The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙

By Steve ZimmermanSociety & Culture Business Arts Food Management

The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙 episodes

October 22Peter Cooperstein | Co-Founder, Amici's East Coast Pizzeria | Ep#53🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙
Episode 53: Discover how Amici's co-founder Peter Cooperstein built a lasting pizza brand through restaurant leadership, innovation, food quality, and customer loyalty.

In this episode of the Restaurant Dealmaker Show, host Steve Zimmerman sits down with Peter Cooperstein, co-founder of Amici's East Coast Pizzeria, to explore the entrepreneurial journey behind one of the San Francisco Bay Area's longstanding pizza brands.

From his early career in the computer industry to launching Amici's in 1987 with business partner Mike Forder, Peter shares the lessons learned from building and operating a multi-location restaurant business. He discusses the importance of finding the right business partner, developing a strong company culture, maintaining food quality, and making strategic decisions during challenging times.

From how Amici's has adapted to the rise of third-party delivery platforms, virtual restaurant brands, online ordering, and changing consumer dining habits. Peter explains why smaller restaurant footprints, customer relationships, and operational flexibility are increasingly important in today's restaurant environment.

TOPICS DISCUSSED
Peter shares his unconventional path into hospitality, including his upbringing in Boston, his experience in IBM sales and computer leasing, and his eventual decision to pursue an opportunity in East Coast-style pizza in the Bay Area.
Learn how Peter and Mike Forder joined forces to launch Amici's in 1987, combining complementary business and restaurant operations expertise to build a lasting partnership.
Peter discusses the hands-on management philosophy that has helped Amici's retain employees for decades, including a director of operations who began as a delivery driver.
The discussion covers Amici's early use of computerized point-of-sale systems, online ordering, delivery technology, customer feedback tools, and experiments with restaurant robots.
Peter explains the strategy behind virtual concepts such as Freddie Parker's Pasta and Salad Shop, Wings and Things by Amici's, and 8 Mile Pie, which help the business reach customers across different online ordering categories.
Explore Amici's approach to cloud kitchens and smaller locations designed primarily for takeout and delivery, including its Mountain View restaurant.
Peter explains how customer reviews and direct feedback help management identify operational issues, recognize strong employees, and maintain customer loyalty across locations.
Discover why Amici's continues to use its original pizza recipes and preferred ingredients while introducing new menu items, including Detroit-style pizza and wings.

ABOUT PETER COOPERSTEIN
Peter Cooperstein is the co-founder of Amici's East Coast Pizzeria, a San Francisco Bay Area restaurant brand established in 1987. A graduate of Cornell University with an economics degree and MIT with an MBA, Peter began his professional career in the technology industry before pursuing entrepreneurship in the restaurant business. Together with co-founder Mike Forder, Peter built Amici's around authentic East Coast-style pizza, consistent food quality, customer service, and a collaborative company culture. His experience includes multi-unit restaurant operations, business development, technology adoption, delivery strategy, and restaurant brand management.

ABOUT THE RESTAURANT DEALMAKER SHOW
The Restaurant Dealmaker Show, hosted by Steve Zimmerman of Restaurant Realty Company, features conversations with restaurant owners, entrepreneurs, and food and beverage industry professionals. Through firsthand experiences and industry insights, the show explores restaurant ownership, operations, growth, business strategy, and the challenges and opportunities facing the hospitality industry.

CONNECT
Peter Cooperstein Co-Founder, Amici's East Coast Pizzeria Email: [email protected] Steve Zimmerman Restaurant Realty Company Email: [email protected]

LIVE EVERYWHERE YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS
Watch the show on Facebook & YouTube. Podcasts are now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and wherever you get your podcasts! Join the 1.2 Million+ views of our 52 Episodes..
Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry clientele sharing their restaurant deal making experiences, success stories, challenges, and more.

Launched in January 2022, the Restaurant Dealmaker Show has yielded 1.2M+ views of its 51 episodes via YouTube, Facebook and podcasts. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.

ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY

Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

#RestaurantBrokers #RestaurantBrokerage #SteveZimmerman
42 min
September 24 Michael Pauwels | RRC Agent, Orange County | Ep#52🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙
Welcome to Episode 52 of the Restaurant Dealmaker Show featuring Michael Pauwels, a chef-turned-broker with 40 years in hospitality. Michael shares his journey from starting one of Europe’s first Tex-Mex restaurants to becoming a broker, and discusses preparing businesses for sale, valuation methods, confidentiality issues, automation trends, cost control, and the importance of people in hospitality.
Michael emphasizes planning sales in advance, cleaning up financials, maintaining operations, and using smart equipment and streamlined workflows to manage rising costs. He also stresses the value of working with specialized brokers when buying or selling food and beverage businesses.

ABOUT MICHAEL PAUWELS
With over four decades of experience in the global hospitality industry, I possess an unparalleled understanding of the sector. My diverse background, encompassing ownership, culinary expertise, consulting, and entrepreneurship, has honed my direct approach to restaurant operations, facilities, real estate, and business sales.

I am a proactive professional who consistently delivers exceptional service. My extensive experience, coupled with my strong leadership abilities, enables me to provide immediate and personalized results for both large and small companies. As a hands-on motivational leader and consultant, I uphold the highest ethical standards to deliver exceptional results for my clients. I am committed to achieving ambitious goals and maintaining service excellence at all times.

LIVE EVERYWHERE YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS
Watch the show on Facebook & YouTube. Podcasts are now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and wherever you get your podcasts! Join the 1.2 Million+ views of our 52 Episodes.
Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry clientele sharing their restaurant deal making experiences, success stories, challenges, and more.

Launched in January 2022, the Restaurant Dealmaker Show has yielded 1.2M+ views of its 51 episodes via YouTube, Facebook and podcasts. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.

ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY

Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

#RestaurantBrokers #RestaurantBrokerage #SteveZimmerman
34 min
September 24 Adriano Paganini | Founder/CEO, Back of the House | Ep#51🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙
51st Episode of The Restaurant Dealmaker Show
Adriano Paganini
Founder & CEO, Back of the House
Adriano Paganini, one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most accomplished restaurateurs and the founder and CEO of Back of the House, makes his first-ever podcast appearance on an upcoming episode of The Restaurant Dealmaker Show, hosted by restaurant industry veteran and Restaurant Realty Company founder Steve Zimmerman.

Paganini, the founder and CEO of Back of the House, rarely participates in long-form interviews, making the episode an unusual opportunity to hear directly from the entrepreneur behind some of the Bay Area’s most recognizable and successful restaurant concepts.

In this candid, wide-ranging conversation, Paganini discusses the strategy, discipline and instincts required to create restaurants that resonate with their communities and remain relevant in a constantly changing marketplace. He also shares his perspective on identifying promising opportunities, developing distinctive brands, expanding without sacrificing quality and building a hospitality company positioned for long-term success.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Adriano Paganini
03:21 The Journey of a Restaurateur
09:57 Challenges in the Restaurant Business
18:08 Balancing Creativity and Business
21:11 Adapting to Economic Challenges
24:44 Meaningful Accomplishments in the Industry
26:46 Qualities of Effective Leadership
30:03 Future Growth Plans
The episode also explores Zimmerman and Paganini’s longstanding professional relationship, including a recent restaurant transaction completed with the assistance of Restaurant Realty Company.
ABOUT ADRIANO PAGANINI
Adriano Paganini is the founder and CEO of Back of the House, one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most prolific and respected restaurant groups. Born and raised in Milan, Paganini began his culinary career in Europe before moving to San Francisco, where he established Pasta Pomodoro and helped grow it from a neighborhood restaurant into a successful regional brand. In 2009, he founded Back of the House with a vision to create distinctive, approachable restaurants built around exceptional food, thoughtful design, genuine hospitality and lasting value.
Today, Back of the House operates more than 40 restaurants across a diverse portfolio of acclaimed concepts, including Beretta, Super Duper Burgers, The Bird, Delarosa, Lolinda, Wildseed, Starbelly, Flores, A Mano, The Tailor’s Son and Corzetti. Each restaurant is designed to reflect the character of its neighborhood while delivering the consistency, quality and welcoming experience that have become hallmarks of the company.
Recognized as one of the Bay Area’s most accomplished restaurateurs, Paganini has built Back of the House around a people-first culture that develops talent from within and gives experienced team members opportunities to become leaders and operating partners. His philosophy combines culinary creativity with operational discipline, an unwavering commitment to value and the belief that memorable restaurants should feel inclusive rather than exclusive.

LIVE EVERYWHERE YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS
Watch the show on Facebook & YouTube. Podcasts are now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and wherever you get your podcasts! Join the 1.2 Million+ views of our 52 Episodes.
Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry clientele sharing their restaurant deal making experiences, success stories, challenges, and more.

Launched in January 2022, the Restaurant Dealmaker Show has yielded 1.2M+ views of its 51 episodes via YouTube, Facebook and podcasts. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.

ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY

Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

#RestaurantBrokers #RestaurantBrokerage #SteveZimmerman
37 min
July 23 Noah Alper | Founder, NOAH's BAGELS | Ep#50 🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙
Join us for a special 50th Episode of The Restaurant Dealmaker Show
Noah Alper
Founder & Former CEO, NOAH'S BAGELS
Founder & Former CEO, Noah's Bagels From Failures to Success: Noah's Entrepreneurial Journey The Moral Compass of a Successful Businessman

In this interview, Noah shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey, including lessons from failures, the importance of ethics, and balancing personal and business life. Discover how his experiences and principles can guide aspiring entrepreneurs.

• Lessons from business failures
• The influence of ethics and morality
• Balancing personal life and entrepreneurship
• Delegation and trusting experts
• The importance of humility in business
• The role of chutzpah and confidence
• Giving back and community involvement
• Adapting to industry changes

Noah Alper brings over 35 years of experience as the founder and CEO of six path-breaking ventures, including mega-successful Bread and Circus Natural Foods chain in New England, acquired by Whole Foods Market; and the Noah’s New York Bagels chain on the West Coast acquired by Nasdaq-listed Einstein Bros. Bagels, (where he became Vice-Chairman). He has coached and consulted with over 100 businesses and individuals, including The Oakville Grocery, California’s oldest continually operating food establishment; and Los Angeles based Jeff’s Gourmet Sausages with a location at Dodger Stadium. Noah is now specializing in advising emerging businesses. In addition, he is doing executive coaching, and public speaking. He is the author of Business Mensch, Timeless Wisdom for Today’s Entrepreneur, and a motivational speaker to organizations and businesses.
LIVE EVERYWHERE YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS
Watch the show on Facebook & YouTube. Podcasts are now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and wherever you get your podcasts! Join the 1M+ views of our 50 Episodes.
Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry clientele sharing their restaurant deal making experiences, success stories, challenges, and more.

Launched in January 2022, the Restaurant Dealmaker Show has yielded 1.2M+ views of its 51 episodes via YouTube, Facebook and podcasts. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.

ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY

Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

#RestaurantBrokers #RestaurantBrokerage #SteveZimmerman
49 min
June 18 Pete Sittnick | Managing Partner, Waterbar & EPIC Steak | Ep#49🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙
Join us for Ep#49 of The Restaurant Dealmaker Show
Pete Sittnick
Managing Partner, Waterbar & EPIC Steak
Pete Sittnick is a longstanding restauranteur in San Francisco. He has served as Managing Partner of Waterbar and EPIC Steak since the iconic restaurants opened in 2008. Sittnick has opened, operated and supervised more than 20 restaurants in the Bay Area and across the country.

Watch the show on Facebook & YouTube. Podcasts are now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and wherever you get your podcasts! Join the 1M+ views of our 49 Episodes.
Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry clientele sharing their restaurant deal making experiences, success stories, challenges, and more.

Launched in January 2022, the Restaurant Dealmaker Show has yielded 1.2M+ views of its 51 episodes via YouTube, Facebook and podcasts. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.

ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY

Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

#RestaurantBrokers #RestaurantBrokerage #SteveZimmerman
42 min
May 21 Roland Passot | French Chef & Restauranteur 🇫🇷 | Ep#48🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙
Ep#48 of The Restaurant Dealmaker Show
Roland Passot
French Chef & Restauranteur
Chef Roland Passot is an acclaimed French-born chef, restaurateur, and culinary leader whose career began in Lyon, France, where he trained under renowned Michelin-starred chefs Jean-Paul Lacombe of Léon de Lyon and Pierre Orsi before continuing his journey in Chicago at the legendary Le Français with Jean Banchet. After moving to San Francisco, he opened La Folie in 1988, earning national recognition including James Beard honors, top rankings from Zagat, 7×7 Magazine, San Francisco Magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle, and a Michelin star. Following La Folie’s celebrated 32-year run, Chef Passot continues to shape the Bay Area dining scene as Founder and Culinary Director of Vine Dining Hospitality, which includes Left Bank, Meso, LB Steak, and Petite Left Bank concepts. He also serves on the board of Sprouts Chef Training, is an advisory member of Ment’or, and is a member of Maîtres Cuisiniers de France and the Académie Culinaire de France.
Watch the show on Facebook & YouTube. Podcasts are now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and wherever you get your podcasts! Join the 1M+ views of our 48 Episodes.
Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry clientele sharing their restaurant deal making experiences, success stories, challenges, and more.

Launched in January 2022, the Restaurant Dealmaker Show has yielded 1.2M+ views of its 51 episodes via YouTube, Facebook and podcasts. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.

ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY

Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

#RestaurantBrokers #RestaurantBrokerage #SteveZimmerman
43 min
April 23 Faz Poursohi | Founder & Principal, Faz Restaurants | Ep#47🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙
Join us for Ep#47 of🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙with Faz Poursohi, Founder & Principal, Faz Restaurants.
ABOUT FAZ POURSOHI
Faz Poursohi is a celebrated Bay Area restaurateur whose career reflects a rare blend of culinary passion, entrepreneurial vision, and operational excellence. Born in Tehran and inspired early by the freshness and flavor of farm-to-table living, Faz came to the United States in 1974 to study Systems Engineering at the University of Illinois, before ultimately following his true calling in hospitality. After sharpening his leadership skills with Rich Melman’s Lettuce Entertain You in Chicago and later launching California’s historic MacArthur Park Restaurant in Palo Alto, Faz went on to build a distinguished restaurant group known for wood-fired Mediterranean cuisine, local sourcing, and enduring guest loyalty. Over the decades, he has opened acclaimed restaurants across the Bay Area, led major catering and corporate dining operations, earned the University of Illinois Outstanding Alumni Award, and remains today the driving force behind MacArthur Park in Palo Alto and Faz Restaurants & Catering in San Jose.

Join the 1,000,000+ who’ve heard our 46 Episodes. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest?
Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.
Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry clientele sharing their restaurant deal making experiences, success stories, challenges, and more.

Launched in January 2022, the Restaurant Dealmaker Show has yielded 1.2M+ views of its 51 episodes via YouTube, Facebook and podcasts. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.

ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY

Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

#RestaurantBrokers #RestaurantBrokerage #SteveZimmerman
34 min
March 26 Brian Bennett | Founder & Principal, Bennett Hospitality Group | Ep#46🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show
Join us for Ep#46 of🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙 with
Brian Bennett, Founder & Principal, Bennett Hospitality Group.
Join the 1,000,000+ who’ve heard our 45 Episodes.
Podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and everywhere you get your podcasts!
Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com
About Brian Bennett
Brian Bennett is the founder and principal of Bennett Hospitality Group, a family-owned restaurant company behind three chef-driven, community-focused restaurants in Northern California. With more than 40 years in the industry, he has built a legacy defined by operational excellence, hands-on leadership, and a deep commitment to genuine hospitality. From early roles that taught him the discipline of the craft to leadership positions with major national brands including Olive Garden and Chevy’s Fresh Mex—where he helped scale the company from six locations to more than 145 nationwide—Brian developed a reputation for building strong teams and successful restaurant concepts. He later brought that experience home by helping found Paul Martin’s American Grill and ultimately creating Bennett Hospitality Group, where scratch-made food, family values, and caring for the community remain at the heart of the business.
Join the 1,000,000+ who’ve heard our 45 Episodes. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.
ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY
Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 8,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 450+ Deals since 2020! For more information, please visit www.restaurantrealty.com.
Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry clientele sharing their restaurant deal making experiences, success stories, challenges, and more.

Launched in January 2022, the Restaurant Dealmaker Show has yielded 1.2M+ views of its 51 episodes via YouTube, Facebook and podcasts. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.

ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY

Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

#RestaurantBrokers #RestaurantBrokerage #SteveZimmerman
38 min
February 26 Dennis Berkowitz | Veteran Restaurateur | Ep#45 🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙
Join us for Ep#45 of🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙 with
Dennis Berkowitz, Veteran Restaurateur & Hospitality Executive.
Join the 1,000,000+ who’ve heard our 44 Episodes..
Podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and everywhere you get your podcasts!
Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com
About Dennis Berkowitz
Dennis Berkowitz is a veteran restaurateur and hospitality executive with 50+ years of leadership in food and beverage operations, concept development, and restaurant standards. Founder and President of Max’s World, he built one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest independent restaurant companies, operating 14 restaurants since 1978. Dennis also led global F&B growth as Vice President at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts—helping design and develop 40 hotels and 200 restaurants—and held senior leadership at Fairmont Hotels, plus a robust consulting career. Earlier in his career, Dennis was a Food & Beverage Director with the Hotel Corporation of America (now Sonesta Hotels & Resorts), holding leadership roles at the Somerset Hotel in Boston and Charter House Hotels in Euclid and Newton. A recognized industry standout, he was the youngest-ever recipient of the Silver Plate Award in the hotel industry category (1974).
Join the 1,000,000+ who’ve heard our 44 Episodes. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.
ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY
Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 8,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 450+ Deals since 2020! For more information, please visit www.restaurantrealty.com.

Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry clientele sharing their restaurant deal making experiences, success stories, challenges, and more.

Launched in January 2022, the Restaurant Dealmaker Show has yielded 1.2M+ views of its 51 episodes via YouTube, Facebook and podcasts. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.

ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY

Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

#RestaurantBrokers #RestaurantBrokerage #SteveZimmerman
35 min
October 23, 2025 Dan Baker, Founder & Former Owner, Marché Restaurant | Ep#44🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙
Join us for Ep#44 of🎙The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙 with
Dan Baker, Founder & Former Owner, Marché Restaurant
Join the 850,000+ who’ve heard our 43 Episodes.
Podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and everywhere you get your podcasts!
Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com
About Dan Baker
Dan Baker began his restaurant career at age 16 bussing tables—and never looked back. He steadily climbed the ranks in both front- and back-of-house roles, working in top kitchens and dining rooms across Northern and Southern California. In 2001, Dan opened Marche aux Fleurs, a highly regarded farm-to-table restaurant in Marin County, just north of San Francisco. Over the course of 21 years as Chef/Owner, he built Marche into a beloved local institution, ultimately culminating in a successful sale of the business in 2022. Following that chapter, Dan took on the role of Culinary Director for a prominent Bay Area restaurant group, where he oversaw kitchen operations for nine restaurants across five unique concepts—including deep dish pizza, elevated Mexican cuisine, and modern taverns. He then launched a successful consulting business, working directly with restaurateurs to develop menus, hire and train key staff, and implement systems to improve operational efficiency and control costs. Now a member of the Restaurant Realty Company team, Dan leverages his extensive and versatile industry background to help restaurant owners sell their businesses on their own terms. His deep understanding of both the emotional and operational sides of ownership allows him to guide clients through the complex sales process with empathy, precision, and professionalism.
Join the 850,000+ who’ve heard our 43 Episodes. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.
ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY
Now celebrating our 29th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry clientele sharing their restaurant deal making experiences, success stories, challenges, and more.

Launched in January 2022, the Restaurant Dealmaker Show has yielded 1.2M+ views of its 51 episodes via YouTube, Facebook and podcasts. Learn more at RestaurantDealmaker.com

INTERESTED in a being a guest? Reach out to Producer Jeremy Broekman at [email protected] or call 818-212-9201.

ABOUT RESTAURANT REALTY

Now celebrating our 30th year, Restaurant Realty Company® has a successful track record helping over 3,400 clients in completing over $1,000,000,000 (billion) of Business and Real Estate Transactions including the following: Selling/leasing over 1,700 restaurant, bar and/or nightclub businesses, Selling over 80 related commercial buildings, Leasing over 3.5 Million square feet of commercial space and Completing over 7,000 valuations. The majority of our staff have either owned and/or managed restaurants. Our deep experience as operators means we understand your business from the inside out. Restaurant Realty has Closed Escrow and/or Leased 400+ Deals since 2020!

#RestaurantBrokers #RestaurantBrokerage #SteveZimmerman
42 min

About The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙

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Join restaurant industry veteran Steve Zimmerman, Principal Broker and Founder of Restaurant Realty in a 1-on-1 fireside chat with restaurant owners, managers, investors and high profile industry…

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The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙

The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙 episodes

About The Restaurant Dealmaker Show🎙