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Blog
What if You Opened a Restaurant and No One Came?
June 29, 2007
Well, not quite. Here’s the story of our mock service, which we did the day before the official opening.
We invited about 55 people to come over four hours to practice on. I pay for the food, they pay for their alcohol. By coincidence, the Oregonian, the major local newspaper here, happened to run a nice little piece on the restaurant opening that very day. The result was that our little practice session turned into a bit of a walk-in party. Can you say 75 customers?
Everything was just fine. First, the 20 additional guests were actual paying guests, as in cash flowing in, instead of out, for once. Second, I had my entire staff on the floor and in the kitchen, so it actually turned out to be a good thing. Plenty of food, plenty of wine and plenty of waitstaff.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying it was a cakewalk and that everything went perfectly. I am saying that my kitchen executed my dishes very well and on point, and the front-of-the-house, once they relaxed, began to shine. Kudos to the person who invented the concept of mise en place! Third, I’ve been dying to get behind my line and do what I was trained to do: cook!
If you think the hard part is over, think again. OK, so we did 75 that Friday and about 100 people on Saturday. Yay, us! We now have to continually strive to increase the quality and consistency of customers’ dining experiences. And don’t forget to watch every penny, manage cash flow and juggle employee concerns, expectations, scheduling and minor grievances. Oh, and have a personal life.
A personal life--what’s that?
Coming up next: the early weeks. Will employees make the cut? Will cash flow, and flow correctly? Will the POS system function properly? Will my dog still be talking to me?
And the journey continues.
Cheers!
Stu
Comments or questions? E-mail Chef Stu at StuStein@rimag.com.
Posted by Stu Stein on June 29, 2007 | Comments (0)