349: Being grateful with Johnny Ray Zone

349: Being grateful with Johnny Ray Zone

Author: Inspiring interviews with todays most successful restaurateurs 2-days a wee July 14, 2017 Duration: 1:15:14

Chef Johnny Ray Zone, an LA native, has worked professionally under some of the best chefs in the world, including Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay and Nobu Mat Sue He Sa. In 2014, during a stage at Sean Brock's Husk in Nashville, TN, a local chef introduced Johnny to Nashville Hot Chicken. It was instantaneous love. It is safe to say in the years to follow, Chef Johnny has dedicated is life to mastering the perfect piece of hot fried chicken. You can find his chicken at Howlin' Ray's Nashville Hot Chicken, located in Los Angeles, CA.

In this episode we will discuss: Striving for perfection. Hiring customers. The decision to go or not go to culinary school. Mentors in the restaurant industry. The different mindset of someone leaving culinary school with massive debt. The cost of training an employee. Integrity in the restaurant industry. Transitioning from food truck to restaurant. Do one thing well instead of many things well enough. Making guests happy (and encouraging them to come back) is more important than watching the numbers.


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
1088: Mat Snapp, Executive VP of Operations at Barter & Shake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:19:33
Mat Snapp is the Executive VP of Operations at Barter & Shake in Phoenix. Mat began his career in the restaurant industry as a teenager delivering pizzas. Later, Mat went to school for writing and became a professional w…
1087: David DeLorenzo, CEO and Owner of Bar and Restaurant Insurance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:37
David DeLorenzo is the CEO and Owner of Bar and Restaurant Insurance. David DeLorenzo specializes in bar and restaurant insurance, but he is also a speaker, author, coach, as well as host of a mastermind and more than on…
1083: Nathan Ares Owner of Ares Collective Restaurant Group [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:32
Nathan Ares is the Owner of Ares Collective Restaurant Group based in Tucson, AZ. Nathan Ares was featured on Restaurant Unstoppable episode 681, mostly for his work with his restaurant, Prep and Pastry, in Tucson, AZ. T…
1080: David Conn Partner 4Top Hospitality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:01
David Conn is a Partner at 4Top Hospitality. David Conn began working FOH in restaurants during college to earn good, quick money. David truly grew as a restaurant professional, though, while working with Amerigo, an Ita…
1079: John Currence Chef/Owner City Grocery Restaurant Group [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:58:44
John Currence is the Executive Chef and Owner of City Grocery Restaurant Group, HQ'd in Oxford, MS. John opened his first restaurant, City Grocery, at 26 in 1992. John later opened Big Bad Breakfast which has scaled to 2…