Ep 117: Building a Sustainable Restaurant Empire with Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger

Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Millikan, two pioneering chefs behind acclaimed restaurants like Border Grill and Alice B. discuss their beginnings, challenges in the industry, and the influence of Mexican cuisine on their careers. From their early struggles at City Cafe to their television success, this conversation is packed with invaluable insights and heartwarming anecdotes.     (00:05:35) The Rigorous Schedule of Hot Tamale  (00:06:54) The Start of Two Culinary Journeys  (00:12:45) Sustaining Success and Navigating the Evolving Culinary Culture (00:17:11) From Cookbook to Food Network Stars  (00:22:42) The Impact of Julia Child and Other Culinary Tales (00:37:00) Navigating Business Challenges and Strategic Decisions (00:45:54) Exploring Mexican Cuisine and Southern California  (00:54:00) Overcoming Challenges and Finding Success (00:56:44) The Impact of Television on Culinary Careers  (01:00:58) Breaking Barriers: Women in the Culinary World (01:10:30) Changing the Dated Restaurant Model and Culture  (01:33:55) Finding Motivation  A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful. If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani. Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from. My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.