By 7shifts
Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into what it takes to build great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, the strat
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The podcast currently has 60 episodes available.
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Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into what it takes to build great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, the strategies they use, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D. J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.
In this episode of the Pre Shift Podcast, host D.J. Costantino chats with Zach Feinstein, CEO and co-owner of the Feinstein Group, about an innovative commission-based compensation model that combines a 20% service charge for servers. Zach explains the strategy behind this model, its implementation, and its impact on employee retention, guest experience, and front and back-of-house relationships. Zach also discusses his experience in the restaurant industry, the journey of the Feinstein Group, and the future vision for this compensation approach. This episode is packed with actionable insights for restaurant owners and managers aiming to build high-performing teams.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to the Pre Shift Podcast
00:13 Meet Zach Feinstein: CEO and Co-Owner of the Feinstein Group
01:29 The Feinstein Group's Journey and Growth
03:08 Innovative Compensation Model: Commission-Based Pay
05:12 Rolling Out the New Compensation Model
07:52 Impact on Staff and Guest Experience
17:22 Front and Back of House Dynamics
21:01 Future of the Restaurant Industry
23:54 Lightning Round: Quick Questions with Zach Feinstein
27:47 Closing Remarks and How to Learn More
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7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.
Send us a Text Message.
Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into what it takes to build great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, the strategies they use, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D. J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.
In this episode, Pike Howard, co-owner and finance and development director of Felipe's Taqueria, shares the history of the restaurant chain founded in 2006, inspired by Felipe Herrera. Pike emphasizes the significance of having a strong foundational playbook for growth, the importance of transparency and profit-sharing with leadership teams, and the role of consistent execution in a high inflationary environment. He cites influences like Danny Meyer’s book, Setting the Table, and Chick-fil-A’s operational focus. Howard stresses the need for non-defensiveness regarding feedback and aims to exceed profitability expectations.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Pike Howard and Felipe's Taqueria
00:09 Founding Story of Felipe's Taqueria
00:23 Growth Strategy and Operational Philosophy
01:11 Leadership and Transparency
01:16 Profit Sharing and Employee Engagement
01:42 Consistency and Adaptation in Operations
02:20 Commitment to Quality and Inspiration
02:49 Operational Excellence and Feedback
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.
Send us a Text Message.
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.
Host DJ Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.
On this episode, we’re joined by Hassel Aviles, Founder and Director of Not 9 to 5.
Hassel Aviles has built a career in the hospitality and foodservice industry for over two decades working primarily in restaurants, event production and entrepreneurship. In 2018, after years of struggling with mental illness and trauma, Hassel was inspired to co-found Not 9 to 5, a non-profit that empowers foodservice service workers like herself. Hassel’s strategic planning abilities helped grow Not 9 to 5 from a series of workshops, panels and webinars into a global vehicle for change. Her work has contributed to a worldwide hospitality revolution to create work environments that are inclusive and proactive, rather than top-down and reactive. Hassel has used her experience, her social capital and intelligence to speak up for those without the power to make change. She is a visionary and deeply dedicated to revolutionizing the industry for the better.
Topics Covered:
Resources
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.
Send us a Text Message.
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.
Host DJ Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.
In this episode, Chris Britt, Chief Operating Officer of Epic Restaurants, joins us.
For nearly five years, Chris has served in a leadership capacity at Agave & Rye, one of the fastest-growing restaurant concepts in the U.S. He has accumulated a diverse array of experiences since joining the Agave & Rye team in 2018, and through his expertise, Chris has helped continually grow the company into a now multi-brand restaurant group, touting such revered concepts as Agave & Rye, S.O.B. Steakhouse, Shindig Park—and the soon-to-be-unveiled, Trashy Dawg. Chris started as the GM of the original location in Covington, Kentucky, before taking the same position at Agave & Rye’s flagship location in Liberty Township, Ohio. Soon after, he was promoted to Regional Director, followed by a promotion to the Director of Operations role. Chris has been in his Chief Operating Officer role for more than a year, right in time for expansion plans in 2023.
Resources
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.
Send us a Text Message.
In this episode of the Pre-Shift podcast, host DJ dives deep into the intricacies of managing successful restaurant teams with Stella Denig, co-owner and GM of Daytrip Restaurant in Oakland, California. Stella shares insights on building a restaurant prioritizing pay equity, equitable compensation, and a strong internal culture. She discusses their unique business model, the challenges of introducing equitable systems, and the importance of legislative change in the industry. Stella also touches on the role of collective thinking in their operations and the exciting personal and professional changes coming up for her and Daytrip. This episode is a must-listen for anyone eager to learn about innovative practices in the hospitality industry.
00:00 Introduction to the Pre-Shift Podcast
00:12 Meet Stella Denig from Daytrip Restaurant
01:02 The Journey to Opening Daytrip
02:20 Innovative Business Model and Pay Equity
04:14 Service Charge and Employee Compensation
09:51 Open Pay and Hiring Practices
14:08 Collective Thinking and Team Culture
25:19 Advice for Aspiring Restaurateurs
29:19 Exciting Future Plans for Daytrip
30:52 Conclusion and Contact Information
Guest Bio
Stella Dennig (she/her) is the Co-Owner/GM of Daytrip, a fermentation-driven party of a restaurant in Oakland, CA. Core to Daytrip’s mission is to push toward a more equitable future for this industry and at the center of that, its workforce. Daytrip has been written up for its employment practices by publications like Bon Appetit, The New York Times, and the SF Chronicle. Daytrip was a Bon Appetit top 10 Best New Restaurant in America in 2023 and Co-Owner/Chef Finn Stern was a James Beard Semifinalist in 2024.
Resources
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.
Send us a Text Message.
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.
Host DJ Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.
On this episode, we’re joined by Chad Mackay, CEO of Fire & Vine Hospitality in Seattle, WA.
Chad Mackay, CEO of Fire & Vine Hospitality, leads a multi-concept operator of full-service restaurants and oversees the successful Revelers Club loyalty program, boasting 80K members and contributing 30% to the company’s revenue since its 2011 inception. El Gaucho, the flagship concept founded in 1996, spans five locations, while Fire & Vine owns AQUA by El Gaucho, Aerlume, and the Witness Tree lounge. The Revelers Club extends to independently owned properties like Walla Walla Steak Co., Crossbuck Brewing, and Yellowhawk Resort in Walla Walla, WA. Drawing from two decades of hospitality expertise, Chad founded Brigado, a consulting and technology firm. He actively serves on Oracle's Customer Advisory Board for the Global Food and Beverage Industry Group and has held leadership roles in associations like the Washington Hospitality Association and Visit Seattle. Chad is a sought-after speaker on adapting compensation models for full-service restaurants in response to the $15 minimum wage.
Links
Fire & Vine Hospitality
Brigado
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.
Send us a Text Message.
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.
Host DJ Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.
On this episode, we’re joined by Irene Shiang Li, Cofounder of Prepshift & Mei Mei Dumplings in Boston, Mass.
Irene Shiang Li co-founded Mei Mei in Boston in 2013 and built the brand around ethical, sustainable sourcing and fair and transparent employment practices, including open book management. Mei Mei is now a dumpling company and Irene is now building Prepshift, a tech-enabled coaching and workforce training firm. Prepshift focuses on aligning food business teams around their common goals and empowering them with education and transparency. Irene believes that in restaurants, everyone can win. She is a Zagat and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, six-time James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nominee, and 2022 James Beard Foundation Leadership Award winner. In 2023, Irene and her sister co-authored Perfectly Good Food: a totally achievable zero-waste approach to home cooking with W.W. Norton.
Additional Resources
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.
Send us a Text Message.
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.
Host D.J. Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams.
On this episode, we’re joined by Ji Hye Kim, Chef/Owner of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor.
Ji Hye was awarded one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs in 2021 and a multi-time James Beard Award semifinalist. She also advocates for fair wages in the hospitality industry, working with organizations like One Fair Wage to enact change. We get into how staff are paid above the industry average at Miss Kim, the tools Kim uses to get her teams engaged, and more.
Additional Resources
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.
Send us a Text Message.
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Jason Hammel, Chef and Owner of Lula Cafe
Guest Bio
Chef and owner Jason Hammel grew up in New Haven, CT and is the product of a tight Italian family. He studied writing at Brown University and then traveled in Italy where an accidental stay in an apartment above a produce market left a lasting impact and presaged his career as a chef. Upon returning to the U.S., he received his M.A. in English and moved to Chicago where he met his wife, musician and Lula co-founder, Amalea Tshilds. They live in Logan Square with their two children, Ismene and Cass.
Hammel’s writing has appeared in Bon Appetit and Lucky Peach/MAD feed. He is currently working on a cookbook to be released by Phaidon.
Additional Resources
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.
Send us a Text Message.
The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts breaks down everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running a restaurant better. Conversations with some of the biggest names, newest players, and industry innovators bring key insights into how they grew their businesses. Host DJ Costantino asks probing questions to get to know restauranteurs, chefs, and executives better and find out where they came from, how they got to where they are, and what lessons they learned along the way.
On this episode, we’re joined by Kwini Reed, Co-owner of Poppy + Rose, Poppy & Seed, and Root of All Foods
Guest Bio
Kwini Reed is a Southern California native, wife, mother, and entrepreneur. She is the co-owner of brunch restaurant, Poppy + Rose in Downtown Los Angeles, Orange County dining destination, Poppy & Seed, and upscale catering company, Root of All Foods with husband and chef of these concepts, Michael Reed.
She and her husband Michael Reed have received numerous accolades for these concepts, including Orange Coast Magazine's “Best New Restaurant” (Poppy & Seed); and CBS Los Angeles’ “Best All-Day Breakfast Restaurants in LA” (Poppy + Rose) - among others.
She pioneers Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed's giving back initiatives as well, coordinating meal donations to organizations across LA, supporting first responders, social justice causes, youth development programs, and more. Kwini is active with local nonprofits, such as Brown Bag Lady, which provides meals to people experiencing homelessness in LA.
Additional Resources
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
YouTube
TikTok
7shifts Blog
Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.
The podcast currently has 60 episodes available.
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