49. Ernie Villarreal of Meat & Bread in Austin, TX joins Bobby & Myles for an Amazing Conversation
Today we are thrilled to have Meat & Bread Owner/Operator Ernie Villarreal on the Cutting Onions Podcast! We had a fantastic conversation talking about Ernie's incredible restaurant journey over the years. From his start as an Assistant Manager at Chipotle, to GM, to Restaurateur and wrapping up a successful 12-year career there, to his time as a Managing Partner with Raising Cane's to a stint at Velvet Taco where he honed his culinary skills, and now onto his journey as an Owner/Operator with Meat & Bread where he is about to open his first restaurant in Austin, TX where he has master franchise rights. Ernie doesn't shy away from the tough stuff in this conversation and you will hear him talk about the struggles of opening a restaurant in the age of COVID, how he has battled through and the lessons he learned in the early days of Chipotle and at Raising Canes that continue to be the bedrock foundation for what he does and how he continues to create a strong culture that has always been a hallmark of Ernie's restaurants. We could have talked to Ernie all day, and as you can hear from the podcast, this was a very fun conversation! So much fun that we are making a trip to see Ernie in Austin in the near future, and may just have a bonus episode heading your way. Enjoy this amazing conversation and please share it on your social channels. If you were as inspired as we were and want to reach out to Ernie you can find him on Instagram at @meatandbreadatx or drop him an email at [email protected].