STACEY POON-KINNEY of The Trails Eatery on Reality TV — Restaurant Influencers (RI008)

Stacey Poon-Kinney is not just a star in her San Diego food scene. Thanks to the power of television, she and her The Trails Eatery are famous all over the world. Watch now to learn about appearing on reality television food shows, overcoming obstacles in the restaurant biz, and learning to ask for help

CHAPTERS:

[00:47] - The Stacey Poon-Kinney Story

[02:44] - How To Ask For Help

[05:23] - Experience of Reality TV

[10:13] - Tips for Running a Restaurant

[13:43] - Switching to Toast POS

Stacey Poon-Kinney is a Restaurant Influencer —

Appearing numerous times on Food Network shows and other productions, The Trails Eatery owner Stacey Poon-Kinney (@spkcooks) is well-known for waking up Southern Californians with her world-class breakfasts and then appearing on primetime for the world at large.

The restaurateur and food entertainer has shot dozens of shows and pilots after sharing her emotional story on Restaurant Impossible in 2011 and competing on Food Network Star in 2013. Appearing on television and in the media has given Stacey Poon-Kinney a vast audience to entertain. And all she has to do is be herself and showcase what she does best.

“The experience of having been on a show that had such broad reach has only been positive, frankly,” the food TV star states on the Restaurant Influencers podcast, hosted by Shawn Walchef of “It was this lesson in love and vulnerability, to stand in front of people and say, ‘we’re failing in these ways and we’ve missed in these ways and we need help.

When Stacey Poon-Kinney decided to open up and share her story to cameras, she found an international audience who became invested in her life and business. People began to trickle into The Trails restaurant from all around the world.

• FOLLOW Stacey Poon-Kinney on Social Media @spkcooks

Whether cooking up cinnamon swirl pancakes for a hungry local guest (like podcast host Shawn Walchef and his family, who are regular diners at The Trails) or a wide-eyed and hungry national television audience, Stacey Poon-Kinney’s love for hospitality comes back to her heritage and roots.

For the mother of two and an entrepreneur, being busy is always on the menu and there’s always much to celebrate.

Right now, her restaurant peers are pivoting in every way possible to get through time that’s made running a business more challenging than ever.

“If there is one actionable thing, I would say know who you are,” states Stacey. “Know what you want, know where you're going, and then executing is a lot easier. You have to know who you are. It's all about authenticity.”

WHAT DID YOU LEARN on this episode of the Restaurant Influencers podcast, sponsored by @ToastTab? Let us know by leaving a YouTube comment below!

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EPISODE LINKS:

• The Trails Eatery Online

• Stacey PoonKinney Social Media

• The Trails Eatery on Yelp

NOMINATE A RESTAURANT INFLUENCER — Do you know someone or a restaurant who is great on social media? Let us know by emailing influencers@calibbq.media or sending the @calibbqmedia team a DM on social media.

SUBSCRIBE TO RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS PODCAST

ABOUT STACEY POON-KINNEY + THE TRAILS EATERY:

Stacey Poon-Kinney grew up in a food family — her great-grandfather was a chef and her great-grandmother ran a diner. The married mom of two owns The Trails Eatery with her father. Stacey Poon-Kinney and The Trails Eatery have been featured on Food Network's “Restaurant Impossible” with Robert Irvine and on Food Network's “Food Network Star”.

• Connect on Instagram

ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS:

Welcome to the Restaurant Influencers podcast series, sponsored by Toast POS (@toasttab). Every week host Shawn P. Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with leaders in restaurant and hospitality about their secrets to Smartphone Storytelling and how to show up and engage where customers are spending time online.

The weekly digital series (audio, video, writing, images) is hosted by Cali BBQ Media Founder Shawn P. Walchef and presented by Entrepreneur Media (@entrepreneur), Yelp for Business (@yelp), and Cali BBQ Media (@calibbqmedia).

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SPONSORED 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 — Powering Successful Restaurants

Learn more at pos.toasttab.com

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