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JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS

JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS

Di: Better with Bacon Fat Studios / Justin Bizzarro
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Free Podcast. No Advertisements. The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business. What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?A Better with Bacon Fat Studios Ltd. Production. Copyright 2026. All rights reserved. Arte Cucina Economia Enogastronomia Gestione e leadership Leadership
Episodi
  • Episode 525: Stephen Le of The Kroft - Anaheim, CA. The Road from Shabu Street to Poutine Boulevard. The Kroft’s Rise, Fall & Redemption. WE are GIVEN SKILLS, then BROKEN DOWN, and REBUILT FOR PURPOSE

    Episode 525: Stephen Le of The Kroft - Anaheim, CA. The Road from Shabu Street to Poutine Boulevard. The Kroft’s Rise, Fall & Redemption. WE are GIVEN SKILLS, then BROKEN DOWN, and REBUILT FOR PURPOSE
    May 18 2026
    An 800-square-foot restaurant generating $2.5 million in its first year is every food entrepreneur’s dream—but as Stephen Le of The Kroft discovered, early success can quickly become a nightmare without discipline and operational control. In this incredibly raw and transparent episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, host Justin Bizzarro sits down with Stephen Le to unpack the meteoric rise, painful fall, and triumphant rebirth of his fast-casual empire. Stephen’s story is a masterclass in extreme accountability. He shares how his ego grew alongside his sales, leading him to step back from the business just when it needed him most. As standards slipped and the pandemic hit, revenues plummeted by more than 50%, and Stephen found himself spiraling into substance abuse. His decision to check into rehab in April 2022 didn't just save his life—it saved his business. By taking absolute ownership of his failures, re-establishing daily discipline, and getting back into the trenches with his staff, he rebuilt The Kroft into a highly optimized, scalable brand. The Journey of The Kroft 1990s-2000s: The Spark - As a first-generation Vietnamese American latchkey kid, Stephen discovers his passion for food by cooking for his family's weekend BBQs. 2010: First Venture of Shabu-Shabu - Opens a shabu-shabu restaurant in Irvine with friends. He learns the hospitality ropes through a concept that requires heavy prep but no traditional line chefs. 2013-2014: The Kroft Explodes - Pivots to fast-casual with The Kroft, serving artisan poutine and sandwiches. The tiny 800 sq. ft. Anaheim location does a staggering $2.5 million in year one. 2018-2021: The Decline - Success breeds ego. Stephen steps back to golf and pursue side projects. Standards slip, sales drop to $1.2 million, and pandemic stress leads to a downward spiral. April 2022: Rehab & Rebirth - Checks into rehab, gets sober, and takes full accountability. He starts building daily habits (like making his bed) and returns to lead the business from the front lines. Present: Optimization & Expansion - Returns to original recipes, empowers staff, dials in finances, and hires a dedicated marketing team. The Kroft scales successfully across Southern California. The 3 Spreadsheets That Saved The Business A major turning point for Stephen was moving away from "gut feeling" management to data-driven leadership. He maintains a strict 26% to 30% Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) target by relying on three core reports: Report Type Primary Purpose Impact Gross Sales Analysis Tracks MoM and YoY growth. Allows for direct performance comparisons across all locations. Bread Par Sheet Tracks exact daily usage of artisan bread. Eliminated $300/month in bread waste by adjusting pars based on product mix. COGS Tracker Monitors vendor invoices (meat, produce, supplies). Identifies location-specific waste (e.g., catching when one store uses 10% more meat than another). Key Lessons for Scaling Entrepreneurs Extreme Ownership: You cannot fix your business until you accept that every failure—from slipping food quality to high turnover—is ultimately your fault as the owner. Invest in Your Core Team: Stephen’s turnaround relied heavily on identifying five key players at each location. By investing in them and genuinely caring about their growth, he transformed $15/hour line cooks into six-figure General Managers. Standardize Before You Market: Never pump the gas on marketing if your operations are broken. Stephen spent a full year walking the line, tasting food, and re-standardizing the original recipes before he spent a dime on new ad campaigns. The Power of Routine: Chaos in the kitchen is inevitable. Stephen manages it by ruthlessly scheduling his life—if an inventory check, vendor order, or staff lunch isn't on the Google Calendar, it doesn't exist. The episode covers practical lessons: recipe standardization, staffing and culture, financial tracking, marketing strategies, R&D, and personal recovery and discipline—straightforward advice for food entrepreneurs planning to scale. IG: @thekroft Address: www.thekroft.com Location: 440 S Anaheim Blvd #109, Anaheim, CA 92805 Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME ) Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? Justin Ryan Bizzarro is a multi-dimensional entrepreneur, mentor, and strategist whose career is defined by the intersection of legacy, leadership, and human growth. With a journey that began in his family’s basement in 1998, Justin helped scale a 24-year-old ecosystem of food and technology enterprises into a global benchmark for vertical integration and lean manufacturing. While his professional foundation is built on complex supply chains, restaurant development, and brand acceleration, Justin’s true north is development—whether it’s a startup, an elite ...
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    1 ora e 12 min
  • Episode 524: Chris Wheeler of Mealz on Wheelz - Lewes, DE. An Amazon Exec RESURRECTED into Food Trailer Founder. Using AI and Grit to Launch the FOOD Dream. GOD Gives Us TOOLS Over TIME to GIVE WITH.

    Episode 524: Chris Wheeler of Mealz on Wheelz - Lewes, DE. An Amazon Exec RESURRECTED into Food Trailer Founder. Using AI and Grit to Launch the FOOD Dream. GOD Gives Us TOOLS Over TIME to GIVE WITH.
    May 11 2026

    How does a Navy veteran go from turning wrenches on F-18 Hornets and managing thousand-person teams at Amazon to slinging double-smashed "Jedi Jammer" burgers out of a 16-foot trailer in Delaware?

    In this powerhouse episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, Justin sits down with Chris Wheeler to unpack the raw, unfiltered reality of leaving the corporate safety net to launch Mealz on Wheelz. Chris breaks down his incredibly fast-paced startup journey, including a grueling 26-hour round trip to secure his trailer and how he utilized AI—specifically his custom digital assistant, "Phyllis"—to design his branding, map out his equipment flow, and execute his menu in a fraction of the usual time.

    The mental toughness required to pivot when things go wrong is a major theme in this conversation. Pushing through adversity and teaching resilience through tough losses on the pitch with GorillaBrave FC perfectly parallels the exact perseverance Chris needed to transition into the high-stakes chaos of food entrepreneurship. Justin and Chris dive deep into the mindset required to survive 16-hour days, the importance of finding the right mentors, and why true leadership means getting behind the scenes to clean up the mess rather than just leading from the front.

    Whether you are looking to break out of the corporate grind, want to learn how to leverage AI to shortcut your startup phase, or just need a masterclass in relentless execution, this episode delivers.

    IG: @mealzonwheelzde

    Address: www.mealzonwheelzde.com

    Location: 17603 Shady Road, Lewes, DE 19958

    Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast

    Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )

    Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro?

    Justin Ryan Bizzarro is a multi-dimensional entrepreneur, mentor, and strategist whose career is defined by the intersection of legacy, leadership, and human growth. With a journey that began in his family’s basement in 1998, Justin helped scale a 24-year-old ecosystem of food and technology enterprises into a global benchmark for vertical integration and lean manufacturing.

    While his professional foundation is built on complex supply chains, restaurant development, and brand acceleration, Justin’s true north is development—whether it’s a startup, an elite athlete, or a community. As the founder of GorillaBrave, he has transitioned from building businesses to building humans, utilizing his "Troop" philosophy to empower the next generation of culinary and agricultural entrepreneurs.

    Justin is a sought-after voice on free markets, food diversity, and high-performance culture. His influence extends from the boardroom to the soccer pitch, where he coaches with the same tactical precision and "warrior" mindset he applies to his corporate ventures. Whether he is hosting a global podcast that reaches millions or developing curriculum for youth athletes, his mission remains constant: accelerating human potential.

    A lifelong student of leadership and service, Justin holds a BA from Dickinson College and an MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill, and deepen his perspective through taking classes towards a Master of Divinity in Leadership at Denver Seminary. Based in Colorado, he is a dedicated father, a steward of his family’s legacy, and a persistent advocate for those brave enough to capitalize on their own opportunities.

    Our [ELITE] Food, Farming, Hospitality, Nutrition, and Beverage Entrepreneurs Community: Under [NEW] Construction

    Blog Anyone?: GorillaBrave Blog

    On Instagram: GorillaBrave on Instagram

    GorillaBrave Group on Whoop: COMM-473D96

    Free Podcast. No Advertisements. The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business. What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?

    JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS

    Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com

    Instagram: @justinandthefoodentrepreneurs ( #foodentrepreneurs )

    All music is scored by host or royalty free.
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    1 ora e 10 min
  • Episode 523: Brian Youngblood of Prest Hummus - Boston, MA. A Harvard Business School Side Hustle turns Hummus Business Reinvention. WHERE to GO as an ENTREPRENEUR is [OFTEN] already in YOUR HANDS.

    Episode 523: Brian Youngblood of Prest Hummus - Boston, MA. A Harvard Business School Side Hustle turns Hummus Business Reinvention. WHERE to GO as an ENTREPRENEUR is [OFTEN] already in YOUR HANDS.
    May 4 2026
    How does a mechanical engineer who cut his teeth at Tesla and Apple pivot to revolutionizing one of the oldest foods in the world while earning his MBA at Harvard Business School? In this fascinating episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, host Justin Bizzarro sits down with Brian Youngblood, the innovative founder of the hummus brand Prest. This is a conversation about the intersection of high-tech manufacturing, environmental responsibility, and the grit required to build a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brand from a dorm room. Brian shares his journey from a childhood spent tinkering and building on a South Carolina lake to the high-stakes, fast-paced worlds of Tesla and Apple. He reveals how a pivotal role at a food-waste reduction startup opened his eyes to the massive environmental impact of spoiled food and single-use plastics, sparking the idea for Prest. His solution? A shelf-stable, powder-based hummus that consumers mix with water and their own fresh olive oil at home—eliminating the slimy residue, rapid spoilage, and plastic waste of traditional store-bought brands. This episode is a masterclass in "scrappy" entrepreneurship. Brian details how he bootstrapped his brand while studying at Harvard, utilizing the university's network of CPG alumni while ignoring the pressure to pursue trendy tech or AI ventures. He explains the strategic decision to skip building his own manufacturing facility in favor of partnering with a co-packer, allowing him to focus on sourcing high-quality, sesame-free ingredients and perfecting the formula. Listeners will also learn how Brian navigated the expensive world of branding on a tight budget by creatively partnering with a talented graduating design student. Justin and Brian discuss the deeper philosophy of entrepreneurship—how true innovation often comes from identifying a problem right in front of you, managing resources outside of your control, and ultimately, building a legacy that betters the world. Tune in for an inspiring look at how one entrepreneur is using lessons from the tech world to solve real-world problems in the food aisle. Key Takeaways The Problem with Store-Bought Hummus: How traditional packaging and preservatives lead to massive food and plastic waste, and how Prest’s powder-based formula solves this. The "Scrappy" Startup: How Brian leveraged university networks, cold-emailed design professors, and utilized co-packers to launch a CPG brand on a student budget. Sesame-Free Accessibility: How the decision to remove tahini (due to powderization issues) unexpectedly opened the product up to a massive allergy-conscious market. Tech Lessons for Food: Applying the rapid problem-solving skills learned at Tesla and Apple to the slow, physical world of food manufacturing. The "Hero" Product: Why focusing intensely on perfecting one core item is essential before expanding a product line. IG: @presthummus Address: www.eatprest.com Articles: https://www.entrepreneur.com/side-hustle/harvard-dorm-room-side-hustle-500000-in-sales-this-year-prest Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME ) Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? Justin Ryan Bizzarro is a multi-dimensional entrepreneur, mentor, and strategist whose career is defined by the intersection of legacy, leadership, and human growth. With a journey that began in his family’s basement in 1998, Justin helped scale a 24-year-old ecosystem of food and technology enterprises into a global benchmark for vertical integration and lean manufacturing. While his professional foundation is built on complex supply chains, restaurant development, and brand acceleration, Justin’s true north is development—whether it’s a startup, an elite athlete, or a community. As the founder of GorillaBrave, he has transitioned from building businesses to building humans, utilizing his "Troop" philosophy to empower the next generation of culinary and agricultural entrepreneurs. Justin is a sought-after voice on free markets, food diversity, and high-performance culture. His influence extends from the boardroom to the soccer pitch, where he coaches with the same tactical precision and "warrior" mindset he applies to his corporate ventures. Whether he is hosting a global podcast that reaches millions or developing curriculum for youth athletes, his mission remains constant: accelerating human potential. A lifelong student of leadership and service, Justin holds a BA from Dickinson College and an MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill, and deepen his perspective through taking classes towards a Master of Divinity in Leadership at Denver Seminary. Based in Colorado, he is a dedicated father, a steward of his family’s legacy, and a persistent advocate for those brave enough to capitalize on their own opportunities. Our [ELITE] Food, Farming, Hospitality, Nutrition, and ...
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    1 ora e 15 min
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