795: Max Santiago Executive Chef/Founder of Batch Cookie Company

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Award-winning Executive Pastry Chef Max Santiago is a native Floridian, where he attended culinary school after serving in the United States Air Force. Chef Max is uniquely skilled with over 27 years of experience in both award-winning fine dining restaurants and 5 Star, 5 Diamond hotels.

In the Fall of 2015 Chef Max felt it was time to begin a new chapter in his career, his first venture as a business partner was into the world of artisanal craft donuts! Where he was the cofounder, Executive Pastry Chef, and partner of The Salty Donut. It very quickly acquired huge success and notoriety drawing in massive crowds, and became a social media sensation!

In September of 2019, Chef Max stepped into his next venture, a partnership that created Batch the Cookie Company. Batch has been thriving with great success since first opening its doors in The Flagler Village neighborhood of Ft Lauderdale.

Batch location number 2 is soon to open in May 2021!

Chef Max is currently one of the top, sought after Consulting Donut Chef’s in the world. He has helped open 9 donut shops throughout different parts of the world to include: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Toronto, Portugal, Orlando, New York, Washington State, Davie, and Miami.

His new Donut Shop, named MAX’D OUT Artisanal Donuts by Chef Max Santiago, is set to open by the end of this year!

Check out Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less by Brian Tracy as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out Meez as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!!

• Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and connect with my past guest and a community of superfans.
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• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "You become rich and successful just working in the kitchen, you need to become a good businessperson."

In today's episode with Max Santiago we will discuss:

• Specialty bakeries
• Chefs don't taste their food enough
• Cooking as an art
• How it feels to be your own boss
• Bakery work is the best for work/life balance
• The importance of working in a hotel
• Employee retention
• Organization
• Don't be closed-minded
• Social media
• Collaboration

Today's sponsor:

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P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

At Popmenu, we know that in today’s world, a great hospitality experience usually begins online. Keeping the conversation with guests going beyond the meal also requires simple, powerful, fun technology capable of expression through all kinds of channels. Our team takes pride in helping restaurants put their best foot forward digitally so they can focus on what they do best. We think PDF menus are super boring, we believe 3rd party platforms have had too much say in how consumers find their next dining experience and we deeply feel that sharing your beautiful menu doesn’t have to be so difficult, time-consuming and expensive. As a listener of the Restaurant Unstoppable, you'll receive $100 off your first month of Popmenu!

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Quality of my product, I set trends instead of follow them
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Perfectionist
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Look for what I cannot teach, like personality
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Myself, good attitude ALWAYS
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Work smarter, not harder
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Be open with your entire staff
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   • Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM
8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Working and knowing every station, happy workers make your product and customer service better
9. Name one service you've hired
   • Gables Delight: small, local jammer
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Be a good person with a good heart and be generous
    • Be a good cook
    • Put time into the right relationships

Contact info:

Social handles: @chefmaxsantiago

OR @batchcookieco

Thanks for listening!

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Huge thanks to Maximo Santiago for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!