EPISODE · Nov 24, 2025 · 56 MIN
“I Got Fired for Yelling at Gordon Ramsay" (Then Built a $20M Restaurant Empire), with James Trees
from Make Restaurants Profitable · host Foodie Coaches
James Trees went from nearly dying in a car crash to building six restaurants doing over $20 million in revenue. He shares the brutal mistakes he made on Kitchen Nightmares, why most restaurants fail, and the simple changes that took one struggling restaurant from losing money to 24% food cost.You’ll hear:00:00 - From Dishwasher to $20M: The Impossible Journey02:40 - Working Overtime Almost Killed Me (Literally) 05:44 - Why Being a "Horrible Employee" Made Him a Better Boss12:47 - The Kitchen Nightmares Truth Nobody Talks About21:22 - "I Built My Own Prison" - Breaking Free From the Chef Ego27:43 - The Daily Ritual That Changed Everything38:21 - $700K in Salaries CUT - Here's What Happened Next42:02 - From 36% to 24% Food Cost: The 3 Dish Fix45:58 - Why Cutting Hours Actually Makes MORE Money52:27 - The Server Who Got Sober and Bought a House (Employee Growth Story)And so much more…Watch the YouTube Version of the Podcast hereIf you're currently struggling or you want to build a business you love and get more time back, book a Call with our team here so we can help you work through your biggest problem right now. You can find more from James on InstagramCheck out the behind the scenes over at @foodie_coaches and @tim.kummerfeld
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“I Got Fired for Yelling at Gordon Ramsay" (Then Built a $20M Restaurant Empire), with James Trees
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