In the mid-'90s after being hired at Ichiban in Santa Barbara, CA, Davin Waite made the decision to drop out of college and chase his new-found passion; food. After a few years of being mentored by local legend, Chef Hiro, Waite made the move to San Diego where he weaseled his way into the kitchen of Cafe Japengo where he further refined his skills. Six years later Waite opened his first business, The Fish Joint (which later rebranded as Pickled Ginger Catering & Events) which was followed by Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub, and The Whet Noodle all located in Oceanside, CA. For his next project, Davin is partnering Jessica Waite and Christopher Logan, a plant-based, zero-waste restaurant named The Plot. Show notes… Favorite success quote or mantra: "The future is unwritten." "Live in a way that the teenage version of myself would be proud of me." In today's episode with Davin Waite we will discuss: Food in the family Zero waste Married to your business partner (literally) Successes and failures The importance of travel Collaboration with restaurants near you Enjoying the rushes in a busy restaurant Learning from many different cultures and cooking Ego in the industry Ask questions and always learn Keeping a notebook and writing in the kitchen The birth of modern sushi Mentors Branding The decision to open your own restaurant Common mistakes in opening a restaurant Costs and bottom lines Gaining focus throughout your career Today's sponsor: BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more. Restaurant365 is a cloud-based, all-in-one, restaurant-specific accounting and back-office platform that seamlessly integrates with POS systems, payroll providers, food and beverage vendors. It generates accurate real-time reporting and analysis in user-friendly dashboards, facilitating immediate, data-driven decision making. Restaurant365 eliminates manual, error-prone processes and is designed to help restaurant businesses grow with functionality that helps optimize labor costs, reduce food costs and increase revenue.   Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Waking up every morning excited about life What is your biggest weakness? Smoking cigarettes What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? "Were you born to do this?" What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Quitting cigarettes Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. If it's not "wow" then don't send it out What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? Tasting menus What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain The Art of War for Managers by Gerald A. Michaelson and Steven W. Michaelson GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM  What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough? Value your own time Name one service you've hired. Solstice Interiors What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations? Smart phones Instagram Toast POS 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? Try to make a difference Things don't have to be perfect Be good to each other Contact info: Instagram: @davinwaite Email: davinwaite@gmail.c