We're back, and so is Chef Brian Duffy! Host David Klemt, partner and senior consultant at KRG Hospitality, and Chef Duffy haven't been in the same room since hanging out at Bar & Restaurant Expo 2025 back in March. So, they're overdue for a catch-up chat.

The two discuss what they're seeing out in the real hospitality world, talk about the pitfalls of discounting your menu, share guest experience stories, address working with purveyors and sourcing quality local ingredients (including water!), chat Yumcrunch and Mundial SmartKnives (listen for the Mundial discount code Chef Duffy shares during this episode), and more.

Chef Duffy also shares his insights into two real-life, kitchen-focused Bar Hacks: ReFire topics.

Cheers!

Notes

Chef Brian Duffy IG

Yumcrunch IG

Yumcrunch website

Mundial SmartKnives

Chef Brian Duffy website

⁠Bar Hacks IG⁠

⁠David Klemt IG⁠

⁠KRG Hospitality IG⁠

⁠KRG Hospitality website

On this episode of Bar Hacks, host David Klemt sits down with Rob Minucci, CEO and co-founder of Talkhouse Encore, a premium RTD brand inspired by the legendary dive bar Stephen Talkhouse in the Hamptons. Together, they delve into the story behind the brand's inception during the pandemic, discussing how Rob's business partner Ruby Honerkamp (whose family owns the iconic bar), sought to bring the spirit of the Talkhouse to the masses through gluten-free vodka and tequila seltzers. Or, as Rob explains, dive bar classics in RTD form.

Rob shares insights into the challenges of launching a new beverage brand, from navigating distributor relationships to the importance of creating a standout product that resonates with consumers. He emphasizes the significance of authenticity and flavor, particularly for the Gen Z demographic, who are looking for more than just a drink;they want a story and a connection to the brand.

You'll learn about the strategic decisions that shaped Talkhouse Encore, including its unique approach to market research and branding. Rob explains how they focused on building a strong local presence before considering expansion, ensuring that they meet consumer demands with quality ingredients and an engaging brand narrative.

Join us for a fascinating discussion on entrepreneurship in the beverage industry, the power of storytelling, and the art of creating a product that stands out in a crowded market.

Notes

Talkhouse Encore website

Talkhouse Encore Instagram

Panoplai

Bar Hacks IG

David Klemt IG

KRG Hospitality IG

KRG Hospitality website

Show notes generated in part by Headliner

Long-time listeners know we love it when previous guests return! On this episode, Finian Sedgwick, chief growth officer at BAXUS, comes back onto the podcast.

Finian and David chat about the growth of BAXUS and the BoozApp, including new features for the peer-to-peer marketplace, popular bottles and spirits categories, and the rabbit hole members can go down when searching for items to purchase and trade. They also talk about bottles that have grabbed Finian's attention, why he's bullish on wine, and how alcohol-free cocktail menus are more important than some operators may think.

Speaking of operators, the two also discuss the doom-and-gloom articles blaming Millennials and Gen Z for "killing" or otherwise "ruining" alcohol consumption and sales. Is that really the state of booze, or are people rage-baiting for clicks, and are some operators failing to meet their guests where they are?

Notes

BAXUS website

BoozApp website

Finian Sedgwick LinkedIn

⁠Bar Hacks IG⁠

⁠David Klemt IG⁠

⁠KRG Hospitality IG⁠

⁠KRG Hospitality website

We sit down with real-life bartender, actor, and social media creator Matthew Rangel (@therealmattyrangel) an hour before he needed to open one of the three bars at which he works in Wisconsin to talk neighborhood bars, dive bars, mental health, social media, and the Midwest.

For those who haven't yet come across Matty's bartending videos, they're quick, funny, and relatable to anyone who has worked behind the stick, or worked at a bar or restaurant. Matty breaks down his approach to creating his videos, which is a quicker process than most would likely expect. He also explains that people don't need to buy the most expensive recording gear or spend hours editing to make impactful videos.

Matty also discusses mental health and the hospitality space, in particular bartending. He hosts Mental Health Mondays each week, hoping for people to reach out, share, connect, and work through their struggles.

Cheers!

Notes

Matty Rangel IG

Matty Rangel TikTok

Matty Rangel YouTube

Matty Rangel Facebook

Matty Rangel Linktree

Heard game website

Bar Hacks IG

David Klemt IG

KRG Hospitality IG

KRG Hospitality website

We managed to squeeze three real-world hospitality situations into episode five of ReFire!

On the last episode, David and Bradley talked about guest perception, and how the "little" things can have a big impact. This time, they discuss brand perception, and how quickly a misstep can turn into a catastrophe.

Then, they talk about "skunking," and how it impacts your team.

Finally, David and Bradley take a look at a restaurant's new SOPs shared by a team member, and why they're a problem.

Cheers!

Notes

Bar Hacks IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@barhacks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

David Klemt IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@david.ex.machina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Bradley Knebel IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sommfabulousguy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@KRG.Hospitality⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KRGHospitality.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest experience drives perception, and perception shapes value. As you may have already learned, perception can be impacted on what may feel trivial to operators and their teams but is incredibly important from guest to guest.

On this episode of Bar Hacks: Refire, David Klemt, partner at KRG Hospitality, and co-host Bradley Knebel of Empowered Hospitality break down a real-world story of two restaurants offering the same menu and pricing, but with vastly different outcomes. One felt like a letdown because of disorganization and sloppy service; the other delivered a memorable experience simply by getting the fundamentals right.

The duo dig into why poor guest experience makes food and drinks taste worse; why discounting without strategy sends the wrong message; and why every detail—from lighting and music volume to greetings and check drop—matters. If your guests don’t feel good about the experience, they won’t feel good about the value. And if they don't see value, they won't see a point in returning for more visits.

Tune in to rethink what you're really selling.

Notes

Bar Hacks IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠@barhacks⁠⁠⁠⁠

David Klemt IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠@david.ex.machina⁠⁠⁠⁠

Bradley Knebel IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠@sommfabulousguy⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠@KRG.Hospitality⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality website:⁠⁠⁠⁠KRGHospitality.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Empowered Hospitality IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@empoweredhospitality⁠⁠⁠⁠

Empowered Hospitality website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠EmpoweredHospitality.com⁠

Hayden Lambert, co-founder of the unique and award-winning Above Board bar in Melbourne, Australia, pops by for an incredible chat.

When Lambert would explain the reductionist philosophy behind the concept for Above Board to others in the industry, he was told it wouldn't work. Well, nearly ten years of operation, a few appearances on the World's 50 Best Bars list, and other accolades later, Above Board continues to prove that its unique approach works.

On this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, Lamber discusses his journey through hospitality, traveling the world, still being tested as a bartender, "simplexity," how brands can succeed in a bar without a back bar, the magic that is making guests feel like their experience was easy, and much, much more.

Lambert drops a ton of useful information and experience in this episode that veteran, new, and hopeful bar owners need to hear and consider. Cheers!

Notes

Above Board website: Aboveboardbar.com

Above Board IG: @AboveBoardBarMelb

Above Board Facebook: @AboveBoardBar

Bar Hacks IG: ⁠⁠⁠@barhacks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality IG: ⁠⁠⁠@krg.hospitality⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠krghospitality.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

David Klemt IG: ⁠⁠⁠@david.ex.machina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jackie Williams, event vice president of Bar Convent Brooklyn, pops in to chat about this year's BCB!

If you're listening to this podcast, you're likely well aware of BCB. But, just in case, this annual show, which takes place in New York City, of course, is a chance for hospitality professionals to network with peers and learn about new trends, techniques and products in the domestic and international markets, plus attend demonstrations, keynote addresses, and panel discussions with leading industry experts.

The 2025 Bar Convent Brooklyn takes place from June 9 through June 11 at the Industry City complex, a very cool place to gather, sip, and learn. Register today!

Notes

Bar Convent Brooklyn website: BarConventBrooklyn.com⁠

Bar Convent Brooklyn IG: @barconventbrooklyn

Bar Convent Brooklyn Facebook: @barconventbrooklyn

Bar Convent Brooklyn LinkedIn: @barconventbrooklyn

Bar Hacks IG: ⁠⁠@barhacks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality IG: ⁠⁠@krg.hospitality⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality website: ⁠⁠⁠krghospitality.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

David Klemt IG: ⁠⁠@david.ex.machina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

On this episode, host David Klemt sits down with William Brooks, the Global Brand Ambassador for Tequila Herradura. With a background from Johnson & Wales University and extensive experience in the spirits industry, William shares his fascinating journey from whiskey to agave.

Discover the unique qualities of tequila, as William dispels common myths and misconceptions. He dives into the importance of terroir, the differences between lowland and highland agave, and how these factors influence flavor profiles. The conversation also covers the innovative practices at Tequila Herradura, including sustainability efforts, and the creation of the reposado category.

Plus, William shares his favorite tequila cocktails, perfect food pairings, and tips on how to properly taste tequila (hint: replace the lime). Whether you're a seasoned agave enthusiast or just starting to explore, this episode is packed with valuable insights and delicious ideas.

Cheers!

Notes

William Brooks IG: @cuppateaquila

Tequila Herradura website: Herradura.com

Tequila Herradura IG: @herradurateq

Bar Hacks IG: ⁠@barhacks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality IG: ⁠@krg.hospitality⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality website: ⁠⁠krghospitality.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

David Klemt IG: ⁠@david.ex.machina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Suomi Design Works is an award-winning hotel design studio dedicated to approaching every hospitality project with an exceptional level of creativity. In fact, Michael Suomi, president of the studio, actively seeks out unique, challenging projects.

On this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, host David Klemt chats with Michael about a number of these extraordinary projects. Further, Michael shares his approach to onboarding clients, building unique teams for exceptional projects, trends he thinks may stand out in 2025 (and which he'd like to see disappear), and more.

Cheers!

Notes

Suomi Design Works: ⁠footprintsuccess.org/⁠⁠

Suomi Design Works IG: @suomidesignworks

Suomi Design Works FB: @suomidesignworks

Suomi Design Works LI: www.linkedin.com/company/suomi-design-works

Bar Hacks IG: @barhacks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality IG: @krg.hospitality⁠⁠⁠

KRG Hospitality website: ⁠krghospitality.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

David Klemt IG: @david.ex.machina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠