From butcher shops to fine dining, Chef Brad Wise has built a reputation for world-class steaks and top-tier hospitality. As his Trust Restaurant Group expands and new concepts take shape, he’s proving that smart risks, self-belief, and hard-earned lessons are the keys to scaling his business.
Watch now to learn about the power of trust, the balance between growth and hospitality, and the surprising crossovers between running a butcher shop and a restaurant.
Sponsored by:
• TOAST – All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc
Chapters:
[02:29] – What Does “Trust” Mean
[08:24] – Running a Butcher Shop
[13:20] – How Rare Society Was Born
[19:42] – The Keys To Scaling
[27:25] – Focus For 2025
SPONSORS:
RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS IS PRESENTED BY TOAST —
Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.
• Toast All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc
Episode Links:
Brad Wise LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-wise-3456b149/
Brad Wise Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefbwise/
Trust Restaurant Group: https://www.trustrgsd.com/
Trust: https://www.trustrestaurantsd.com/
Trust Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trustrestaurantsd/
The Wise Ox: https://www.thewiseoxsd.com/
The Wise Ox Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewiseoxsd/
Rare Society: https://raresociety.com/
Rare Society Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raresocietysteakhouse/
Key Takeaways:
Foundation in Trust – From his team to his guests, Brad Wise built his restaurants on trust, believing it drives hospitality and long-term growth.
Failure Can Lead to Your Best Ideas – When an early concept failed, Wise pivoted. That setback led to Rare Society, now one of his fastest-growing brands.
The Right Partner is Key to Success – No chef can do it alone. Wise stresses finding a counterpart who complements your strengths and shares your vision.
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ABOUT BRAD WISE —
Coming of age along the shores of Cape May, Chef Brad Wise never had culinary aspirations. A serendipitous tag-along led to a job mopping floors at Jake’s Pizza. Now, he’s one of the region’s leading chefs and restaurateurs, with five distinct concepts that highlight the bold, smoky, wood-fired flavors he’s known for. His story begins on the Central Coast. Dating his now wife, whose family has roots in the region, Chef fell in love with Santa Maria-style grilling. An ancient method of cooking, live fire proved to be fun for him, the unharnessed, spontaneous flame, the drama fueling his obsession with wood-fired everything. This has become his unintentional trademark, a signature style that is on full display across his portfolio of restaurants, which to date include Trust, Fort Oak, Rare Society, Cardellino, Wild Child Ice Cream, and The Wise Ox.
ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS —
Restaurant Influencers is a weekly video podcast series presented by Entrepreneur Media and Cali BBQ Media. Every week host and restaurant owner Shawn Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with business leaders like Shaquille O’Neal, Rob Dyrdek, Emeril Lagasse, Mayim Bialik, Jon Taffer, Robert Irvine, Toast co-founder Aman Narang, and more, about their secrets to Smartphone Storytelling, marketing, branding, and how to show up where customers are engaging online.
Published by Entrepreneur Media – https://entreprenuer.com
Produced by Cali BBQ Media – https://betheshow.media
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIMVc3P1Akc
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