The meez Podcast

#133

Josh sits down with chef Greg Baxtrom fora a conversation about his newly released book, Nothing Matters but Delicious: A Radically Honest Cookbook released this week.  Greg dives into his thoughts on ambition, addiction, mental health, and what success actually looks like after the accolades arrive. Greg reflects on his rise through some of the world’s most influential kitchens including Alinea, Per Se, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and his breakout success with Olmsted in Brooklyn. He opens up about how achieving the dream of critical acclaim and industry recognition did not bring the fulfillment he expected, and how sobriety, therapy, and years of self-work forced him to reevaluate his relationship with restaurants, creativity, and himself. Along the way, the two discuss restaurant economics, burnout, ego, jealousy, friendship in the industry, and why so many chefs quietly wonder how they’ll ever afford to grow old in this business.

Greg shares some deeply personal experiences that shaped the cookbook, including cooking through rehab and recovery, navigating bipolar diagnoses, and rediscovering joy through simpler food. Greg explains why he wanted the book to feel practical rather than precious, shares stories from his days working for Grant Achatz and Dan Barber, and reflects on the pressure of opening acclaimed restaurants in Brooklyn.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Greg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregbaxtrom/

Follow Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-baxtrom-8a897814/

Visit Five Acres: https://www.fiveacresnyc.com/

Visit Olmsted: https://www.olmstednyc.com/

Get Greg’s cookbook: Nothing Matters But Delicious

Timestamps

00:00 Greg Baxtrom on retirement anxiety in the restaurant industry

01:16 Greg’s plans for a cookbook, Chicago, and international projects

05:52 Why success and accolades did not bring fulfillment

13:47 Sobriety, therapy, and learning to rebuild life outside of restaurants

17:17 The realities of running restaurants in Brooklyn and losing Olmsted

23:36 Why Greg wants to open restaurants outside the United States

27:02 The economics of chef-driven restaurants and burnout

41:49 Greg’s new cookbook and cooking through recovery

51:24 The pressure of recognition, success, and finding balance

01:05:28 Wild Bouley and Danube kitchen stories involving pigs, knives, and chaos

#132

Josh and Mike sit down with Todd Duplechan, chef and co-owner behind Lenoir, Dovetail Pizza, and the newly opened Bonnie’s, for a wide-ranging conversation that blends wild kitchen stories with deeper reflections on what it actually means to build a restaurant you love. Todd shares what it’s like to operate multiple concepts on the same block in Austin, the lessons learned from opening a bar for the first time, and how redefining roles, expectations, and service can make a restaurant both more sustainable and more enjoyable to run. The conversation dives into the realities of working alongside a spouse for over a decade, the importance of constant iteration, and how small mindset shifts—like designing a space you personally want to spend time in—can fundamentally change a business.

The episode also explores the bigger philosophical questions around food: what “authenticity” really means, how history shapes cuisine, and why tradition is often more fluid than we think. Todd breaks down the evolution of Texas food through migration, climate, and culture, challenging the idea that any dish can be frozen in time. Along the way, the conversation touches on restaurant design, sustainability, leadership, and the grind of the industry—before ending with unforgettable (and chaotic) stories from their time working under Chef David Bouley in New York.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Todd Duplechan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-duplechan-175644134/

Follow Todd Duplechan on Instagram: @duplechananigans

Visit Lenoir: https://www.lenoirrestaurant.com

Visit Dovetail Pizza: https://www.dovetailpizza.com

Visit Blanket: https://www.blanket.app/

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Timestamps

01:01 Introduction and setting the stage for the episode

03:24 The wild reality of NYC food truck licensing and restaurant builds

08:52 Opening Bonnie’s and learning how different bar operations really are

12:23 Rethinking service, roles, and making restaurants easier to work in

18:20 Building restaurants you personally want to spend time in

22:15 Working with your spouse as both life and business partner

27:29 The myth of “authenticity” in food and why it’s always evolving

33:24 Texas food history and how culture shapes cuisine

41:24 Designing restaurants around sustainability and local context

01:05:28 Legendary Bouley kitchen stories and lessons from chaos

#131

Josh sits down with Michael Jacober for a wide-ranging conversation about restaurant value, shifting diner behavior, and why legacy brands like Chili’s are suddenly feeling relevant again. They unpack the idea of a “K-shaped” restaurant economy, where brands increasingly feel pushed toward either premium experiences or clear-cut value, and debate whether that narrative really holds up in practice. Along the way, they dig into Chili’s surprising resurgence, how simplifying menus and tightening operations can improve both the guest experience and the business, and why restaurant nostalgia can become a powerful growth strategy when it is backed up by execution.

The conversation also veers into restaurant supply chains, with thoughts on Sysco’s acquisition of Restaurant Depot and what cash-and-carry models offer independent operators, before ending on a more personal culinary tangent: Josh’s belief that sausage is an underappreciated burger format. From Vietnamese-style pork patties to memories of Bark’s crispy pork sandwich, the episode becomes a bigger reflection on what makes food craveable, scalable, and worth coming back for.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-jacober-713104124/

Visit Blanket: https://www.blanket.app/

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Timestamps

03:00 Knowledge bases, agents, and workflow automation

08:12 The K-shaped restaurant economy explained

20:58 Is the middle of the market really disappearing?

21:18 Why Chili’s is back and what changed operationally

29:58 Sysco acquires Restaurant Depot

35:45 Why Restaurant Depot works for independents

41:18 Josh’s argument for sausage as a better burger

46:18 How Bark’s crispy pork sandwich worked so well

53:39 Gladys update and what might happen next

#130

Josh sits down with Sterling Douglass, CEO and co-founder of Chowly, alongside Michael Jacober, for a deep dive into how AI is reshaping the restaurant and technology landscape in real time. What starts as a conversation about building versus buying quickly evolves into a broader discussion on how even independent operators now have access to tools that were once reserved for enterprise-level brands. Sterling shares how AI is accelerating product development, empowering teams across disciplines, and fundamentally changing how companies think about adoption, efficiency, and innovation.

The conversation expands into the future of SaaS, where traditional competitive advantages are rapidly eroding and being replaced by new forms of leverage like distribution, integrations, and execution speed. They explore the shift from static “systems of record” to dynamic “systems of action,” the risks of relying on subsidized AI infrastructure, and how companies can stay relevant as technology cycles compress from years to months. Along the way, they reflect on the cultural impact of AI, from how teams work to how leaders think, offering a candid look at what it takes to build and adapt in a world where everything is changing faster than ever.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Sterling on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterlingddouglass/

Follow Sterling on Instagram: @sterdb

Visit Chowly: https://chowly.com/

Visit Blanket: https://www.blanket.app/

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Do Follow: aiforrestaurants.ai

Timestamps

01:10 Introduction to Sterling Douglass and AI-focused discussion

04:20 Why AI is dominating restaurant tech conversations

07:35 Real-world AI use cases for restaurants

11:50 Adoption vs efficiency: what matters most right now

15:30 Token costs, infrastructure, and AI economics

19:40 The shift from systems of record to systems of action

24:10 How AI is changing SaaS and product development

28:45 New competitive moats in an AI-driven world

33:20 Build vs buy decisions for independent restaurants

38:00 Closing thoughts on the future of AI in restaurants

#129

Josh sits down with Tony Aiazzi for a wide-ranging conversation about restaurant tech, bootstrapping, and the hidden operational work that keeps hospitality businesses running. Tony shares his path from the Culinary Institute of America and Charlie Palmer’s kitchens to co-founding Shoebox, Over Easy Office, and Veteranized, explaining how one of the most frustrating parts of restaurant life became the foundation for an entirely new career.

They dig into why invoice processing is still far messier than most people realize, how overseas teams in the Philippines and Colombia support modern restaurant back offices, and why the real promise of AI is not replacing craftsmanship but freeing people to spend more time on the work they actually love. It is a thoughtful look at what happens when restaurant operators build tools for the problems they know firsthand.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Tony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-aiazzi-0366b5108/

Follow Tony on Instagram: @ynotaiazzi

Visit Over Easy Office: https://www.overeasyoffice.com/

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Timestamps

00:48 Intro to Tony Aiazzi and his restaurant-tech journey.

03:18 From CIA and Charlie Palmer to leaving kitchens behind.

06:08 Learning to fly in South Africa and resetting his career.

07:51 Why invoice processing became the problem worth solving.

10:17 Building Shoebox and creating a team in the Philippines.

14:55 How Shoebox evolved into Over Easy Office and service work.

24:45 Why Tony chose to bootstrap instead of raise venture capital.

31:20 What restaurant invoice automation can and cannot fully solve.

51:53 Veteranized, knife-making, and staying connected to craft.

#128

This episode starts with a practical look at one of the least understood parts of the restaurant business: group purchasing organizations. Josh, Matt, and Mike are joined by Rich Kemp, whose background in food distribution and work at Buyers Edge gives him a deep view into how operators actually buy, price, and negotiate food. Together they unpack what a GPO really is, how rebates and price deviations work, why distributors participate, and how procurement teams can use better data and manufacturer relationships to reduce costs. The conversation also pushes on a bigger question that has come up repeatedly on the show: if supply chains, AI, and purchasing systems get more efficient, will restaurants ever truly see those savings on their invoices.

In the back half, the conversation shifts from economics to culture, as the hosts react to the latest reporting around Noma and René Redzepi. What follows is a candid discussion about abuse in professional kitchens, the way destructive behavior has been normalized for generations, and the difference between demanding excellence and tolerating harm. It is a sharp, emotional, and deeply personal exchange about leadership, accountability, and whether the industry is finally ready to confront the systems that allowed this behavior to thrive for so long.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-kemp-2a447412/

Follow Richard: @kemprk

Follow Consolidated Concepts on Instagram: @consolidatedconcepts

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Follow Matthew: @conbeazie

Timestamps

00:53 Josh introduces Rich Kemp and the GPO conversation.

03:14 Rich explains what a GPO is and how it works.

08:24 The economics of rebates, distributors, and savings.

14:47 Will AI and efficiency actually lower restaurant costs?

21:14 Produce procurement, direct grower pricing, and savings.

27:00 Who captures the margin when systems get more efficient?

31:14 Matt argues invoices rarely come back down.

40:55 The hosts revisit pricing, margin, and distribution power.

#127

Josh sits down with Chef Vojtech Vegh for a quickfire episode packed with eye-opening zero waste cooking ideas, from turning avocado seeds into tea to transforming banana peels into something that tastes like pulled pork. Vojtech shares how his work has evolved since launching his zero waste mission, what he’s teaching chefs around the world, and why reducing food waste is often less about learning new techniques and more about seeing ingredients differently. Along the way, the two also swap parenting stories, non-traditional birthday “cakes,” and the strange but delicious food habits kids develop.

The conversation then dives into the ingredients that are most often wasted in professional kitchens, including watermelon rinds, pineapple skins, bread, rice, potato peels, and more. Vojtech explains how chefs can rethink scraps as real ingredients, where the line is between useful and unsafe, and why some of the most nutritious parts of fruits and vegetables are the ones we usually throw away. It’s a practical, surprising, and very fun look at how creativity in the kitchen can dramatically cut waste without sacrificing flavor.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Vojtech on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vojtechvegh/ 

Follow Vojtech on Instagram:  @vojtechvegh

Visit Surplus Food Studio: https://www.surplusfoodstudio.com/

Timestamps

00:48 Vojtech’s Quickfire Return And Life On The Road

02:00 Fruit Cakes, Sourdough Cakes, And Birthday Food For Kids

06:59 How Vojtech Helps Chefs Reduce Waste Around The World

11:44 Slovakia’s Version Of Grilled Cheese And Childhood Comfort Foods

17:56 The Kitchen Phrase That Should Be Banned Forever

18:53 Vojtech’s Wildest Kitchen Disaster Story

24:32 The World’s Most Wasted Ingredients: Watermelon Rinds, Pineapple Skins, Bread, And Rice

35:51 Banana Peels, Potato Skins, And Other Scraps You Should Be Cooking

45:52 Where Zero Waste Stops: What’s Worth Using And What Isn’t

#126

Josh, Mike, and Matt sits down with Keith Benjamin, nightlife operator and co-founder behind Uptown Social, Share House, Bodega, By The Way, and The Waverly, for a conversation about betting big, building brands, and turning hospitality into a true long game. Keith shares how his journey started with Penn State tailgates, fraternity social life, and bartending in New York before evolving into ownership in iconic Manhattan watering holes like Stumble Inn and Hair of the Dog. From there, he opens up about the leap to Charleston, why he saw an opening in the market, and how Uptown Social became the kind of unicorn venue most operators only dream about.

The conversation then shifts into the realities of nightlife economics, including the now-infamous $9 Modelo debate, how serious operators actually think about pricing, and why beverage-first businesses can be so attractive compared to labor-heavy food concepts. Keith, Josh, Matthew, and Michael dig into frequency, guest behavior, hospitality, and the brutal cost structure of modern restaurants, all while reflecting on what makes certain places worth returning to. Along the way, Keith talks about entrepreneurship, ADHD, risk-taking, and the compulsion to keep building, offering a clear look at the mindset behind one of Charleston’s most successful hospitality operators.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Keith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-benjamin-4bba57396/

Follow Keith: @keithbenjamin

Follow Bodega on Instagram: @eatdrinkbodega

Follow Uptown Hospitality Group on Instagram: @uptownhospitalityevents

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Follow Matthew: @conbeazie

Timestamps

03:13 Michael Jacober Introduces One Of His Oldest Friends

05:37 From Penn State Tailgates To Bartending In New York

10:03 The Stumble Inn Era, Golden Handcuffs, And First Ownership

16:39 Why Keith Left New York And Bet On Charleston

19:44 Opening Uptown Social And Building A Nightlife Unicorn

23:41 Bodega, Share House, By The Way, And The Waverly

30:10 The $9 Modelo Debate And The True Cost Of Doing Business

54:22 Beverage-First Concepts, Margins, And Why Frequency Matters

01:14:06 Why Hospitality Economics Are Reaching A Tipping Point

#125

Josh sits down with Matthew Conway and Michael Jacober for a spirited conversation about restaurant pricing, profitability, and what guests are actually paying for when they go out. What starts with a nearly $9 Modelo in New York quickly turns into a much bigger debate about whether bars and restaurants are justified in charging premium prices for simple products, or whether the industry has lost touch with what guests are willing to bear. Along the way, they unpack labor costs, rent, experience, hospitality, and the tension between running a viable business and keeping dining and drinking accessible.

The conversation then expands into broader questions around capitalism, consumer behavior, and where restaurant economics may be heading next. They debate whether lower alcohol consumption is driven by shifting culture or rising prices, whether operators are passing value to their teams or just protecting margins, and what responsibility restaurants have to the guest experience. The episode closes with a side trip into seed oils, animal fats, and the return of tallow, giving the whole discussion a larger throughline: how cost, quality, and perception shape nearly every decision in hospitality.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Visit Blanket: https://www.blanket.app/

Visit The Tippling House: https://thetipplinghousechs.com/

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Follow Matthew: @conbeazie

Timestamps

04:28 The Setup: Beer Pricing, Hospitality, And Consumer Expectations

10:20 Who Gets The Margin And Who Is “The Man”?

19:27 Are People Drinking Less Because It’s Too Expensive?

28:59 Why Restaurants May Need To Charge More Than They Do

35:20 The Core Debate: Is A $9 Modelo Fair Or Outrageous?

40:01 The Animal Fat Revival And Why Tallow Is Back

45:16 Why Seed Oils Took Over In The First Place

49:32 Tallow For Cooking, Cleaning, And Even Skin Care

52:07 What Restaurants Owe Guests, Teams, And Themselves

#124

Josh, Mike, and Matt sit down with Arjav Ezekiel, co-owner of Birdies and James Beard Award-winning beverage director, for a candid conversation about tipping, labor, and the future of restaurant models. Drawing from his time at Union Square Hospitality Group and his experience building Birdies, Arjav unpacks the intent behind Danny Meyer’s Hospitality Included movement and why it ultimately failed. The group debates whether tipping is fundamentally broken, the role of legislation versus operators in fixing it, and how economics—not just philosophy—determines what actually works in restaurants.

The conversation then shifts to solutions, with Arjav sharing how Birdies was built from first principles to solve for labor while maintaining high-level hospitality. By blending counter service with fine dining elements, rethinking team structure, and redistributing tips, the restaurant has created a more sustainable model. The episode closes with a broader reflection on innovation in hospitality, the importance of mentorship and the dining room, and why restaurants may become one of the last meaningful spaces for human connection in an increasingly digital world.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Birdies: https://www.birdiesaustin.com

Arjav Ezekiel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arjavezekiel/

Arjav Ezekiel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjav-ezekiel-a198aa72/

Timestamps

02:32 Introducing Arjav Ezekiel And Birdies

05:40 The Debate Around Tips Included

12:05 Was Hospitality Included Doomed To Fail?

18:17 The Economics Behind Why It Didn’t Work

22:07 Can Restaurants Fix Tipping Without Legislation?

29:44 Why Labor Is The Core Problem In Restaurants

35:20 How Birdies Was Built Differently From Day One

44:01 Redefining Hospitality Without Table Service

52:33 Why The Dining Room Matters More Than Ever