672: Will Pacio on Preparation and Opportunity

672: Will Pacio on Preparation and Opportunity

Author: Inspiring interviews with todays most successful restaurateurs 2-days a wee December 2, 2019 Duration: 1:02:47

After graduating from Stanford, Will decided to go to culinary school instead of medical school. From there he went on to join the opening team of Thomas Keller's Per Se in New York City.

Following NYC he would come back to California to cook at The French Laundry in Yountville. Eventually, Thomas Keller saw Will's talent for tech and asked him to run all of IT for the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group.

After learning from the best, Will pursued his dream and opened his own chain of fast-casual restaurants as founder and CEO of Spice Kit restaurants in 2007 which scaled to multiple locations in the Bay Area.

Today, Will serves as founder and CEO of Pared, a leading hospitality and restaurant network with over 100,000 members.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • "Luck is where preparation meets opportunity."

In today's episode with Will Pacio we will discuss:

  • Setting yourself up for opportunity
  • Passion for food
  • Taking risks
  • Working for free in order to learn
  • What you do and don't learn in culinary school
  • Collaboration
  • Establishing good culture
  • The culture of Per Se
  • Cooking for a food critic
  • How a good review affects business
  • What is Pared?
  • How clients changed the direction of Pared
  • Labor issues today

 


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
1235: Dan Weinberger, Founder of Weinberger's Deli [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:53:25
Dan Weinberger is the Founder of Weinberger's Deli located in Grapevine, Texas. Dan's parents opened and operated 5 deli's in Chicago from 1952 until 2000. Dan worked in his parent's stores growing up and eventually went…
1234: Addie and Dustin Teague, Owners of Relish Restaurant and Bar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:05:21
Addie and Dustin Teague are the owners of Relish Restaurant and Bar located in Houston, TX. The pair are married and are both from Houston originally. Dustin worked in restaurants in Las Vegas and New York before returni…
1233: David Denis, Chef/Owner of Bistro Mistral [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:48
Chef David Denis was born and raised in France with a grandmother and mother who both owned restaurants and cafes. David became a chef and ended up in Houston for a private chef gig and stayed. He opened his first restau…
1232: Brian Reece and Steve Crowley, Co-Founders of Service Physics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:21
Brian Reece and Steve Crowley are the co-founders of Service Physics. Service Physics is a multi-unit restaurant service consultant company based in NYC. The company was organically recommended by Haven Hot Chicken for f…
1231: Dan Carr, CEO and Co-Owner of Visconti's Hospitality Group [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:16:29
Dan Carr is the Co-Owner of Visconti's Hospitality Group. The original Visconti's was opened in 1985 in Wenatchee, WA. Dan moved to Wenatchee from the midwest in 1991 and started working in Visconti's in 1993 after meeti…
1230: What you need to know about L.T.O.'s with Anna Neave [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:32
This is a Restaurant Unstoppable Network LIVE event all about Limited Time Offers (L.T.O.'s) and how to best utilize them in your business, as presented by Anna Neave. Anna is the owner of Good Kind Consulting and Sweet…
1228: 7 Phases of Menu Engineering with Sean Willard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:17
Sean Willard has two decades of hospitality experience. He started in the business in his teens in a steakhouse and quickly moved through nearly all positions (FOH and BOH) until he landed at menu engineering. He then at…