#127

Josh sits down with Chef Vojtech Vegh for a quickfire episode packed with eye-opening zero waste cooking ideas, from turning avocado seeds into tea to transforming banana peels into something that tastes like pulled pork. Vojtech shares how his work has evolved since launching his zero waste mission, what he’s teaching chefs around the world, and why reducing food waste is often less about learning new techniques and more about seeing ingredients differently. Along the way, the two also swap parenting stories, non-traditional birthday “cakes,” and the strange but delicious food habits kids develop.

The conversation then dives into the ingredients that are most often wasted in professional kitchens, including watermelon rinds, pineapple skins, bread, rice, potato peels, and more. Vojtech explains how chefs can rethink scraps as real ingredients, where the line is between useful and unsafe, and why some of the most nutritious parts of fruits and vegetables are the ones we usually throw away. It’s a practical, surprising, and very fun look at how creativity in the kitchen can dramatically cut waste without sacrificing flavor.

Links and resources 📌

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

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

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Vojtech on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vojtechvegh/

Follow Vojtech on Instagram: @vojtechvegh

Visit Surplus Food Studio: https://www.surplusfoodstudio.com/

Timestamps

00:48 Vojtech’s Quickfire Return And Life On The Road

02:00 Fruit Cakes, Sourdough Cakes, And Birthday Food For Kids

06:59 How Vojtech Helps Chefs Reduce Waste Around The World

11:44 Slovakia’s Version Of Grilled Cheese And Childhood Comfort Foods

17:56 The Kitchen Phrase That Should Be Banned Forever

18:53 Vojtech’s Wildest Kitchen Disaster Story

24:32 The World’s Most Wasted Ingredients: Watermelon Rinds, Pineapple Skins, Bread, And Rice

35:51 Banana Peels, Potato Skins, And Other Scraps You Should Be Cooking

45:52 Where Zero Waste Stops: What’s Worth Using And What Isn’t

#126

Josh, Mike, and Matt sits down with Keith Benjamin, nightlife operator and co-founder behind Uptown Social, Share House, Bodega, By The Way, and The Waverly, for a conversation about betting big, building brands, and turning hospitality into a true long game. Keith shares how his journey started with Penn State tailgates, fraternity social life, and bartending in New York before evolving into ownership in iconic Manhattan watering holes like Stumble Inn and Hair of the Dog. From there, he opens up about the leap to Charleston, why he saw an opening in the market, and how Uptown Social became the kind of unicorn venue most operators only dream about.

The conversation then shifts into the realities of nightlife economics, including the now-infamous $9 Modelo debate, how serious operators actually think about pricing, and why beverage-first businesses can be so attractive compared to labor-heavy food concepts. Keith, Josh, Matthew, and Michael dig into frequency, guest behavior, hospitality, and the brutal cost structure of modern restaurants, all while reflecting on what makes certain places worth returning to. Along the way, Keith talks about entrepreneurship, ADHD, risk-taking, and the compulsion to keep building, offering a clear look at the mindset behind one of Charleston’s most successful hospitality operators.

Links and resources 📌

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

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

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Keith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-benjamin-4bba57396/

Follow Keith: @keithbenjamin

Follow Bodega on Instagram: @eatdrinkbodega

Follow Uptown Hospitality Group on Instagram: @uptownhospitalityevents

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Follow Matthew: @conbeazie

Timestamps

03:13 Michael Jacober Introduces One Of His Oldest Friends

05:37 From Penn State Tailgates To Bartending In New York

10:03 The Stumble Inn Era, Golden Handcuffs, And First Ownership

16:39 Why Keith Left New York And Bet On Charleston

19:44 Opening Uptown Social And Building A Nightlife Unicorn

23:41 Bodega, Share House, By The Way, And The Waverly

30:10 The $9 Modelo Debate And The True Cost Of Doing Business

54:22 Beverage-First Concepts, Margins, And Why Frequency Matters

01:14:06 Why Hospitality Economics Are Reaching A Tipping Point

#125

Josh sits down with Matthew Conway and Michael Jacober for a spirited conversation about restaurant pricing, profitability, and what guests are actually paying for when they go out. What starts with a nearly $9 Modelo in New York quickly turns into a much bigger debate about whether bars and restaurants are justified in charging premium prices for simple products, or whether the industry has lost touch with what guests are willing to bear. Along the way, they unpack labor costs, rent, experience, hospitality, and the tension between running a viable business and keeping dining and drinking accessible.

The conversation then expands into broader questions around capitalism, consumer behavior, and where restaurant economics may be heading next. They debate whether lower alcohol consumption is driven by shifting culture or rising prices, whether operators are passing value to their teams or just protecting margins, and what responsibility restaurants have to the guest experience. The episode closes with a side trip into seed oils, animal fats, and the return of tallow, giving the whole discussion a larger throughline: how cost, quality, and perception shape nearly every decision in hospitality.

Links and resources 📌

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

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

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Visit Blanket: https://www.blanket.app/

Visit The Tippling House: https://thetipplinghousechs.com/

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Follow Matthew: @conbeazie

Timestamps

04:28 The Setup: Beer Pricing, Hospitality, And Consumer Expectations

10:20 Who Gets The Margin And Who Is “The Man”?

19:27 Are People Drinking Less Because It’s Too Expensive?

28:59 Why Restaurants May Need To Charge More Than They Do

35:20 The Core Debate: Is A $9 Modelo Fair Or Outrageous?

40:01 The Animal Fat Revival And Why Tallow Is Back

45:16 Why Seed Oils Took Over In The First Place

49:32 Tallow For Cooking, Cleaning, And Even Skin Care

52:07 What Restaurants Owe Guests, Teams, And Themselves

#124

Josh, Mike, and Matt sit down with Arjav Ezekiel, co-owner of Birdies and James Beard Award-winning beverage director, for a candid conversation about tipping, labor, and the future of restaurant models. Drawing from his time at Union Square Hospitality Group and his experience building Birdies, Arjav unpacks the intent behind Danny Meyer’s Hospitality Included movement and why it ultimately failed. The group debates whether tipping is fundamentally broken, the role of legislation versus operators in fixing it, and how economics—not just philosophy—determines what actually works in restaurants.

The conversation then shifts to solutions, with Arjav sharing how Birdies was built from first principles to solve for labor while maintaining high-level hospitality. By blending counter service with fine dining elements, rethinking team structure, and redistributing tips, the restaurant has created a more sustainable model. The episode closes with a broader reflection on innovation in hospitality, the importance of mentorship and the dining room, and why restaurants may become one of the last meaningful spaces for human connection in an increasingly digital world.

Links and resources 📌

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

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

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Birdies: https://www.birdiesaustin.com

Arjav Ezekiel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arjavezekiel/

Arjav Ezekiel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjav-ezekiel-a198aa72/

Timestamps

02:32 Introducing Arjav Ezekiel And Birdies

05:40 The Debate Around Tips Included

12:05 Was Hospitality Included Doomed To Fail?

18:17 The Economics Behind Why It Didn’t Work

22:07 Can Restaurants Fix Tipping Without Legislation?

29:44 Why Labor Is The Core Problem In Restaurants

35:20 How Birdies Was Built Differently From Day One

44:01 Redefining Hospitality Without Table Service

52:33 Why The Dining Room Matters More Than Ever

#123

Josh sits down with Matthew Conway and Michael Jacober for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from franchise operations to solo dining trends to the realities of running independent restaurants in today’s economic climate. The episode opens with Michael sharing the launch of his first Jersey Mike’s franchise in suburban Chicago and what surprised him most about the process. From corporate buildouts and turnkey systems to training support and operational playbooks, they unpack what you’re really paying for in a franchise model and why, in some ways, it can feel like cheating compared to building from scratch.

The conversation shifts into broader industry trends, including the rise of solo dining, the growth of breakfast reservations, and how consumer behavior is evolving in a post-pandemic world. They debate whether people are dining alone to unplug or simply to simplify, why early dinner reservations feel controversial, and how hospitality translates across full-service, counter-service, and large-format restaurants. Along the way, they explore the risks and rewards of massive, high-revenue restaurant builds, the operational pressure of scaling, and what it actually takes to sustain margins in 2025. The episode closes with reflections on growth, ambition, and what it means to build something repeatable versus something personal.

Links and resources 📌

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

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

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Visit Blanket: https://www.blanket.app/

Visit The Tippling House: https://thetipplinghousechs.com/

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Follow Matthew: @conbeazie

Timestamps

05:48 Wonder, Vertical Integration, And Big Restaurant Bets

12:24 The Tipping Point In Restaurant Economics

18:36 Why Solo Dining Is On The Rise

22:00 Breakfast Reservations And Early Bird Culture

26:18 Italian Food, Fine Dining, And Culinary Debate

30:04 The Risks Of Massive, High-Volume Restaurants

35:00 Scaling Independent Concepts Vs Franchises

41:00 Inside The Jersey Mike’s Buildout Process

44:30 One Burrito A Minute And Operational Discipline

48:00 Closing Thoughts On Franchising And The Future

#122

Josh sits down with Brianne Harvey, founder of Break Bread Consulting and the newly launched Restaurant Resource, to unpack why so many restaurant teams underutilize the powerful tools they already pay for. Using the analogy of a brand-new iPhone being treated like an old Nokia, Brianne explains how operators often invest in sophisticated systems—from back-office platforms to combi ovens—only to use a fraction of their capabilities. They explore why tech adoption breaks down, how implementation requires ongoing training and reinforcement, and what it really takes to embed systems into daily operations without overwhelming teams.

Brianne shares the story behind Restaurant Resource, a free, national directory built to help operators discover software, service providers, and suppliers without biased paywalls. She discusses Break Bread’s focus on emerging multi-unit brands, the operational inflection point that happens between 10 and 50 locations, and the habits that consistently show up in the best scaling restaurant groups. The conversation also dives into AI—how Brianne uses it daily to triage email, automate workflows, and accelerate research, where it falls short, and why guardrails and critical thinking matter more than ever. Throughout, one theme remains clear: technology should support hospitality, not overshadow it. In the end, the artistry, taste, and human connection at the table are still what matter most.

Timestamps

04:05 Why Brianne Built Restaurant Resource

09:03 Break Bread Consulting And The 10 To 50 Location Inflection Point

14:37 What Restaurants Get Wrong About Tech Adoption

18:39 Inventory, Back Office Tools, And Data Accuracy Challenges

22:00 What The Best Scaling Restaurant Groups Do Differently

26:47 Apicii, Complex Openings, And Operational Mindset

28:13 How Brianne Uses AI In Daily Operations

34:43 Where AI Is Headed In Restaurant Tech

46:51 Guest-Facing AI And The Future Of Admin Roles

50:11 What AI Can’t Replace: Taste, Hospitality, And Relationships

52:22 Brianne’s Grilled Cheese And Memorable Meals

59:06 Jose Andres, Recipe Systems, And Closing Thoughts

Links and resources 📌

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

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

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Follow Brianne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemharvey/

Follow Brianne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspennilane/?hl=en

#121

Josh, Matt, and Mike are back for another trio episode, and things heat up right from the cold open as Mike unleashes a spicy critique of Danny Meyer's restaurant empire. Comparing Meyer's concepts to "safe, VH1-style" dining, Mike questions his public persona compared to boundary-pushing restaurateurs like Keith McNally and Stephen Starr. After the fiery start, the guys settle into discussing the intricacies of project management, prioritizing ideas using tools like ClickUp, the nuances of developing a burger blend over seven months, and Mike's past life as a bedroom musician. The temperature rises again when Matt dives into a heated debate about professional titles: What makes someone a Sommelier? If you step off the restaurant floor, are you a "former" Somm, or is it a lifelong title just like being a Chef? The trio wraps up the episode by exploring the anti-chef-driven restaurant movement, celebrating the brilliance of the original Momofuku Ssäm Bar, and Mike's full, unfiltered take on Meyer and the Eleven Madison Park buyout.

Timestamps

04:05 Parenting reflections and having a 10-year-old

08:29 Using ClickUp and Replet for restaurant project management

16:45 Wine blending, barrels, and case yields

22:30 Why did it take 7 months to develop a burger blend?

25:52 Mike's past life as a musician

35:36 The Great Sommelier Debate: What defines an active Somm?

42:26 Are TV personalities like David Chang still considered Chefs?

56:23 The brilliance and innovation of the original Momofuku Ssäm Bar

01:00:51 The anti-chef-driven restaurant movement

01:07:18 Retirement, career transitions, and leaving the restaurant floor

Links and resources 📌

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

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

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Visit Blanket: https://www.blanket.app/

Visit The Tippling House: https://thetipplinghousechs.com/

Follow Michael: @michaeljacober

Follow Matthew: @conbeazie

#120

Josh sits down for a quickfire episode with Dan Siegelman, a New Jersey native and JWU alum who cut his teeth working for industry heavyweights like Stephen Starr, Michael Mina, and the late Michael Chiarello. Currently leading the culinary operations for El Camino, a high-volume Mexican concept in Florida, Dan shares his insights on the shifting restaurant real estate landscape in Miami and his deep dive into authentic Mexican cuisine, highlighting the complex sauce work and diverse dried chilies his team utilizes daily.

The conversation moves into the rapid-fire round where Dan reveals why he despises the word "heard" on the line, the absolute tragedy of losing his physical recipe notebooks to a late-night bag theft, and why the fat from braised short ribs is the most underutilized byproduct in professional kitchens. He also shares a hilarious (and highly embarrassing) hazing story involving "club baby seal" from his time as a young sous chef at Bottega, his unapologetic method for a cast-iron Texas Toast grilled cheese, and a crucial leadership lesson about stepping back and letting your team fail so they can ultimately grow.

Timestamps

01:48 Dan's background and working for Stephen Starr and Michael Mina

04:24 The Miami rent crisis and its impact on independent restaurants

08:18 Menu R&D, Salsa Macha, and utilizing diverse Mexican chilies

13:00 The devastating story of losing years of recipe notebooks to a theft

21:25 The best dish he ever ate: The French Laundry's suckling pig

23:25 Giving flowers to Alex Lee and John Sergi

25:27 Why kitchens waste too much root vegetable tops and braising fat

29:04 An embarrassing hazing story involving Michael Chiarello and a seafood order

32:40 The specific technique for a cast-iron Texas Toast grilled cheese

34:37 A leadership lesson on micromanagement and letting your team fail

Links and resources 📌

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

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

Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en

Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/

Visit El Camino: https://modernrestaurantgroup.com/el-camino-locations/

Follow Dan Siegelman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chef5.0/?hl=en

Follow Dan Siegelman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-siegelman-b4a44370/