James Lethborg is the franchise owner of Hog’s Breath Café Launceston.
Episode Timeline
- 0:00 – Introduction
- 0:43 – Where James’ business journey began
- 3:33 – The hardest part of being a chef
- 5:32 – How Hogs Breath first came on the horizon
- 7:53 – Knowing the opportunity to become a franchise owner at Hogs Breath
- 9:09 – The transition from head chef to franchise owner with full support
- 11:38 – Challenges in stepping up from chef to franchise owner
- 12:58 – Finding balance between kitchen and operations
- 14:05 – What a typical day looks like as a franchise owner
- 17:13 – The critical success factors in running a Hogs Breath franchise
- 19:07 – Finding the right personality during staff interviews
- 19:49 – Future plans for Hogs Breath Launceston
- 22:31 – Wrap up
With a lifelong passion for food, shaped by his family’s farming and cooking traditions in Tasmania, James built his career as a chef across hospitals, hotels, and restaurants before stepping into the Hog’s Breath brand.
Starting in 2013 as head chef for the Launceston restaurant, he played a key role in its early success. Five years later, through a rare succession plan, James transitioned into franchise ownership. The move from kitchen to ownership brought new challenges in finance, people management, and leadership, but also the chance to shape a culture built on what Hog’s Breath calls “HogsPitality.”
James now balances operations between the kitchen and front of house, while mentoring his team and ensuring customers feel the brand’s trademark energy. With nearly a decade as a franchise owner, he’s now setting his sights on multi-location growth, driven by systems, trust, and a commitment to hospitality at the core.
