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What if I told you that the difference between struggling and thriving in the restaurant industry is just one conversation away? I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur who’s spent decades building blockbuster brands across every tier of dining. I know the challenges you’re facing—because I’ve been there. That’s why I created FULL COMP. Every week, I go one-on-one with the smartest minds in the game—restaurateurs, chefs, and industry insiders who’ve cracked the code. Together, we unp ...
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Reinvention is at the heart of every great success story, and few embody that better than Brian Smith and Robert Hagopian. Starting as franchisees of The Meat House, they faced the collapse of their franchisor and emerged stronger, founding The Butchery, a boutique butcher shop and kitchen that has redefined premium meat retail. Today, we sit down …
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Here's what you have to look forward to in 2025!توسط Josh Kopel
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In this conversation, Savneet Singh shares his journey as the CEO of PAR Technologies, detailing the challenges he faced when he took over a struggling company. He emphasizes the importance of perseverance, making difficult decisions, and fostering a strong company culture. Through transparent communication and a focus on values, Singh transformed …
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Family businesses are the backbone of the restaurant industry, but they come with unique challenges and opportunities. Eldredge and Tyler Ropolo of Washington Street Hospitality have taken their family’s vision to new heights, blending timeless Italian traditions with modern hospitality innovation. In today’s conversation, we explore their unconven…
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Success in the restaurant industry is as much about grit as it is about vision, and few people embody both quite like Peter Newlin. As Chief Vision Officer of the Gastamo Group, Peter has transformed small neighborhood restaurants into a multi-concept hospitality group, all while championing the power of focus and community-driven dining. In today’…
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What does it take to evolve from an ambitious young chef to a seasoned restaurateur and CPG innovator? Harold Jurado’s journey is a masterclass in risk, resilience, and reimagination. From working at culinary institutions like Charlie Trotter’s to leading high-pressure kitchens and corporate dining at Google, Harold’s path has been anything but ord…
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Running a successful restaurant is one thing; scaling that success globally while maintaining exceptional quality and culture is another. Today, I’m sitting down with Barry McGowan, CEO of Fogo de Chão, to discuss how this iconic brand continues to redefine the dining experience. From bringing a centuries-old culinary art to the forefront, to innov…
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After cooking in 5 Michelin-starred restaurants, you might be surprised to find Chef Myles Moody in a butcher shop but there is a method to his madness. At Kinship, Myles has managed to find lightning in the bottle. This cafe, coffee shop, butcher shop hybrid has done so well locally that they’ve received national attention and the calls to expand …
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Learning how to tell a great story will make you popular at the next cocktail party you attend but there are some other unexpected benefits. Meet Shannon Smith, an accidental chef that has built a massive private dining business and launched a successful cookbook off the back of what can only be described as world-class storytelling. Today Shannon …
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Can lightning strike twice? After interviewing Chad Coulter, I’d say so. After building and successfully selling his restaurant brand Louvino, Chad is at it again with his latest creation Biscuit Belly. Today we sit down to discuss the essential elements of a scalable brand and what needs to be considered when determining the best way to grow that …
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Restaurateur and consultant Elizabeth Blau wasn’t just present for the culinary renaissance in Las Vegas over the last 20 years, she helped usher it in. After working with the best restaurateurs and chefs in the world and becoming a successful consultant globally, Elizabeth did the unthinkable…she launched her own restaurant group. Spanning multipl…
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As many of you know, I came up in this industry through nightlife. In the early 2000’s, nightlife was defined by prolific nightclubs that burned red-hot, only to close six months later. But that wasn’t the story for Jamie Mulholland. For more than two decades, Jamie has built brands that last, like Cain and Goldbar. Today we sit down to discuss his…
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We’ve all heard the phrase, your network determines your net worth but how many times have you seen it exemplified in our industry? Meet Dara Mirjahangiry, founder of Sei Less. This star-studded restaurant is defined by elegance, artful dining, and its celebrity clientele. Today we sit down with Dara to discuss how he built such an influential netw…
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If someone asked me for only one piece of advice when it comes to entrepreneurship, I would say “build for yourself.” What I mean by that is that it’s impossible to know the minds and the desires of others but we can know ourselves. Serving yourself mercilessly means you’re serving everyone that feels just like you. Jeremy Cohn and Jared Rouben did…
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When you think of an old 1950’s diner, a lot comes to mind but probably not massive growth and a prolific delivery business. Kurt Metzger sits at the helm of Norma’s Cafe, a 70 year old Texas diner, which is having a moment right now. Kurt was charged with bringing this heritage brand to an entirely new generation and, in doing so, has redefined wh…
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Growth in our industry can take many forms. For some, the privately owned route is the only way to go, for others, franchising is the path of least resistance. Today we sit down with franchising expert Greg Mohr to discuss the pros and cons of franchising as well as the pitfalls to avoid when taking the leap into franchising. Whether you’re interes…
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It seems like some folks just have the Midas touch, everything they touch turns to gold. For me, Michael Zislis is one of those guys. A restaurateur and hotelier, Michael has taken Southern California and then the world by storm. Today we sit down to discuss how one man can build a few blockbuster single unit restaurants and then turn around and cr…
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It’s my pleasure to interview the industry leaders of today and ask the questions we’re all thinking of. But it’s my privilege to present to you the industry thought leaders of tomorrow. Today we sit down with David Zhao, co-founder of the Chubby Group, to discuss how they’re rapidly scaling their restaurant concepts globally through innovative joi…
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Artificial intelligence feels a lot like the food trends. It looks amazing and everyone is talking about it but it’s hard to figure out exactly how it should fit into our restaurants. That’s where Avi Goren comes in. Since founding Marqii in 2017, Avi and his team have relentlessly looked for ways to optimize the restaurant industry using technolog…
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You’re about to hear the word intention dropped close to one thousand times over the next 40 minutes. If there’s only one common thread amongst the most successful restaurateurs I interview, it’s the power of intention. Today we sit down with coffee roaster turned restaurateur, Angel Medina, to talk about how his unlikely path wasn’t accidental at …
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Imagine a world where you sign up to work with a company that promises to help you drive revenue and you never pay them a dollar–rather, they pay you. This was the dream of Max Shauff when he created LineLeap, an app that helps bars, nightclubs, and venues capitalize on the existing demand from their patrons. Today we sit down with Max and his coll…
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What if I told you I knew a guy that could convince his guests to come back twice a month? What if I told you that same guy could actually convince his guests to come back twice a day? Today we sit down with Kris Schoenberger, the founder of the BBQ’d Productions restaurant group. Kris didn’t invent the red envelope campaign but he has certainly ma…
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Next year marks 40 years since the first California Pizza Kitchen opened. CPK predates the casual restaurant movement, social media, online delivery and even the internet. To stay relevant over the years you’ve got to find the perfect balance between consistency and innovation. Today we sit down with the head of innovation for CPK, Paul Pszybylski,…
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So many of us look to successful restaurateurs and wonder how they did it. How were they able to climb to such great heights? Today we sit down with Robby Berg, operating partner of Genghis Grill to find out exactly how. In our conversation, we learn the linear path to self determination and financial success. For more information on Genghis Grill,…
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If we’re paying rent 24 hours a day, we must generate revenue 24 hours a day. But, with food costs and the cost of labor skyrocketing, our revenue models are evolving. Enter Mike Sebazco of Famous Toastery. With over two dozen locations and counting, this one shift business is shifting the way we look at operations and profitability. We sat down to…
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