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In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk sits down with Jessie and Ed Kileen, the husband-and-wife duo behind Grassburger, a growing fast casual brand that fuses sustainability, values-driven leadership, and operational discipline. The Kileen’s share their journey building a burger concept with a conscience.

They source 100% grass-fed, U.S.-raised beef from regenerative, humane ranches—never grain-fed, no antibiotics or synthetic hormones. Their philosophy: “grass-fed cattle live a happy and active life on pasture (as nature intended)”—and the ranch practices are kinder to animals and better for the planet.

They’ve earned acclaim as serving award-winning burgers and fries. The concept began with Jessie and Ed’s desire to feed their family allergy-friendly, nutritious food—an ethic eflected in their family- and allergy-friendly menu
They unpack the challenges of staying true to their mission while scaling a business in a competitive space. We cover everything from team culture, cost controls, and sourcing integrity, to why owning your brand narrative matters more than ever in today’s market.

Jessie & Ed’s Links:
Website: https://www.eatgrassburger.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grassburger
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grassburger

What You’ll Learn
• How to build a mission-driven brand in fast casual
• Why sourcing integrity can be a competitive advantage
• How to manage costs without compromising values
• How to build company culture in a multi-unit setting
• The realities of expanding in small markets
• Why it’s hard—but necessary—to lead with authenticity
• How the Kileens used purpose to weather tough seasons

• 00:00 – Intro & Meet the Kileens
• 03:30 – Grassburger’s Origin Story
• 07:00 – Building a Values-Driven Fast Casual Brand
• 11:00 – The Role of Supply Chain & Sourcing
• 15:30 – Leading a Team with Purpose
• 19:00 – Managing Growth Without Compromising Integrity
• 23:30 – Culture, Turnover, and Hiring with Heart
• 27:00 – Operational Discipline with Soul
• 31:00 – Scaling Infrastructure & Expansion Hurdles
• 35:00 – What’s Next for Grassburger
• 39:00 – Final Advice for Operators

Welcome to The Bottom Line – the real talk podcast about restaurant profit and growth. Each episode, we explore the decisions, systems, and stories behind the most successful food businesses out there in the market. No fluff. No hype. Just real operators, real challenges, and real advice from people who know how to get results. Let's get to The Bottom Line.

Have a question or need a professional opinion? Reach out!

Web: https://consultingaccross.com

Get a Free Profitability Audit

Connect with Naki on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ufuksoyturk/

Send us a text

In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk welcomes Matt Molaski and Rich Dunham from MarginEdge—the industry’s “Swiss Army knife” for inventory, invoice processing, and restaurant cost control. They break down the biggest myths about inventory, why most operators get stuck in spreadsheet chaos, and how MarginEdge helps transform back-office pain into profit.

You’ll hear about the most common mistakes restaurants make (and how to spot them), how tech can save you from recipe disasters, and why a “partial count” can sometimes matter more than a perfect full inventory. Matt and Rich share their own industry stories, client wins, and a few confessions from years on the operations and finance front lines.

Links:
 MarginEdge Website
 Rich Dunham on LinkedIn
 Matt Molaski on LinkedIn
 Email Matt: mmolaski@marginedge.com

What You’ll Learn
 The “hidden killers” in recipe costing and why they persist
 How MarginEdge’s unique invoice and SKU management solves the mess most tools create
 Why real-time (not static) food cost and recipe costing matter—especially now
 How partial counts and “Hawthorne Effect” boost accuracy and accountability
 Beverage inventory secrets: How to finally track and protect your bar profits
 Implementation: What to expect, what it costs, and who gets the most value
 Real-life stories: Cutting food cost by 15–20% and uncovering “CSI-level” mysteries in
your data

00:00 – Introduction & Guest Intros
02:30 – The MarginEdge Story & Team Background
05:00 – Why Inventory is Restaurant 101
08:00 – Common Inventory Mistakes (and Horror Stories)
12:00 – Solving Unit-of-Measure and SKU Nightmares
15:30 – Real-Time Costing and Consistency in a Volatile Market
19:00 – Partial Counts, The Hawthorne Effect, and Real Wins
22:00 – Finding Variances: The “CSI Restaurant” Approach
25:00 – Beverage & Bar Inventory: Why It’s Different (and How to Nail It)
28:00 – MarginEdge Implementation: What to Expect, Cost, Timeline
32:00 – Who Gets the Most Out of MarginEdge?
36:00 – Industry Changes: Why Tech + Grit is the Future
39:00 – How to Get a Demo, Links & Closing Advice
42:00 – Fun, Confessions, and Wrap-Up

Welcome to The Bottom Line – the real talk podcast about restaurant profit and growth. Each episode, we explore the decisions, systems, and stories behind the most successful food businesses out there in the market. No fluff. No hype. Just real operators, real challenges, and real advice from people who know how to get results. Let's get to The Bottom Line.

Have a question or need a professional opinion? Reach out!

Web: https://consultingaccross.com

Get a Free Profitability Audit

Connect with Naki on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ufuksoyturk/

Send us a text

In this episode of The Bottom Line, Naki Soyturk sits down with Greg Provance—restaurant consultant, former operator, and the founder of GP Hospitality Partner —to talk about the real challenges and rewards of growing a restaurant business today. Greg shares lessons from his own journey, why so many owners stay stuck at one or two units, and how mastering the basics (not chasing the next shiny object) is the path to scale and profit.

From installing real systems, to leveraging third-party platforms for actual guest acquisition (not just delivery), to why financial fundamentals beat fancy trends every time—this is the unfiltered, practical roadmap for independent operators who want more than just survival.

Greg Provance’s Links:

•  Greg’s LinkedIn
•  gphospitalitypartners.com

What You’ll Learn

•  Why most restaurant owners struggle to scale, and what actually makes the difference
•  The hidden skill gaps (and why “doing it all” keeps you stuck)
•  How to use systems (without drowning in binderware)
•  Data, inventory, and why most “small” mistakes kill profit
•  Third-party delivery: why it’s more than just a necessary evil (and how to actually win
• with it)
•  Guest acquisition, loyalty, and real-world marketing (with numbers)
•  Why you need to master the basics before chasing shiny new tech

00:00 – Introduction & Greg’s Background
03:30 – Lessons from Fine Dining, Fast Casual, and Consulting
07:15 – Why Most Restaurants Stay Small
10:30 – Skill Gaps, System Gaps, and The Cost of Doing It All
14:00 – Business Fundamentals: The Missing Piece
18:30 – Systems vs. Flexibility: Getting It Right
22:45 – Data, SOPs, and Inventory Management
26:00 – Building Culture and Brand Loyalty
29:00 – The Truth About Restaurant Marketing
32:00 – Third-Party Delivery: Friend or Foe?
36:15 – Turning Delivery Into Profit and Guest Loyalty
40:30 – Real-Life Turnarounds and Revenue Growth
44:00 – Key Takeaways: Mastering the Basics
47:00 – Greg’s Advice to Operators
48:30 – Connect with Greg Provance

Welcome to The Bottom Line – the real talk podcast about restaurant profit and growth. Each episode, we explore the decisions, systems, and stories behind the most successful food businesses out there in the market. No fluff. No hype. Just real operators, real challenges, and real advice from people who know how to get results. Let's get to The Bottom Line.

Have a question or need a professional opinion? Reach out!

Web: https://consultingaccross.com

Get a Free Profitability Audit

Connect with Naki on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ufuksoyturk/

Send us a text

Key Quote:
"You don’t need to lose your soul to grow—but you do need systems." — Pete Boniface

In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki Soyturk sits down with Pete Boniface, co-founder of Yampa Sandwich Company, to dissect what it takes to build and sustain a thriving restaurant business for 25 years. Pete shares the philosophy behind Yampa’s longevity, including how consistency, trust, and people-first leadership fuel everything from team development to customer loyalty.

Connect with Pete:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-boniface-b011ba15

Visit Yampa Sandwich Co.: https://yampasandwichco.com

In this episode, we explore:

- The early days of Yampa and lessons from growth
- How to maintain food quality and consistency while scaling
- Leadership style and building a strong internal culture
- Pete’s honest reflections on operational challenges as a growing brand

Mid-Episode Highlight:
During the conversation, Pete flipped the script and asked Naki for his expert advice:

That opened the door to a candid discussion on:
- Leveraging a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) to cut 10–15% off food and OPEX purchases
- Reducing theoretical vs. actual cost variance
- Setting up better financial clarity through tighter inventory and costing systems
- How even a well-run brand can benefit from outside structure to scale with control

Whether you're leading a single store or a growing chain, this episode is filled with real-world strategies for creating systems, reducing chaos, and building a resilient restaurant business.

“The systems create the stability—the people create the legacy.”

Welcome to The Bottom Line – the real talk podcast about restaurant profit and growth. Each episode, we explore the decisions, systems, and stories behind the most successful food businesses out there in the market. No fluff. No hype. Just real operators, real challenges, and real advice from people who know how to get results. Let's get to The Bottom Line.

Have a question or need a professional opinion? Reach out!

Web: https://consultingaccross.com

Get a Free Profitability Audit

Connect with Naki on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ufuksoyturk/

Send us a text

In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki sits down with Antonio Gambino, co-founder of Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks, to unpack the real strategies behind one of Minnesota’s fastest-growing restaurant brands.

Antonio shares his story, from growing up in a family of pizzeria owners to launching multiple concepts for new restaurants. He explains how he modernized the cheesesteak experience, stayed authentic to East Coast roots, and navigated early challenges—including launching Tono just before COVID. What followed was a counterintuitive surge in delivery demand and brand recognition that led to accelerated expansion.

Listeners will learn how Antonio and his co-founder Shaz have built a complementary leadership model, adopted tools like EOS to improve team accountability, and prioritized culture and customer experience to drive repeat business. Antonio also shares thoughts on franchising, working with investors, and how they plan to hit 25–50 units while keeping standards high.

If you're a restaurant operator, aspiring entrepreneur, or anyone interested in brand building and hospitality, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

"If you love it, the quality will follow." — Antonio Gambino

Links:

Website: https://tonomn.com/

IG: @_tonomn

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-gambino-a76064251/

Welcome to The Bottom Line – the real talk podcast about restaurant profit and growth. Each episode, we explore the decisions, systems, and stories behind the most successful food businesses out there in the market. No fluff. No hype. Just real operators, real challenges, and real advice from people who know how to get results. Let's get to The Bottom Line.

Have a question or need a professional opinion? Reach out!

Web: https://consultingaccross.com

Get a Free Profitability Audit

Connect with Naki on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ufuksoyturk/