338: Planning for disaster with Lisandra Pagan

338: Planning for disaster with Lisandra Pagan

Author: Inspiring interviews with todays most successful restaurateurs 2-days a wee June 12, 2017 Duration: 54:28

Lisandra Pagan is the founder of Deliberate Plan Consulting LLC. She helps restaurant owners prepare for business interruptions such as natural events, day to day crisis, or anything that can prevent them from doing their job. Then she helps develop strategies to bounce back quickly and prevent permanent business closures.

RJ Joyce, is a past guest of Restaurant Unstoppable, episode 299. In 2015 he partnered with James Woodhouse to open his second restaurant Louie's, located in Portsmouth, NH. Two months ago they were forced to close indefinitely.

In this episode we discuss: The importance of planning. Planning for a catastrophe at your business. Planning for a fire in your building. The emotional response to tragedy. The strength of keeping things positive in the face of disaster. No matter how loved and successful your business is nobody is natural disaster-proof. Picking yourself up after tragedy. Planning during peace time. Contingency planning. Time is of the essence in disaster response. How insurance comes into play.


Eric Cacciatore sits down with the people who actually run the show in the world of food service. Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore is built on conversations with established restaurateurs and seasoned professionals who have navigated the intense realities of the industry. Twice a week, these interviews dig past the surface, focusing on the tangible details of leadership, team management, and effective marketing that separate a thriving venue from a struggling one. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of what worked, what didn’t, and the often-overlooked decisions that shape a restaurant's path. This podcast serves as a direct line to collective experience, whether you're dreaming of your first opening or steering a multi-location group. The dialogue is practical, centered on the daily grind and long-term strategy needed to build something lasting. For anyone invested in the business of hospitality, these regular episodes compile a vital resource, turning shared insights into actionable knowledge for your own journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 1000

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Podcast Episodes
631: Julian Medina on Living the American Dream [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:19
Raised in Mexico City, Julian Medina's inspiration was his father's and grandfather's authentic home cooking. Training professionally in Mexico City, Julian was brought to New York City to be Chef de Cuisine at Maya, whi…
630: Drew Nieporent on Tearing Down Walls [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:51
In 1977 Drew Niepornt graduated from Cornell University with a degree from the School of Hotel Management and set out on a career in hospitality that has only been matched by few. Nieporent's first restaurant, the ground…
629: John Stage on Always Under Construction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:49
In 1988, tired of the gypsy lifestyle, John Stage decided to settle in Syracuse, NY, where he opened his first Dinosaur Bar-B-Que restaurant. In the following years, Stage has expanded with locations in Rochester, Manhat…
628: Kim Alter on Pushing Harder to Be Better [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:23
Growing up in Laguna Beach, CA, Chef Kim Alter is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. She went on to work in some of the Bay Area's most notable restaurant kitchens before joining the Daniel Patterson Group wh…
627: Jed Davis on Working Harder Than Everyone Else [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:18
7th generation Vermonter, Jed Davis, Graduated from Cornell University with a focus on Hotel Administration. His formative years were spent in New York City learning from master restaurateurs, Daniel Boulud, and Danny Me…
626: Will McNeil on Staff First/Customer Second [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:55
Born and raised in Burlington, VT Will Mcneil is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. After graduation McNeil cooked at various locations before becoming a FOH manager for Hen of the wood in 2006. By 2011 McN…
625: Eric Warnstedt on Food with Soul and Roots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:18
Originally from Fort Lauderdale, FL, Eric Warnstedt is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University North Miami. Six years after making the move north to Vermont, in October of 2005 alongside business partner William McNei…
624: Michael Kloeti on Keeping an Open Mind [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:49:27
Born, raised, and trained in Switzerland, Chef Kloeti moved to the United States to enrich his classical French cooking background with other cultures. Before make the move to VT, Kloeti absorbed experience from New York…
623: Zeb Stewart on The Importance of Chaos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:20
Zeb Stewart has a history of success in Brooklyn, New York. As designer and owner/ operator of cherished Williamsburg hotspots Union Pool, Hotel Delmano, and Café Colette, Zeb has played a significant role in the growth…
622: Lauren Brie Lynch on The Power of Improvising [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:25
The University of Albany graduate, Lauren Brie Lynch had 10 years food and beverage experience before joining forces with Jay Janawsky, and Chad Vigneulle to open Harlem Public in 2011. With the moment the team went on t…