From Pizza Delivery to Hell’s Kitchen: Chef James Avery on the Realities of the Restaurant Industry
The restaurant industry looks glamorous from the outside. Television shows, celebrity chefs, and packed dining rooms can make it seem like a world of creativity and fame.
But behind the kitchen doors, the reality is far more complex.
In this episode of the podcast, Tom and Chef Mike sit down with James Avery, a Jersey Shore native who has spent nearly three decades in the restaurant business and worked as a sous chef alongside Gordon Ramsay on Hell’s Kitchen.
Their conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to survive—and thrive—in one of the toughest industries in the world.
From rising costs and restaurant economics to kitchen culture, addiction, and mentorship, Avery shares hard-earned lessons from a lifetime in hospitality.
The Creative Rush of the Kitchen
For many chefs, the appeal of the restaurant business goes far beyond cooking.
According to Avery, chefs are fundamentally creators and problem solvers.
“You start with nothing. Raw ingredients, an empty concept, and you build something—whether it’s a dish or an entire restaurant.”
There’s a unique thrill that comes with executing a perfect service, nailing a new dish, or seeing guests genuinely enjoy what you’ve created.
Restaurants also become part of the communities they serve. Chefs get to watch guests grow up, celebrate milestones, and build memories around the food they serve.
“When you get it right,” Avery says, “there’s no better feeling.”
The Dark Side of the Restaurant Industry
But passion alone doesn’t keep restaurants open.
One of the biggest challenges facing operators today is simple: the math no longer works the way it used to.
According to Avery, the average restaurant profit margin has dropped dramatically.
“The average restaurant made about 2.8% profit last year.”
To put that in perspective:
A restaurant generating $1 million in revenue may barely break even.
Fixed costs—rent, utilities, insurance, and credit card fees—continue to rise.
Food and labor costs have increased dramatically.
Restaurants can’t simply raise prices indefinitely either.
As Avery explains:
“We can’t charge what we should charge. If we did, no one would come.”
That balancing act—maintaining quality while remaining affordable—is one of the biggest challenges restaurant owners face today.
Art vs. Business: The Real Job of a Chef
The public often views chefs as artists.
But successful chefs are also business operators.
Avery describes it as balancing two competing forces:
Creativity
Financial reality
His philosophy is inspired by legendary chef Marco Pierre White:
“Cookbook in one hand, calculator in the other.”
Every restaurant concept must start with a business framework before creativity enters the picture.
For example, if you’re opening a pub in New Jersey, certain menu items are almost mandatory:
Burgers
Caesar salad
Bar appetizers
A steak option
A seasonal fish dish
Once the framework is established, chefs can then build creative dishes around it.
Without that business structure, even talented chefs can fail.
Why Many Restaurants Fail
One of the biggest mistakes Avery sees is chefs cooking what they want, instead of what the market demands.
He’s seen talented chefs go out of business simply because they ignored cost structure.
For example:
A dish costing $15 to produce
Sold for $16
No matter how good the food is, that math doesn’t work.
Avery emphasizes a concept many chefs overlook:
Plate profit matters more than percentage margins.
For example:
Dish A: $8 profit at 25% cost
Dish B: $25 profit at 50% cost
Dish B wins every time.
“You don’t put percentages in the bank. You put dollars in the bank.”
The Pressure of Hell’s Kitchen
Many viewers wonder how professional chefs on Hell’s Kitchen struggle with seemingly simple dishes.
Avery says the answer is simple: pressure.
Imagine cooking while:
Surrounded by cameras
Serving a live dining room
Being watched by Gordon Ramsay
Managing a brigade-style kitchen
In that environment, even experienced cooks can crack.
The show also uses a brigade system, common in high-end European kitchens, where each cook handles a specific station—fish, meat, garnish—rather than preparing entire dishes from start to finish.
That structure alone can be unfamiliar for many American chefs.
The Most Overrated Food Trends
Avery didn’t hold back when asked about overrated food trends.
One in particular stood out:
Smash burgers.
“They’re getting thinner and thinner. I don’t get the obsession.”
He also believes many restaurants are becoming too generic, trying to serve everything:
Sushi
Nachos
Pasta
Pizza
When restaurants try to please everyone, they often lose their identity.
The Most Underrated Cuisine
On the flip side, Avery believes several cuisines deserve more attention—especially Southeast Asian food.
Flavors like:
Lime
Fish sauce
Peanut
Brown sugar
Chili
create bold combinations rarely seen in suburban restaurant scenes.
He also believes authentic Tex-Mex cuisine is misunderstood and often poorly represented in the United States.
Many people confuse it with chain-style Mexican food, when real Tex-Mex is a distinct and flavorful culinary tradition.
The Culture Problem in Restaurant Kitchens
One of the most honest parts of the conversation tackled a difficult topic: addiction in the restaurant industry.
Long hours, adrenaline-filled services, and high stress can create unhealthy coping mechanisms.
After a chaotic dinner rush, many workers look for ways to unwind.
But Avery believes the industry doesn’t create addiction—it attracts personalities that thrive in high-stress environments, which can also correlate with addictive tendencies.
His approach focuses on building healthier habits:
Breathwork
Hydration
Stress management
Emotional awareness
Something as simple as breathing properly during service can drastically change how chefs handle pressure.
A New Mission: Mentoring the Next Generation
After stepping away from his restaurants, Avery began working on a new project: The Modern Brigade.
The program aims to mentor chefs on topics rarely taught in kitchens, including:
Work-life balance
Financial literacy
leadership and communication
emotional health
long-term career planning
Avery believes young chefs often spend 10–15 years mastering technical cooking skills, only to realize no one taught them how to manage life outside the kitchen.
“You learn how to cook, but nobody teaches you how to live.”
The goal of The Modern Brigade is to create a community where chefs can learn from each other while developing the personal skills needed to sustain a career.
The Real Secret to Success in Restaurants
At the end of the day, Avery says great chefs share one core trait:
They are problem solvers.
Restaurants are full of daily challenges:
Missing deliveries
Staff shortages
equipment failures
customer complaints
Success comes from handling those problems calmly and efficiently.
“You’re just solving problems all day long.”
And the chefs who learn how to do that—without burning themselves out—are the ones who last.
✔ Final Thought
The restaurant industry isn’t easy. It demands resilience, discipline, and creativity under constant pressure.
But for those who truly love it, there’s nothing else like it.
As Avery puts it:
“Restaurants matter. They’re part of the fabric of a community. And if we can make the people in this industry stronger, we make the whole industry better.”
This podcast episode was filmed at Wingman Planning in Belmar.
