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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 พ.ค. 2024
- A simpler way to pay vendors and contractors: go.melio.com/upflip
Chef Vinny has been a restaurant owner for 40 years, and he did just about every job you can think of in the restaurant industry along the way. Now he’s sharing how to open a restaurant with a shoe-string budget and grow it to 7-figure yearly revenue.
At 17, Chef Vinny got his first food industry job, working the graveyard shift at a chicken processing plant. Within 2 years he’d advanced to management, experience that would prove valuable when he pivoted to opening a restaurant of his own.
Chef Vinny built Honey’s Kettle Fried Chicken from the ground up. He’ll explain how he built a brand around his new business and his tips for successful restaurant marketing. We’ll also learn about how he chose his location, developed his recipes, and all the other details of how to start a restaurant business as a new entrepreneur.
Honey’s Kettle has become a true family business. Chef Vinny and his wife run the restaurant business, and his son has also been working for them since he was a kid. We’ll hear their secrets to successful restaurant management and how they’ve built a team that feels like a family, even for those members of it Chef Vinny’s not related to.
In 40 years of business, Honey’s Kettle has had a lot of successes, but also its fair share of setbacks and mistakes. We’ll hear Chef Vinny’s insights into why restaurants fail and how he’s overcome the challenges of growing a restaurant startup into a 7-figure business.
If you want more insights into how to start a restaurant, check out our past interviews:
How I Turned My Last $5 into $10,000,000 ►
• How I Turned My Last $...
How to Make $1.7M/Year in Restaurant Business ►
• How to Make $1.7M/Year...
Resources
go.melio.com/upflip - A simpler way to pay vendors and contractors
honeyskettle.com/ - Learn more about Honey’s Kettle on their website
www.upflip.com/academy - Start, Build & Grow Your Business
www.upflip.com/blog/how-to-st... - UpFlip blog post with more advice on how to start a 7-figure restaurant
www.upflip.com/courses - Get step-by-step guidance to start a business with UpFlip’s courses
www.upflip.com/equipment-list... Premier Equipment List
Timestamps:
00:00 - START
00:53 - Meeting Chef Vinny
02:05 - First job
03:12 - Culver’s city location
04:00 - Financing
06:03 - Fan blitz
08:39 - Lessons as a teenager
09:42 - New menu items
10:56 - Revenue
13:28 - Challenges opening
15:00 - Startup costs
17:11 - Working with family
19:34 - Ingredients
20:06 - Paid advertising
21:31 - Standing out from competitors
22:34 - Starting Honey’s Kettle
23:20 - Getting started in the food industry
25:07 - Starting from scratch vs. franchising
26:35 - Things to avoid in business
28:12 - Customer feedback
29:12 - Proudest moment
30:42 - Final thoughts
31:47 - Outro
#friedchicken #restaurant #food
A simpler way to pay vendors and contractors: go.melio.com/upflip
You gotta interview Randy Mclaren the owner of cuts and slices. Pizza is incredible
@@harlemking08102 REPLIES
The food looks good
meh, this video hypes this restaurant up too much. their chicken breading pancake waffle batter. It's not flaky and crispy it's like taco shell crispy and it taste like pancake and the taste of the chicken is just bland. What's he was trying to do was a "waffle and chicken" type of concept and i get it, that's why the chicken taste the way it does. but it's def not better than pop eyes chicken.
You can win. You can lose. You can even get beat, but one thing that you can’t do in life is quit. His father’s advice was golden!!
👍
I remember Gustavo Fring when I see this man.
*Success couldn’t have fallen upon a better guy. God bless him.*
He deserves all the best 🔥
If you good you get good
Success didn’t fall on him, he reached up and grabbed it.
@@Charlesbabbage2209 Hush.
@@Broughton1128 it's a compliment lmao calm down
I wish kids in school were taught lessons from a real entrepreneur like this, legend of an owner
When I was in high school, one of my teachers knew a McDonalds franchisee who owned 4 stores in the city and was pulling in a million a year in profit. Funny thing is, one year later I got a job at a McDonald's that I later found out was own3d by him. It was a renovated spot and they had put 1 million into the renovation. Everything was new and shiny. That place did a ton of business, too. We were on a parade route and during the parades, we'd clear 10k in sales in a day. That was 15 years ago.
"Be careful of instant success" Words on marble. Good one again upflip.
Yes! Thank you!
This man is the epitome of a business person. His wisdom, experience, savviness, demeanor, and mindset. I enjoy every second of this episode. More power to Honey's kettle and Uplift! 💙
That advice that he was given by his mentor was pure gold. Try to be the best at what you do.
EXACTLY 💯! My thoughts exactly!
Lies again? Monthly Salary KFC Brand
hes goated fosholy. by the way shoutout all!
This place is no joke. I live on the east coast, and on my first ever trip to Cali last year I made sure to visit and it was delicious. Whenever I make fried chicken at home now, I use the same method that Honey Kettle uses.
Thanks for commenting 🙏
So true! One of the best fried chickens we've had. 🍗
This chicken 🍗 looks so delicious and I love chicken like every one else out here. Everybody can’t make good chicken. When you come to a restaurant that makes good chicken you’ll always support that owner.
What is the recipe?
@@perrikeys1378Chicken and flour.
He was dropping gems the entire episode!
We just couldn't stop listening! His wisdom has been incredibly enlightening, and we've gained so much from it. Hope you did too 👊
the first one came within 30 seconds'' Be careful of instant success"
Chef Vinny has such a positive, skilled, honest, smart, professional, affable, well-spoken, vibe....a man with a big vision and a bigger heart.
He's truly a gentle soul with the heart of a warrior! Undoubtedly one of the best interviewees we've had. 🙌
Well spoken?
You could feel the past struggles and the present relief and happiness from him. a case of "whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well". inspired
Pandemic and losing my father to covid shut my place down. This video gave me hope and much needed info to get off my ass and get it back going. Great video! Got a new subscriber.
the world takes from you; but it gives you back. get back in and collect
@@barrytelesford5265 Yes sir!
Adding you and your situation to my prayers!
ty@@1980Triumph
You can do it! I believe in you😊
During my high school years, I had the privilege of working at the esteemed Golden Bird on La Cienega. This cherished establishment, proudly black-owned and guided by the remarkable Stennis family, held a special place in my heart. Willie Stennis, the visionary founder of the Golden Bird fast-food chain, was an inspirational figure. Alongside his wife, Zelma, they introduced their mouthwatering fried chicken recipes to the world in 1957.
At the pinnacle of its success, the Golden Bird chain thrived with a total of 16 locations. Tragically, Willie Stennis passed away in 1993, followed by Ms. Zelma in 2013. Eventually, the family decided to divest their interest in the restaurants, marking the poignant end of an era.
Thanks for that because I never knew the history behind Golden Bird. The El Segundo & Central location was my favorite. And, then I frequented the Manchester & Western location.
What a positive gentleman, professional, happy, hard working....blessing upon blessing to you...
He's such a gentle soul! 👊 Thank you for watching!
there is always one thing i notice with people like this man.
there are so many nice chicken, pizza and burger places but the ones with the biggest hearts and best stories seem to be the long standing ones. love to see it
If you are good you get good back
I like how he said, "nice to meet you" until the very end rather than the usual greeting. A man of old school principles and values, you have to earn his respect. His brief experience with UpFlip (edited from UpLift 🤣) had pleased him enough to say what he said as a farewell.
Thank you for pointing that out. We're humbled to have met such a gentle soul, and our brief encounter with him has left a mark for life. And yeah, to "uplift" is our mission ☺️
I am my self running a small restaurant in my country. When I hear the Chefs word of advice I am inspired. I agree 100% of his advices which are after all coming out of a person who have gone through the mill. May God give him more strength and to serve a generations of people. I thank you for creating this awesome videos. May you create more and more inspiring videos.
May Allah give you success. I am also planning to open a food business insh Allah.
❤ 🙏🏾🙏🏾❤😁💯
It's people like this guy that are the backbone of America. God bless him.
To see a black man come from the bottom with nothing and now be named the king of chicken is so inspiring. I'm really happy for this man and to top if off he's so humble and intelligent. God bless him💯💪🏾
There are MANY successful black people in the US but sadly white owned media don't want to go there!
I love him because he is spot on - when you want to offer the best, the only way to offer the best is by using the best ingredients…people Will pay for good food!
Running a successful business takes resilience and finding the strength to get back up every time you get knocked down. That's exactly what I love about Chef Vinny every challenge he's faced he's come through it and used it to evolve. He's open minded and not afraid to try new things. Great interview, it's packed with valuable insights and lessons. ❤ it.
Absolutely! Taking a hit might slow you down, but quitting should never be an option! 💪
yeah the interview was good , dude(interviewer) how can u simply ask the very basic powerfull questions that was in my mind
I've been a loyal patron of this establishment ever since they set foot in Culver City. Their chicken is nothing short of sublime, and I must say, their biscuits are equally outstanding.
Have you tried their new Lemon Chedder Baked Biscuit?
@@kujichaguliaself-determina7388 Not yet, but will do so soon!! Thank you!!
I'm hungry looking at that chicken
When I first saw the prices I nearly choked. It's expensive to eat out, for sure, so you have to pick and choose carefully where you'll spend your monthly night out. After seeing the quality of ingredients and labor involved int this (and hearing some of the operating costs), I realized what a good deal this place has become! Kudos to you, Chef Vinny.
it costs a lot of money yes, but it's value and quality is worth the price. so I would not say it's expensive per se.
No value to be had here. It's artery clogging fried food that leads to a disproportionate number of cardiovascular related deaths among the African American community.
Yea this is the upped prices from back then 😅 but yea it’s a nice treat when I’m up for the drive. I’ll spend bc it’s not close so gotta get it when I can.
Excellent interview! I've been in business for 20-years, yet I learned so much from Chef Vinny. He's an inspiration.
That's great to hear. He has so much wisdom and you couldn't find that just anywhere 🙌
Watched all 32 minutes! Its such a tough time for me right now and watching this interview was definitely motivating, to say the least! Great questions were asked and Vinny was so happy and eager and had such a positive and nice demeanor, dropping gems! New subscriber here!
Also, to anyone else who feels like life is overwhelming and feels like giving up: You got this! You can do it! You have made it this far! Believe in yourself! Keep giving love! And remember that everyday is a gift that we recieve over and over again to keep trying, to keep going, and to keep not giving up! Its ok to have a moment, but always pick yourself back up and keep moving forward! Sending peace, love, positivity, and many hugs to all who need it! ❤
We hope you feel a lot better and were inspired by Chef Vinny. We wish you nothing but the best. ❤️
please be quiet
@@Jv-fn5xg that last paragraph is definitely for you and your very low vibrations 😊. Enjoy life more!
@@chrissyfromgary hush
God never gives you more than you can bear. Stay up! And I hope everything works out for you!
Absolutely beautiful man and his struggle benefits us all🎉 thank you Uplift for taking the time to interview him! Grow big and wide Honeys Kettle!!!!❤️🥰Big love from Texas!!
Chef Vinny would be an excellent mentor to any up and comers. Wow I wish I had this when I was younger.
We couldn't stop listening to him. He's wise beyond his years. Such a gentle soul 🙏
I like the fact that he has been on 2 sides of the restaurant model: restaurant business starter and franchisee. Great video!
Thank you! You're absolutely right; his wisdom is rooted in decades of experience on both sides of the spectrum. 😊
Great story, what a great business owner. You can tell he loves it.
That's absolutely true. You can clearly see how he puts his heart and soul into his business and his art every single day.
He said The Golden Bird. I used to have the Golden Bird when I was a kid. I will never forget how much I enjoyed that chicken.
This episode has been one of the most knowledgeable things I've seen on TH-cam. Love that he doesn't sugar coat anything. I will visit on my next trip.
He's an honest man and believes that his honesty will help more people. Hope you enjoy your visit to their shop 🙏
Respect for this man for being hard work, smart, persistent.
Probably the best chicken in the country. I’ve lived in several states, now in NYC. Used to go to the Culver City location when I lived in LA. I worked in Century City and would race over (~15mins each way) order, wait and race back 😂 with barely enough time to eat. Worth it every time.
It's unbelievable what we've been missing out on! His chicken dishes are absolutely heavenly! 🍗
Dayem !!! Im surprised you werent eating rhe chicken on the drive home lol
Peanut oil is the best oil to use when cooking.
Uncle Vinny is the truth, I looked up to this man for years and he is the model of who I am in my businesses. He’s the best and I am grateful that The Most High God has allowed me to be this way and to learn from strong men like Uncle Vinny.
You're so lucky to have someone like him to guide you! May we know what type of business you have? 🥳
@@UpFlip Transportation and Hospitality.
this was one of the best video i ever saw in youtube on " how to start or sustain in a food business ", brother u were very candit in asking the very basic questions which prevails in the minds of all who wants to run a business across any geography on earth.
your questions were simple and good. keep travelling feed us with more info.
all the best.
Thank you so much! Your feedback means the world to us and fuels our drive to keep creating content. 🙏
I just want to say, Thank you to UPFLIP for continuing to support and showcase minority businesses❤ I love all success stories in small business, but when a channel with a large following is willing to celebrate all successful businesses it reaches more people like me and I couldn't be more proud of him👑 His attitude was extremely inspiring and you can tell he loves and takes pride in his business❤
Thank you for watching and subscribing 🙏
And we want to express our gratitude for your ongoing support! We thoroughly enjoy sharing success stories, and your appreciation motivates us to share even more! 😊
This owner is the type of guy to work for. He’s been through it all. He can relate to his employees and has great character. Owning a restaurant is pure work! If you are a hands on owner, you will work your tail off. I’ve done it before and you literally have to be married to the business. It’s tough, but will pay off if you run it right.
This business owner has provided more solid information on the topic than any I have seen on TH-cam so far. Great interview UpFlip!
What a great story. I was one of those who stood in line when you first opened in Culver City! Congratulations!
He got me smiling already i havent even watched 1 min yet...this brother has good spirit...I never get tired of fried chicken
The chicken looks delicious. Congratulations to Chef Vinny, wishing continued success. 👍👍
Wow. I love the owner attitude. He is BRILLIANT!! I certainly appreciate his stewardship and entrepreneurship. What a great guy!
YO CHEF VINNY IS THE MAN!!!!!!!!
He deserves all this and more
This may be my favorite interview I have seen on this channel.
Glad you enjoyed it!!
What a genuine person this owner is.
I luv this guy!! Being a business owner myself, he is an inspiration to all that wish to jump into the ocean, & his own words, I'll find land!! & you will have failures, my oh my this guy is a GEM!!!
What a wonderful, wonderful man Chef Vinny is. Thanks for sharing this interview 🧡
Glad you love this episode as much as we love having him on the show! 🙌
I met this guy two years when me and my family was visiting California and he is such a nice guy!
Having his son in this business makes me 👏 😊
And he taught them young too. That's amazing! 💪
Such an outstanding segment! I love the owner's humble spirit!❤
Such an outstanding segment! I love the owner's humble spirit!
Thank you. I love caring for small seeds growing on fertile soil!
Great interview! I have never ever heard of this eating establishment.I love the name of the restaurant and I love the fact that they sale more than just chicken.Those hamburgers looked delicious.And the fact that they sale a product that you can use to make waffles,biscuits,and or hotcakes is pure genius.
What a beautiful humble beginnings. Persistency and dedication even in the face of uncertainty ❤❤❤
This man is the reason why I can't give up ever! Thank you for sharing his story.
He is the mentor now. I learned alot from him.
You can learn so much from men like him. His manner, way of thinking and attitude, on top of others, are amazing. A conversation with the chef about work and life would be much more valuable than any class. Loved the video!
Omg I visited there and that chicken was SMACKING
That crunch alone was insanely good! 🍗
God Bless this gentleman...I feel like his positivity combined with his iron mindset is what took him to the top!
Wow, I had fried chicken for dinner tonight too. May God bless this hardworking man. Ameen. He’s so genuine and humble.🤲🏽🕋💜💚
كيف تأكل من يد مسيحي هذا محرم هم لايسمون بالله عند الذبح
@@user-gq6ug8is8l Assalaamu alaikum, first of all I said that I had fried chicken for dinner. I didn’t say that I had his chicken. Secondly, a Muslim CAN eat from the people of the book which are Christians and Jews.
YT sent me here right now. The best business channel, not all the BS, like many other channels, to the point and great advice from a real entrepreneur.
Congratulations Chef Vinny to you and a fantastic family business that persevered!!!
This interview was awesome!! I own a restaurant and a food truck and his words of wisdom really touched my soul! May God continue to bless your business❤
I am so moved and inspired by Vincent Williams. When he speaks, ALL should listen. His words are the culmination of trial and error, life, collected wisdom and humility, propelled by determination. Thank you for the interview. Great job UpFlip
Great interview we need more business owners like him!!!!
I used to eat his chicken when the restaurant was located in compton, the chicken was delicious. I thought honey kettle went out of business but it make sense that he upgraded locations.
@lh12cat-xd7wt My mom's ex-boyfriend, who is originally from Chicago brags about Harolds chicken. And he told us about the one that they built out here in Hollywood. I still haven't tried it yet but it's on my list
Was that the location off of Alondra & Atlantic?
My first time on your platform, and i was not disappointed.watching from Jamaica 🇯🇲 this great man of chicken is all the ingredients of Epitome.i was inspired by him , sir i wish you many more successful years. To all chef's like myself,one love ❤
Had to comment again...hes real!! wish him all the success Im sure his food deserves!!! Proven...just really like his honest business advice!! Facts!!! Im sure especially in food industry...
Experience has certainly brought him wisdom, and we're delighted to have shared his journey. It's amazing how passion can guide you through even the darkest paths. 🌟
This some serious business life lessons. Thank you.
Your program has provided me with an ongoing inspiration and a deeper determination to achieve my long awaited dream to own my own business. This man Chef Vinny…aww man, is a true example of grit, passion, humility and determination. I wish him generations of success.
That's fantastic to hear! Keep that inspiration burning bright, and there's no telling where it might lead you! 🔥
He has a very calm attitude and I love it
Man this interview was very important and informative. I love his story and experience because it is an eye opener into entrepreneurship!
Excellent story. I remember Honeys Kettle when it was back in Compton and they sold chicken at such a good price I always wondered how they were making money to now their chicken can be PRICEY in Culver City even with the Groupon deal, but seeing this video gave me a lot more respect for the owner and what that restaurant has been through and is going through to be successful. I won't feel bad about paying $30 for 8 pieces of chicken mixed anymore because you cannot expect KFC prices for better quality food.
You're paying for quality. That's something fast food won't be able to assure you. 👌
Kfc prices? In europe = holland kfc is f**** expensive and not even good
What a wonderful & positively uplifting story this individual has shared with us. His business philosophy, & seemingly life philosophy as well, have served him well in his desire to be successful in his business ventures. His fried chicken looks absolutely Delicious & I wish that he had a location in my country. :)
We're humbled to share his remarkable journey. Curious to know which country you're located in? We appreciate the support 🙌
I'm your Canadian neighbor. LOL @@UpFlip
What an awesome teacher. His teachings and advice are worth solid gold.
One of my favorite episodes, by far! As a small business owner myself I could totally relate to the ebbs and flows of everything he expressed. Kudos
i went here a few times chicken is pricey but food is good so its kind of worth it for the price
It's definitely worth the price. Considering the quality of the oil he uses, you're definitely getting a fantastic deal!🍗
That was the most inspiring way to deliver excellent advice. Amazing video, I’m glad I came across this. Good job guys 😎💯
We are so glad to know we inspire people like you. Makes our hearts full 🙏
Great story....Chef Vinny is my hero! Great interview, lots of valuable ups and downs insight.
Amazing story, Jimmy understands business and marketing to the T. I learned some valuable lessons watching this. His 4o years in the business taught him a lot, I love the fact he incorporated his children in the business as well. I like that he understands the evolution of technology and social media and took advantage of it and wasn't afraid to use it. I'll definitely be checking out his restaurant when I make it to Cali.
How much they pay their employees making 2.5mill a year that makes the employees happy? He said if the employee ain’t happy than the customer won’t be. That’s a fact.
Minimum wage of course.
You sound like part of the lazy generation. Maybe watch again and listen more. There are no short cuts to personal success. The guy did it himself for years probably at minimum wage, but he didn't get discouraged. He watched and learned, started with a thousand dollars, hit many speed bumps, and built his own thing. Now that he finds a little success, you think he should just fork over a bunch of money to some less than driven person that just wants to be balling off his success because they can do what they're taught? You do something in life for the passion of it, or you'll never be happy. So if you don't have a passion for cooking or learning it, find something else, but I guarantee you'll be in the same position with anybody you work for. The key, is to find an interest, work towards it under someone, while learning yourself. Once you know how to do something fully and you like it, than you can do it for yourself and be rich in mind, body, spirit, plus the bank. This generation thinks work is stupid. Yet we all had to do it. It's only stupid when there's no passion in it, and you're just routinely going in for a paycheck. It's stupid to then waste that paycheck on things that don't feed that passion. Some people just have poor direction and do whatever for a check and think that'll make them rich. Not a good business plan.
2.5 in gross is goof but u have to subtract your employees and insurance equipment and food
@@Spoofsinyourfaceyou sound like a problem
@avxnull9839 I am. I put trash were it belongs. I'd do the same with you.
I would love to have someone like Vinnie as my boss. He's inspiring.
Indeed. He imposes a healthy work environment. You'll enjoy his management for sure! 🙌
idk how this ended up on my feed but im glad it did, this was a brilliant way to coduct an interview and vinny was a brilliant interviewee.
50 years = 100,000 hours of knowledge on the 40 hour work week.
this guy is awesome.
loved this!! Especially when I can relate....I see him, and love this one!!! Amazing job! Get it!!!
We're thrilled that you could relate to his story! He shared a wealth of valuable insights, and we've certainly learned a lot from him. We hope you did too! 😊
Man such an inspirational interview,also millions of dollars of excellent advice in 30 minutes.Truly worth it.
Happy workers make happy customers, so true.
This guy is very inspiring and an honest to goodness guy!
This is by far one of your best video I have watched Upflip!👏👍
Happy to hear that!
Seeing this man build his empire is encouraging.
Hope Chef Vinny encouraged you to start your own too 💪
Glad I came across this video. Wishing chef Vinny all the best!
Absolutely awesome insights, inspiring thoughts, and wonderful ideas.
Glad you liked it ;)
Chef Vinny is top guy. Best episode.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow that was a great interview! God bless him and his family.
Love Vinny, great advice and the number thing I see he has is love and compassion for his product and that translates to winning business
You're absolutely right. Love and passion are the bloodlines of his business. 🙏
Handsome, young son....thanks for sharing this story...
We're thrilled that you enjoyed this video! Your feedback is incredibly motivating and inspires us to keep creating content like this. 🥳
Super proud of U! Good job! We all need to stay focused and motivated for our passion and make money doing what we love! LETS GOOO TEAM!!!🎉🎉🎉
Engaging in what we're passionate about means we never really have to consider it "work" every single day! 🎉
@@UpFlip YES! Very much Agree! LETS GOOO!!!
Lot of humility & wisdom. Smart grand pa
He was so enthusiastic to share
Like it. Hope to try his food whenever I get the chance to near his place. Thank you for sharing
Hope you try his food one day. It's worth the trip! Thanks for the support 🙏
Love his attitude. His success is well deserved
What a fantastic video.
I loved the inspirational words.
I wish I lived there. That chicken looks awesome. 😁👍