Let's normalize making our success sustainable,

and I don't mean compostable plates..."

- Simon Zatyrka

Simon has been in the restaurant industry his entire adult life. He came for the food and stayed for the people. Food was always a very important part of family, so it made sense that his first job was in a kitchen.

He quickly understood that as long as he was cooking he could work wherever he wanted. This led to a series of relocations from New Mexico, Massachusetts, Florida and California before finally settling down in Seattle, Washington. By 2002 Simon had become a sous chef and his management career had begun. The revelation that being a chef has as much to do with people as it does food was an eye opener. The good news, Simon is a chatty MF and has always loved to be around people. As much a purveyor of a wonderful story as a stunning taco, Simon's desire to be a great leader and developer of people has informed his path for the last twenty years.

After over thirty years in the kitchen, 2022 brought with it the perfect moment to pivot out of kitchen operations. He has spent the last year plotting to take over the world, er, I mean finding a way to help chefs grow their leadership and assisting restauranteurs to improve their culture, systems and profit.

In December 2023 Simon brought CULINARY MECHANIC to life. Week by week finding ways to bring insights, strategies, tools and tactics for running your restaurant like a well-oiled machine through stories and great conversation to an ever increasing band of watchers and listeners.

Testimonials

Brent Novotny - Culinary Director, John Howie Restaurants, Bellevue, WA

Simon's restaurant experience spans across all segments of the industry,from fine dining to fast-casual, and he's been through it all. This experience gives him a unique perspective and the ability to help restaurant teams adapt to an ever-evolving industry; whether that's management development, culinary excellence, or back-of-house logistics. (9/25/2023)

Christopher Zekos, Executive Chef, Denver Colorado

Chef Simon, he’s a teacher, a mentor, a friend, a confidant, but most of all a Rockstar chef.

Simon has shared so many good lessons over the years. Here are two of my favorites.

1 - "Taste Everything" - it opens the conversation to coaching employees and developing them as great cooks. Simon taught me that if you train from one end of the menu to the other you will elevate your team to new levels of badassery.

2 - Time management. Chefs fight to maintain control of the day. Chef taught me structure and setting reasonable goals. Ultimately if you create a plan and follow through, you will achieve it.

Simon's mentorship has helped me become a well-rounded chef and to maintain my focus on execution, financials, and accountability. Simon's methods have become the rules my kitchen are run by. (5/24/2024)

Jeff Morgan, Founder, Kina'ole Restaurant Consulting, Shoreline, WA

Simon has that perfect blend of Philosophy and Practical Knowledge. As a Leader, he understands that all challenges and therefore solutions are human centered. So his ability to design solutions that are people first are spot on. First the who, then the Why and finally the how is a conversation that has brought illumination to many different challenges that Simon has help folks overcome. (3/1/2024)

Ryan Dean, Principal, Ryan Dean Consulting, Seattle, WA

When I was faced with a difficult retail POS challenge, I reached out to a well-established restaurant support firm. They immediately recommended that I speak with Simon Zatryka with whom we quickly worked out a consulting arrangement. Simon was able to quickly get to the the core challenge we faced with an out-of-date restaurant management system that was not coordinating with our single retail POS system at that time. He helped us to get the right information into the system and trained the new cafe manager to be successful. His supportive and empathetic teaching style was greatly appreciated! I would hire Simon again if I was in a similar situation. (3/21/2024)

Ami Grubbs, Operator, Talarico's Pizzeria, Seattle, WA

Being a small business owner and working with Culinary Mechanic has added great communication and strength to our managment team. Simon has an innate gift for bringing the team together and leading with compassion, while delivering outstanding positive results. (9/25/2023)

Marc Chatalas, Owner, Cactus Southwest Kitchen + Bar

Simon is a highly capable individual, distinguished by his curiosity, intelligence, and versatility. With extensive experience spanning various roles and adeptly managing both large and small teams, he offers a profound understanding of restaurant operations and leadership. Simon's pragmatic approach and strong problem-solving skills render him a dependable resource for tackling diverse challenges in kitchen operations and leadership training. (3/24/2024)

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