Kevin Fink is an extraordinary chef and restauranteur who, as owner of Emmer & Rye hospitality, has opened a myriad of acclaimed restaurants in Austin, TX (Emmer & Rye, Hestia, Canje, Nicosi, and Kalimotxo just to name a few). With a strong focus on hospitality and seasonality, Fink and his team strive to highlight so many different styles of cuisines across their impressive roster of eateries. Ryan and Kevin talk about managing and operating such a large number of spaces, what makes a "good" restaurant a "great" restaurant, and, of course, Fink's humble beginnings in the kitchen that allowed him to become the powerhouse entrepreneur and chef he is known to be today.

In this Austin-edition of the Ryan Poli Podcast, Ryan chats with Amanda Rockman, veteran pastry-chef and recipient of multiple Jean Banchet Awards + James Beard semi-finalist. The two personalities chat about the perils of opening a new space, overcoming unforeseen obstacles, and finding the balance between emotional connection and business.

Check out Rockman here:

rockmanatx.com

In this week's episode, Ryan has a particularly philosophical chat with Tavel Bristol-Joseph. Bristol-Joseph is the Director of Hospitality, co-owner, and pastry chef for Emmer Hospitality. He recently launched his dessert-bar concept, Nicosi, which features a playful, inventive take on the post-dinner staple. Tavel and Ryan discuss coming to America from Guyana, culinary school, their take on hospitality, and reinventing the culinary wheel, so to speak.

Check out Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group here:

emmerhospitality.com