BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROL
Some places don’t just get busy.
They build a following.
The kind where people are willing to wait, travel, and come back again and again—because they know what they’re getting is worth it.
That’s exactly what Bobby Marott has built.
When Bobby joined me on Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast, this wasn’t just a conversation about restaurants. It was about the mindset, the pressure, and the reality behind creating something people line up for.
“I always know it can go away at any second.”
It didn’t happen by accident
When people talk about Tuckaway Tavern, they usually talk about the lines.
The wait.
The energy.
The fact that people will drive from all over just to get in the door.
But what you don’t always see is what it took to build that.
And sitting down with Bobby on Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast, that’s exactly what came through.
This wasn’t luck.
This was years of work, pressure, risk, and a mindset that never really turns off.
It started with a job—and a mindset
Bobby’s story started the way a lot of ours do.
Young.
Working.
Figuring it out.
He talked about getting his first job because he wanted something—Air Max sneakers—and realizing quickly that if he wanted something, he had to go earn it.
That mindset stuck.
Because from that point on, it wasn’t just about working.
It was about pushing.
Learning.
Getting better.
Finding the kitchen
Like so many people in this industry, once he got into a kitchen, something clicked.
The pace.
The pressure.
The creativity.
The structure.
It all made sense.
And once that happens, it’s hard to walk away.
Responsibility changes everything
One thing that really stood out to me was how early Bobby took on responsibility.
Becoming a father young changes your perspective.
It adds urgency.
It raises the stakes.
And you could hear that in how he talked about those years.
This wasn’t just about building a career.
It was about building stability.
The moment everything could have changed
There was a point where Bobby almost walked away.
And honestly, that part of the story really stayed with me.
Because every successful business has that moment.
The moment where it would be easier to stop.
To go in a different direction.
To take a safer path.
But he didn’t.
And that decision changed everything.
Building something people wait for
What Tuckaway has become is something special.
Not just because of the food.
But because of the experience.
And on Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast, we talked about how intentional that is.
The food is familiar—but better.
Elevated without being unrecognizable.
Comfortable, but exciting.
And that’s a balance that’s not easy to hit.
But when you do, people notice.
Success—and the pressure that comes with it
Here’s the part I think people don’t always understand.
Success doesn’t make things easier.
It makes them heavier.
Bobby talked openly about that.
The pressure to maintain it.
To protect it.
To keep it consistent.
Because when people expect something from you, you don’t get to miss.
And that’s where that mindset comes in.
Knowing it could all go away.
And working like it might.
Expanding without losing control
What I found really interesting was how he’s approached growth.
Hop + Grind.
Rise + Grind.
Grindhouse Meat Company.
The Barn at Merry Hill.
Each concept has its own identity.
But they all carry the same standard.
And that’s the challenge.
Because growth is easy.
Maintaining quality while you grow?
That’s the hard part.
Building people, not just restaurants
Another thing that really stood out to me was how much Bobby focuses on people.
Not just hiring.
But developing.
Creating opportunity.
Building a team that can grow with the business.
Because at the end of the day, you can’t scale anything without the right people behind it.
What matters most
Toward the end of our conversation, things shifted a little.
We talked about family.
About loss.
About perspective.
And it was a reminder that behind all of this—the restaurants, the growth, the success—there’s a person.
Someone carrying real life alongside all of it.
And that part matters just as much.
Final thoughts
This episode of Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast really stayed with me.
Because it wasn’t just about building a busy restaurant.
It was about what it takes to sustain it.
The mindset.
The discipline.
The pressure.
And the willingness to keep showing up every single day.
Because places people line up for don’t happen by accident.
They’re built.
🎧 Listen to Episode 26 of Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast
Watch and listen to my full conversation with Bobby Marott and hear what it really takes to build something people come back to again and again.
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ABOUT CAROL ERICKSON
Carol Erickson has owned Red Arrow Diner since 1987 -- four locations across New Hampshire, open 24/7. She started Beyond the Plate to tell the real stories behind the people who make New England's food and hospitality scene what it is. Not just what's on the menu. What's behind it.
Red Arrow Diner: redarrowdiner.com | @redarrow24diner