<p>In this powerhouse episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat sits down with industry legend <strong>John Bettiga</strong>—a man whose career spans automotive and marine mechanics, semi-hermetic compressor rebuilding, commercial/industrial/marine refrigeration, grocery rack systems, Whataburger facilities, building controls, kitchen design, and supporting 150+ technicians across 17 states.</p><p>This is one of the most wide-ranging and knowledge-packed conversations ever recorded on CKC, and it’s loaded with real-world stories, technical insight, career lessons, and the evolution of the entire <strong>HVACR, refrigeration, hot-side equipment, and facility management</strong> landscape.</p><p>John walks us through:<br>• Starting as a teenage auto/marine mechanic<br>• Jumping into semi-hermetic compressor rebuilds in the 70s/80s<br>• Riding in a service truck, learning by fire, and being thrown at massive mechanical systems<br>• Working grocery store rack refrigeration with HEB<br>• Moving home and joining Whataburger as a refrigeration mechanic &amp; electrician<br>• Learning hot-side “by force”<br>• Diving into electronics and board repair<br>• Running a refurb depot for fryers, grills, coolers, and beverage equipment<br>• Becoming a building engineer for an 80,000 sq ft headquarters<br>• Managing major remodels, rebuilds, and design projects<br>• Designing the kitchen layout Whataburger still uses today<br>• Being an early adopter of building controls (CPC/Emerson E2, RS-485 networks, automation)<br>• Supporting 150+ techs across 17 states with refrigeration, HVAC, and control-system troubleshooting</p><p>From 120º ship engine rooms… to rack systems with 300 lbs of lost refrigerant… to fryer redesigns… to the rise of communication-enabled commercial equipment—John has seen it all, fixed it all, and helped shape modern foodservice facility design.</p><p>If you’re into <strong>commercial kitchen repair, HVACR diagnostics, refrigeration systems, rack refrigeration, marine HVAC, building automation, hot-side equipment troubleshooting, facility innovation, EMS systems, commercial kitchen design, or technician development</strong>, this episode is a goldmine.</p><p>John drops deep topics like:<br>• How technicians should approach unfamiliar equipment<br>• Why electronics changed everything<br>• The truth about controls vs equipment failure<br>• The biggest skill gaps in today’s tech workforce<br>• Why ventilation is the silent killer of commercial kitchens<br>• What separates a “good tech” from a high-level tech<br>• How communication tech and remote troubleshooting are reshaping the trade<br>• Why seeking training—on your own—is the ultimate career cheat code</p><p>And of course… some wild stories:<br>• A grocery case explosion that launched a customer into her own shopping cart<br>• 120º boiler rooms inside oil tankers<br>• Construction crews building restaurants wrong and having to tear out walls<br>• Old-school ice machines that diagnosed themselves<br>• And plenty more…</p><p>This episode is the perfect blend of <strong>trade history, tech wisdom, design philosophy, field troubleshooting, and real-world storytelling</strong> from one of the most well-rounded professionals in the industry.</p><p>If you’re a technician, trainer, designer, engineer, or someone looking to grow in the foodservice equipment or HVACR world—this is a must-listen.</p><p><br></p><p>Proudly brought to you by Viper from refrigeration Technologies</p><p>“Hey Technicians! 👨‍🔧 👩‍🔧 Looking for products that were <em>designed by technicians, for technicians</em>? Look no further than Refrigeration Technologies. Their motto? <em>Comfort through chemistry.</em> </p><p>From super-sensitive leak-detection solutions that catch the tiniest refrigerant escapes, to their Viper coil-cleaners that blast away grease and grime—even around food zones! </p><p>Need rugged welding support, OEM-approved non-contaminating sealants, or full-suite HVAC/R chemical solutions? They’ve got you covered. </p><p>So next job? Gear up with Refrigeration Technologies. and work smarter, safer, better. Visit <a href="https://www.refrigtech.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://www.refrigtech.com/</a> and level-up your service game. 💪🔧</p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com/</a></p>

Commercial Kitchen Chronicles

Commercial Kitchen Chronicles

Episode 164:The Evolution of a Tech: A Deep Dive Into HVACR, Hot-Side, Controls, & Facility Innovation with John Bettiga

NOV 28, 202562 MIN
Commercial Kitchen Chronicles

Episode 164:The Evolution of a Tech: A Deep Dive Into HVACR, Hot-Side, Controls, & Facility Innovation with John Bettiga

NOV 28, 202562 MIN

Description

<p>In this powerhouse episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat sits down with industry legend <strong>John Bettiga</strong>—a man whose career spans automotive and marine mechanics, semi-hermetic compressor rebuilding, commercial/industrial/marine refrigeration, grocery rack systems, Whataburger facilities, building controls, kitchen design, and supporting 150+ technicians across 17 states.</p><p>This is one of the most wide-ranging and knowledge-packed conversations ever recorded on CKC, and it’s loaded with real-world stories, technical insight, career lessons, and the evolution of the entire <strong>HVACR, refrigeration, hot-side equipment, and facility management</strong> landscape.</p><p>John walks us through:<br>• Starting as a teenage auto/marine mechanic<br>• Jumping into semi-hermetic compressor rebuilds in the 70s/80s<br>• Riding in a service truck, learning by fire, and being thrown at massive mechanical systems<br>• Working grocery store rack refrigeration with HEB<br>• Moving home and joining Whataburger as a refrigeration mechanic &amp; electrician<br>• Learning hot-side “by force”<br>• Diving into electronics and board repair<br>• Running a refurb depot for fryers, grills, coolers, and beverage equipment<br>• Becoming a building engineer for an 80,000 sq ft headquarters<br>• Managing major remodels, rebuilds, and design projects<br>• Designing the kitchen layout Whataburger still uses today<br>• Being an early adopter of building controls (CPC/Emerson E2, RS-485 networks, automation)<br>• Supporting 150+ techs across 17 states with refrigeration, HVAC, and control-system troubleshooting</p><p>From 120º ship engine rooms… to rack systems with 300 lbs of lost refrigerant… to fryer redesigns… to the rise of communication-enabled commercial equipment—John has seen it all, fixed it all, and helped shape modern foodservice facility design.</p><p>If you’re into <strong>commercial kitchen repair, HVACR diagnostics, refrigeration systems, rack refrigeration, marine HVAC, building automation, hot-side equipment troubleshooting, facility innovation, EMS systems, commercial kitchen design, or technician development</strong>, this episode is a goldmine.</p><p>John drops deep topics like:<br>• How technicians should approach unfamiliar equipment<br>• Why electronics changed everything<br>• The truth about controls vs equipment failure<br>• The biggest skill gaps in today’s tech workforce<br>• Why ventilation is the silent killer of commercial kitchens<br>• What separates a “good tech” from a high-level tech<br>• How communication tech and remote troubleshooting are reshaping the trade<br>• Why seeking training—on your own—is the ultimate career cheat code</p><p>And of course… some wild stories:<br>• A grocery case explosion that launched a customer into her own shopping cart<br>• 120º boiler rooms inside oil tankers<br>• Construction crews building restaurants wrong and having to tear out walls<br>• Old-school ice machines that diagnosed themselves<br>• And plenty more…</p><p>This episode is the perfect blend of <strong>trade history, tech wisdom, design philosophy, field troubleshooting, and real-world storytelling</strong> from one of the most well-rounded professionals in the industry.</p><p>If you’re a technician, trainer, designer, engineer, or someone looking to grow in the foodservice equipment or HVACR world—this is a must-listen.</p><p><br></p><p>Proudly brought to you by Viper from refrigeration Technologies</p><p>“Hey Technicians! 👨‍🔧 👩‍🔧 Looking for products that were <em>designed by technicians, for technicians</em>? Look no further than Refrigeration Technologies. Their motto? <em>Comfort through chemistry.</em> </p><p>From super-sensitive leak-detection solutions that catch the tiniest refrigerant escapes, to their Viper coil-cleaners that blast away grease and grime—even around food zones! </p><p>Need rugged welding support, OEM-approved non-contaminating sealants, or full-suite HVAC/R chemical solutions? They’ve got you covered. </p><p>So next job? Gear up with Refrigeration Technologies. and work smarter, safer, better. Visit <a href="https://www.refrigtech.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://www.refrigtech.com/</a> and level-up your service game. 💪🔧</p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com/</a></p>