If catering makes more money with less overhead, why doesn’t everyone do it?

In this episode of Restaurant Punk, we dig into the business realities behind catering: profit margins, staffing, communication challenges, ghost kitchens, and why most chefs still chase the restaurant dream despite the math.

From small drop-off events to 300+ person weddings, we talk about what actually matters: good food, good music, a solid bar, and flawless execution under pressure.

Smart, honest, and essential listening for anyone thinking about starting a food business.

#RestaurantPunk #KaraRestaurantGroup #Chef #ChefLife #Cooking #RestaurantPodcast #FoodBusinessPodcast #CateringLife #RestaurantTalk #ChefEntrepreneur #HospitalityBusiness #FoodIndustryInsights #KitchenLife

Should desserts be made in-house, or are they secretly breaking your restaurant?

This episode dives into the dessert dilemma from a chef and operator perspective: baking vs cooking, profit vs pride, and why tiramisu might be the safest bet on any menu. We talk kitchen space, staffing realities, sourcing locally without misleading guests, and the pressure behind “made in-house” expectations.

It’s honest, funny, and painfully relatable for anyone who’s worked the line, run a kitchen, or stared down a dessert menu wondering if it’s worth the headache.

No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real restaurant talk.

#RestaurantPodcast #FoodIndustryTalk #ChefLife #HospitalityStories #DessertTalk #CulinaryBusiness #BehindTheKitchen #FoodServiceLife #RestaurantOwners #RestaurantPunk #KaraRestaurantGroup

Why do chefs hate modifications so much?
What does “rare” actually mean?
And why is firing food at the end of the night such a cardinal sin?

In this episode of Restaurant Punk, we break down the kitchen pet peeves that push cooks to the edge—menu substitutions, misunderstood steak temps, front-of-house mistakes, and the chaos that happens when accountability disappears during a rush.

It’s loud, opinionated, brutally honest, and painfully relatable for anyone who’s worked in restaurants or modified a menu item while dining out.

Listen before your next reservation. Trust us.

#RestaurantPodcast #ChefRants #KitchenLife #HospitalityTalk #FoodIndustry #BehindTheKitchen #LineCookStories #RestaurantOwners #ServiceIndustry

In this episode of Restaurant Punk, the crew delves into a topic that every restaurant owner eventually faces: dealing with landlords. The great ones, the nightmare ones, the micromanagers, the hands-off unicorns, and the ones who want to proofread your menu before you hang it on the wall.

Recorded in classic Restaurant Punk chaos, this episode moves from tattoo talk and chicken parm fantasies into a brutally honest discussion about:

🏢 The many different types of landlords, from hands-off to micromanagers.

💬 Why building long-term relationships with real estate holders matters

📝 Lease rules you didn’t know existed

🤝 Respect between tenant & landlord

🏗️ Business growth strategy, including navigating new ethics, new personalities, and new rules when your landlord changes

New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe and join the Restaurant Punk crew!

#RestaurantPunk #RestaurantLife #Landlords #RestaurantOwner #HospitalityIndustry

#RestaurantBusiness #RestaurantProblems #ServiceIndustry #RestaurantStories

#LeaseNegotiation #RestaurantTalk #HospitalityRealTalk

In this episode of Restaurant Punk, the crew dives deep into a topic EVERY restaurant worker knows too well: the addiction of the industry. Not drugs. Not alcohol. The lifestyle. The fast cash. The late nights. The freedom. The camaraderie. And why so many people say they’ll only stay for a summer… but end up staying for decades.

This week’s conversation includes discussions on:
💵 The pull of fast cash — $300–$700 nights, double shifts, seasonal spikes, and how impossible it can be to walk away
🍹 The “lifestyle addiction” — flexible hours, after-work hangs, the social circle, the adrenaline
👩‍🏫 Teachers, nurses, and professionals who STILL pick up shifts because the money is unmatched
👶 Teenagers who become lifers after early exposure to daily cash
🏠 Adults with homes, kids, and full careers who can’t give up the extra income
💼 The struggle of leaving — switching to salary jobs, losing the fast cash, and rebuilding a new lifestyle
🍳 Front of house vs. back of house and why each has its own hook
👨‍🍳 Owners vs. employees — the difference in stress, freedom, and enjoyment
🕰️ Seasonal swings — making $50 on a slow night but $2,000 on July 4th weekend
💔 Why some people stay… even when they don’t want to
🔥 Why almost everyone on the Restaurant Punk couch admits: “Yeah, we were addicted too.”

This episode is honest, funny, chaotic, and painfully relatable for anyone who has ever worked a shift in the hospitality industry.

New episodes of Restaurant Punk drop weekly. Subscribe to stay in the loop so you don’t miss any of the unhinged stories.

#RestaurantPunk #RestaurantLife #HospitalityIndustry #ServiceIndustry #RestaurantStories #FastCash #BartenderLife #ServerLife #RestaurantWorkers #HospitalityLifestyle #KitchenLife #RestaurantTalk #IndustryAddiction

In restaurants, the line between professionalism and personal relationships gets blurry fast. In this episode of Restaurant Punk, the crew opens up about navigating gossip, favoritism, and the messy reality of managing a team you also spend every day with.

From employees oversharing to staff choosing sides, in-house relationships, late-night rumors, and operators forced to make tough calls, the team breaks down how these situations affect culture, morale, and respect inside a restaurant. They share real stories from Philly kitchens to shore spots, discuss why small staffs make everything more intense, and explain how transparency, accountability, and honesty make or break a team.

If you've ever struggled with drawing boundaries as a boss, or staying professional when everyone knows everything about everyone, this episode hits home.

restaurant management podcast, gossip at work, restaurant staff drama, favoritism in restaurants, leadership in hospitality, restaurant ownership talk, managing employees, workplace boundaries, restaurant culture, hospitality industry podcast

Have you ever wondered why restaurants sometimes buy supplies from Costco, Sam’s Club, or the local grocery store instead of a distributor? The Restaurant Punk crew breaks down how food costs work behind the scenes, and spoiler alert - it’s nothing like customers imagine.

From dealing with slow-season ordering, case sizes that don’t match menu needs, storage limitations, and fluctuating distributor prices, the team explains why retail runs are sometimes the smarter move. They also get into the real cost of operating a restaurant, the myths customers believe about “cheap” food sourcing, and why pricing is way more complicated than people think.

Expect sarcasm, industry honesty, and a lot of laughs.

Keywords: restaurant podcast, food cost truth, distributor vs retail, Costco restaurant shopping, Sam’s Club food costs, restaurant operations, behind the scenes restaurant, food cost breakdown, hospitality podcast, restaurant industry talk

Kids' menus at restaurants: necessary convenience or overhyped chaos? In this episode of Restaurant Punk, we get honest about picky eaters, parental expectations, and why kids' menus can make dining out more complicated than it should be.

From personal stories about “circle meat” to the mental gymnastics parents go through with chicken fingers and mac and cheese, we explore the hilarious and sometimes frustrating realities of feeding kids in restaurants. Plus, we debate whether some restaurants should even bother offering kids' menus at all.

🎧 Tune in if you’ve ever:

· Struggled to get your child to eat at a restaurant

· Wondered if kids’ menus make dining easier or harder

· Been shocked by picky eater behavior at the table

kids menus, picky eaters, restaurant parenting, restaurant podcast, dining with kids, foodie parents, family dining, restaurant life, parent hacks, mac and cheese