Mateo Kehler on Building Systems That Protect Values

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Restaurant Ready

Matt Jennings

44 episodes

1 week ago

RESTAURANT READY: THE BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Restaurant Ready is your backstage pass to the inner workings of the hospitality industry’s brightest stars. This podcast promises authentic discussions with the most influential chefs, restaurateurs, and food media experts. Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author Matt Jennings, along with the MAJC team, helm this weekly podcast. In each episode, industry veterans sit down for candid conversations revealing the honest stories behind their achievements, exploring the strategies, philosophies, and lessons learned along the way that shaped their path to success. Learn from the guests’ unique formula for creating consistent positive results in their business and personal lives. Restaurant Ready delivers unparalleled value for restaurant owners, chefs, and managers looking to elevate their careers and businesses. Listen in for a unique, no-holds-barred exploration of what it takes to thrive in the competitive world of hospitality. With each episode, we will discuss the state of the industry, the challenges we face and how to approach them, and ideas from the experts on how to best prepare yourself for success. You'll walk away with new ideas, and inspiration, as well as a greater sense of community and support as you drive your own success story.

All content for Restaurant Ready is the property of Matt Jennings and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Management

Business,

Entrepreneurship

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Mateo Kehler on Building Systems That Protect Values

Restaurant Ready

29 minutes

1 week ago

Mateo Kehler on Building Systems That Protect Values

Mateo Kehler is the co-founder and head cheesemaker of Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont, a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to rural economic development through world-class artisan cheese. Built alongside his brother Andy, Jasper Hill has become a model for how independent food businesses can remain value-driven, profitable, and deeply rooted in place. In this episode, Kehler shares how cheese became a vehicle for community regeneration, why independence matters more than scale, and how systems, collaboration, and outrageously delicious products can reshape broken commodity markets.

Takeaways

High-value food can reclaim wealth from extractive commodity markets
Independence allows businesses to stay values-driven, not purely economic
Meaningful work requires connection to place and people
Grow laterally through collaboration instead of scaling vertically
Premium pricing must reflect the true cost of production
Quality is non-negotiable, values only work if the product is exceptional
Partnerships can unlock capital without sacrificing control
Systems remove ego from craft and create consistency
Data enables better decision-making across production and finance
Separate personal identity from product decisions to lead more objectively
Paying farmers a living wage stabilizes entire communities
Transparency builds trust across complex organizations
Asking for help strengthens leadership
Long-term sustainability requires profitability and discipline
Innovation and tradition must evolve together

Want to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today’s guest?

MAJC has built a community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC community, sign up at www.MAJC.ai.