Most restaurants rely on heroics. That’s why they break.
Chef calls out—everything collapses.
Staff turns over—culture disappears.
Owner burns out—nothing changes.

After 33 years in the kitchen, I’ve seen it all.
I’ve run high-volume operations, trained green teams into machines, and led groups through chaos and culture collapse.
And here’s what I know:

Culture eats talent for breakfast.
Systems beat talent when talent doesn’t have systems.

Today, I help restaurant leaders build kitchens that don’t rely on superheroes.
I work with chefs and operators to:

→ Define their way of doing business
→ Build leadership systems that teach it
→ Create operations that run consistently—even when they’re not there

It’s not theory. It’s not fluff.
One client cut turnover by 60% and grew profit by 15% in 90 days.

If your team is talented but inconsistent…
If your culture changes depending on who’s in charge…
If your restaurant falls apart when one person is out…

Let’s talk.

On the CULINARY MECHANIC podcast, I host candid conversations with hospitality's most innovative leaders. From kitchen culture to tech innovations, we blend battle-tested wisdom with modern insights that challenge 'the way it's always been done.' It's where restaurant wisdom meets real systems that work.

🎙️ Host: CULINARY MECHANIC
📩 DM me or visit culinarymechanic.com

Simon Zatyrka 🔥🥄

RMattJ Consulting

•	Culinary Special Projects Advisor - Artfest Entertainment. Annual event takes place in July in Kingstons City Park and highlights Canadas amazing arts community. 
•	2023 Six-Month Project - Create and build a vegan QSR brand and open one proof-of-concept location - including brand identity, menu design, site selection & design, team implementation, grand opening & operational launch and ensure 100% duplicate-ability.
•	Board of Directors - New Business Development - Jobwell & Providence Care Hospitals. Creating meaningful employment for adults living with mental health challenges.
•	Directed the new start-up of all food services for a 7-time Canadian Venue of the Year award-winning, community-owned, 6700+ seat entertainment venue in Kingston, ON.
•	Collaborated with Celebrity Chef Michael Smith to create and open the Canadian Grilling Company; a from-scratch, never frozen, gourmet burger QSR concept.
•	Advised on over twenty private and public projects including QSR & full service restaurants, entertainment venues, hotel resorts, spas & barber shops, breweries, food trucks, retail outlets and more. See projects for details
•	Graduate Advisor “real life subject matter expert” at Loyalist College - School of Business, sharing my professional experience with students in their final semester.
•	Leadership mentor for the Culinary Institute of America specializing in techniques to encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion in the kitchen as-well-as change management and future-thinking. 
•	Public Speaker & Mentor at #FairKitchens, advocating for a more resilient and sustainable hospitality industry, demonstrating that a healthier culture leads to a healthier business.
•	Advisor and speaker on sustainable foodservice operations for various organizations including Franchise Canada, QSR Magazine and the Foodservice Packaging Institute.

Business & Leadership Consultant

Pita Pit Canada

Cobourg Franchise Owner

Napanee Franchise Owner

Procurement, Menu Innovation, Culinary Operations, and Sustainability Lead on a small, dynamic team of leaders across 11 countries, reporting directly to the CEO, the President, and the Founder of a disruptive Quick Service Restaurant Franchise with 555+ locations.

Director Of Procurement, Culinary Operations & Product Development, Sustainability Lead

Foodtastic

Direct and mentor nearly 40 corporate and franchise operators in a variety restaurant sectors and brands  across Eastern Ontario.

Regional Operations & Development - Multi-Brands - FOODTASTIC

Pita Pit/Foodtastic Transition - Oversee the acquisition process of Pita Pit Limited by FOODTASTIC to ensure product continuity, critical contract renewals and team integrations.

Director of Procurement

Queen's University Hospitality Services by Sodexo

Direct all aspects of business and a team of 500+ unionized staff across 26+ outlets - curating more than 200,000 meals and creating more than 75,000 individual customer retail experiences every week.

Director of Foodservice and Retail Operations

Slush Puppie Place

Original Start-Up F&B Manager - Led 170+ culinary and hospitality crew members to serve up to 6,700 guests per event, from kiosks, concession stands and bars to club lounges, private suites, and a full-serve restaurant.

Manager - Hospitality, Food Service and Retail Operations

Kingston Windows & Doors

Show room sales and installation project manager - windows, doors & exteriors.

Retail Sales Manager, Project Manager

Best Western Fireside Inn

Manager – Front Desk & Room Revenue

Manager - Catering & Guset Services

GUSTO!  Italian Restaurant, The Grizzly Grill, Hoppin' Eddy's, The Ale House, Stages, The Brass Pub

Operations Manager – HUB Group Entertament

Clark's on King - Fine Dining

"Top 100 Canadian restaurants outside of Toronto!" - Toronto Life Magazine

General Manager

#FairKitchens ~ Award Winning, Lean Six Sigma Leader, Mentor & Entrepreneur with 20+ years of leadership insights into product innovation, operations, facilities management and placemaking, people and culture, recruiting and training, procurement and logistics, P&L management and forecasting, business analytics and project management, client services and business development. 

"Having chosen a career in the hospitality industry I have been surrounded by lively people in their 20’s & 30's for nearly my entire life. I am grateful to have become a mentor over the years and I have witnessed many go on to do amazing things in their lives. Nothing gives me as much pleasure as seeing someone’s face when they overcome an obstacle or discover a solution they thought was impossible."

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Simon Zatyrka 🔥🥄

Matt Johnston

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