The Restaurant Coach Podcast

DEC 19, 2025

Episode 178 – Chef Neo vs. The Matrix (with Craig Shelton)

What happens when a James Beard Award–winning chef looks around the modern food industry and realizes the system was never built to serve craft, soul, or truth? This episode is a WAKE-UP CALL. In Chef Neo vs. The Matrix, I sit down with legendary Chef Craig Shelton for a raw, unfiltered conversation about what mass production, scale-at-all-costs, and corporate commercialization have done to the heart of the culinary world. This isn’t nostalgia. This isn’t complaining. This is a line in the sand. Craig takes us deep into the moment many chefs silently experience—when the love of food collides with the pressure to standardize, cut corners, chase volume, and surrender creativity for efficiency and margins. If you’ve ever felt like: <ul data-start="834" data-end="1093"> <li data-start="834" data-end="886"> You’re producing food but losing your identity </li> <li data-start="887" data-end="943"> Your restaurant runs, but your soul is suffocating </li> <li data-start="944" data-end="1028"> You didn’t become a chef to serve a system that feels hollow and transactional </li> <li data-start="1029" data-end="1093"> The industry promised freedom… and delivered a golden cage </li> </ul> This episode is for you. We talk about: <ul data-start="1136" data-end="1481"> <li data-start="1136" data-end="1209"> The Matrix of mass production and how chefs get trapped inside it </li> <li data-start="1210" data-end="1273"> Why commercialization quietly erodes creativity and purpose </li> <li data-start="1274" data-end="1337"> The difference between scaling food and scaling meaning </li> <li data-start="1338" data-end="1397"> What it really means to take the red pill as a chef </li> <li data-start="1398" data-end="1481"> How to reclaim craftsmanship, leadership, and freedom without selling your soul </li> </ul> This conversation isn’t comfortable—and it’s not supposed to be. If you’ve felt that quiet inner voice whispering, “There has to be another way,” consider this your signal. It’s time for chefs to stop playing a role in someone else’s system. It’s time to wake up. It’s time to be free of the Matrix. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3a7.png" alt="🎧" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Press play. Take the red pill. And decide who you’re really cooking for. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f449.png" alt="👉" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> If you want to see what the TRC Method can do for your and your restaurant, book a TRC Method Strategy Call (for FREE) with me personally at <a class="decorated-link" href="http://www.GrowMyRestaurantNOW.com" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="1184" data-end="1247">www.GrowMyRestaurantNOW.com</a> About DB Donald Burns is a best-selling author, high-performance restaurant strategist, and founder of The TRC Method<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />, the framework behind some of the most profitable and disciplined independent restaurants in the industry. Known globally as The Restaurant Coach®, Donald has spent more than four decades in the trenches of hospitality—first as a chef trained by his father, a member of the elite United States Air Force Pararescue Teams, a restaurant owner, and ultimately as the strategist restaurant leaders call when burnout, chaos, and shrinking margins are no longer acceptable. Donald is the author of multiple influential books, including the Your Restaurant Sucks trilogy, Savage Restaurant Success, and Ingredients, with his forthcoming work Restaurantology redefining how leaders think about profit, people, and performance in a low-margin industry. His work challenges the hustle mythology that keeps owners trapped and replaces it with a disciplined, systems-driven approach built on mindset, culture, and execution. Through his coaching programs, workshops, and live events, Donald has helped thousands of independent restaurant owners reclaim profitability, leadership confidence, and personal freedom—without sacrificing their health, families, or values. His coaching ecosystem spans group masterminds, private advisory, consultant certification, and enterprise-level frameworks used by top operators and industry consultants. Donald is a strategist trusted by driven founders, high-achievers, and restaurant leaders who are done playing small. Drawing from decades of operational experience, special operations discipline, behavioral psychology, and faith-centered leadership, he is known for delivering uncomfortable truths with clarity, conviction, and results. Beyond business, Donald is deeply committed to leadership development, spiritual growth, and breaking generational cycles of burnout in hospitality. His mission is simple but uncompromising: to liberate independent restaurant owners from self-made prisons and help them build restaurants—and lives—that actually work. Welcome to The Restaurant Coach Podcast—where performance meets purpose, and average is no longer an option.

55 MIN

DEC 4, 2025

Episode 177 – From Firefighter Mode to Success Mode with Megan Coignard

In this episode of The Restaurant Coach Podcast, I sit down with Megan Coignard, owner of Nicolo’s Pizza in Lakewood, Colorado—an independent restaurant operator who was once drowning in chaos, burnout, and the never-ending cycle every owner knows too well: firefighter mode. Two years ago, Megan picked up the phone because she had hit a wall. No more ideas. No more bandwidth. No more margin for error. Her restaurant was slipping away, and she knew doing more of the same wasn’t going to save it. What happened next is why this episode matters. Megan made a decision most restaurant owners never make: She stopped trying to survive… and committed to learning how to win. By diving into The TRC Method<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />, Megan rebuilt her restaurant from the inside out. She fixed her systems. She tightened her standards. She reclaimed her culture. She took control of her numbers. She transformed from an exhausted operator into a focused, confident, high-performance restaurateur. Today, Nicolo’s isn’t just stable—it’s thriving. Bigger sales. Better team. Stronger brand. Clear direction. And Megan is no longer the firefighter running into burning rooms. She’s the leader building a restaurant that lasts. In this episode, you’ll hear: • What pushed Megan to finally ask for help • The exact TRC Method<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />tools she used to create fast, measurable change • How she broke the cycle of panic, overwhelm, and reactivity • What every independent restaurant owner must understand about culture, leadership, and standards • Why waiting for “the right time” is the most expensive decision you can make If you’ve ever felt like your restaurant owns you, Megan’s story will show you what’s possible when you stop fighting fires… and start building a future. Listen now—and discover how one courageous owner turned a struggling pizzeria into a powerful, profitable brand using a proven system that works every single time it’s applied. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f449.png" alt="👉" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> If you want to see these kinds of results in your own restaurant, book a TRC Method Strategy Call (for FREE) with me personally at <a class="decorated-link" href="http://www.GrowMyRestaurantNOW.com" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="1184" data-end="1247">www.GrowMyRestaurantNOW.com</a>

31 MIN

SEP 11, 2025

Episode 176 – From Bleeding Cash to Banking Profit with Matt & Stephanie Dunken

In this episode of The Restaurant Coach® Podcast, I sit down with Matt & Stephanie Dunken, the powerhouse duo behind <a href="https://www.slamdunkpizza.com/">Slam Dunk Pizza</a>. Their story is one every independent restaurant owner needs to hear. When they started working with the TRC Method<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />, they were drowning with a prime cost of 94%. Profit was non-existent, stress was constant, and vacations were nothing more than wishful thinking. Fast forward to today, and they’ve slashed their prime cost down to 53%—a complete game changer for their business. Even better, they’ve gone from seven years without a single vacation to enjoying 4–5 vacations every year. This episode is proof that you don’t need to be stuck in the grind forever. With the right frameworks, discipline, and focus, you can take control of your numbers, reclaim your freedom, and finally build the restaurant and life you deserve. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f449.png" alt="👉" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> If you want to see these kinds of results in your own restaurant, book a <a href="https://www.donaldburns.net/">Profit Recovery Session</a> with me personally at <a class="decorated-link" href="http://www.TheRestaurantCoach.com" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="1184" data-end="1247">www.TheRestaurantCoach.com</a>

44 MIN

AUG 20, 2025

Episode 175 – Passion Drives Profits with Mark & Ruth Mills of The Plough

<h2 data-start="293" data-end="539">Restaurants are rarely just about food.</h2> The ones that rise above the noise—the ones that dominate their markets—understand that culture drives everything. That’s the story behind <a href="https://www.theplough.com.au/">The Plough @ Myrniong </a>in Australia, led by Mark and Ruth Mills. In this episode of The Restaurant Coach Podcast, we uncover what happens when passion is channeled into purpose, when culture becomes the compass, and when the right coaching framework turns chaos into clarity. <h3 data-start="764" data-end="799">Why Culture Changes Everything</h3> Mark and Ruth didn’t just want to run a restaurant; they wanted to create an experience that guests would never forget. But passion alone isn’t enough. Like so many owners, they found themselves caught in the grind—working harder and harder but not necessarily moving forward. The turning point came when they realized culture wasn’t a side project—it was the foundation. From the way their team showed up each day to how guests were treated at every table, culture became the driver of consistency, energy, and connection. As they’ll tell you, when culture shifts, everything else follows. <h3 data-start="1403" data-end="1436">The Power of Getting a Coach</h3> One of the biggest lessons from Mark and Ruth’s journey is the decision to invest in coaching. Too many owners think they can figure it all out themselves, but the truth is, nobody wins alone. Getting a coach wasn’t about having someone tell them what to do—it was about having someone challenge their thinking, hold them accountable, and provide the proven tools that cut years of trial and error. That decision didn’t just improve their restaurant…it transformed it. <h3 data-start="1918" data-end="1951">From Competing to Dominating</h3> Before adopting the TRC Method<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />, The Plough was like many independent restaurants: working hard to stay afloat, constantly looking over their shoulder at the competition. After implementing the systems, strategies, and mindset shifts of The TRC Method<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />, they no longer saw themselves in competition. They created clarity, built a culture that people wanted to be part of, and crafted a guest experience that was undeniable. Today, The Plough doesn’t compete. They dominate. <h3 data-start="2441" data-end="2480">Lessons for Every Restaurant Owner</h3> What Mark and Ruth’s story shows is simple but profound: <ul data-start="2542" data-end="2792"> <li data-start="2542" data-end="2593"> Passion is fuel, but culture is the engine. </li> <li data-start="2594" data-end="2664"> Without coaching, you’ll waste years trying to reinvent the wheel. </li> <li data-start="2665" data-end="2792"> When you stop copying others and start building systems unique to your vision, you move from survival to market domination. </li> </ul> This isn’t just about one restaurant in Australia—it’s about what’s possible for every independent owner who refuses to settle for mediocrity. <h4 data-start="2945" data-end="2964">Final Thoughts</h4> Episode 175 is more than a conversation—it’s a wake-up call. If you’re still stuck competing on price, chasing trends, or living in reaction mode, you’re playing the wrong game. The Plough shows us that with passion, culture, and the right coaching system, you can build a restaurant that doesn’t just survive the market…it OWNS it. <a href="https://academy.therestaurantcoach.com/schedule-your-call">BOOK A 1:1 STRATEGY SESSION WITH ME HERE!</a>

76 MIN

JUL 10, 2025

Episode 174: From Cringe Posts to Killer Growth with Bruce Irving

Most restaurant owners think they’re doing “marketing.” But what they’re actually doing is noise. In this raw and real conversation with Bruce Irving—founder of Smart Pizza Marketing and one of the most respected voices in restaurant marketing—we pull back the curtain on what’s really holding restaurant owners back. We talk about the outdated tactics that make you look desperate, the cringe-worthy content that’s pushing guests away, and the simple moves that actually create momentum and drive growth. This isn’t another fluffy conversation about social media trends or the next shiny tool. This is a masterclass in clarity. You’ll learn: <ul data-start="915" data-end="1361"> <li data-start="915" data-end="1014"> What Bruce would do if dropped into a failing pizzeria with only $1,000 and one week to save it </li> <li data-start="1015" data-end="1094"> The most common marketing mistakes that make restaurants look like amateurs </li> <li data-start="1095" data-end="1172"> How to create a brand story people actually care about—and want to follow </li> <li data-start="1173" data-end="1272"> The difference between visibility and relevance (and why most restaurant owners get this wrong) </li> <li data-start="1273" data-end="1361"> The mindset shifts required to play the long game in an industry addicted to shortcuts </li> </ul> And just to keep it interesting—we also dive into some fun curveballs: What’s Bruce’s spirit animal? What’s the weirdest DM he’s ever received from a restaurant owner? What advice would he give his younger self starting Smart Pizza Marketing? This episode is full of real talk, bold insights, and practical wisdom from someone who’s not theorizing from the sidelines—he’s been in the game for decades, helping restaurants build brands that last. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, frustrated, or just stuck trying to figure out what actually works… This is your wake-up call. Listen to Episode 174 now. And start moving from cringe posts to killer growth. <h4 data-start="1948" data-end="2033">Want to see if coaching is right for you and your restaurant?</h4> <h4 data-start="1948" data-end="2033"><a href="https://donaldburns.typeform.com/to/lF4hRDPz">Apply for a 1:1 Profit Recovery Call</a> with my team.</h4>

54 MIN

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