Restaurant Owners Uncorked · 2026-05-05 · 1h 1m
Dave Chicane, chef and owner of Artusi in Eggertsville, New York, to discuss the deeply personal motivations behind his 30-year career in hospitality. Chicane shares his journey from an investment broker to a seasoned restaurateur, detailing how a chance reunion with a past love brought him back to Buffalo to open a unique, neighborhood-focused "piega" shop during the post-COVID era. The conversation explores the "80/20" reality of restaurant ownership, where 80% of the day involves managing crises like gas outages or rising food costs, while the remaining 20% provides the "nourishment" and human connection that fuel his passion. Dave emphasize the importance of leading with "intention" and an "eyes up" approach, highlighting how technology like Schedulefly and emerging AI tools should be leveraged to minimize administrative burdens, thereby allowing owners and staff to stay present and focused on the guest experience. Key Takeaways Positive Impact of Schedulefly: Dave Chican notes that choosing Schedulefly was the "one decision" he didn't have to think twice about when opening Artusi, having used it across multiple operations for many years.
Episode 669: I Was a Top Food Salesman, Then I Opened a Restaurant and Realized I Knew Nothing - Christian Williams, Sugo Italian Restaurant72 / 100Episode 668: The ROI of Giving a Sh*t: Why People-First Restaurants Outlast the Competition w/ Lance ReynoldsEpisode 666: All In: A Mother, Her Son, and the Restaurant They Almost Didn't Open - Sweet Southern ComfortEpisode 665: From 12 Bank Rejections to Old Raleigh Distillery: A Masterclass in Extreme OwnershipEpisode 664: Stuffed: How Moonrise Bagels is Building a National Brand One Pizza Bagel at a Time