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What truly separates a cook from a chef? According to industry veteran and acclaimed Chef Brian Duffy, it's far more than culinary skill—it's understanding the business of restaurants from the ground up.

Chef Duffy took time to talk with us in Las Vegas about his remarkable journey from culinary school graduate to opening restaurants and building a diverse empire of food-related businesses. With ownership stakes in everything from a German spice company to a multimedia firm with over 100 billion content views, Duffy represents the real grit of the multifaceted modern culinary entrepreneur.

At the heart of this convo lies a critical message for restaurant owners and aspiring chefs alike: profitability matters as much as passion. Duffy recounts how most executive chef candidates fail his first interview question about understanding restaurant budgets. "If you don't know what your sales are, how are you budgeting for your purchasing, how are you budgeting for your scheduling, and how are you going to make money off that product?" This fundamental knowledge gap explains why talented cooks often struggle when given management responsibilities.

Being at the Bar & Restaurant Expo we talked about the technological revolution reshaping kitchens post-COVID. From self-cleaning hood systems to induction cooking innovations, these advancements remain unknown to many operators in smaller markets—exactly why Duffy champions the Food and Beverage Innovation Center to showcase possibilities beyond traditional vendor offerings. While acknowledging that robots might handle some repetitive kitchen tasks, both Chefs maintain that "a robot can't replace a chef's mind and hands."

Through his consulting firm, Duffified Experience Group, Chef Duffy helps bridge the knowledge gap between culinary creativity and business sense. Want to transform your restaurant's performance? Connect with Chef Brian Duffy on all social platforms @ChefBriDuff and discover how an upfront investment in expertise could save your business from costly long-term mistakes.

Thanks agian for taking the time Brian, you are an incredible talent, host, and champion for the growth in the restuarnt industry!

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