Today on The Beef, we get down to it with Brittney Aplin, who owns Captain Brad’s Coastal Kitchen! In this no-frills and inspiring conversation, we hear from Brittney about her family’s ties to the world of seafood, and how her father entered into the restaurant business in her younger years. She explains how she never imagined another path and the challenges that she and her team encountered after her father passed. We also talk about how the restaurant managed to stay afloat during the difficulties of the pandemic, and how she approached keeping her customer base happy. Captain Brad’s has a dedicated cult following, something that is not easy to come by, and we get the lowdown from Brittney on what she believes are the main contributing factors to this. To hear it all from a business owner who is sticking to her guns and creating a legacy along the way, listen in with us!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Brittney’s idea for a warning label for humans.
- A little bit about Brittney’s family history and her connection to the seafood business.
- Captain Brad’s cult following and Brittney’s thoughts on what has created this.
- The biggest changes and trends in the hospitality industry over the last few years.
- The good luck that Captain Brad’s had with inspection agents during the pandemic.
- Rallying and support within the industry during the challenges of the past two years.
- Some of the best customer stories and love that Brittney has experienced recently.
- Why staying authentic and sticking to seafood has served Brittney and her team so well.
- Lessons learned during the pandemic and the whirlwind experiences of 2020 and 2021.
- Advice from Brittney on the power of research and how to save some money.
- How to connect with and support Brittney and Captain Brad’s Coastal Kitchen.
- The ‘superhero parking’ at the restaurant and discounts offered to the military and first responders.
Tweetables:
“The restaurant industry is all I know. My dad was a commercial crabber, shrimper, oysterman. We were always raised on the water, my whole family. He decided to get out of that and opened a seafood restaurant.” — Brittney Aplin [0:01:59]
“Me and the chef, we have been working together since we were 19. We are about to be 36.” — Brittney Aplin [0:04:40]
“We made it through COVID. What a blessing that is, that not everyone can say.” — Brittney Aplin [0:08:32]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: