From Michelin Stars to Instant Payouts: How Tech Powers Hospitality at Shorebird

* Why instant payouts are actually a hospitality tool. Chef Bert reveals that removing the friction of waiting for tips doesn’t just improve morale, it eliminates the “head worries” and payout disputes that distract staff from taking care of the guest.* The “90/10 Rule” for scaling a brand. To expand from San Diego to Sedona without losing quality, Wild Thyme locks in 90% of the menu for operational consistency but explicitly reserves 10% for local chefs to innovate with fresh, market-specific ingredients.* Replacing “Grind” with “Systems.” After years of burning the candle at both ends, Chef Bert Bonnaren explains why “full gas is not always the fastest way to get there” and how relying on integrated tech stacks allows high-volume restaurants to run smoother with significantly less chef burnout.Shorebird is magical. The San Diego restaurant overlooks the Coronado Bridge and the bay, serving up a culinary experience that blends coastal flavors with high-end execution.I recently sat down at the beautiful Shorebird in Seaport Village to catch up with Chef Bert Bonnaren, the Corporate Chef for Wild Thyme Restaurant Group. But as we looked out at the water, we didn’t just talk about their famous tempura rock shrimp or the fresh catch from the local fish market (though those are incredible). We talked about the engine that keeps a multi-location brand running: Technology.Chef Bert has a serious pedigree. He grew up in Belgium, trained in a “military-style” culinary school for six years, and interned with Michelin-star legends like Chef Geert Van Hecke in Bruges (often called the godfather of Belgian cuisine) and Chef Sidney Schutte in the Netherlands. He knows old-school discipline. But he also knows that in 2024, “grinding it out” isn’t enough. You need smart systems.The “Full Gas” FallacyBert told me something profound during our chat: “Full gas is not always the fastest way to get there”.Early in his career, he burned the candle at both ends. But now, as a corporate chef overseeing openings for brands like Mole and Jaybird’s Hot Chicken, and as a new father, he has realized that efficiency beats brute force. This is where the right technology stack becomes the secret ingredient to hospitality.When I asked him about the tech they use at Wild Thyme, he was blunt: “You’re leaving a lot of things on the table if you wouldn’t use it”.Why Kickfin is a Game Changer for StaffOne of the biggest friction points in the restaurant industry is how we treat our people—specifically, how we pay them. We discussed Kickfin, and Chef Bert’s take on it was exactly what every operator needs to hear.It’s not just about moving money; it’s about psychology and morale.“It’s smooth, it makes everybody happy because they get their money quicker, faster, in a better way,” Chef Bert explained.For a busy restaurant group with locations ranging from Huntington Beach to Sedona, eliminating the administrative headache of tips is massive. When you remove the friction of payout disputes or delayed gratitude, you change the culture.As Chef Bert noted, Kickfin “takes a lot of time away, a lot of head worries and people coming back and complaining. So it opens up more time for you, less stress”.That is the definition of Digital Hospitality. When you use technology to remove “head worries” for your staff, they have more emotional bandwidth to take care of the guest.The Ecosystem of EfficiencyIt’s not just about payouts. Wild Thyme relies on a connected ecosystem to handle the volume they see at prime locations like Seaport Village.* Reservations & Reviews: They lean on platforms like OpenTable and Yelp because they are deeply integrated into the guest experience. It’s about visibility and maximizing covers.* Events: For large groups and buyouts, they utilize Tripleseat to streamline contracting and visualize the space for guests.Chef Bert pointed out that the busier the restaurant is, the easier it is to manage but only if you have the systems in place to handle the scale. Technology is what allows them to “copy and paste” their success from one location to the next, maintaining 90% menu consistency while leaving room for local flair.The LessonChef Bert’s journey from the strict kitchens of Knokke, Belgium to the tech-forward operations of San Diego proves that tradition and innovation aren’t enemies.Whether it’s using Kickfin to ensure his team gets paid instantly or using data to plan a new menu, the goal remains the same: “To keep the quality here but also give my life a quality,” as Bert put it.Did you enjoy this article? Check out more interviews like this on our the Restaurant Influencers video podcast series presented by our partners at Toast very week on Entrepreneur.com.If you want to dive deeper into the best tools for your business, subscribe to our Restaurant Technology Substack and follow Cali BBQ Media on YouTube. This is a public episode. 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