As a chef or restaurateur, is your restaurant food and craft centric or business centric? Are you on the journey towards the center? Is balance your goal? The battle for the upper hand is ongoing, but the result is predictable. Those altruistic operations that elevate the craft and pay homage to the ingredient and the plate above all else will find success challenging and those that view what they do as an exchange of product and service for the bottom line without passion for the process will fail to attract return customers looking for an experience. The road to the middle is the route best taken.

         Restaurateurs and chefs must view their job as both a representative of a cook’s proud heritage and a business savvy entrepreneur who understands what things cost, how to seek efficiency, and create price sensitive value for the customer. So, what are the critical “middle of the spectrum” components of a successful operation?

[]       RESPECT

Good business begins with respect for those who provide the ingredients, the space used to produce your menu, the employees and their needs, skill and voice, and the guest experience. Knowing and practicing respect provides a clearer path to product, service, marketing, value, and profit.

[]       A STORY TO TELL

People are attracted to and remember a compelling story whether it’s about the source of your ingredients, your people, elements of your cooking style, history of the property or your personal food influences. A business centric restaurant without a story does not inspire.

[]       UNIFIED SIGNATURE

Whatever your approach – all members of your team must share in the beliefs that the restaurant signature proclaims – you need to walk the talk.

[]       CREATIVE EXPERIENCES

For long term success to occur there must be more to it than the food alone. What is it about your restaurant that guests will remember and share? Think about those few restaurants that exist for generations vs. the hot new operation that only lasts a few years. What is the experience differentiation?

[]       KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WANT

Running a restaurant should not be a guessing game. It should not be a business solely built on your preferences. Know the market, understand customer needs and desire, ask your potential customers what would compel them to dine out, make your decisions based on research and then measure your performance based on how well you met those needs.

[]       CONSISTENCY AND SURPRISE

Predictability and trust are important, but a touch of the unknown is the added spice that wakes people up. Be that consistent restaurant with the caveat of “what new and exciting addition will they offer next?”

[]       AN EYE ON THE MARKET

Don’t fall victim to market challenges – keep your thumb on the pulse. Understand what is going on and act accordingly. The beef market is going to be out of control – change. A particular fish is going on the endangered species list- change. A frost in South America has wiped out 25% of the Arabica coffee beans – change.

[]       KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

Know what sells and what doesn’t and then try to determine why. What do individual items cost TODAY, and should you adjust accordingly? Compare vendor pricing, frequently. What are your sales per seat, sales per menu period, or sales compared to last year at the same time. The chef who has this information in hand can make better decisions moving forward.

[]       PUT AN END TO WASTE

Although zero waste is not likely, it still should be your goal. Approach it through better menu planning, more attentive buying, inventory control, portioning, cross utilization, preservation techniques, effective specials, or as one friend of my recommended – use smaller garbage cans.

[]       DON’T WASTE YOUR LABOR DOLLARS

When your higher paid cooks are investing half their shift chopping and dicing – you have a problem. When all your service staff have the same scheduled shift – then you have a problem. When the chef is scheduled to work on the line every night and not spend time on the items listed above – then you have a problem. Don’t waste your labor dollars.

[]       SUPPORT CREATIVITY

Creativity keeps your staff interested and anxious to learn. Creativity provides new ways to utilize fragile inventory. Creativity is another way to excite guests and bring them back.

[]       CONNECT AND REMEMBER

Remember one of your most important goals is a high return rate for guests. When you develop a relationship with them, communicate with them, and celebrate them – this will be the result.

[]       DON’T HESITATE TO CHANGE

If it isn’t working – change it! Minimize your sacred cows.

[]       ASK – IS IT WORTH IT

Put yourself in the guest’s position and ask – “am I providing value?” Value need not focus just on price – it is the total experience that defines whether your restaurant is worth it.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER – STEP TOWARDS THE MIDDLE

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