What we discuss in this episode
Adam Chrząstowski: people first, marble later. How not to kill a restaurant at the start (and what it means for marketing)
Episode 004 of mysite talks is a conversation with Adam Chrząstowski – a chef and “many hats” operator combining kitchen practice with management, training and projects in Poland and abroad (including two years in Shanghai). This is not an episode about “pretty plates”. It’s about how a restaurant works as an organism: from product and processes, through people, to location realities and marketing.
When it “clicked”: Switzerland, a Michelin star, and an organization lesson
Adam describes seeing gastronomy at a high level and realizing it’s a system, not magic. In Switzerland he experienced a Michelin‑star environment and saw how processes create repeatable quality.
Gastronomy as a magnifying glass
Gastronomy amplifies problems: human, process and financial. If something doesn’t work, the market shows it quickly.
A lesson from China: training, standards and onboarding
Two years in Shanghai reinforced that there is no team without training. Even experienced people need onboarding into the venue’s model.
Open kitchen: standards, culture and marketing in one
An open kitchen forces cleanliness, communication culture and organization.
From a marketing standpoint: if you cook honestly, you can show it.
The 3 most common opening mistakes
Adam points to:
- investing in decor before people
- forgetting that kitchen and service must “play together”
- mismatch between concept and location demand
All three have one root: wishful thinking instead of analysis.
Dead hours: not always kitchen or marketing’s fault
Often it’s a mismatch between the business model and the place (e.g., seasonal areas). Costs like rent and utilities matter.
Useful basics:
And if you want marketing to be a process (posts, review replies, planning), this is where mysite.ai helps.
Promotions, happy hours and lunch: diagnose first, leverage second
There’s no universal rule. It depends on who your guest is and what the neighborhood gives you.
Useful tools:
Social media and AI: the future is process, not a trick
Adam says: every restaurant should have social media. And about AI:
New technologies and AI in gastronomy are the future.
If you want to turn insights into action (planning, topics, review work), check mysite.ai.
What to watch next
- Marketing strategy & sales: Michał Kowalski
- Numbers and KPIs: Jacek Czauderna
- Craft and ego: Agata Wojda
More talks: mysite talks.
