Gross Games" transforms the abstract concept of sales numbers into a fun, daily competition that connects the team's effort directly to the restaurant's performance.
• A Fair Compensation Model: Ji Hye breaks down her base pay plus tip-share model, which ensures all staff earn well above minimum wage and fosters collaboration between the kitchen and dining room.
• Transparency Builds Trust: Understand why creating a simple, easy-to-understand pay structure is crucial for building trust and ensuring everyone feels valued.
• Retention Through Empowerment: Hear Ji Hye’s philosophy on retention—that creating a safe, empowering environment where personal goals are discussed is key to making restaurant jobs a viable long-term career.

Resources Mentioned

• Miss Kim Restaurant: https://www.misskimannarbor.com/
• Zingerman's Community of Businesses: https://www.zingermanscommunity.com/
• One Fair Wage: https://onefairwage.site/

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DJ's Email
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More 7shifts
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About Us
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.

Building a company culture worth celebrating takes more than just words. In this archive episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we revisit our conversation with Michel Falcon, founder and CEO of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, who shares his journey from management consultant to restaurant entrepreneur. Michel reveals how he built a fast-casual concept with an astonishing 17% employee turnover rate in an industry that typically sees 100-200%. He breaks down exactly how he crafted meaningful core values, implemented an innovative personalized onboarding process, established fair wage practices beyond minimum wage, and created unprecedented pay transparency across all positions. This episode offers practical strategies for operators looking to attract and retain talent while building a values-driven restaurant business.

Resources

• Connect with Michel Falcon on LinkedIn 🔗
• Visit: Brasa Peruvian Kitchen 🍽️
• Book: People-First Culture by Michel Falcon 📚
• 7shifts Restaurant Management Blog 📝

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📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
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More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
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About Us
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.

Finding and keeping great restaurant staff is harder than ever in 2025. In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we talk with Alice Cheng, Founder and CEO of Culinary Agents, about how smart restaurants are winning the hiring game. After 13 years of connecting restaurants with talent, Alice breaks down what works. She explains the "missing middle" skills gap hurting restaurants today and shares practical ways to make your job listings stand out. Whether you're struggling to hire line cooks or looking to build a reputation as a great workplace, Alice offers real solutions you can implement immediately to attract better candidates.

Resources

• Connect with Alice Cheng on LinkedIn 🔗
• Visit: Culinary Agents🍴
• Explore: Hospitality Career Paths 📊
• 7shifts Hiring Guide 📝

Chapters

• 00:00 - Introduction to Alice Cheng
• 02:51 - Evolution of restaurant hiring technology
• 07:53 - What makes Culinary Agents unique
• 13:12 - Current hiring trends in hospitality
• 18:41 - The skills gap in restaurant staffing
• 25:17 - Benefits and perks restaurants are offering
• 31:35 - Hospitality technology integration trends
• 43:00 - Hospitality Career Paths platform
• 47:33 - Advice for positioning as a great employer

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📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
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More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
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Read the 7shifts Blog

About Us
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.

Want to build a restaurant career that doesn't leave you burnt out? In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we chat with Justin Khanna, a chef who's cooked at some of the world's best restaurants, before switching gears to become an educator and founder of Repertoire. Justin takes us behind the scenes of his days at Per Se and The French Laundry, sharing what those kitchens taught him about way more than just cooking great food. He explains why running a successful restaurant isn't just about having a superstar chef but about creating systems that work even when you're not there. Justin also dives into how his education platform helps restaurants keep their best staff by actually measuring what makes someone good at their job. If you want to level up your restaurant career or build a team that sticks around, you'll walk away with practical ideas you can use immediately.

Resources

• Connect with Justin Khanna on LinkedIn and TikTok 🔗
• Visit: Repertoire 📚
• Watch: Justin's YouTube Channel 📺
• 7shifts Restaurant Management Training Guide 📝

Chapters

• 0:00 - Justin's culinary background and content creation
• 2:12 - Fine dining kitchens
• 5:40 - What fine dining kitchen culture is really like
• 11:10 - Finding your own voice as a chef
• 15:35 - Restaurant concepts vs chef personalities
• 21:30 - From pop-ups to full-time content creation
• 23:30 - The evolution of restaurant content creation
• 27:55 - Why Justin created Repertoire
• 33:25 - Repertoire's focus
• 38:50 - Justin advice for aspiring hospitality content creators

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📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
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More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
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Read the 7shifts Blog

About Us
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.

AI is changing the restaurant marketing game in ways that can save you time while boosting your revenue. In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, I chat with Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur who's truly mastered the marketing side of the business.

Josh breaks down how restaurants of any size can use AI tools like ChatGPT to create better email campaigns, design loyalty programs that actually work, and analyze menu performance - all without needing a marketing degree.

What I love about Josh's approach is how practical it is. He shows you exactly how to get started, even if you've never used AI before. And for just $20 a month, you can access tools that Josh says are like "hiring an expert instead of a teenager."

Restaurant owners drowning in spreadsheets and those looking to bring more guests through the door will find Josh's strategies helpful for saving hours each week while potentially adding thousands to monthly revenue.

Resources

• Connect with Josh on LinkedIn 🔗
• Check out JoshKopel.com 🌐
• Join Josh's monthly 5-day challenge for restaurant owners 🚀
• 7shifts: How Top Multi-Unit Restaurants are Using Tech to Grow📱

Chapters

• 01:27 - Meeting Josh Kopel
• 05:15 - Getting started with AI (even if you're intimidated)
• 07:05 - Creating marketing campaigns that actually convert
• 13:14 - Building loyalty programs inspired by credit card companies
• 19:39 - Using AI to identify menu winners and losers
• 22:44 - The future of restaurant tech that excites Josh
• 28:13 - Final advice for the overwhelmed restaurant owner

Send us a text

📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
Follow on LinkedIn

More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
Follow us on TikTok
Read the 7shifts Blog

About Us
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.

Breaking free from being the "superhero" operator can transform your restaurant's future. In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we talk with Avery Ward, third-generation CEO of Little Italy Ristorante in Groveport, Ohio, about how he turned around his family's struggling business. Avery shares how his tech background helped him implement smart systems that let him step back from daily operations. He breaks down exactly how he delegates tasks, documents processes, and builds accountability at every level - allowing him to expand from a single location to a growing restaurant group. Both struggling operators managing everything themselves and successful owners looking to scale will find valuable takeaways in Ward's practical approach to working on your business instead of just in it.

Resources

• Connect with Avery Ward on LinkedIn 🔗
• Watch: Slice of Life on YouTube 📺
• Visit: Little Italy Ristorante 🍕
• 7shifts Restaurant Management Blog 📝

Chapters

• 00:00 - Introduction to Avery Ward (CEO of Little Italy restaurant)
• 01:19 - The 60-year history of Little Italy Restaurant
• 07:00 - How technology transformed restaurant operations
• 09:32 - Finding time to work ON your business, not just IN it
• 12:17 - Building accountability through clear expectations
• 20:05 - The "lightbulb theory" of delegation
• 23:57 - Creating company structure and role clarity
• 27:56 - The path to opening Main Ground Coffee
• 33:30 - Building an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan)
• 40:10 - Why documenting your restaurant's story matters
• 44:48 - Conclusion and Main Ground Coffee opening details

Send us a text

📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
Follow on LinkedIn

More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
Follow us on TikTok
Read the 7shifts Blog

About Us
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.

Uncertainty seems to be the only certainty in today's restaurant industry. In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we sit down with Jay Ashton, Canada's Restaurant Guy, to discuss how Canadian restaurants can adapt to tariffs and economic challenges. 

Jay shares practical strategies from his 35-year career. These go beyond simply raising prices to tactics like creating salads without lettuce and developing multiple revenue streams through newsletters and digital merchandising. Whether you're concerned about the current tariff situation or looking for always-relevant business advice for navigating uncertain times, Jay's approaches and timeless wisdom offer valuable insights for restaurants looking to thrive during economic shifts.

Resources
Connect with Jay on LinkedIn 🔗
Site: Canada's Restaurant Guy 🍁
Listen to The Late Night Restaurant Show 🌃
Strategies to offset tariffs newsletter 📰

Latest Updates on Canadian Tariffs | restaurantscanada.org 🇨🇦

Chapters
0:00 - Introduction to Jay Ashton, Canada's restaurant guy
2:00 - Understanding the tariff situation for Canadian restaurants
4:00 - The impact of tariffs on restaurant inventory and pricing
7:30 - Menu innovation: "You can make salads without lettuce"
8:15 - The flex burger: Reducing costs through creative protein options
9:00 - Using the "why column" to evaluate every menu ingredient
12:00 - Preparing your business without panicking
14:00 - Cash flow is king: Smart inventory management
16:30 - Technology solutions for tracking costs and inventory
19:00 - Communicating price changes to your customers
22:00 - Why restaurants need five revenue streams
25:00 - Newsletter marketing as an additional revenue source
31:00 - Using Uber Eats as an e-commerce platform
33:30 - Developing CPG product lines and merchandise
35:45 - Final advice: Don't panic, have a plan

Send us a text

📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
Follow on LinkedIn

More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
Follow us on TikTok
Read the 7shifts Blog

About Us
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.

For many 16-year-olds, a first job is just a way to make some extra side cash—nothing more than a temporary gig. But for Julianna Blackhurst, a part-time job in high school became the foundation of her lifelong career. 

In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we sat down with the Senior Director of Franchise Operations at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, to talk about two types of growth: career growth and franchise growth.

Resources:

• Check out Jeremiah’s Italian Ice 🍦
• Connect with Julianna on LinkedIn 🔗
• Follow Jeremiah’s on Instagram 📸

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction and welcome
• 00:50 Juliana's career journey at Jeremiah's
• 03:33 The importance of company culture
• 05:48 Jeremiah's core values
• 12:25 The franchising model
• 17:17 Going outside of Florida
• 21:38 Leadership lessons
• 23:41 The 14-flavor offering model
• 25:16 Advice for young people
• 30:51 Juliana's favorite Jeremiah's menu item
• 35:40 Conclusion

Guest Bio:

Julianna Blackhurst, Senior Director of Franchise Operations, oversees the Operations for Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, responsible for the company’s 100+ locations in 11 states. She oversees the company’s ongoing expansion, as it is projected to reach 180+ units in 2025. In her previous role with Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, she was Director of Training and Operational Growth. Julianna was responsible for developing and administrating Jeremiah’s training program (“Cool School”) and the New Store Opening Process. Amidst her tenure, Ms. Blackhurst has been recognized by QSR Magazine in the 2021 issue of Young Leaders to Watch. Julianna takes pride in being active in the community, volunteering as a coach for Pop Warner sports. In 2017, Ms. Blackhurst received a Bachelor of Arts in History degree from the University of Central Florida and Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Finance, Rollins College 2021.

Send us a text

📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
Follow on LinkedIn

More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
Follow us on TikTok
Read the 7shifts Blog

About Us
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.

What if mandatory training didn’t have to be boring? With creative storytelling and an irreverent approach, ARROW UP Training makes engaging, effective training programs for restaurant teams.

In this episode, we’re joined by Jason Berkowitz, the founder and CEO of ARROW UP Training.

Jason offers insights into building consistent employee experiences and the role of continuous training in fostering a strong team—and a better guest experience. He also discusses the importance of structured onboarding, developing strong leaders, and the power of storytelling in training.

Resources
Check out ARROW UP Training ⬆️
Connect with Jason on LinkedIn 🔗
Connect with Jason on Instagram 🤳
Get Jason’s Book 📖
FREE video mini-course: Unlocking effortless restaurant scheduling 📲

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Welcome
• 00:50 Meet Jason Berkowitz: From Restaurant Ops to ARROW UP
• 03:33 The Birth of ARROW UP
• 05:48 ARROW UP's Unique Training Approach
• 12:25 Implementing ARROW UP in Restaurants
• 17:17 Effective Onboarding and Training Practices
• 21:38 Growth Mindset in Restaurant Management
• 22:31 The Role of Supervisors
• 23:41 Building Effective Training Programs
• 25:16 Managing Friends and De-escalation Techniques
• 30:51 The Importance of Checklists
• 35:40 Customizing Training for Different Restaurant Cultures
• 37:49 Exciting Developments at ARROW UP
• 41:29 Conclusion and Contact Information

Send us a text

📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
Follow on LinkedIn

More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
Follow us on TikTok
Read the 7shifts Blog

About Us
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.