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
380: It's about sharing knowledge with Ian Boden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:25
In this episode with Ian Boden, we discuss the power of gathering and sharing knowledge, how this industry is filled with misfits- which makes it awesome, why abusing your mind and body needs to be a way of the past, cor…
379: Strategic risk taking with Jenny Peterson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:36
In this episode, how Jenny Peterson got her start as a baker, getting work experience before opening your own restaurant, learning what not to do from previous experiences, being a strategic/calculated risk taker, making…
378: You get out what you put in with Charles Bililies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:03
In this episode, we discuss the path Charles Bililies took to get to where he is today, the value of working both FOH and BOH to get the "big picture", how Charles landed a job for Thomas Keller straight out of college,…
377: Creating a culture that supports growth Kirk Kelewae [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:54
In this episode, we discuss how Kirk Kelewae got his start in hospitality, never-ending transitional moments, rewarding ambition, taking initiative, creating opportunities for yourself, creating a culture where people fe…
376: Choosing to be great with Tristan Wraight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:06
In this episode, we discuss why you need to "make it exciting", how there is job security in hospitality, how turning your life around is as simple as making the choice to, showing up to work with enthusiasm, using enthu…
375: Become a "Who" not a "What" with Mark Canlis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:45
In this episode, we discuss the Canlis family history, what mark has learned from his family history, highering people who inspire, the difference between being a "what" and a "who", The biggest lessons Mark learned work…
373: Books to improve your systems, culture, and finances [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:04
In this episode, I'm going to solo and sharing the books I most often recommend to learn about systems, culture, finances and more. People often ask me what books I have to suggest. So, in this episode, I'm sharing the b…
372: Overcoming the fear of failure  with Christopher Bates [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:23
In this episode, we discuss the value of getting work experience before attending hospitality or culinary school, getting experience working for others before opening your own restaurant, the definition of service, how t…
371: Getting your people to buy in with Jack O'Sullivan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:24
In this episode, we discuss how a "chip on the shoulder" can serve you, working in the industry before opening your own restaurant, how a partnership can work, starting lean and bootstrapping, leveraging your network and…