# A Random Tidbit for Chefs



## Salty dog (Jan 19, 2013)

I have been reminded by a local story about a lesson I learned awhile ago.
My first restaurant......."The food will bring them in". Wrong.

It takes the entire package.


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## Crothcipt (Jan 19, 2013)

+10 The food will get them interested, but they won't stay if service is sad.


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## Salty dog (Jan 19, 2013)

True but it's soooo much more complicated than that. Especially these days.


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## Dusty (Jan 19, 2013)

Yep. That sums up my experience for the last six months. Cooking great food, really interesting contemporary stuff, no support from FOH, or management; hasn't resulted in a thriving restaurant. 

The worst thing is the response is always: 'the restaurant is flailing! Quick, change the menu!!!'


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## Von blewitt (Jan 19, 2013)

Salty dog said:


> True but it's soooo much more complicated than that. Especially these days.



Very true! When you make the switch from chef to chef/owner you really learn what running a restaurant is about!


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## kostantinos (Jan 20, 2013)

Hey Dusty 

that pretty much summons my experience with restaurants as well. thats why you need your own voice.

On the other hand it is really hard to do the fancy contemporary s/progressive or whatever you want to name it /tag it . Especially with economy such as this . I think that Australia is a very well developed country but nevertheless in every economic downturn every restaurant feels the pinch here and there and a lot of the big multi concept restaurateurs now develop strategies that include worst case scenarios .


Salty as always summons it up very very well. Its the whole package . And sometimes thats not even enough .


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## shaneg (Jan 20, 2013)

Ive been lucky enough to be part of 7 restaurant openings, some as Exec, Head, and Sous, and about to open my eighth this time as Head Chef, luckily they've all been succesess, i learnt a lot from my friend/mentor who would get me involved in all aspects of his business, from how to design a concept, find gaps in the market, how to choose locations, deal with the bank on getting loans, supplier negotiations.. the works, him and his business partners at their peak owned 24 restaurants/bars and most of them different.
A couple of them were twins but in different cities/locations.

The field of dreams idea "if you build it, they will come" is retarded, you need to be so on to it in terms of marketing and advertising its not funny, social media is pretty important these days, especially if you are setting or taking advantage of trends, you either need to stay ahead and adapt or you can have a very short life, my old bosses try and re-vamp every 3 years, then do a re-opening to get back on Everyones radar again.

The people Im currently working for are great, proper hospo professionals, their is an owner/gm who works on the floor as a waiter 5 nights a week (we open 6 days) and the owner/exec who is working the line 5 nights and we do the same hours every week, cleaning down every night too, he probably does a few more as he hits the farmers market every Saturday morning.

Anyway i digress, it really is the whole package that can make or break you.


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## Crothcipt (Jan 20, 2013)

I agree. My mentor in this field pretty much thought me it takes all the team to make it work. I picked on service just because when you go to a restaurant that is what you see. I hate it when I get a waiter (never the cute girl) that asks "you know what you want?" That usually is a sign that no one is really caring about anything exp. him/ her. I worked in many places were a recipe would have 3 steps to it, and the cook would do it all in 1. Chef would ask me why so and so's stuff wouldn't be right, and I would tell him well you trained him how to do the 1 step and not the 3. I also got tired of being the bad guy.

/rant off

sorry got side tracked there. Just saying it takes everyone trying to be their best and helping others to be that too.


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## mc2442 (Jan 20, 2013)

Something happen to start this thread Salty?


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## Salty dog (Jan 20, 2013)

No, just a local story about a young fancy chef going into a dog.


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## Drumjockey (Jan 21, 2013)

wow Shane, I thought my owner was hands-on, your owners sound REALLY involved. That must really build a good vibe throughout the staff, knowing how much time and care is being expended and given by the people at the top. The people I work for are really cool and know what they are doing- same restaurant, now with four locations throughout Colorado, has been succeeding and growing for 15 years. I would LOVE to see my owner rock the hot line with me for even one hour on a friday night, I think it would change his outlook on my staff in particular (we have two kitchens- hot and sushi)... and probably make my next raise substantially larger


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