Commercial Kitchen Chronicles

At 28 years old, Mitch Noto is already a licensed HVAC contractor, business owner, technician, installer, and the creator behind Total HVAC. In this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, we sit down with Mitch to talk about what it's really like building a career in HVAC while taking on the responsibility of running a business. Mitch grew up around the trade and eventually stepped into the family HVAC business, but his path wasn't as simple as deciding from day one that HVAC was going to be his career. We talk about how his perspective on the trades changed, getting licensed, taking on more responsibility, and realizing just how much opportunity exists in HVAC. But owning an HVAC company isn't just buying a van, filling it with tools, and waiting for the money to roll in. Mitch gets into the reality of finding customers, advertising, quoting work, ordering parts, handling warranties, underbidding jobs, and figuring things out as you go. Sometimes you quote a job wrong, something unexpected happens, and you have to eat some of the cost, keep the customer happy, learn from it, and move on. We also get into a topic that needs more discussion: young technicians entering the skilled trades. There's no shortage of people saying the younger generation "doesn't want to work," yet we're watching 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds buy service vans, start companies, learn the trade, and build businesses. They may not approach the industry exactly like the generation before them—but that doesn't mean they're afraid to work. Mitch has also experienced what happens when a young technician walks into a customer's home and immediately has his knowledge questioned because of his age. Sometimes the best response is doing the job, diagnosing the problem correctly, and letting your work prove what you know. We cover: • Growing up around an HVAC business • Becoming a licensed HVAC contractor • Technician vs. business owner mentality • The realities of starting an HVAC company • Finding customers and advertising • Underbidding jobs and learning from mistakes • Young technicians entering the skilled trades • Service work vs. installation • Digital HVAC tools vs. old-school fundamentals • Social media and the HVAC creator community • Creating content while still getting the work done • Handling criticism from people who only see a short clip 🔥 SPONSORED BY VIPER This episode is powered by Viper from Refrigeration Technologies. From Nylog Blue and Big Blu leak detector to coil cleaners, drain treatments, and other chemicals built for HVACR professionals, Viper products are made for technicians who need products that work in the real world. If you're turning wrenches in HVACR, check out the full lineup from Refrigeration Technologies and ask for Viper products at your local HVACR supply house. https://www.refrigtech.com/ Mitch represents a generation of technicians who aren't waiting around for someone else to build their careers for them. They're learning, getting licensed, starting businesses, creating content, networking, and finding their own place in the industry. Whether you're an HVAC technician, contractor, apprentice, business owner, instructor, or someone considering the skilled trades, this conversation has something for you. 🎧 Check out the full episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles. If you enjoy conversations with the technicians, contractors, manufacturers, trainers, and creators actually working in the trades, FOLLOW the show, leave a review, and SHARE this episode with another technician. Would you rather become a top-level technician or eventually take the risk and start your own company? Follow Mitch on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok: Total_HVAC. https://www.youtube.com/@Total_hvac https://www.instagram.com/total_hvac/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@total_hvac Commercial Kitchen Chronicles — The Original Foodservice Equipment Repair Podcast. https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com/

What does it really take to prepare the next generation of HVACR technicians for the field? This week on Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat sits down with Matthew LeMaster, HVACR instructor at the University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College, to talk about what happens between the classroom and that first real service call. Matthew didn’t originally plan on becoming an instructor. After working in commercial HVAC and serving as a field supervisor, a phone call from one of his former instructors opened the door to teaching. Once he stepped into the classroom, he was hooked. Today, he helps lead a nationally accredited HVACR program focused on giving students more than just enough knowledge to pass a test. We get into the realities of HVACR education, including one of the biggest misconceptions in the industry: graduating from trade school doesn’t automatically make someone a fully independent service technician. Matthew explains why his goal is to get students roughly 85–90% of the way there, while internships, mentorship, employer training, and real-world experience finish the job. We also dig into: • Why HVACR theory still matters before touching the equipment • Teaching troubleshooting instead of just memorizing procedures • Why AIRFLOW needs more attention in HVACR training • Why gauges shouldn't always be the first tool out of the bag • Analog gauges vs. digital manifolds and probes • Using technology without letting it replace actual understanding • Building confidence in new technicians • Why soft skills and customer service are critical to a technician's success • What employers should realistically expect from new graduates • Getting manufacturers and contractors more involved with trade schools • Why instructors need to stay connected to the field • The strengths—and challenges—of the next generation of HVACR technicians • ESCO, HVAC Excellence, and Matthew's CSME in Technical Education • What Matthew wants his legacy as an instructor to ultimately be One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is simple: training technicians isn't just about refrigeration cycles, electrical troubleshooting, superheat, subcooling, airflow, or knowing how to use a meter. It's about developing technicians who can THINK, troubleshoot, communicate with customers, adapt to technology, and continue learning after they leave the classroom. Matthew also shares why he wants every student who comes through his program to know they were seen, heard, and supported—not treated like another number. https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-lemaster-3493653a3/ https://www.escogroup.org/ 🐍 THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY VIPER Today's episode is brought to you by Viper from Refrigeration Technologies. From coil cleaners and drain treatments to specialty chemicals designed for HVAC/R professionals, Viper products are built for technicians who need products that work in the real world. Whether you're servicing HVAC, refrigeration, or commercial kitchen equipment, check out Viper and the complete lineup from Refrigeration Technologies. https://www.refrigtech.com/ If you're an HVACR technician, instructor, contractor, service manager, trade school student, or anyone concerned about where the next generation of skilled trades professionals is coming from, this is a conversation worth hearing. Commercial Kitchen Chronicles is The Original Foodservice Equipment Repair Podcast, bringing together technicians, trainers, manufacturers, educators, and industry leaders to have the conversations that move the skilled trades forward. 👉 Subscribe and follow Commercial Kitchen Chronicles so you don't miss an episode. https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com/ 👍 If this episode brought you value, share it with another technician, instructor, student, or service manager. 💬 What do YOU think HVACR programs and employers need to do differently to prepare the next generation of technicians? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Commercial refrigeration is changing fast—but the fundamentals still matter. In this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat sits down with Chris Thomas of Heatcraft Refrigeration Products for a deep dive into refrigeration, technician training, troubleshooting, system charging, controls, and where the industry is headed. Chris brings more than four decades of HVAC/R experience, from residential and commercial HVAC to chillers, supermarket rack refrigeration, technical training, field support, and his current role supporting technicians and products at Heatcraft. We get into Heatcraft itself, including the history behind brands like Bohn, Larkin, Chandler, Climate Control, and Magna, along with the evolution of refrigeration controls from Beacon to today's intelliGen platform. One of the biggest themes of this episode is something every technician needs to hear: Understanding how equipment is SUPPOSED to operate is the foundation of troubleshooting it when something goes wrong. Chris explains how modern controls can give technicians valuable system information before they arrive on site—including temperatures, superheat, operating conditions, and even the ability to initiate a defrost remotely. Technology isn't replacing the technician. It's giving a knowledgeable technician better information. But technology can't replace fundamentals. We talk about technician curiosity, asking WHY instead of simply looking for an answer, learning sequence of operation, reaching out for help, and investing as much into training as we invest into tools. Then we get into a conversation guaranteed to get refrigeration technicians talking: How should you actually charge a commercial refrigeration system? Chris breaks down charging problems Heatcraft encounters in the field and why relying on shortcuts, rules of thumb, or a clear sight glass can send technicians in the wrong direction. We discuss receivers, line length, refrigerant differences, manufacturer charging information, and why system design and application matter. We also talk about proper installation and maintenance. Even the best refrigeration equipment depends on correct sizing, installation, commissioning, service, and maintenance. Throughout the conversation, Chris and Pat get into: • Commercial refrigeration troubleshooting • Heatcraft refrigeration equipment • Bohn, Larkin, Chandler & other Heatcraft brands • intelliGen refrigeration controls • Walk-in cooler and freezer systems • Refrigeration system charging • Sight glasses and refrigerant charge • Receivers and liquid-line considerations • Superheat and subcooling • System sizing and application • OEM technical support • Technician training and continuing education • Analog vs. digital refrigeration tools • Troubleshooting without jumping to conclusions • Building strong fundamentals • The future of commercial refrigeration Whether you're a seasoned refrigeration technician, just getting started in HVAC/R, or responsible for training the next generation, there's something in this conversation for you. The biggest takeaway? Stay curious. The technicians who keep asking questions, keep learning, understand the fundamentals, and aren't afraid to admit when they don't know something are the technicians who will be prepared for whatever refrigeration throws at us next. https://www.heatcraftrpd.com/ Catch up with Chris Thomas https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-thomas-8b12031b2/ Commercial Kitchen Chronicles is the original foodservice equipment repair podcast—built by technicians, for technicians. If you work on commercial refrigeration, walk-in coolers, walk-in freezers, restaurant equipment, HVAC/R, ice machines, cooking equipment, warewashing equipment, or foodservice equipment, follow Commercial Kitchen Chronicles so you don't miss the next episode. If you enjoyed the conversation, leave a rating or review and share it with another technician. https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com/

WE MADE IT TO 200! Commercial Kitchen Chronicles officially hits EPISODE 200! What started as a way to talk shop and shine a light on the foodservice equipment repair industry has somehow turned into 200 episodes of technicians, manufacturers, trainers, business owners, skilled trades conversations, questionable opinions, trash talking, and plenty of completely unscripted moments. For Episode 200, Pat is joined by Jason Latimer and Rich Ortega to celebrate the milestone, look back at the journey, and talk about where everyone — and the industry — is headed next. We get into career changes, growing businesses, training technicians, developing the next generation of tradespeople, and what happens when your career starts taking you in directions you never expected. Pat breaks down the CFESA Top Tech Throwdown and the effort that went into creating a hands-on competition designed to showcase the skills of commercial food equipment service technicians. Refrigeration, brazing, troubleshooting and real-world technical skills were put front and center. That leads into a bigger conversation about one of the biggest challenges facing the skilled trades: developing young technicians. Instead of constantly complaining that nobody wants to work anymore, maybe it's time we ask ourselves what we're doing to teach, mentor and create opportunities for the people entering the industry. Rich also gives us an update on growing his service business, hiring technicians, adding office support and reaching the point where NOT hiring someone becomes a bigger risk than making the investment. And because this is CKC, we eventually get completely sidetracked. Trade shows, AHR Expo, NAFEM, HVAC Tactical Awards, social media, AI-generated content, the future of CKC and plenty of other topics make their way into the conversation. But we couldn't celebrate EPISODE 200 without going BIG. THE CKC EPISODE 200 GIVEAWAY IS HERE! Some incredible companies from across the industry stepped up with tools, equipment, swag and prizes to help us celebrate, including TruTech Tools, UEI Test Instruments, Ambro Controls, Refrigeration Technologies, Kolpak, Kason and more. Watch Commercial Kitchen Chronicles social media for giveaway details and your chance to win. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ VIPER & REFRIGERATION TECHNOLOGIES Two hundred episodes means a lot of conversations about doing the job right — and that starts with having products you can trust in the field. That's why we're proud to have Viper from Refrigeration Technologies supporting Commercial Kitchen Chronicles. From Viper WetRag Heat Blocking Putty and Venom Packs to Nylog Blue, Big Blu leak detector and the chemicals technicians reach for every day, Refrigeration Technologies builds products specifically for HVAC/R and refrigeration professionals. Whether you're brazing, leak checking, cleaning coils or servicing refrigeration equipment, check out the Viper lineup from Refrigeration Technologies. Support the companies that support technicians and the skilled trades. https://www.refrigtech.com/ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Episode 200 isn't really about a number. It's about everyone who has watched a livestream, downloaded an episode, left a comment, shared a video, stopped us at a trade show, appeared as a guest, supported the show or told another technician about Commercial Kitchen Chronicles. YOU are the reason we made it here. And we're not finished. Listen to the full episode, subscribe, share it with another technician and leave us a comment: How long have you been following CKC, and what do you want to see from us over the next 200 episodes? Thanks for helping us get to 200. Now let's see where this thing goes next. Want to be a guest on Commercial Kitchen Chronicles? Interested? Shoot me a DM and let’s get you on the schedule. https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com/

What actually makes great HVAC training? It isn't memorizing a PowerPoint, following a checklist, or teaching technicians to become parts changers. Great training should teach technicians how to THINK, troubleshoot, ask questions, find reliable information, and understand why a system is doing what it's doing. This week on Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat sits down with HVACR trainer, consultant, researcher, and longtime technician Eric Kaiser for a conversation focused heavily on HVAC training, technician development, building performance, troubleshooting, and the future of the skilled trades. Eric started in the HVAC trade more than 20 years ago as a residential service technician. Early in his career, training wasn't optional. Before working independently on fuel-fired equipment, he went through an intensive combustion analysis class. That emphasis on education helped develop something that would shape his entire career: curiosity. That curiosity took Eric from residential service into commercial and industrial HVACR, distributor technical support, industry engagement, HVAC education, consulting, research, building science, and building performance. A major focus of this conversation is HOW we train technicians. Hands-on training is important, but sometimes we need "brains on" training too. Are we teaching technicians how to diagnose a system, or just giving them procedures to follow? Can they understand airflow, refrigeration, combustion, electrical systems, and building performance well enough to recognize when something doesn't make sense? More importantly, are we teaching technicians how to find the answer? Pat and Eric discuss combustion analysis, airflow, air balancing, belts and sheaves, pulley alignment, lubrication, makeup air, refrigeration, HVAC maintenance, building science, indoor air quality, human comfort, troubleshooting, technical support, and why experienced technicians should never stop learning. They also tackle one of the biggest challenges facing today's HVACR technician: information. Technicians now have YouTube, social media, forums, manufacturer documentation, technical support, Google, online training, and artificial intelligence at their fingertips. But having more information doesn't mean that information is correct. Knowing how to research, verify technical information, read manufacturer literature, ask better questions, and recognize bad advice may be one of the most important skills we can teach the next generation of technicians. Eric also discusses his evolution as an instructor and moving away from "death by PowerPoint." Effective HVAC education should be interactive. Ask questions. Encourage discussion. Challenge technicians to think. Adapt the training to the people in the room. The goal isn't simply helping someone pass a test. It's developing better technicians. https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-kaiser-323a1563/ https://www.instagram.com/hvac_elk/?hl=en The conversation also explores mentorship, building performance, indoor comfort, manufacturer consulting, product development, research, and helping technicians understand the relationship between HVAC equipment and the building it's conditioning. And when you're putting that knowledge to work in the field, the products you use matter. Viper products from Refrigeration Technologies are built around the work HVACR and refrigeration technicians perform every day. From cleaning and maintenance products to Nylog, leak detection, and other technician essentials, Viper gives technicians products designed to help get the job done right. https://www.refrigtech.com/ If you're an HVAC technician, refrigeration technician, commercial HVACR technician, foodservice equipment repair technician, instructor, trainer, service manager, contractor, or manufacturer, this conversation is for you. https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com/