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The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
NAKI SOYTURK
15 episodes
1 month ago
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki Soyturk sits down with restaurateur, consultant, and author Mike Bausch. Known for founding Andolini’s Pizzeria, Mike shares the story of inventing“Tulsa style pizza” and growing his concepts into multiple thriving operations across Oklahoma. Mike opens up about the hard-earned lessons of scaling a restaurant business and discusses the disconnect between what employees need and what managers expect. He also unpacks today’s biggest ...
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Management
Arts,
Food,
Business,
Entrepreneurship
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All content for The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants is the property of NAKI SOYTURK and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki Soyturk sits down with restaurateur, consultant, and author Mike Bausch. Known for founding Andolini’s Pizzeria, Mike shares the story of inventing“Tulsa style pizza” and growing his concepts into multiple thriving operations across Oklahoma. Mike opens up about the hard-earned lessons of scaling a restaurant business and discusses the disconnect between what employees need and what managers expect. He also unpacks today’s biggest ...
Show more...
Management
Arts,
Food,
Business,
Entrepreneurship
Episodes (15/15)
The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
From Tulsa Pizza to National Recognition: Lessons from Mike Bausch
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki Soyturk sits down with restaurateur, consultant, and author Mike Bausch. Known for founding Andolini’s Pizzeria, Mike shares the story of inventing“Tulsa style pizza” and growing his concepts into multiple thriving operations across Oklahoma. Mike opens up about the hard-earned lessons of scaling a restaurant business and discusses the disconnect between what employees need and what managers expect. He also unpacks today’s biggest ...
Show more...
1 month ago
49 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
Restaurant Startup Playbook: SBA Loans + Profit Strategies
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk sits down with Kevin Moll, founder of Restaurant Consulting Services, Inc. Kevin brings over four decades of experience to the table, offering deep insights into the challenges, myths, and realities of running an independent restaurant. From outlining the "Rule of Thirds" — a sobering look at restaurant survival rates — to his candid breakdown of why most restaurants fail, Kevin delivers invaluable knowledge every aspiring restau...
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2 months ago
51 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
Scaling a Family-Owned Restaurant Brand with Arita Matini
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line Podcast, host Naki Soyturk sits down with Arita Matini, co-founder of Sweet Leaf Café — a family-owned fast-casual brand with six thriving locations in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Arita shares her entrepreneurial journey from studying interior design to opening her first restaurant in McLean, Virginia during the 2009 recession. She reveals how her vision for affordable, healthy, everyday food resonated with her community and how Sweet Lea...
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2 months ago
34 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
How Brooks Bassler created Tex-Orleans Cuisine and grew BB’s Tex-Orleans to 13 locations
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki sits down with Brooks Bassler, founder of BB’s Tex-Orleans, to unpack the origin story and explosive growth of one of Houston’s most beloved restaurant brands. Brooks shares how his Southern roots and experiences in the restaurant industry inspired him to launch the first location with no menu, just a drive to build something unique for late-night Cajun-style dining with a Texas twist. Brooks shares the early days of risking it all, ope...
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2 months ago
43 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
Storytelling Is the Secret Sauce to Restaurant Growth with Shawn Walchef
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk sits down with Shawn Walchef, founder of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media. What started as a single-location barbecue restaurant in San Diego has evolved into a national brand and thought leader in hospitality tech and digital storytelling. Shawn shares the philosophy behind turning every restaurant into a media company, breaking down how consistent storytelling builds brand equity and customer trust. From using content to drive cater...
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3 months ago
32 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
From a $10k Loan to a Michelin Star: The Unstoppable Grit of Fred Castellucci
Send us a text Fred Castellucci, founder of Castellucci Hospitality Group, didn't just build a restaurant business; he built an empire on grit. He started by reviving a failed family restaurant with a $10,000 handshake loan and went on to launch his flagship, The Iberian Pig, with a negative bank account, a stolen budget, and a chaotic opening night where 200 unexpected guests showed up. Years later, he would open the now Michelin-starred Mujo in the middle of a global pandemic. This episode ...
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3 months ago
34 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
From a Single Shop to Six Locations: The Bel Fries Strategy for Scaling Simplicity
Send us a text How does a recent college grad turn a simple European street food into a thriving six-location brand in the heart of New York City? Annalee Schlossberg, founder of Bel Fries, reveals the strategy behind her fast-growing french fry empire. Inspired by the "frit shops" of Belgium, Annalee didn't just copy a concept—she perfected it for the American market with 16 artisanal sauces and a clever business model. This episode is a masterclass for any entrepreneur on how to adapt...
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3 months ago
31 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
The Seven Brothers Story: How Faith and Family Built a Burger Empire
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk speaks with Seth and Shem Hannemann of Seven Brothers Burgers—a family-run restaurant born in Laie, Hawaii, that’s now spreading the spirit of aloha across the mainland U.S. The brothers share how their father’s uncompromising vision for quality and their family's deep-rooted faith turned a tiny, "hole-in-the-wall" spot into a beloved, fast-growing brand. We dive into how Seven Brothers balances sacred family values with sc...
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3 months ago
59 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
How Joe Fontana Built a Fried Chicken Empire by Starting Lean
Send us a text Episode Summary In this episode of The Bottom Line, your host Naki Soyturk sits down with Joe Fontana, the founder of the wildly successful Chicago-based restaurant group, Fry the Coop. Joe shares the unfiltered story of his journey, starting with the financial pressure that pushed him to leave his corporate job and chase a dream in the restaurant industry. With no money of his own, Joe details how he devoured over 50 business books, pitched investors, and used "lean startup"...
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3 months ago
1 hour 4 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
Mission-Driven Burgers: How Grassburger Is Changing Fast Casual
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk sits down with Jessie and Ed Kileen, the husband-and-wife duo behind Grassburger, a growing fast casual brand that fuses sustainability, values-driven leadership, and operational discipline. The Kileen’s share their journey building a burger concept with a conscience. They source 100% grass-fed, U.S.-raised beef from regenerative, humane ranches—never grain-fed, no antibiotics or synthetic hormones. Their philosophy: “grass-fed ...
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4 months ago
36 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
From One Oven to a Movement: The Billy Bricks Story
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki Soyturk sits down with Ric Gruber Jr., the attorney-turned-entrepreneur who brought Neapolitan-style pizza to Chicagoland 20 years ago—and never looked back. Ric shares how he and his family bootstrapped Billy one unique wood-fired oven into a powerful regional brand with seven stores, seven food trucks, and a growing catering operation. Along the way, they added Moo Joe’s, a mobile ice cream parlor that’s redefining dessert ...
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4 months ago
1 hour 4 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
No More Guesswork: Inventory, Cost Management and Consistency, and Real Results with MarginEdge
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk welcomes Matt Molaski and Rich Dunham from MarginEdge—the industry’s “Swiss Army knife” for inventory, invoice processing, and restaurant cost control. They break down the biggest myths about inventory, why most operators get stuck in spreadsheet chaos, and how MarginEdge helps transform back-office pain into profit. You’ll hear about the most common mistakes restaurants make (and how to spot them), how tech can save you from re...
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4 months ago
40 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
Scaling Restaurants & Systems: Real-World Lessons with Greg Provance
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk sits down with Greg Provance—restaurant consultant, former operator, and the founder of GP Hospitality Partner —to talk about the real challenges and rewards of growing a restaurant business today. Greg shares lessons from his own journey, why so many owners stay stuck at one or two units, and how mastering the basics (not chasing the next shiny object) is the path to scale and profit. From installing real systems, to leveraging...
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4 months ago
50 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
25 Years, 8 Stores: Pete Boniface’s Restaurant Systems Playbook
Send us a text Key Quote: "You don’t need to lose your soul to grow—but you do need systems." — Pete Boniface In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki Soyturk sits down with Pete Boniface, co-founder of Yampa Sandwich Company, to dissect what it takes to build and sustain a thriving restaurant business for 25 years. Pete shares the philosophy behind Yampa’s longevity, including how consistency, trust, and people-first leadership fuel everything from team development to customer loyalty....
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5 months ago
58 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
Pizza Boss of Minnesota Antonio Gambino (Andrea’s & Tono’s) on Great Food, Culture & Partnership
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki sits down with Antonio Gambino, co-founder of Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks, to unpack the real strategies behind one of Minnesota’s fastest-growing restaurant brands. Antonio shares his story, from growing up in a family of pizzeria owners to launching multiple concepts for new restaurants. He explains how he modernized the cheesesteak experience, stayed authentic to East Coast roots, and navigated early challenges—including launchi...
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6 months ago
42 minutes

The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
Send us a text In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki Soyturk sits down with restaurateur, consultant, and author Mike Bausch. Known for founding Andolini’s Pizzeria, Mike shares the story of inventing“Tulsa style pizza” and growing his concepts into multiple thriving operations across Oklahoma. Mike opens up about the hard-earned lessons of scaling a restaurant business and discusses the disconnect between what employees need and what managers expect. He also unpacks today’s biggest ...