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

This week's episode is a doozy. Ryan chats with esteemed Austin restaurant critic Matthew Odam about city development, memes, AI, and pretty much everything in between. Oh, there may be some discussion about food in there, as well. Please enjoy this exceptionally comedic pair of FRIENDS as they navigate the world's problems.

Check out Matthew's writing here:

statesman.com

Our next guest needs little introduction. Arnold's Country Kitchen has been a Tennessee mainstay since its opening in 1982 by Jack and Rose Arnold. The classic meat and three serves up some of the best, heartiest meals in the Southeast, with a no-frills focus on tradition and food made from scratch. Khalil continues his father's vision of good food with a healthy dose of hospitality as Arnold's reaches well into 40+ years of operation.

Check out Arnold's here:
arnoldscountrykitchen.com

Ryan has a borderline-unhinged chat with chef Brian Daniel, owner and head chef of Tresini, a celebrated Italian "bar and cucina" in the Philadelphian suburbs (Ambler, PA). They touch on many topics, from old school kitchen rhetoric to the strategies of opening a new restaurant amidst a heavily saturated market. Don't worry if that sounds daunting, though, there are plenty of hilarious tangents and rants along the way.

Check out Tresini here:

tresiniambler.com

In this episode, chef Ryan takes the podcast all the way to Austin, TX to chat with legendary pit-master, author, recipient of James Beard's "Best Chef" award, and recognized member of the American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame, Aaron Franklin.

The chefs talk about going from a small BBQ operation on the side of the interstate to being an internationally acclaimed restaurant, nerd out about grills and fire-building, and talk about what's next for the Franklin family.

Check out Franklin's Barbecue here:
franklinbbq.com

In this episode, Ryan chats with chef/owner of St. Vito Foccaciaria Michael Hanna about guerrilla tactics in finding investors, opening a restaurant, and how the journey from fast-casual fry-cook to owner and head chef of a celebrated Italian restaurant has shaped his relationships both in and out of the kitchen.

Check out St. Vito here:
stvitonashville.com