596: Sharon Van Meter on The Best Possible Team

596: Sharon Van Meter on The Best Possible Team

Author: Inspiring interviews with todays most successful restaurateurs 2-days a wee March 11, 2019 Duration: 1:14:40

A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, World Master Chef Sharon Van Meter brings more than 40 years of award-winning and acclaimed culinary experience to the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Chef Van Meter has served the culinary world as Executive Chef of The Ritz-Carlton International, Professor of American Cuisine at Paris' Le Cordon Bleu and Executive Chef in the renowned kitchens of Neiman Marcus, Dallas, Texas. Currently, Sharon is President of SVM Productions, LLC, a leader in television, radio and culinary productions. In Dallas, she runs 30 15 at Trinity Groves and is a partner in Tacos y Vino as well as other ventures.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

Never, never, never, never, never.....give up!

In this episode with Chef Sharon Van Meter, we discuss:

  • Relentlessness.
  • Chef Van Meter's beginnings and how she learned to cook.
  • The pros and cons of fearlessness.
  • Being the only woman in a male-dominated school/profession.
  • Don't let your fears interrupt your success.
  • Tackling obstacles one by one.
  • Letting fear and discomfort motivate you.
  • Kicking back and listening to others before you give your opinion.
  • The best leaders create the best organizations and surround themselves with the best people.
  • All power does not begin and end with one person.
  • Territorializing your kitchen.
  • Letting your individual team members grow.
  • Work/life balance.
  • The importance of family.
  • The generations that come after you and how to judge them.
  • Being more lenient and understanding of your younger team members.
  • Diversifying your interests.
  • Concentrate less on people's faults.
  • The importance of making everyone around you feel their best.
  • Don't just get a little involved, go in 200%.
  • Create YOUR OWN work/life balance.
  • team building 

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel Systems integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel's streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

Knowledge bombs

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • I'm fearless
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    • I'm fearless
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • Loyalty
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • Not enough time in the day
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • Always put the customer first
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Treat this business like it's yours and it will be one day
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
  8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
    • Not consistent enough
    • Training based on consistency
  9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influenced operations?
    • My iPhone is my office now
  10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • One thing: we need to be better, kinder, more loving people.

Contact info:

3015 At Trinity Groves website

Instagram: 3015tg

Physical Address: 3015 Gulden Lane, Dallas, Texas

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Chef Sharon Van Meter for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

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
988: Greg Root Partner at Defined Hospitality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:36
Greg Root is a partner at Defined Hospitality. Greg started his hospitality career as a teen-aged caddy at a country club in Pennsylvania. Later he attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he studied Restaurant…
987: Al Lucas Partner at Defined Hospitality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:58
Al Lucas is a Partner at Defined Hospitality in Philadelphia, PA. Al began his career at Chart House where he began as a dishwasher, leaving the company 21 years later as the Vice President of the East Coast. He then mov…
986: Thomas M. Sterner Author & CEO of The Practicing Mind Institute [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:20
Thomas M. Sterner is the founder and CEO of The Practicing Mind Institute. As a successful entrepreneur, he is considered an expert in Present Moment Functioning or PMF. He is a popular and in-demand speaker who works wi…
984: Cynthia Wong Founder of Life Raft Treats [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:52
Cynthia Wong is the Founder of Life Raft Treats. Cynthia knew she wanted to become a baker at a very young age. She went to culinary school in San Fransisco and then began working as a bread baker there. She then went of…
983: Tia Clark Founder of Casual Crabbing with Tia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:24
Tia Clark is the Founder of Casual Crabbing with Tia, based in Charleston, SC. Casual Crabbing with Tia is an experience that teaches you the art of crabbing, from throwing a cast net to setting bait and fishing, all on…
982: Mickey Bakst Co-Founder of Ben's Friends [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:34:35
Mickey Bakst is the Co-Founder of Ben's Friends. Ben's Friends is a community of chefs, bartenders, line cooks, servers, sommeliers, host and hostesses, GMs and owners who have found or are seeking sobriety. Their missio…
981: Scott Shor Managing Partner at Edmund's Oast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50:36
Scott Shor is the Owner/Managing Partner at Edmund's Oast. Scott moved to Charleston in 2004. He began working at Ted's Butcher block in 2007, which had a small craft beer selection. This is where his fondness for craft…
980: James London Chef/Owner of Chubby Fish [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42:57
James London is the Chef/Owner of Chubby Fish in Charleston, South Carolina. Chubby Fish is a dock-to-table restaurant where all dishes are sold using fish caught on the day it is served. James decided at the age of 20 t…
979: Randi Weinstein Founder of FAB [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:38
Randi Weinstein is the Founder of FAB. Randi Weinstein is from Long Island and got her start in the industry in the front of house. After moving to Charleston, she became Director of Events at Wine + Food Festival from 2…