#95.

In this episode of The meez Podcast, Josh Sharkey sits down with Ben Pryor, a former restaurant operator turned tech leader at Fourtop, to explore the real-world impact of AI in the hospitality industry—and why it should empower teams, not replace them.

With more than 30 years of experience running restaurants like Noodles & Co., Brinker, and Dewey’s, Ben brings a sharp operator-first perspective to restaurant innovation. He unpacks his concept of “augmented intuition”—a rebrand of AI that’s rooted in support and empowerment rather than substitution—and shares how technology can be used to enhance human decision-making across teams. From simple tools like Expensify to AI-powered note-taking apps, he breaks down the systems that have helped streamline his own day-to-day work.

Josh and Ben also dig into the intersection of technology and hospitality, talking through why investing in people and processes is still critical, the role of friction in the guest experience, and the operational challenges restaurants face when integrating new tech. They explore the importance of service in shaping memorable dining experiences, what scalable leadership really looks like, and how restaurant teams can take ownership of their internal systems and data.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone thinking critically about the future of hospitality—whether you're navigating AI tools, building smoother workflows, or trying to create a seamless experience for both staff and guests.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey

Visit Ben: https://www.fourtop.ai/

Audio chapters:

00:00 - Investing in People and Processes
07:47 - Augmented Intuition in the Restaurant Industry
14:54 - AI Tools and Daily Operations
22:57 - The Role of Friction in Hospitality
30:46 - Rethinking Restaurant Operations and Technology
40:08 - Understanding Restaurant Economics
43:52 - The Importance of Service in Dining Experiences
46:05 - The Role of Technology in Restaurant Operations
51:54 - The Intersection of Technology and Hospitality
56:34 - Data Integration Challenges in the Restaurant Industry
01:01:46 - The Future of Restaurant Technology

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR1hMlmuFNA&t=1s

Today, we’re highlighting Josh's appearance on a standout episode of Digital Hospitality with host Shawn Walchef. They explore the power of storytelling in business, the surprising ROI of podcasting, and the evolving world of restaurant tech. From menu engineering to system integration, the conversation dives deep into the real-world challenges restaurant owners face—including the lessons that only come through failure. Josh also speaks candidly about the value of mentorship and offers actionable advice for aspiring restaurateurs—focusing on what truly drives success: profitability, innovation, and the ability to adapt in a fast-changing industry.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey

Listen to Digital Hospitality: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-hospitality/id1235316273

Visit Shawn Walchef: @shawnpwalchef

Audio chapters:

00:00 - Introduction to Digital Hospitality and meez

02:23 - The ROI of Podcasting and Storytelling

09:50 - The Purpose and Vision of meez

10:51 - Challenges in Restaurant Tech

18:16 - Menu Engineering Basics for Restaurant Owners

22:12 - Understanding Integration in Restaurant Tech

25:22 - Lessons from Failures in the Restaurant Business

28:32 - Advice for New Restaurant Owners

29:43 - The Role of Mentorship in Business

32:04 - Final Thoughts and Future Plans

#94.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Josh Kopel, restaurateur, consultant, speaker, and former President of the California Restaurant Association, whose story is one of transformation, from building a multimillion-dollar restaurant empire in Los Angeles to rethinking the way hospitality businesses are built and run.

Kopel is best known for founding a Hollywood bar that became a local legend, launching a Michelin-awarded fine dining restaurant, and building an award-winning fast-casual brand. But by early 2020, he was burned out. With the pandemic looming, Josh sold everything—not as an exit, but as an evolution.

What came next was FULL COMP, a podcast born out of a commitment to rebuild the industry from the inside out. Paring his own experience with candid conversations with industry legends, Josh codified the systems, strategies, and stories that drive long-term success in hospitality. Those insights became the Restaurant Scaling System: a step-by-step framework helping restaurant owners regain control, increase profits, and build businesses that don’t burn them out.

In 2025, Josh launched the 5-Day Restaurant Profitability Masterclass—a free, high-impact crash course that distills decades of lessons into five focused sessions. It’s not theory; it’s a practical blueprint for restaurateurs ready to stabilize their operations, grow sustainably, and finally enjoy the freedom they’ve earned.

During the episode, Josh shares valuable insights on understanding customer needs, the power of teaching over doing in consulting, and effective strategies to boost profitability through targeted marketing and customer engagement. He also discusses the concept of product-market fit and how restaurants can harness AI to streamline operations and enhance efficiency.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey

Visit Josh Kopel: https://joshkopel.com/

Visit Josh on Instagram: @joshkopel

To sign up for my free 5 Day Masterclass: https://pages.joshkopel.com/masterclass

To connect with Josh on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuakopel1/

Audio chapters:

00:00 - The Importance of Marketing Skills
07:28 - Navigating the Restaurant Industry During Crisis
10:53 - The Journey of a Restaurateur
14:40 - Understanding Customer Needs
19:47 - Teaching Over Doing in Consulting
24:10 - The Profit Stack Strategy
31:27 - Overcoming Overwhelm in Business
34:44 - The Power of Focus and Accountability
38:31 - Building a Culture Code for Success
46:43 - Understanding Product Market Fit in Restaurants
53:34 - Leveraging AI for Business Efficiency

#93.
In this episode, we explore how hospitality is evolving at the intersection of tradition and technology—through the lens of one of the industry’s most influential entrepreneurs.

Ben Leventhal, Co-Founder of Eater and Resy and now Founder of Blackbird Labs, shares his journey from media to tech and the lessons he’s learned along the way. He reflects on the importance of brand identity, the power of storytelling, and the real challenges restaurants face in marketing, management, and scaling.

Ben also examines why traditional loyalty programs often fall short and how platforms like Blackbird are reimagining loyalty to strengthen guest relationships and return personalized hospitality to the spotlight. He discusses how feedback can be used to reinforce a brand and build lasting connections, positioning loyalty as a vital part of a restaurant’s identity.

A central theme is the inclusion of restaurant staff in the loyalty ecosystem—creating a more connected, empowered team and elevating the guest experience across the board.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey

Follow Ben on Instagram: @benleventhal

Discover Blackbird: https://www.blackbird.xyz

Chapters:

00:00 The Magic of Hospitality
01:20 Innovating in the Restaurant Industry
03:30 The Birth of Eater
05:46 Passion for Restaurants
09:52 The Challenge of Handing Off Control
10:00 Scaling Rezzy
12:26 Finding the Right Problem to Solve
17:22 The Key to Startup Success
21:28 Learning from Past Experiences
23:31 Understanding Brand and Strategy
25:30 The Essence of Brand in Restaurants
28:37 Challenges of Loyalty Programs
30:54 Introducing Blackbird: A New Loyalty Approach
34:37 Blackbird Club: Enhancing Customer Experience
44:18 Blackbird Club Pro: Empowering Restaurant Workers

#92.
We’re kicking off Season 3 of The meez Podcast with an inspiring conversation about resilience, reinvention, and really good ice cream. In this episode, Josh sits down with Jackie Cuscuna and Brian Smith, the founders of Ample Hills Creamery. Jackie and Brian share candid insights on what it takes to start over in the food industry, the lessons they’ve learned about business and creativity, and how they’re keeping the magic of Ample Hills alive.

They reflect on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, from expansion struggles to the realities of bankruptcy. The pair also explores the importance of quality control, strategic partnerships, and storytelling in branding. Plus, offer insights into developing new food concepts and their unexpected pivot from ice cream to chicken wings.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, or just someone who appreciates a great comeback story, this is one episode you don’t want to miss.

Links and Resources:

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Brian and Jackie: https://www.instagram.com/astheicecreamchurns?igsh=dmZ6cnJ5Ymdwbmk2

Chapters:

00:00 The Ice Cream Dream Begins
03:05 Crafting the Perfect Ice Cream
05:59 The Art of Flavor Creation
08:57 Behind the Scenes of Ample Hills
11:59 Innovations in Ice Cream Making
14:56 The Business of Ice Cream
17:53 Lessons Learned and Future Plans
22:52 Quality Control and Consistency in Ice Cream Production
24:23 The Journey from Neighborhood Shop to Scaling Up
26:28 The Role of Partnerships and Opportunities in Growth
28:44 The Impact of Disney and Celebrity Endorsements
33:20 The Rise and Fall: Navigating Success and Bankruptcy
42:04 Reinventing the Brand: From Ice Cream to Chicken
46:52 Creative Ideation: The Process Behind New Concepts

This week, we are excited to bring you an episode from The Pre-Shift Podcast hosted by DJ Costantino, where our host, Josh Sharkey, was as a guest.

Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into building great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, their strategies, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D.J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.

This episode of the Pre Shift Podcast focuses on Josh Sharkey, the founder and CEO of meez, an innovative recipe tool and culinary operating system. Josh shares his journey from a Michelin-starred chef to a tech entrepreneur. He discusses the motivation behind creating meez, driven by the loss of his recipe notebook and the need for a specialized tool for culinary professionals. Throughout the conversation, Josh elaborates on the challenges faced in transitioning to tech, the features of meez that enhance operational efficiency, and how it serves chefs and restaurant operators in maintaining consistency and profitability. Sharkey also highlights the importance of empowering teams with the right tools and maintaining a clear vision in business. Tune in for practical advice, real stories, and valuable insights into bridging creativity and profitability in the restaurant industry.

00:00 Introduction and Insight
00:29 Meet Josh Sharkey
01:21 The Birth of meez
03:03 Challenges and Solutions
05:42 Building the Company
08:30 Data and Recipe Management
22:47 Team Empowerment and Retention
27:12 Leadership and Vision
38:36 Exciting Developments
40:10 Conclusion and Farewell

This week, we are excited to bring you part two of a two-part episode from Culinary Mechanic Podcast hosted by Simon Zatyrka, where our host, Josh Sharkey, was as a guest.

In this episode of the Culinary Mechanic Podcast, host Simon Zatyrka continues his conversation with Josh Sharkey, diving deeper into the intricacies of recipe development and management. From the inception of meez to the dynamic nature of ingredient sourcing and climate impact, they explore the essential role of precision in culinary artistry. Discover the behind-the-scenes journey of transforming traditional practices into innovative solutions that revolutionize the way chefs approach recipe creation and execution.

Josh Sharkey - CEO & Co-Founder, meez

The founder and CEO of meez, Josh Sharkey is an entrepreneur, chef, and restaurant operator with over 20 years of experience in the industry (Oceana, Tabla, Bouley, Cafe Gray). After more than a decade cooking in Michelin-starred restaurants, he opened Bark Hot Dogs in 2009, which earned numerous accolades in the fast casual space. Sharkey spent five years as the Chief Operating Officer of Aurify Brands (Melt Shop, The Little Beet, Little Beet Table, Fields Good Chicken, and Le Pain Quotidien) before launching meez to the public in late 2020 following over two years of development. During the pandemic, Sharkey used meez’s technology to create Recipes for Relief, an initiative that made interactive recipes available for purchase with 100% of proceeds going towards restaurant relief. Josh believes in building technology with domain empathy, ensuring software always conforms to how we operate, and fervently focusing on the finer details. www.getmeez.com

Where to find Simon Zatyrka:

• Website
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Where to find Culinary Mechanic Podcast:

• Website
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Apple

Where to find host Josh Sharkey:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• Twitter

This week, we are excited to bring you part one of a two-part episode from Culinary Mechanic Podcast hosted by Simon Zatyrka, where our host, Josh Sharkey, was as a guest.

Join host Simon Zatyrka on the Culinary Mechanic Podcast for an insightful conversation with Josh Sharkey, founder of meez, a revolutionary software transforming recipe management and restaurant operations.

From his humble beginnings cooking at home to becoming a celebrated chef, Josh shares his journey through the culinary world and the unexpected twists that led him to entrepreneurship. Discover how a relentless pursuit of excellence and a passion for innovation shaped Josh's career, offering valuable insights for aspiring chefs and entrepreneurs alike.

Where to find Simon Zatyrka:

• Website
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Where to find Culinary Mechanic Podcast:

• Website
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Apple

Where to find host Josh Sharkey:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• Twitter