Make Restaurants Profitable

This is the first of our new monthly hospitality industry updates-where Tim sits down with Wes Lambert from ARCA to break down what's happening behind the scenes that every venue owner needs to know.

In this February edition, we cover everything from upcoming 30% junior wage increases, a potential ban on debit card surcharges, RBA interest rate outlook, and how to get ahead of the 5%+ wage rise expected in 2026.

If you've been too busy in the day-to-day to track it all-this is your shortcut.

You'll hear:

00:00 - Why this new monthly series exists

02:40 - What's driving inflation (and why it won't ease soon)

06:10 - RBA's outlook: no rate cuts until 2028

09:30 - Junior wages could rise 30%: here's what that means

13:00 - Why your award wage bill is set to rise 5-5.5%

18:00 - Surcharge bans? RBA ruling lands March 27 22:45 - Superannuation must be paid weekly from July 1

26:00 - Slowdown in visa approvals (and how to speed it up)

31:00 - Al in hospo: what the government's signalling next

36:10 - The experience economy is here-are you ready for it?

40:00 - Tourism trends, CBD recovery & shifting consumer habits

46:00 - Why now is the time to optimise, not panic

Want help planning for the upcoming wage increases or compliance changes?

Book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team: www.foodiecoaches.com

Want to join ARCA and get directly involved in shaping hospo's future?

Join here: www.arca.net.au

At one point, Tara felt like she had completely lost control—not just of her business, but of who she was. Burnt out, drowning in debt, and facing bankruptcy, she found herself isolating, second-guessing every decision, and questioning everything.

But what she did next changed everything.

This episode is a raw look at what it takes to come back stronger: the brutal self-talk, the wrong advice, the fearless decisions, and the one shift that 5Xed her revenue almost overnight. Tara also shares how she rebuilt her culture, transformed her food costs, and built a team that lives and breathes the experience she dreamed of.

You’ll hear:00:00 – Feeling like a failure (and what came next)06:00 – Why your worst-performing venue is draining more than just cash09:30 – How Tara found the right plan (after 3 wrong ones)14:00 – The $600K mistake and the decision that changed it all18:30 – What 5Xed her weekly revenue instantly22:00 – Choosing the right partner—in life and business27:30 – How Tara dropped her food cost from 32% to 20%30:00 – Building culture through “Meraki Impact Days”35:00 – What real customer experience actually looks like38:00 – The advice that could’ve saved her $100K (and 6 months of stress)41:00 – What to do when everything’s “fine” but you’re bored43:00 – Why your next venue is probably a bad idea44:30 – The number one thing every new owner should do before signing a lease

If you’re in deep—or just don’t know what the next move is—book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com.

📱 Behind the scenes + more tips:@foodie_coaches | @tim.kummerfeld

Watch the full CHEFS HAT CALCULATOR TRAINING here: https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/chefs-hat-calculator-v1 Richard and Jade’s food truck went viral overnight. Massive lines, booming sales, non-stop growth.

But behind the scenes?They were three months behind on rent, losing money, and working 80-hour weeks just to stay afloat. The pressure nearly broke them—and their relationship.

In just six months, they turned it all around.

In this episode, they share how they took ownership, fixed their numbers, rebuilt their culture, and created a business (and life) they actually wanted—with a second venue now on the way.

You’ll hear:00:00 – Viral success, hidden chaos06:00 – Realizing the money was gone10:30 – From 80-hour weeks to systems that work15:45 – The spreadsheet that saved their sanity19:30 – Raising prices, boosting profit instantly23:50 – Culture shifts: how to find the right team30:15 – Managing a business and a 5-year-old35:00 – Building a second venue the right way41:00 – The “hour of power” strategy that keeps them focused48:10 – How delaying action cost them $100K

Check out Smoking Gringos on their instagram @smokinggringos

If you're grinding hard but getting nowhere—book a call with the Foodie Coaches team at foodiecoaches.com. We'll help you fix the root problem, fast.

📱 Follow behind the scenes:@foodie_coaches | @tim.kummerfeld

CK Chin didn’t plan on becoming a hospitality powerhouse. He just needed a night job. But what started as bouncing at a nightclub became the beginning of a remarkable journey—one that now includes Michelin recognition, multi-million dollar businesses, a 6-seat restaurant with a waitlist, a community art park, and a dance studio built with his wife.

This episode dives into how CK makes it all work—with heart, with humility, and with a relentless focus on people.

You’ll hear:00:00 – CK’s unlikely start in hospitality06:00 – What real hospitality looks like behind the scenes13:50 – How a 6-seat restaurant became a powerhouse concept21:00 – Building an art park from graffiti walls to a movement28:00 – Payroll, purpose, and why business is a privilege33:00 – The $70 appetizer that no one should sell38:00 – Why creativity must meet business reality44:00 – The banana bread story you’ll never forget50:00 – Staying full while leading others57:00 – Why conscious capitalism creates real wins1:06:00 – Giving gifts vs discounts: the profit lesson no one teaches1:11:00 – Leading teams with humanity, not hierarchy1:12:00 – The story that will change how you see business

You can find see CK here: https://www.instagram.com/seekaychin/ To use our Profit Levers Calculator click this link: https://discover.foodiecoaches.com/kpi-calc-lp 

Need help building a business that doesn’t just serve food—but truly serves your people?👉 Book a free call with the Foodie Coaches team to talk through your biggest challenge right now.

Follow behind the scenes on Instagram:📸 @foodie_coaches | @tim.kummerfeld

Vanessa went from corporate HR executive to pub owner. She joins us today to discuss the lessons she’s learned, and the structures she put in place to turn a failing business around in less than 24 months. We discuss how to lead staff as a team rather than just managing them, get everyone onboard with making the business as successful as possible, and when necessary, make the hard decisions.

You’ll hear:

00:00 - 70% staff quit in month one

06:29 - Why throwing out corporate structures was a big mistake

10:16 - How the break even point removed all stress

14:08 - Numbers over feelings: The number one rule in business

19:43 - Delaying staff decisions costs tens of thousands of dollars

28:19 - The importance of sharing data with the team

36:59 - Young manager's nightclub idea gets approved

39:19 - Advice for new business owners

And so much more…

You can find more from Vanessa on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube Version of the Podcast here

If you're currently struggling or you want to build a business you love and get more time back, book a Call with our team here so we can help you work through your biggest problem right now. 

 

Check out the behind the scenes over at @foodie_coaches and @tim.kummerfeld