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

Tamiami Angel Funds

▶ Sector Focused Guidance – investing SME for deals pertaining to emerging foodservice brands, food-tech equipment, and restaurant B2B SaaS 
▶ Deal Sourcing – established over 30 channels to pull investing opportunities from, qualify deal leads by directly communicating with a variety of startup founders, other angel investors, or venture fund GPs / LPs that are connected with our internal syndication committee 
▶ Screening & Selection Committee – systematically grade qualified investment opportunities in a structured stage gate manner, examine broad ranging use cases, term sheets and company valuations – align opportunities on Dealum platform
▶ Due Diligence Committee - evaluate and report risk analysis of investment opportunities by thoroughly investigating startup leadership teams, marketing & sales systems, product engineering, & overall deal structures relative to the thesis of our fund

Angel Investor | Restaurant Tech & Emerging Brands

Cartwheel

▶ Cartwheel is state-of-the-art Hybrid Delivery management software for restaurants, retail, courier companies, and beyond. We help businesses launch in-house delivery or upgrade their third-party delivery infrastructure. Companies save on costs, keep their brand identity, and have full control over visibility and data. We have dozens of integrations including Olo, DoorDash, and ezCater. Our clients include P.F. Changs, Portillo's, and Charleys Philly Steaks, to name a few.

▶ Please reach out if interested in learning more about aggregating delivery service for your foodservice brand.

Business Developement | B2B Restaurant SaaS

BigZpoon Inc.

▶ BigZpoon is a B2B SaaS company providing industry-leading menu personalization capabilities for the food-sevice industry. The system platform aims to seamlessly communicate a brand's menu nutrition, allergen, or lifestyle information as it relates to their menu ingredients. The solution can operate in stand-alone mode or can be seamlessly integrated into restaurant’s existing IT stack. 

▶ Please reach out if interested in learning more about how this system can improve repeat business or impact customer loyalty at the unit-level.

Business Development |  B2B Restaurant SaaS

VAL Capital Group

▶ Cross-Functional Leadership - experience coordinating and communicating the discovery, development, and delivery of real estate opportunities amongst internal and external business stakeholders on a project by project basis
        - configured deal terms & secured a combination of private & commercial funding on over $3 million in capital needs 
       - coordinate with general contractors, investors, legal, accounting, and brokerage partners in order to develop consensus on either governing structure or financial risks associated with various agreements or budgets
      -  structure property sales with real estate broker team by organizing listing content for both MLS & mixed marketing campaigns

Partner | Business Strategy & Operations 

Dynpricing Technologies Inc.

▶ Dynpricing is revolutionizing restaurant pricing strategies with intelligent, dynamic solutions. Utilizing cutting-edge technology and real-time data analysis, we empower restaurants to maximize profits by dynamically adjusting menu prices. Our platform is tailored to meet the unique needs of each restaurant, offering an easy-to-use interface that seamlessly integrates with existing systems. Join the future of dining with Dynpricing, and elevate your restaurant's profitability and customer satisfaction.

▶ Please reach out if interested in learning about how to dynamically price your restaurant menu items in order to improve productivity & work load capacity of your restaurant operation.

Strategic Advisor | B2B Restaurant SaaS

Enzo's Italian Restuarant

▶ Business Performance – maintained a 35% restaurant EBITDA for over a decade, focused on maintaining controlled food costs, low labor churn, and customer sales growth by keeping up with trends & consumer behavior shifts
▶ Strategic Initiatives – designed & executed on a concept competiveness plan by highlighting a “Triple Threat” approach (food, service, and atmosphere) initiative results were evidenced by 10% to 20% sales growth YOY for a near 2 decades 
▶ Research & Development– ongoing R&D and resource planning aided in optimizing for lifecycle investments related to menu innovation, dining interior, commercial equipment, and technology.
▶ Team Development – the creation and continuous updating of standardized employee training material helped scale the hiring, on-boarding, and management of team members as we were consistently growing sales while adhering to strict quality measures that accounted for the business’s core values and longer term goals 
▶ Exit Strategy Experience - created a comprehensive succession plan identifying paths to mitigate risks for business operations, led cross-functional due diligence during a successful business exit

Co-Founder | Business Development, Menu Innovation, & Operations 

At the intersection of hospitality, technology, and capital strategy 🍽💻💰, I help restaurant-tech startups, multi-unit brands, and foodservice operators improve operations, adopt scalable systems, and make smarter financial decisions. With 20 years in restaurant leadership, a background in Information Sciences, and experience in venture capital, I bridge the gap between real-world operations and digital transformation.

I’m driven by curiosity for market shifts 📊, empathy for founders and business owners, and a knack for bringing clarity to fast-moving environments. My focus: listening deeply, solving creatively, and building long-term value.

What I bring to the table:
✔ Rare blend of restaurant operations, financial modeling, and systems thinking
✔ Deep understanding of customer behavior, employee dynamics, and margin drivers
✔ Strategic mindset focused on sustainable growth, risk mitigation, and team alignment

Who I work with:
➡ Foodtech startups & restaurant SaaS 🚀
➡ Independent full-service & restaurant groups
➡ F&B corporations & CPG companies
➡ Investment funds & growth-stage operators

Hospitality Expertise:
• Full-service, fine dining, fast casual, QSR, pizza
• Takeout, delivery, catering, tech integration & SaaS
• Process automation, robotics, operational execution
• Customer satisfaction, loyalty & retention
• Site selection, design, development, openings
• Food & labor cost analysis, menu innovation, recipe dev
• Financial planning, AUV forecasting, payroll & accounting
• Vendor selection, purchasing, receiving
• Marketing, branding, campaigns
• Employee recruiting, retention, and training
• Exit strategy & strategic planning

Startup & Growth Skills:
• Pitch decks, deal structuring & fundraising
• Business modeling, scaling & PMF de-risking
• Team development, road mapping, scenario analysis
• Lean ideation, flywheel management, Kaizen
• GTM strategy & channel partnerships
• Lead gen, sales sequencing & social selling
• CRM & stakeholder alignment
• Supply chain, vendor selection & customer retention

If you’re navigating growth, scaling a brand, or preparing for fundraising or exit—let’s connect and explore how to move with confidence and clarity.

taplio

The Battle

Simon Zatyrka

Vincenzo Puleio

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