From Michelin-Starred Kitchens to One of California’s Fastest-Growing Restaurant Brands
December 2, 2025
309
6
1.94%
Search the Record
IndexedEvery word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
Entrepreneur Episodes Around December 2, 2025
See what was published immediately before and after this episode.
29:17Now PlayingFrom Michelin-Starred Kitchens to One of California’s Fastest-Growing Restaurant Brands
YouTube Description
as posted by the channelChef Bert Bonnarens, a Belgian-trained chef who cooked in Michelin-starred kitchens, now leads culinary development for Wild Thyme Restaurant Group. At Shorebird, Wild Thyme’s flagship brand, he blends global technique with fresh, market-driven cooking.
Watch now to learn about his Michelin-trained beginnings, the lessons he carried across continents, and why guests follow him to the dock for fresh-caught seafood.
Sponsored by:
• TOAST AllIn1 Restaurant POS
Chapters:
[02:05] – Falling in Love with Food
[02:41] – Belgium’s Six-Year Culinary School
[04:53] – Training in Michelin-Starred Kitchens
[12:20] – The Saturday Fish Market Experience
[22:55] – Leadership, Balance, and Family
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 AllIn1 Restaurant POS
Episode Links:
Wild Thyme Restaurant Group
Wild Thyme Instagram
Shorebird Restaurants
Shorebird Instagram
Shorebird Facebook
Chef Bert Bonnarens LinkedIn
Key Takeaways:
The Power of Early Mentorship: Training under Michelin-starred chefs in Belgium taught Chef Bert the value of discipline, composure, and mastering the basics, lessons that continue to guide how he leads kitchens today.
A Market-to-Table Experience: Chef Bert’s Saturday trips to the nearby fish market invite guests to choose and cook fresh seafood with him, creating a hands-on moment that reflects Shorebird’s coastal setting.
Leadership Built on Trust: Years of global kitchen experience, combined with becoming a father, shaped Chef Bert’s belief in trusting his team, giving them responsibility, and helping cooks grow through real ownership.
***
ABOUT CHEF BERT BONNARENS —
Chef Bert Bonnarens is the corporate chef for Wild Thyme Restaurant Group, overseeing menu development, training, and new Shorebird openings across the country. Trained in Belgium’s demanding six-year culinary program and shaped by kitchens in the Netherlands and Mexico, he brings global technique, local sourcing, and memorable guest experiences to every concept he leads.
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
Produced by Cali BBQ Media
Guests & Subjects Covered
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.