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
1207: Dustin Dean, Co-Founder of Dean & Peeler Premium Angus Beef [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:16
Dustin Dean is the Co-Founder of Dean & Peeler Premium Angus Beef in Floresville, TX. Dean & Peeler Premium Angus Beef is a cattle ranch focused on producing high-quality Angus beef, emphasizing animal welfare and tracea…
1206: The Best Investment to Become Unstoppable [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:13
Today Eric, host of Restaurant Unstoppable, and Jared, editor/co-producer, talk about the past, present, and future of Restaurant Unstoppable. We talk all about the future of the Restaurant Unstoppable Network and why it…
1205: Jeff Gothard, Co-Founder of KIC Hospitality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:22:33
Jeff Gothard is the Co-Founder of KIC Hospitality, a hospitality consulting service based in Austin, TX. Jeff Got his start in the business/management world as a District Manager at Blockbuster in hollywood from 1999 to…
1203: C.K. Chin, Founder of Chintertainment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:14:41
C.K. Chin is the founder of Chintertainment. C.K. got his start in the nightclub business as a bouncer who quickly decided it would be better for everyone if he introduced a little more hospitality to the bouncer/door gu…
1201: Evan LeRoy, Chef and Co-Owner of LeRoy and Lewis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:46
Evan LeRoy is a Co-Owner at LeRoy and Lewis in Austin, TX. Evan was featured on the show back in 2018 for episode 582. Back then, LeRoy and Lewis was a food truck that began in 2017, a year prior. The brick and mortar Le…
1200: Jason Carrier, Owner of Mama Betty's Tex Mex [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:19:35
Jason Carrier is the owner of Mama Betty's Tex Mex located in North Austin, TX. Jason began hospitality his career in his early 20s working as a door man for bars in Austin. He loved the job, treating the position like a…
1199: Steven McAloon, Partner and Co-Founder of KIC Hospitality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:17:06
Steven McAloon is the Co-Founder and Partner at KIC Hospitality, based in Dallas, TX. Steven is from Wales and got his start in overseas hospitality companies like Whitbread, Costa Coffee, Schlotzsky's and others, all re…
1198: Chris Florczak, CEO of Risen Restaurant Group [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:07:31
Chris Florczak is the CEO of Risen Restaurant Group. Risen consists of one concept with four location and a fifth soon to open. The concept is Rise, originally located in Dallas and opened in 2008. Chris got his start wi…