Sunday, August 26, 2012


THE MOST IMPORTANT

A wonderful debate would commence if I only asked the following, "What is the single most important activity that restaurant ownership must immerce themselves in that is essential to their continuing success?" 

Their is a long list of activities that would be put forward: personnel, food quality, cleanliness, sanitation, administration and customer relations, etc., etc. But the single most important in my experience is: THE MENU!

The menu touches every aspcect of a restaurant's success. Here is my listing of important reasons:
1. Meeting the market needs.
2. Pricing that represents the potential cash flow.
3. The kitchen's staff and equipment's ability to produce skillfully and quickly.
4. Staffing requrements, front and back of the house.
5. Creativity to present and address the current popular treads and tastes.
6. Present signature item.
7. Recognize seasonality and calendar celebrations.
8. A demonstration of the coordination and team work between all staff  
    members.
9. Recognizes the customers dietary needs and the Owners ability to adjust and
    present. 
10. Profit is the result of skilled menu planning; pricing, portions, salesmanship.

Most Operators DO NOT spend sufficient time on this activity.


HELP ME UNDERSTAND

On a recent trip to Calgary, it was Stampede Week, we were told that check-in time was 3 p.m. Now tell me, do all guests vacant their rooms precisely at the checkout time of say 11 a.m.? Do Room Maids only start to make up rooms when all the guests have left? Do rooms become available for use as they are being made-up?

If they do become available on a staggered basis then why not make them available for to guests on a staggered basis?

Is this another convenience for the Management; easier to say "NOT UNTIL 3 PM." This was the case at The Travel Lodge Hotel on the The McCloud Trail in Calgary.


MANAGERS and CHEFS

There was a time that the cooking staff in restaurants and kitchen were on the lower end of the hierachy in the organization chart of foodservice operations except perhaps in Hotels. 

Things have certainly changed. The CHEF is the king or queen, They rule the roost and it is their name that receives the attention. They produce the signature items and in many cases they are the signature.

If a Chef is fully responsible for the food operation's success, should this responsibility not include the following:
1. Teamwork and training between the front and back of the house?
2. Profitability, food cost, labour cost and inventory control?
3. Menu creativity?

Many Chefs are concerned with self grandizment, looking for more credentials and their next move on to the brighter spotlight. Many times leaving their previous position without recipes, and trained staff to carry on.

Loyalty is a contentious subject and works both ways but if the quality of the industry is to continue to progress it will not be by graduating finger painting Chefs or Food Network Stars only!

   

Saturday, August 18, 2012

SERVICE
I have a question. Should the used cutlery be replaced with clean cutlery if it has been used for the appetizer?
I advocate for clean every time I don't like the used cutlery placed on a table or sideplate to be used for the entree.  The saving is minimal but the impact of fresh cutlery outweighs the saving. Surely you have enough cutlery! 

Friday, August 17, 2012

August 16, 2012
If you don't think washrooms are important there is a half page in the Toronto Star about them.  Canada's Best Restroom, two of the best are in Toronto, and one of these is a restaurant; the Earl's operation on King Street and the other is the This London on Richmond Street. Aside from absolute cleanliness, they are well manicured, beautified, appointed and supplied.  Obviously the facilities are well worth careful consideration and should be considered as part of the overall experience. It's possible to become flushed with success!