In this powerhouse episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, Pat sits down with industry legend John Bettiga—a man whose career spans automotive and marine mechanics, semi-hermetic compressor rebuilding, commercial/industrial/marine refrigeration, grocery rack systems, Whataburger facilities, building controls, kitchen design, and supporting 150+ technicians across 17 states.
This is one of the most wide-ranging and knowledge-packed conversations ever recorded on CKC, and it’s loaded with real-world stories, technical insight, career lessons, and the evolution of the entire HVACR, refrigeration, hot-side equipment, and facility management landscape.
John walks us through:
• Starting as a teenage auto/marine mechanic
• Jumping into semi-hermetic compressor rebuilds in the 70s/80s
• Riding in a service truck, learning by fire, and being thrown at massive mechanical systems
• Working grocery store rack refrigeration with HEB
• Moving home and joining Whataburger as a refrigeration mechanic & electrician
• Learning hot-side “by force”
• Diving into electronics and board repair
• Running a refurb depot for fryers, grills, coolers, and beverage equipment
• Becoming a building engineer for an 80,000 sq ft headquarters
• Managing major remodels, rebuilds, and design projects
• Designing the kitchen layout Whataburger still uses today
• Being an early adopter of building controls (CPC/Emerson E2, RS-485 networks, automation)
• Supporting 150+ techs across 17 states with refrigeration, HVAC, and control-system troubleshooting
From 120º ship engine rooms… to rack systems with 300 lbs of lost refrigerant… to fryer redesigns… to the rise of communication-enabled commercial equipment—John has seen it all, fixed it all, and helped shape modern foodservice facility design.
If you’re into commercial kitchen repair, HVACR diagnostics, refrigeration systems, rack refrigeration, marine HVAC, building automation, hot-side equipment troubleshooting, facility innovation, EMS systems, commercial kitchen design, or technician development, this episode is a goldmine.
John drops deep topics like:
• How technicians should approach unfamiliar equipment
• Why electronics changed everything
• The truth about controls vs equipment failure
• The biggest skill gaps in today’s tech workforce
• Why ventilation is the silent killer of commercial kitchens
• What separates a “good tech” from a high-level tech
• How communication tech and remote troubleshooting are reshaping the trade
• Why seeking training—on your own—is the ultimate career cheat code
And of course… some wild stories:
• A grocery case explosion that launched a customer into her own shopping cart
• 120º boiler rooms inside oil tankers
• Construction crews building restaurants wrong and having to tear out walls
• Old-school ice machines that diagnosed themselves
• And plenty more…
This episode is the perfect blend of trade history, tech wisdom, design philosophy, field troubleshooting, and real-world storytelling from one of the most well-rounded professionals in the industry.
If you’re a technician, trainer, designer, engineer, or someone looking to grow in the foodservice equipment or HVACR world—this is a must-listen.
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