Colin Lynch is a New England–born chef and co-owner of Bar Mezzana, Shore Leave, No Relation, Black Lamb, and the newly opened Fido. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and former executive chef of the acclaimed No. 9 Park, Lynch has spent two decades shaping Boston’s restaurant landscape through mentorship, trust-based leadership, and a deep commitment to team culture. In this episode, Lynch joins Matt Jennings and Carolyn Grillo to talk about building restaurants around fit, loyalty, curiosity, and shared ownership, and why success in hospitality comes from people, not perfection.

Takeaways

• Hire for personality and cultural fit. Skills can be taught
• Build loyalty through trust, opportunity, and long-term relationships
• Focus on mentorship: lift others because one day they’ll lift you
• Don’t try to be everything to everyone, guide guests instead of chasing trends
• Authentic hospitality starts with clarity, not saying yes to every request
• Balance creativity with consistency and cost reality
• Social media matters for staying top of mind, even if you’re not great at it
• Healthy competition pushes a city’s restaurant community forward
• Leadership and management are different skills, know which one you’re practicing
• Give people room to grow into ownership and responsibility
• Understand the financial realities: buildouts, leases, and long-term sustainability
• Teach teams financial literacy, it elevates their careers and stabilizes the business
• Keep the business small if it means staying full, profitable, and healthy
• Work hard, be kind, core values matter more than credentials

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