852: Jeannie Pierola Chef/Proprietor at Edison, Edison's Swigamajig, and Counter Culture

With Excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest, chef Jeannie Pierola. Jeannie Pierola grew up working in her family's beachside resort just outside of Tampa. When Jeannie got older she was able to convince her parents to open a restaurant. Like most first-time restaurant owners, Jeanie realized she had much to learn and decided she better go work for someone who knew what they were doing. This realization brought her to one of the most well-known steak houses in the country, Bern's Steak House. At Bern's Jeannie started at the bottom and would eventually earn the title of Executive Chef. With this experience, Jeannie traveled consulting for steak houses around the world before deciding to return to Tampa, FL. Today Chef Jeanie is the Chef/Proprietor of Edison, Edison's Swigamajig, and Counter Culture. All three restaurants are located in Tampa, FL.

Check out Restaurant Strong: First Principles Of Restaurant Outperformance And How To Make Them Yours by Peter LeSar as recommended in today's episode.

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Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Truth in menuing."

In today's episode with Laura McCutcheon we will discuss:

• What is "truth in menuing?"
• Proper capitalization
• Business planning
• Service
• Popups

Today's sponsor:

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Talk To The Manager - Nowadays, most guests don't want to call you on the phone or give you their feedback face-to-face.
With TalkToTheManager, guests can avoid making a scene by sending you comments and questions anonymously by text message, allowing you to respond and handle issues in real-time. It's easy to set up and simple to use for both staff and visitors. No software integration. No downloads, and no apps to install.

At Popmenu, we know that in today’s world, a great hospitality experience usually begins online. Keeping the conversation with guests going beyond the meal also requires simple, powerful, fun technology capable of expression through all kinds of channels. Our team takes pride in helping restaurants put their best foot forward digitally so they can focus on what they do best. We think PDF menus are super boring, we believe 3rd party platforms have had too much say in how consumers find their next dining experience and we deeply feel that sharing your beautiful menu doesn’t have to be so difficult, time-consuming and expensive. As a listener of the Restaurant Unstoppable, you'll receive $100 off your first month of Popmenu!

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Sense of humor
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Emotional temper
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Hints about their work ethic
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Labor
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Truth in menuing
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Be yourself
7. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Eat in their own restaurants and see the whole experience
8. Name one service you've hired.
   • Jamison B. Bake House
9. 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?
   • Love your family
   • Love your work family
   • Love yourself

Contact info:

Edison Food + Drink Lab on Instagram: @edison_food_drink_lab

Edison website

Edison's Swingamajig on Instagram: @edisons_swingamajig

Edison's Swingamajig website

Counter Culture on Instagram: @counter_culture_tampa

Counter culture website

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!

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Huge thanks to Jeannie Pierola for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

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