Staying Hungry is back for Season 2 and we’re kicking it off with Luke Tesoriero of Guac Shop, the fast-casual Mexican concept that went from a family side hustle to 8 locations (7 on Long Island + their first in Florida).

In this episode, hosts Michael D’Onofrio and Vinny Pappalardo sit down with Luke to unpack what really drives sustainable restaurant growth: real estate strategy, operational discipline, staff development, ingredient sourcing, value engineering, catering, and social media that actually moves the needle.

If you’re a restaurant owner (or future one), Luke’s mix of humility + hard numbers craft a playbook you can steal immediately.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Quality vs quantity posting (why “purpose” matters)

01:05 – Welcome + meet Luke (Guac Shop Season 2 kickoff)

04:40 – The “Candy Club” side hustle that led to restaurants

07:45 – Luke’s path: full-service roots → finance dreams → Guac Shop growth

10:30 – Defining success: scaling people, not just locations

13:20 – What separates Guac Shop (ingredients, procurement, consistency)

18:10 – How consumer food awareness has changed since 2018

21:00 – Promotions + “elevated brand” positioning (9.99 meal deal logic)

25:10 – Chili’s deep dive: margin moves, menu cuts, and value strategy

31:40 – Frequency + lifetime value: the 3-visit customer rule

34:30 – Operators Luke respects (pizza + fast casual standouts)

42:00 – Florida expansion: why it happened + what surprised them

49:20 – Community + fundraising as a growth flywheel

53:40 – Catering strategy (schools, pharma reps, family meals)

58:30 – Dietary restrictions + allergy-friendly operations

1:02:40 – Social media strategy: authentic content, ROI, and experimentation

1:10:30 – Recruiting + retention: building culture as you scale

1:17:10 – Where Guac Shop goes next (3/5/10-year vision)

1:20:30 – Luke’s go-to order + “Cheesy Gordita Crunch” idea

Guest & Sponsorship Inquiries - stayinghungry@viola.media

New episodes dropping soon!

Subscribe, Like and Leave us a Comment Below!

=================================================================

*SUBSCRIBE* to this channel: https://www.youtube.com/@stayinghungrypodcast?sub_confirmation=1

FOLLOW US:

https://www.instagram.com/stayinghungrypodcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/4cfz4H7IIzUlEcGtwSgJMu

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573551302497

https://www.linkedin.com/company/staying-hungry-podcast/

Podcast by Viola Media: https://viola.media/

#stayinghungry #hospitalityindustry #restaurantbusiness

In this episode of Staying Hungry, hosts Michael D’Onofrio and Vinny Pappalardo sit down with Gerard and Melanie Duffy of Broadway Gourmet in Massapequa to unpack what it really takes to run a high-volume bagel shop and catering operation for more than 30 years - from 3 a.m. starts and nonstop weekend rushes to transforming a distressed nursery into a flagship location (yes, complete with a propane station in the parking lot).

If you run a restaurant, deli, bagel shop, or catering business, this episode dives deep into real-world operations: staffing under pressure, scaling catering, controlling food costs, leveraging social media, managing reviews, and maintaining quality when demand never lets up.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Husband/wife business dynamic: dividing roles, handling conflict

01:05 – Welcome + intro to Broadway Gourmet (30+ years in business)

03:00 – First location in Massapequa + adding bagels to the deli model

05:40 – Buying a distressed nursery + deciding to keep the propane station

10:05 – Bagel business origins: Brooklyn → Oceanside → Massapequa

13:10 – Second location (Lindenhurst) and why it didn’t stick

15:25 – Biggest challenges now: labor, staffing gaps, retention

18:10 – Hours, 3AM starts, and the weekly grind (365 days a year)

21:10 – Catering growth: how it expanded (especially over the last decade)

24:30 – The 2014–2016 buildout: financing, private loans, SBA hurdles

31:10 – Paying rent on the old space to protect the customer base

34:40 – Bagel quality control: recipe tweaks, rolling vs baking roles

38:50 – Backup plans for key positions (roller/baker coverage)

41:30 – Melanie’s competitive figure skating background + “perfection drive”

48:10 – Social media + tech impact: DoorDash/Grubhub visibility, catering reach

55:10 – Post-COVID catering comeback + why it’s stronger now

59:10 – Giving back: Pink the Bagels, schools/PTAs, senior meal initiative

1:04:10 – Reducing waste: donations vs Too Good To Go

1:07:40 – Expansion talk, shipping bagels, and Goldbelly plans

1:11:30 – Leadership + building a team that lets owners step away

1:15:10 – Reviews, criticism, and why owners take it personally

1:19:20 – Third-party delivery share (~20%) and in-house delivery

1:22:40 – Kiosks/self-ordering stations: what works (and who uses them)

1:26:00 – Trend products: pumpkin bagels, seasonal bagels, wild cream cheeses

1:30:10 – Legacy: consistency, community, hospitality, and “Cheers” energy

1:34:00 – Wrap-up + where to find Broadway Gourmet

Guest & Sponsorship Inquiries - stayinghungry@viola.media

New episodes dropping soon!

Subscribe, Like and Leave us a Comment!

FOLLOW US:

https://www.youtube.com/@stayinghungrypodcast

https://www.instagram.com/stayinghungrypodcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/4cfz4H7IIzUlEcGtwSgJMu

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573551302497

https://www.linkedin.com/company/staying-hungry-podcast/

Podcast by Viola Media: https://viola.media/

#stayinghungry #hospitalityindustry #restaurantbusiness

If you’ve ever wondered how a classic Long Island diner becomes a modern-day powerhouse - packed from open to close while others shutter - this episode is your masterclass. In true Staying Hungry fashion, we sit down with Gus Tsiorvas, the operator who turned Embassy Diner into a living, breathing, hospitality machine: part Greek immigrant grit, part culinary nostalgia, part full-throttle showmanship.

With the tone of a smart but casually caffeinated restaurant critic, this conversation breaks down why diners are dying - but Embassy is thriving. Gus shares the now-legendary story of rejecting a guaranteed police career (plus a $50k duffel bag bribe from his father) to follow his obsession with the diner life. And if you’re a restaurant owner, his insights hit the sweet spot between old-school operator instinct and data-driven systems.

You'll hear how he built volume through freshness, how he weaponizes atmosphere (music, décor, and a “destination-first” mindset), how he coaches staff through a grind most people underestimate, and how he folds his love of country, community, and service into his brand.

For operators who want more but refuse to lose their soul, this is the episode.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Cold open: Love of country, cops, military & gratitude as a “normal” value

1:45 – Welcome to *Staying Hungry* + introducing Gus from Embassy Diner

3:15 – Why diners are shrinking while Embassy keeps getting busier

7:40 – Greek immigrant roots & the origins of New York diner culture

11:20 – The $50,000 duffel bag story: choosing the diner over a badge

17:55 – Starting at age 10: summers, sacrifice & bonding through work

24:20 – The power of atmosphere: décor, music, lollipops & the guest experience

30:10 – Reviving old-school dishes: beef stew, stroganoff & “not just cheeseburgers”

35:50 – Building a family-style staff culture & leading from the front

41:15 – Social media as a growth engine + the massive 9/11 drone show

48:55 – Giving back: veterans, police, fire, and community service

55:40 – Family life, kids, and the toll & beauty of the restaurant grind

1:02:30 – Expansion, parking battles, and what’s next for Embassy

1:09:00 – Gus’s message to restaurant owners & his philosophy on work

Guest & Sponsorship Inquiries - stayinghungry@viola.media

New episodes dropping soon!

Subscribe, Like and Leave us a Comment Below!

=================================================================

*SUBSCRIBE* to this channel: https://www.youtube.com/@stayinghungrypodcast?sub_confirmation=1

FOLLOW US:

https://www.instagram.com/stayinghungrypodcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/4cfz4H7IIzUlEcGtwSgJMu

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573551302497

https://www.linkedin.com/company/staying-hungry-podcast/

Podcast by Viola Media: https://viola.media/

#stayinghungry #hospitalityindustry #restaurantbusiness