Patrick Finley

Podcast host of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles.
Father of 3 awesome kids. Avid outdoorsman. Proud supporter of my Frankton Athletes

[Patrick Finley @PatFinley1982]

Some days my career is satisfying, other days not so much. It's been so long since I thought about chasing my dreams that I have forgotten what they were.

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

Sunday morning at the Power Barn House of Payne

[Patrick Finley @PatFinley1982]

@ComKitchenChron #LFG

[Patrick Finley @PatFinley1982]

@ComKitchenChron @CanonUSA

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

Those 3 am workouts are just different.

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

Ever go through those phases where you feel like you're capable of so much more?

I'm in one of those seasons right now.

My brain is overflowing with ideas, projects, goals, and dreams. I want to do more. Be more. Put myself out there more. The problem isn't a lack of ambition... it's figuring out where to focus long enough to build real momentum before the next idea shows up.

For me, priorities have to stay priorities.

Fitness comes first. That's a promise I made to myself, and I'm not backing off of it.

Right behind that is growing Commercial Kitchen Chronicles. I want to reach more technicians, tell more stories, and build partnerships with companies that believe in investing in the trades.

Outside of that, I'm still committed to becoming the best technician I can be. I'll keep training, learning, and doing everything I can to help the people around me grow. Watching others succeed has become just as rewarding as my own success.

So why do I always get this way?

Maybe it's because deep down I know I'm capable of more.

But somewhere between the ideas and the execution, paralysis by analysis likes to creep in.

The challenge isn't having ideas. It's having the discipline to pick one, stay consistent, and trust that small steps every day beat chasing the next shiny opportunity.

Maybe I needed to write this more for myself than anyone else.

Now it's time to get back to work.

What's one goal you're refusing to let go of this year?

#SkilledTrades #HVACR #FoodserviceEquipment #CommercialKitchenChronicles #PersonalGrowth

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

Honestly I didn't know what to expect with this one.

Michael Hess has built several businesses over the years. Selling one recently and was not set up for success.

Luckily he knew Darin and that was what changed his situation.

I have had some business owners on in the past and they always teach me something. This was the first time a financial specialist on and he came through.

Youtube video is live and audio will be out Friday as always.

https://t.co/Gb383SEjKO

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

I'm just a blue-collar guy trying to shine a light on my little corner of the HVACR industry.

I specialize in commercial kitchen equipment repair. If it helps a restaurant serve food, there's a good chance I've worked on it. Ovens, fryers, refrigeration, dishmachines, ice machines, combi ovens, steamers, and everything in between. My job is keeping commercial kitchens running.

A few years ago, I decided to start sharing what I do every day. At first, it was just a way to show people a side of the trades that most never get to see. Somewhere along the way, it became a genuine passion.

These days, I'm constantly trying to improve. I'm working to create better repair content, make the podcast more valuable, and tell the stories of the incredible people who make this industry what it is. That means spending a lot of time studying content creation too. I'm scrolling through X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube looking for ideas on filming, photography, editing, audio, storytelling, and audience engagement. I'm always searching for ways to make the next piece of content a little better than the last.

So if you see me following you, commenting on your posts, asking questions, or interacting with your content, there's a reason for it. I'm paying attention. I'm learning. I'm trying to get better.

And more importantly, I appreciate what you're putting out there.

Whether you're teaching, creating, entertaining, or simply documenting your journey, keep doing it. You never know who you're helping, inspiring, or motivating behind the scenes.

Keep that shit up. 👊

#HVACR #CommercialKitchenEquipment #FoodserviceEquipment #SkilledTrades #BlueCollar #Tradesman #ContentCreator #CommercialRefrigeration #Podcasting #HVACLife

[Patrick Finley @PatFinley1982]

Hey @Family_Leisure come get this pool out of my barn since your salesman lied to us to get a sell...

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

"I've smelled a lot of nasty things in commercial kitchens... this one almost made me throw up." 🤢😂

This service call absolutely STUNK.

Not figuratively. Literally.

Somehow a bag of liquid eggs got busted inside a combi oven and made its way into the mixing box. If you've never smelled eggs that have been slowly cooking themselves inside a warm piece of equipment, consider yourself fortunate.

The customer had tried cleaning it, but the damage was done. Eggs cook at relatively low temperatures, and over time they had basically baked themselves into the mixing box. There was no saving it.

I'm not easily bothered by smells after nearly 20 years in the foodservice repair industry, but this one almost had me reconsidering lunch. 🤢

Luckily, I had the new guy with me. Every apprentice needs a memorable training day, right? 😂

New mixing box installed, test wash completed, and the oven is back up and running. Customer is going to run a long cleaning cycle to help get the last of the funk out of there.

What's the worst thing you've ever found hiding inside a piece of equipment?

#CombiOven #FoodserviceRepair #CommercialKitchen #SkilledTrades #HVACR

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

"The techs who complain about 'over engineered' equipment are usually the same ones who can't diagnose it."

Change my mind....

[Patrick Finley @PatFinley1982]

Nothing better than the salesman at @Family_Leisure lying about install lead times to get you to buy a pool. If id know 8 to 9 weeks I wouldn't have bought it.

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

🎙️ Ever Thought About Being a Guest on Commercial Kitchen Chronicles?

Now is your chance.

One of the biggest goals of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles has always been to shine a spotlight on the people who make the skilled trades and foodservice repair industry what they are. Every technician, trainer, business owner, apprentice, manufacturer representative, and industry leader has a story worth telling.

The reality is that many people have no idea the opportunities that exist in the skilled trades. They don't know you can build a rewarding career, support a family, travel the country, solve problems every day, and make a real impact without taking the traditional path.

That's where your story comes in.

Whether you've been turning wrenches for 30 years, just started your apprenticeship, built a service company from the ground up, or found success through the trades in a unique way, we want to hear from you.

We're actively looking for guests who are passionate about: 🔧 Foodservice Equipment Repair ❄️ Refrigeration 🔥 Commercial Cooking Equipment ⚡ Electrical Trades 🏗️ Skilled Trades 🎓 Training & Education 💼 Business Ownership 👨‍🔧 Career Development

Your experience could be the motivation someone needs to enter the trades, stick with it during tough times, or take the next step in their career.

If you've ever thought, "Nobody would want to hear my story," you're probably exactly the person we want to talk to.

📩 Interested in being a guest?

Send us a message or visit https://t.co/fLEsrlW689 and let's start the conversation.

Together, let's continue showcasing the incredible people who keep restaurants running and help promote the skilled trades to the next generation.

🎙️ Commercial Kitchen Chronicles The Original Foodservice Equipment Repair Podcast

#CommercialKitchenChronicles #FoodserviceRepair #CommercialKitchenEquipment #HVACR #Refrigeration #SkilledTrades #RestaurantEquipment #TechnicianLife #TradeSchool #BlueCollar #FoodserviceIndustry #ServiceTechnician #TradesCareers #RestaurantRepair #HVAC #ElectricalTrades #PodcastGuest #CareerInTrades #SkilledTradeJobs #CommercialKitchenChroniclesPodcast

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

🔥 Real techs. Real repairs. Real talk.

This week we sit down with Jay McDonough of Restaurant Appliance Repair out of Kansas City, MO. From refrigeration and walk-ins to commercial kitchen equipment repair and building a business from the ground up, this episode hits on what the grind in this industry really looks like.

Big shoutout to Viper by Refrigeration Technologies for powering the episode. 🐍

🎙️ Listen now and tag a tech who’s out there making a difference.

https://t.co/BdK4VdUgUi

#FoodserviceEquipmentRepair #CommercialKitchen #HVACR #Refrigeration #TechnicianLife #RestaurantEquipment #CommercialKitchenChronicles

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

Would you look at that… factory taps on an R290 unit 👀🔥

But wait… I thought touching an R290 system instantly violated 47 federal laws and summoned the EPA? 😂

Contrary to what the Facebook experts scream in every comment section, factory service taps on R290 systems are completely normal. Manufacturers have been doing this for YEARS. It has nothing to do with flammability and everything to do with protecting critically charged refrigeration systems from lazy diagnostics.

You know the move… Tech slaps on 4 foot hoses, loses half the charge into the manifold, then wonders why the unit “has a leak” 💀

Same reason tons of older R404A and R134a units didn’t come with taps either. Small charge systems do not tolerate sloppy habits.

Learn proper low loss procedures and stop treating every refrigeration system like a grocery store rack system 😂

Now let the comment section melt down 🍿

What’s your take on factory taps on R290 equipment? Legit practice or manufacturers making life harder for techs? Drop it below ⬇️

#R290 #Refrigeration #HVACR #CommercialRefrigeration #FoodserviceEquipment

[Patrick Finley @PatFinley1982]

Hey @PlanetFitness your Anderson IN location has a line outside and no one is here to let us in at 725 am

[Patrick Finley @PatFinley1982]

Pool is fully landscaped around it. The all has to be removed for new pool. All that removal and installation is not covered.

New pool sand has to be used, not covered.

The list goes on.

[Patrick Finley @PatFinley1982]

Insurance companies are such a scam.

Pool was damaged by a storm. They found a comp of $5400 yet I paid $7500 when I got it. The exact Pool now is $12,500 installed.

Depreciation pretty much makes it a wash after deductible even though the pool is a 25 year warranty.

[Patrick Finley @PatFinley1982]

Deck is around 1/3 of pool and has to be removed for new pool installation. Once new pool is in, deck can be reinstalled, but it isn’t built to todays code. This meaning it requires an entirely new deck, and that was denied.

[Patrick Finley @PatFinley1982]

Hey @INFarmBureau this entire claim process has been an utter nightmare and failure on your part.

[Commercial Kitchen Chronicles @ComKitchenChron]

No shortcuts in rack refrigeration. You either know… or you find out fast.

Thomas Lisaula breaks it down.

Dirty coils = bad diagnostics. That’s why Viper from @refrigtechHVACR stays on the truck.

🔧 Watch now
#HVACR #Refrigeration #RackSystems