Jerry Lee | The Empty Bowl

The Day The Noodles Ran Out...Featuring Jerry Lee, Owner of The Empty Bowl   Classic Episode 224 - Originally aired May 29, 2019   Jerry Lee bet everything he had on a tiny noodle bar in Santa Barbara. On opening day, The Empty Bowl ran out of noodles at 4 p.m., even though they were supposed to stay open until nine.   That turned out to be a pretty good problem to have.   Born in Taipei and raised in his family’s restaurants, Jerry grew up washing dishes and watching his parents work seven days a week. He eventually built a career in hospitality, spanning fine dining and wine, and helped establish service standards and a world-class wine cellar at the legendary San Ysidro Ranch.   Jerry joins The Jeremiah Show to share how he built The Empty Bowl, why consistency and training were central to his success, and why restaurant owners should never ask employees to do work they aren't willing to do themselves.   There’s also an unexpected family story: after 30 years of divorce, Jerry’s parents found each other again—and remarried.   Restaurants, risk, family, and one unforgettable opening day.   EMPTY BOWL INSTAGRAM EMPTY BOWL WEBSITE JERRY LEE INSTAGRAM   CHAPTERS   00:00 Introduction to Jerry Lee and his culinary background 03:09 Early life in Taipei and family restaurant roots 07:00 Moving to California and starting in the restaurant industry 12:00 Transition from server to restaurateur 19:55 Opening Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar and sourcing ingredients 29:59 Expanding with Cow Gang and Thai cuisine focus 39:56 Training staff and maintaining quality 49:56 Future plans, franchising, and wine cellar project     POP CULTURE, MUSIC ICONS, & FOOD GODS - Listen More & Evolve   Catch Up With Past Shows and Your Favorite Guests - TJS MEDIA LIBRARY   Partner with The Jeremiah Show  BRAND PARTNER DECK   The Jeremiah Show is brought to you by Evolve Entertainment Network  www.thejeremiahshow.com https://radio-evolve.rocks   Host | Executive Producer - Jeremiah D. Higgins Senior Sound Engineer | Producer - Graham Palmer | Surprise Studio   THE JEREMIAH SHOW PROUDLY FEATURES    Cuzen Matcha Worldwide - Get $30 Off at Checkout “JEREMIAH30” Music Connection Magazine  MusiCares  Omad Records Nicole Sofia Voracious Records Greens First - Get 30% Off at Checkout “JEREMIAH30”   The Jeremiah Show Radio Broadcast is heard in London, Somerset, U.K., New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles, Ontario, Canada, and Santa Barbara on Radio Candy Media. We are broadcast in London on Belter Radio and in Paris on My Indie Radio.   SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS   Jeremiah D. Higgins   Graham Palmer, Surprise Studio   Did you like the music in this episode?  The Jeremiah Show Original Music Soundtracks     The Jeremiah Show Theme Song “The Ocean and the Butterfly” by The Dave Matthews Band   NEW SHOWS - Every Friday Classic TJS Shows Drop Every Wednesday