Burnout isn't a badge. It's a leak. Chef Patrick Cassata and I get under the hood on what actually keeps kitchens running: leadership reps, clean handoffs, and systems that protect people and profit. We talk delegation without martyrdom, expectations that stick, and why hospitality is the job even when tickets stack. Patrick's path from McDonald's rushes to leading an eight-figure operation is a masterclass in operational clarity. If you're an independent restaurant fighting drift, this one's a field manual.

Connect with Patrick Cassata

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefonthehook/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-cassata-b4585425/

Connect with Simon Email: [email protected] Book a Call: https://calendly.com/culinarymechanic/discovery Website: https://www.culinarymechanic.com

If your team is guessing instead of executing, this episode is your tune-up. Zana Devine grew up inside hotels and restaurants, then spent years building cultures where standards stick, onboarding is consistent, and language turns conflict into loyalty. We break down fundamentals that actually move numbers: one way of doing things, training that equips people to win, and respectful scripts for tough moments. For independent restaurant operators who need operational clarity, this is a playbook you can run tomorrow.

Connect with Zana Devine

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@zanadevinehospitality

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zanahospitality/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zdh-rnr/ Book: "Build to Serve, Train to Lead" on Amazon

Connect with Simon Email: [email protected] Book a Call: https://calendly.com/culinarymechanic/discovery Website: https://www.culinarymechanic.com

You don't scale a taquería with vibes—you scale it with standards. In this episode, Jesus "Chuy" Mendez (Salud, Birmingham) shows how culture plus simple, repeatable systems drive operational clarity you can taste at the table. We get into writing real recipes (no "secret pinch"), rewarding the right behaviors, passing health inspections with confidence, and Chuy's rule of hospitality: remove inconveniences before guests ever notice. This is kitchen leadership for independent restaurants that need consistent food, clean shops, and a crew that gives a damn.

You'll learn:

• How to turn SOPs into pride, not paperwork

• Why visible recognition beats speeches

• Fast-casual moves that keep lines tight and standards high

• Where chef culture helps—or hurts—consistency

If you're ready to tighten restaurant systems, lead better, and build a culture that lasts, subscribe for weekly, operator-first tools.

Connect with Jesus "Chuy" Mendez Website: https://www.saludbham.com/ Salud's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saludbham/?hl=en

Jesús's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmf1988/?hl=en

emaili:[email protected]

Connect with Simon Email: [email protected] Book a Call: https://calendly.com/culinarymechanic/discovery Website: https://www.culinarymechanic.com

If your labor is "fine" but your profits aren't, you've got a leadership and systems problem—not a math problem. In this episode, Mac's Hospitality's Jeff Boland (9-unit beer-bikes-barbecue group in the Carolinas) gets real about building restaurant systems that actually run, cutting bloaty menus without losing soul, and measuring the right productivity signals (sales per labor hour, covers per labor hour) so your team wins without red-lining. We dig into kitchen leadership that models humility, chef culture that attracts talent, and the operational clarity independents need to grow—plus how to reset incentives so FOH stops staffing for bonuses and starts staffing for guest experience.

If you want calmer shifts and better numbers without burning people out, this one's your field manual.

Connect with Jeffrey Boland

LinkedIn: Jeffrey Boland

Website: https://www.bolandhs.com/

Company: Mac's Hospitality

Connect with Simon Email: [email protected] Book a Call: https://calendly.com/culinarymechanic/discovery Website: https://www.culinarymechanic.com

If your knives feel "sharp" but still fight the carrot, this episode will save you time and fingertips. We get into the craft behind truly effective edges with Josh Donald of Bernal Cutlery—what geometry really means, why knives get "wedgy" over time, and how to think about tools like an operator, not a collector. We also hit the real-world stuff: sharpening flows that hold up in busy services, when to thin versus when to replace, and how chef culture drifts into trends that don't actually help you work faster.

You'll walk away with plainspoken guidance you can use tonight—better edges, better cuts, calmer prep. Keywords: restaurant systems, kitchen leadership, chef culture, operational clarity, independent restaurant.

Connect with Josh Donald Website: https://www.bernalcutlery.com Instagram: @bernalcutlery

Connect with Simon Email: [email protected] Book a Call: https://calendly.com/culinarymechanic/discovery Website: https://www.culinarymechanic.com

Build a kitchen where you're the accelerator - not the crutch. In this episode, Chef Franck Desplechin lays out a straight path from talented-but-chaotic to calm, accountable, and scalable. We break down why sous chefs stall, how to teach leadership like a skill, and the mindset shift that turns "chef-as-hero" into "chef-as-vision." We get specific on training the "why," making yourself operationally irrelevant (on purpose), and building systems that raise standards without burning people out.

You'll leave with field-tested plays for restaurant systems, kitchen leadership, chef culture, and operational clarity—built for the restaurant operator who needs results, not theory.

Connect with Franck Desplechin Website: cheffranck.com LinkedIn: Franck Desplechin

Connect with Simon Email: [email protected] Book a Call: https://calendly.com/culinarymechanic/discovery Website: https://www.culinarymechanic.com

If you want a kitchen that runs without you white-knuckling every service, subscribe to the newsletter—or book a call and let's build it.

If your kitchen is held together by heroics, this episode is your reset. Chef Gerald Chin (Head of Culinary, MINA Group) breaks down how 30+ restaurants stay sharp: a non-negotiable expediting system, real SOPs everyone can find and use, and weekly manager reviews that grow leaders instead of babysitting them. We talk patience, holding the line on standards, and why fun and clarity can live in the same kitchen. If you're chasing consistency, culture, and operational clarity without burning out your best people, this one's for you.

You'll hear practical plays for restaurant systems, kitchen leadership, chef culture, and what it takes to run a restaurant that doesn't depend on a superhero chef.

Want a calmer, more profitable kitchen? Book a call with Simon.

Connect with Chef Gerald

Website: https://theminagroup.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefgeraldchin/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerald-chin-a9676437/

Connect with Simon

Email: [email protected]

Book a Call: https://calendly.com/culinarymechanic/discovery

Website: https://www.culinarymechanic.com

Show Notes Old-school training meets modern leadership. Chef Andrea Pancani spent eight years scaling teams across San Ambroeus Hospitality Group, and he's blunt about what has to change: ego down, teaching up. We dig into why "meet them where they are" isn't soft—it's the key to operational clarity.

You'll hear how daily huddles actually work when they're done right, why orders should never be placed at the end of service, and how to build a sous chef pipeline so you're not stuck doing two jobs.

If you're an independent restaurant operator trying to run a calm kitchen without losing standards, this episode delivers: systems that cut chaos, leadership that respects people, and culture that keeps your best cooks.

Connect with Chef Andrea Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-pancani-aa1453116/

Connect with Simon Email: [email protected] Book a Call: https://calendly.com/culinarymechanic/discovery Website: https://www.culinarymechanic.com

Burnout Isn't a Badge—It's a Warning Light

Nio DiPietrantonio stepped into the kitchen at 16 because someone didn't show up—and she's been showing up ever since. In this episode, Nio and Simon get real about burnout, kitchen trauma, and how to build operations that don't rely on heroics.

They talk systems that protect your people, leadership that doesn't need to shout, and why restaurants must stop normalizing chaos. From senior living to drive-throughs, this one's packed with hard-won truth and usable insight.

Topics include: restaurant systems, kitchen leadership, chef culture, operational clarity, independent restaurant

Nio DiPietrantonio is the Founder and President of Serving Up Support: Maine, a nonprofit dedicated to championing mental health and well-being for hospitality workers across New England. She is an Ambassador for The Burnt Chef Project, CHOW, and CORE Gives, several organizations dedicated to helping hospitality folks when things get tough. With a passion for empathy, inclusivity, and authentic leadership, Nio brings years of hands-on experience from the culinary world, senior living, and nonprofit sectors. She's an advocate for challenging stigma, building supportive communities, and empowering industry professionals to thrive.

Connect with Nio DiPietrantonio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nio-dipietrantonio/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/undeadweddedbliss/

https://www.instagram.com/theburntchefproject/

https://www.instagram.com/servingupsupportmaine/

https://www.instagram.com/chow_org/

https://www.instagram.com/coregives/

Connect with Simon Email: [email protected] Book a Call: https://calendly.com/culinarymechanic/discovery Website: https://www.culinarymechanic.com

Death to the Beige Lobby Bar Most hotel F&B programs feel like an afterthought—bland menus, zero community connection, and a dining room that might as well be in any city, anywhere. Kenneth Scharlatt is on a mission to change that.

In this episode, Kenneth shares how Savage Orchid Hospitality is helping independent hotels treat food and beverage like a cultural engine—not just a box to check. From frictionless payments to hyperlocal partnerships, this is a masterclass in turning underutilized spaces into high-revenue guest magnets.

We dig into:

• Why breakfast is still broken in most hotels

• How to drive revenue without killing your labor budget

• What F&B operators can learn from DJs and speakeasies

• A 4-tier beverage program that sells more by telling better stories

If you're in the business of building memorable guest experiences—or ready to stop letting your restaurant be the worst part of your hotel—this one's for you.

Connect with Kenneth Scharlatt

Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.savageorchid.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethscharlatt/

Connect with Simon Email: [email protected] Book a Call: https://calendly.com/culinarymechanic/discovery Website: https://www.culinarymechanic.com