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© 2025 “Back to Basics” with Rachael Nemeth
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Back to Basics podcast cuts through the noise to focus on what matters in hospitality. Join Rachael Nemeth, CEO of Opus Training, as she talks with service industry leaders who are shaping today's workforce.
13 Episodes
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"Most people build for average, but new stores almost never open at average." Jason Morgan, former CFO turned CEO of Original ChopShop, has spent decades in the restaurant industry learning the hard truths of growth—and watching others get crushed by them. In this episode, Jason sits down with Rachael Nemeth to unpack what separates scalable operations from overbuilt failures, why he won’t ask his team to do anything he can’t do himself, and how training transformed from a compliance checkbox...
"District managers are the brand—they're the stamp for everything we stand for." Elle Piper learned this truth the hard way, starting as an undertrained district manager who had to ask her own direct reports to teach her the basics. Now as Senior Director of Operations at 7 Leaves Cafe, she's helped grow the brand from a handful of stores to 41+ locations by focusing on what most operators miss: the pivotal role of field leadership. In this episode, Elle shares why you can feel a struggling s...
When you open your second location, everything changes. You can't be in two places at once, and suddenly you realize: you need to shift from operator to CEO. Carl Bachmann learned this lesson as a 12-year Ruby Tuesday franchisee before leading turnarounds at Smashburger and BurgerFi. Now as President and COO of Riko's Pizza, he's building franchise infrastructure from scratch. In this episode, Carl shares his 5 pillars for franchise success, why you should "grow like a bush, not like a vine,"...
Etkin Tekin left his corporate strategy position at AB InBev's innovation arm to co-found one of the Northeast's fastest-growing restaurant concepts. While most operators struggle with an expensive recruiting cycle—hire, train, lose people, repeat—Haven Hot Chicken broke this pattern. In this episode, Etkin reveals how they built an internal pipeline that promotes 40% of store leadership from within while maintaining just 10% turnover. This approach has slashed hiring costs, ensured brand con...
In this episode of Back to Basics, Rachael Nemeth sits down with Suzie Tsai, CEO of Bonchon, who brings a rare and refreshing perspective to restaurant leadership, with over 25 years of experience in brand and marketing at companies like Chili’s, On the Border, and Brinker International. Now leading Bonchon through explosive growth—from 150 to 500 locations—Suzie shares how marketing instincts helped her zero in on what actually separates great restaurants from average ones: execution. And th...
In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Fassio, Chief Retail and Operations Officer at Verve Coffee Roasters—a 14-unit third-wave coffee brand based in Santa Cruz, known for its relationships with growers, surf-town roots, and quality-first approach. Anthony’s specialty is taking craft brands from cult-favorite to national name without losing their “soul”. From Shake Shack to Salt & Straw to now Verve, he’s led the operational growth of beloved brands by building the systems and team de...
In this episode of Back to Basics, we sit down with Aaron Noveshen, Founder and CEO of Starbird Chicken, and one of the leading innovators in fast casual dining. Aaron shares how Starbird is rethinking people development in one of the most competitive hiring markets—from building an internal leadership pipeline, to implementing transparent pay bands, to offering unique education and ownership opportunities for team members. With a career that spans founding The Culinary Edge and co-founding P...
In this episode, we sit down with Blake Buchanan, Founder and CEO of Bahama Buck’s—a 100+ unit Midwest-based franchise known for its tropical shaved ice and culture-first approach. Blake started the business as a college student in a 240-square-foot snow shack, and by store #2, he was already franchising—a bold move that sparked what’s now a 35+ year legacy. Blake shares how Bahama Buck’s has sustained growth by investing in people development over product hype. From hiring in competitive cit...
In this episode, we sit down with Andy Hooper, restaurant industry leader and former CEO of Hart House, to talk about how people development drives long-term success in hospitality. With experience scaling mission-driven brands and advising operators across the country, Andy offers a clear-eyed look at what it really takes to build teams that deliver consistently excellent service. Hear Andy’s take on navigating leadership transitions, the future of hospitality, and how brands can maintain co...
In this episode, we sit down with Darren Spicer, Co-Founder and CEO of Clutch Coffee Bar, to explore how his brand is revolutionizing the drive-thru coffee experience. With a focus on speed, service, and personal connections, Clutch Coffee has grown to 15 locations across the Carolinas, with plans to double by 2025. Darren shares his journey from barista to CEO, the operational strategies behind Clutch’s rapid success, and why human interaction is the key to standing out in the competitive co...
In this episode of Back to Basics, we explore the findings of the 2025 Hospitality Training 360 Report, focusing on the current state of learning and development (L&D) in the hospitality industry. To practice what we preach, we leveraged Google's NotebookLM to transform our written report into an audio format (yes, these speakers are AI-generated!) to demonstrate our commitment to accessibility and efficient content delivery. Hopefully, this allows us to reach more of our audience while s...
Celton talks about his leadership journey from store manager to CEO at CC’s coffee, the importance of maintaining a people-first culture (a la southern hospitality + mentions to qualities he looks for in candidates), and the challenges of training and developing employees in the service industry. Celton shares insights from his recent store visits, emphasizing the need for effective training and the value of listening to employees. Timestamps: Chapters 00:00 Introduction to CC's Coffee ...
Get ready for a dynamic conversation as Rachael Nemeth and Gregg Majewski dive into the game-changing impact of AI on the restaurant industry. They break down the biggest challenges—shifting consumer habits, soaring costs, and ongoing labor shortages—while exploring how AI is reshaping everything from customer service to operations. Timestamps: 00:02 Introduction 00:32 Guest Introduction 03:53 The Evolution of the Restaurant Industry 05:08 AI and Its Impact on the Service Industry 10:55...
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