While starting any food business that’s commercial, you would always want your concept to turn around and do well economically. Although every person starts a restaurant with the thought of love for food or passion for cooking or serving to a larger audience, the ultimate objective of starting one of your own shall most of the time target to earn good returns until and unless you have ample money to waste for a hobby.
As a first-time entrepreneur in the food business, the strategy to build a restaurant starts from identifying a place, building a concept & designing, hiring right, training appropriately, branding & marketing to running the operation successfully. If you are not from an F&B background or do not have prior experience of opening or running a restaurant, you will certainly face challenges. To avoid the mistakes arising as an outcome, you may need the services of a Restaurant Consultant.
However, even if you are an experienced restaurateur, perspective that a Restaurant Consultant can share in improving your business strategy shall help you set up the restaurant business in a better way.
Restaurant Consultants are not only professionals hired by owners to help them thresh out issues in various aspects of their food business but they are people with experience and expertise gained over years with different hotels and restaurants. Moreover, it becomes an icing on the cake when experienced Chefs becomes Chef Consultants as they function better with their immense and rich knowledge in food that forms the foundation of the hospitality industry.
Bistro Brain would want to highlight six such areas where you would need to Hire a Restaurant Consultant or preferably a Chef Consultant.
Once you are clear with the need to Hire a Restaurant/Chef Consultant for your venture and decide to go ahead with it, you can now explore more on how to understand the whole consultation process. Bistro Brain would want to ease that process by taking you through OUR RESTAURANT CONSULTATION PROCESS with the detailed steps involved.
We will help you start your own restaurant or improvise the one you own.
Hiring staff that’s good and efficient is vital for your Restaurant Setup. But do you know what are the various Restaurant Staff Roles? What’s the process of building a superb team at your restaurant? How to hire all the right people for your new restaurant?
These are just a few questions that you may be struggling with. A restaurant can be fully functional only when you have a proper dedicated team in place. So let’s figure this out for you.
There are two main areas of operation – Front of House (FOH) and Back of House (BOH). FOH represents areas that your restaurant customers are directly in contact with and can access. It comprises of the main dining area, the bar, etc. BOH is the back end of the restaurant. The kitchen, all storage spaces, etc fall under the back of house of a restaurant. Only staff is permitted in these areas.
Your Front House staff faces all your guests. They need to be attentive, responsive and sharp at communication. They need to be quick to solve any problems.
When it is about checking incoming orders, hiring and managing employees, keeping a check on billing, being aware of table reservations, etc, the restaurant manager is the one to look for.
As the name suggests, bar managers take care of all the orders at the bar. They manage drinks and take care of food orders placed at the bar. Bar managers need to be experts on all kinds of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
They need to be quick and creative with all their preparations. Knowledge is important as a lot of people like to know more about their drinks. The bartender should be able to tell the guests everything they might ask about the drink.
When any guest enters your restaurant, they need to be greeted by hosts. Table reservations, coordination, etc is done by hosts of a restaurant.
Servers lead the guests to their tables, provide them the menu and take down their orders. Customers reach out to servers whenever they need something. Servers need to be very attentive in order to take care of them.
Table clearing is done by restaurant bussers. They also need to make sure the table is laid out properly with all the necessary cutlery. They take care of the cleanliness of the tables.
Runners work hand in hand with servers. They are the ones who bring food from the kitchen and serve the customer’s tables. They need to take care of the food sequence coming from the kitchen.
Cashier’s update and print orders. All bills are generated at the cash counter. Their duty is to ensure that the bills are punched in correctly and are maintained properly.
That’s it for the front of the house. Now let’s see who’s working at the back of the house in a restaurant.
Leading the entire kitchen is your head chef. She/he manages the restaurant’s menu and prepares meals for customers. They have a team that assists them in cooking the meals. They review and approve meals before they’re served to the guests. They also train new cooks who join the restaurant kitchen. They also take care of the restaurant’s inventory.
Line cooks are responsible for all the initial cooking for the head chef. They take care of different stations.
Prep cooks, prepare everything needed for a meal. They wash, chop, slice and grind vegetables and meat for the main chefs. They also get all the ingredients ready and in place.
As the name suggests, this staff is responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of a restaurant. These are all the basic people your restaurant needs. They all have their own roles and each one is important to give your customers and guests a seamless and satisfactory experience. If you haven’t hired your staff already, it’s time to look at fresh talent from reputed hospitality institutes like NIHM for the same. It’s time to build a team that will build you!
Small restaurants have a lot of advantages over larger ones. They offer instant leisure and good food which provide comfort and a sense of relaxation to the visitors. They usually require less startup capital for equipment, lesser staff and also, the cost of maintenance is very low. Even if the restaurant has lesser seating provision, it can enjoy sizable profits. Most Restaurant Startups are designed carefully, both in terms of how they look and how they perform, in order to reap benefits from the business while providing the best possible experience to all guests.
Whatever size a Startup Restaurant is, location is one of the most important aspects to consider. Not every space is ideal for a restaurant. Sometimes a heavily crowded place might not be ideal while a quiet corner might turn out to be the best choice for you. What most Restaurant Startups keep in mind are parking and visibility. If a Restaurant Startups is successful, location is one of the primary reasons why it is so. If you’re planning to start your own, ensure that you’re not lured by just the number of people in the area. There are more factors to consider before you finalise.
Surprisingly, most Restaurant Startups are small dining rooms. They offer an instantly cosy atmosphere where people can relax and unwind. You will notice that a typical restaurant dining room design includes waiting areas and storage. While it is tempting to add more seating in the dining room, most startups refrain from doing so as this leads to poor service and makes it hard for staff manage all tables and even harder for customers to enjoy their meals. Most times each table is between 24 and 30 inches apart and this is ideal for a pleasant experience. For any New Restaurant Startups, it is important to manage space effectively and not overdo any kind of decor in order to make it a more comfortable space for people to be in.
Flexibility is another important aspect when planning a small dining space. The space should allow tables to be moved together for parties and ceremonies, if need be. Whichever pattern of arrangement you choose for your Restaurant Startup, it’s very important that there’s enough space for both, customers and staff to move in and out through the spaces comfortably.
Whether the Restaurant Startup is a small cafe or a luxurious eatery, a business plan is needed to secure financing. It is a roadmap to success. It helps you plan your startup budget, expected transactions of profit and loss, payroll for employees, and other expenses. Licensing and tax laws also come into the picture, something that you must’ve not considered when you had planned initially. That’s why restaurant startups always have a ready business plan that leads the way for any decisions that are to be made.
If you see Restaurant Startups with high table turnover, it means higher profits, even if it’s a small restaurant. Promotion and marketing of your restaurant is very important. There are plenty of ways to market your restaurant. Most Restaurant Startups choose traditional advertising like local papers, pamphlets while newer Restaurant Startups choose social media as their main marketing platform. A social media marketing campaign can help restaurants find and retain new customers and also helps them keep a check on competitors. This is the best way to gain more reach and create awareness about your new restaurant.
It is a myth that successful restaurants have to be big. If you’ve noticed, many Small Restaurants are very successful. Most world famous restaurants are small, located in quaint corners yet offering impeccable cuisine, ambience and service. While Small Restaurants do have their very own set of challenges, they offer a unique and refreshing dining experience that comes with a sense of exclusivity. This is very appealing to customers. So, if you’re planning to start your own restaurant, bear in mind that it doesn’t have to be big. If you’re clueless on how to go about it, it’s time to go for a good and experienced Restaurant Consultant who can help you win!
Hospitality is one of the most interesting industries you can work in. There are plenty of opportunities to explore. It is a different world altogether and a very good one at that. If you don’t believe us, here are some very interesting facts that could get you excited to join the hospitality band wagon right away. If not join a restaurant, you will surely want to start your own food business soon!
You might already be aware of all the various roles you can get into in a hotel or a restaurant but there are many niche positions too. If you’re looking at something different, there are food tasters, human bed warmers, dog surfing instructors and even coconut safety engineers! The coconut safety engineers need to know when to pluck out the coconuts so that they don’t fall off and harm anyone. Quirky and unique, isn’t it? Many hotels have their own set of professionals meant to do very specific tasks depending on the hotel type and on the location it is at. You can take a pick depending on what you like to do!
According to the report by IBISWorld’s Global Hotels & Resorts, there are around 714,000 hotel and resort businesses across the globe, generating $864 billion in revenue. Imagine the possibilities! Since the last five years, the industry is only growing and with increased aspiration of travel, it is not going to slow down. An industry that continues to flourish is only going to offer more and more career opportunities and overall financial growth and stability can also be relied on. A career that’s fun and money, both is what dreams are made of.
Working in hotels may seem like its only for young people because a lot of people think from a stereotypical angle. Requiring energy isn’t always the case. There are plenty of older people in the industry who have been there for a long long time. The average age of an employee in the accommodation sector is 39. In fact, in the hospitality industry, older people are looked at as more mature. They tend to bring in more stability in teams and are more focused. So, if age is your concern, forget all your worries and go for the hospitality industry. There are plenty of hotels that are looking for people like you. If you’re young, and you feel that the shelf life is short for you in this industry then you’re wrong. If you start now, you have two to three decades of a stable career ahead of you.
It’s not that you go for a profession in the hope of making friends but it’s always better for the atmosphere to be friendly. Nobody likes a hostile environment. A job in hotels usually involves long working hours, hectic shifts and many challenging situations. In such a scenario, a good social group and warm connections will always help you cope and will make you want to come back every day. It’s fun and support all the way. so at the end of the day, you are going to need to laugh it all off with your colleagues. It’s a good work-life balance that way as your colleagues end up becoming your second family.
While some industries like engineering are heavily male oriented, others like fashion and beauty are female dominant. The hospitality field is a refreshing change because it is fairly balanced. According to recent studies, the global hotel workforce is made up of 55% females and 45% males. This is nearly equal and gives a good growth opportunity to both genders. There’s no bias and this makes the industry even more appealing.
With all of these amazing facts, you can now be sure that if Hospitality Industry is what you’re aiming for, you’re going in the right direction. The right atmosphere, a good and stable career with friends for life are all the good things that come from it. However, be sure to take your education seriously. You need a good hospitality institute like NIHM to guide you in the right direction with all the right training. Once you’ve gained the right knowledge, there is going to be no looking back. It’s time for you to go ahead and make your dream come true!
Restaurant Consultants can certainly save you the hassle of going through a long learning curve. They come with experience and expertise.
If you’re facing troubles in your existing restaurant business or are looking at expansion options, it’s time to seriously consider going for a good Restaurant Consultant. Restaurant Consultants are like an extension of you who can give you a third person point of view as well. This is why Restaurant Consultants can often recognize challenges and operational issues more clearly. It’s easy for owners to overlook their own problem areas and this is where Restaurant Consultants can play a very crucial part. The Restaurant Consultants can help you with multiple areas like situational analysis, problem-solving and strategic planning.
Most importantly, a Restaurant Consultants can help you dodge costly mistakes, thereby enhancing your profits and helping you with sustainable growth.
Have you noticed less footfall and depleting profits? Is your inventory costlier than expected? Are you overstaffed? If these kind of problems are hindering your business, then you need help from a Professional Restaurant Consultant. The first sitting with them is usually free so that you can brief them about your problems. Restaurant Consultants bring many years of experience to the table and are well aware of many situations, so they’re most likely aware of your situation already and are also aware of the solution. They can fix it for you quicker than you think. But firstly, they will start with an operational assessment to get clarity on the issues that you’re facing, after which they will explain the exact root of the problem to you. They will give you a roadmap to get out of the situation through a solution that works the best in your case. Depending on the kind of contract you have with them, you can also expect execution of the solution from them.
Opening a new restaurant is no joke. It involves not only a lot of money but also planning and major risk. Working in a successful restaurant and venturing out on your own are two very different things. According to research, most restaurants don’t even run a year before they’re shut down because something or the other went wrong. The challenges of a new restaurant can be tricky and are very sensitive, which means they can quickly spiral out of control and before you know it, your restaurant is a big liability to you. Restaurant Consultants can help you understand those challenges, from concept and feasibility to licensing and permitting. All of these are necessities that can’t be ignored and a restaurant consultant is definitely your best bet to get all of it done in time and in a proper manner.
Firstly, it’s awesome news that you’re expanding your restaurant. It means that you’re doing good and you’re earning good profit. This is validation of your overall concept, choice of location, good business sense and service. Yes, it is amazing to be expanding from one unit to another or maybe many but you must understand that it is an incredibly tedious task. When you open the second restaurant, you’ve doubled your investment, costs, staff and also, the risk of failure. What works for one location, might not work for another. However, if done correctly, you will end up doubling your revenue and profit too. Hiring a consultant is a very wise decision at this point because they’re experts with scaling businesses. They’ll know exactly what works and what doesn’t when it comes to expansion. Not only will they know the right location, but will also know the kind of investment you need and an estimate of all costs involved. The best part is that they know the ‘don’ts’ besides knowing just what to do. They can also save you loads of time and shorten the path to profits while cutting down on mistakes you might be prone to making along the way.
Restaurant Consultants play a pivotal role at multiple points of time in your business. Hiring one at the right time can totally change the date of your business. Their experience is your biggest benefit, as they help you build your dream restaurant while cutting costs and reaping more profits along the way. It’s easy to overlook the need of a Restaurant Consultants, especially if you’ve owned a restaurant business for a very long time. However, the value a Restaurant Consultant can add by saving you time and money, both in your process of climbing the ladder, far outweighs your doubts.
If any of the three points mentioned above hold true for you, it’s time you start the hunt for a specialized Restaurant Consultants who will make things both, easier and profitable for you and your restaurant business.
Who doesn’t love choices when it comes to food? A buffet theme fulfils this need and if you’re planning to start a restaurant, it will be good to consider this option. As a food business also, buffets work well because when it comes to catering services, buffets are preferred at events and parties owing to their nature of feeding a large number of people while providing good variety and quantity.
We all know this and love this about a buffet themed restaurant. It’s easy on the pocket and it lets you gorge on so many food items at once. From appetizers, salads, live barbeque to desserts, there’s everything you need for a complete meal. It is also good to include healthy options for those who are health conscious and also to promote healthy eating habits. A couple of sugar free and oil free items are good to place in your buffet menu.
These are lesser known and hence, less popular as of now but can gain popularity very soon owing to their uniqueness. In this kind of a restaurant, customers select plates full of food already as they pass through a line. For instance, they might pick up plate with premade noodles, a plate with pastry and a bowl of soup.
If you don’t want a permanent theme of a buffet, you can always opt for hosting buffets at special occasions only. For example, you might want to offer a special Oriental buffet on one Friday every month. It could also be only for special days like Mother’s Day or Christmas special buffet.
This is one of the most wisely used concepts by restaurants since a long time. While your restaurant may not be buffet themed, you can always also offer catering services on the side. This means that you could use a buffet theme only when a client appoints you for their party or event. This means more profits on the side besides just running the restaurant alone. .
These days a lot of restaurant chains prefer to promote healthy food and hence go for a theme that is based on healthy buffet choices. Healthy soups, low carb food items, low sugar desserts, healthy alternatives to other tasty food could be a good spread to have, if this one is on your mind.
Whether or not you wish to offer buffets in your restaurant or not depends a lot on your business model. Before you decide to take the plunge for any of the above-mentioned themes, it is best to analyse the pros and cons of every type. We, at Bistro Brain are here to help you make more informed decisions that will take your food business to newer heights!
Just starting a restaurant will not help you gain profits unless you bring about uniqueness and innovations that will keep your customers coming back to your restaurant. People get bored quickly and they have many other options if you’re not willing to offer something interesting from time to time. That’s why we give you some innovative promotion ideas that will help you not only get new customers but will also retain your regular ones.
Creative Restaurant Promotion ideas in India, That You Can Implement Right Away.
Every holiday season, you need to think about the new creative ideas that resonate with the happy mood of the season and attract the crowd. Take advantage of the fact that people are in a happy mood and go out to eat often during this time. For example, Christmas and New Year’s is the right time to get them to come to you. The crowd is ready to spend and New Year’s is the time when everyone is wanting to celebrate the year gone by and the upcoming one. Ensure that you do your best to make your restaurant more appealing than ever during these times.
There must surely be big events happening quite often in your area or your city. It could be a concert, a film festival or anything else that you can always be a part of. You can set up a stall here or run a promotional drive with your branding. This helps you reach out to new people who might not know about you yet or is a good recall to those who don’t come to your restaurant often now.
Drive new offers at these events, for example, 5% off to people who are visiting the event. Offers and discounts always compel customers to visit you thereby increasing your profits.
Offer special discounts to your returning customers as they need a hook to always keep coming back to you. Loyal customers are very important to any brand and when they have so many options around, you need them to love you as much as you love them! Customize your loyalty programs depending on the data that you already have and that will be a perfect way to run this successfully.
Theme parties are one of the best ways to attract new customers besides just bringing back existing ones. A theme party can have a dress code and special giveaways or discounts. For example, you can host a Halloween night where you ask people to be dressed according to the theme and the best-dressed guest gets to win gift hampers plus a 25-30% off on the bill for the night. These theme parties are not only interesting but rewarding to and attracts people in groups which means more footfalls and more profits.
Taking part in charities gives you more credibility and reliability making you a restaurant that believes in a cause. This is very attractive to people. For example, on Christmas, you could donate food items in an orphanage along with some toys and gifts. Activities like these are heartwarming and don’t go unnoticed.
Bringing in a well-known local celebrity makes this even more interesting. If possible, try to get these celebrities on board for such events. The presence of celebrities at your restaurant will do the PR magic for you. Start hosting events like comedy nights or musical nights and have some celebrities over for the same. This can create a huge influx of people to your restaurant.
These Restaurant Promotion Ideas can work really well if done right but there are several mistakes that you should avoid. Make sure that you promote it in the right manner. Continue innovating and see your Restaurant grow sooner than you expected!
As the owner of a restaurant, your to-do list can become too much for you, but as we all know, every detail matters, especially in the kitchen.
Be Open To Your Employees’ Feedback
We all tend to believe that the way we run things is the only and the best way, but every true leader listens to their staff and employees and is willing to imbibe their perception while understanding their recommendations.
Try observing for at least a day in order to see the real picture of the workflow in your kitchen after which you can talk to every member of the kitchen staff about what will help the process become simpler and easier for them. Don’t micromanage. Instead teach them to work independently and they will be happier and motivated.
While you might think that to impress your guests you need more unique dishes that are complex, you might not always be able to source the right ingredients and staff to do so. It is better to streamline your menu to what is easily available to your kitchen and what your staff is good at cooking. This brings more efficiency by putting less burden on the staff. Also, recipes that won’t eat into your overall budget will be your best bet. Tasty and easy on the pocket both for you and your customers. Keep it simple with a few unique recipes to keep them interested.
You don’t want to be short on key ingredients in the middle of prime dinner time. To avoid the embarrassing situation of having to say no to your customers for a dish, it is better to set up a good inventory system in so you know the availability of your ingredients and when you need to restock. This will also help reduce wastage as it can show you the ingredients least used and you can stop ordering or stocking them if need be.
To prevent any kind of confusion it is best to ensure that there are clear work spaces in the kitchen for different kind of duties. Separate areas for inventory to come in and go out of the door are also a must. The primary goal is to keep the food safe and not to mix different kind of equipment. For instance, the vegetarian and the non vegetarian counters need to be separate and food allergies of your customers need to be considered.
By all means, the most important ingredient for an efficient kitchen is highly-skilled and smart staff. You need to invest time and money to hire and train the best kitchen staff possible. If you’re ready to help your staff at all times, they will be the best versions of themselves always giving their hundred percent. Moreover, this will breed loyalty and a sound work culture that everyone wants to work in. This will make them believe in your mission and goals and they will be happy to help you achieve everything.
None of this will happen immediately at the snap of a finger. For results, you need to start making small improvements every day that will culminate into a hassle-free kitchen atmosphere. Be open to change and feedback at all times while also assisting your staff whenever they need you. This makes a good leader and a successful restaurant.
While you consider opening a kind of restaurant, it is easy to look at a universal model for success. However, there is no single secret recipe to success. Finding the right type of restaurant to open comprises of deciding what kind of business you wish to run, the right location for the same, knowing your competitors well and budgeting everything right.
Certain concepts are always good to go for, like diners will always stay popular. While other concepts are new and refreshing, like food trucks and delivery systems. Here’s all that you need to think about in detail before you make a decision.
Are there already two to four dining restaurants in your region? Will yours get lost among many? You might feel like you can do better than them but it is always a good idea to know their menu, prices, and the audience they cater to since that’s going to be the same audience for you. Competition is a good thing as it’s always good to have a variety of choices for people. It also forces restaurants to keep up with the trends and put their best foot forward all the time.
Is it families or college students? Young professionals or couples? Different segments of people have different tastes. Deciding this will also decide the look, feel and vibe of your restaurant, what you’ll serve and what will the atmosphere be like.
Your budget is the most important aspect to think about. It can make a lot of difference to your choices as different types of restaurants need a different kind of capital to be set up. Different equipment, decor, location, area and everything else is based upon the budget you have. A bigger budget could mean a fancy diner can be considered while a smaller budget calls for a food truck or fast food pick up point or maybe a cafe.
If you already have a location in mind, it can help you decide the type of restaurant concept you choose. For instance , if you’re planning it near a beach shore, seafood could be your main audience attractor.
Franchises are a very good option and come with a lot of perks too. You get instant recognition and menus are ready-made so it saves you the hassle and money to create anything new. They already come with a certain success so that’s also a plus. The only drawback is that they’re costlier. Of course, when you’re getting everything ready-made the cost is justified. If you have the capital, it’s a really good option to consider.
Ultimately, the type of restaurant you choose to invest in will entirely depend on your capability and capital. If you are a creative person and wish to work with people and food, you probably won’t want a fast food franchise that comes with too many rules and regulations. If you don’t like too much of a formal setting yourself then a fancy fine dining restaurant is not something for you.
If you like it to be casual and friendly then you could go for a café with a unique concept. There are plenty of options to choose from and the decision needs to be based on the above-mentioned factors.
Planning a new restaurant is quite exciting but can be scary too. By doing enough and thorough research into your local demographics and competition and compiling a proper business plan with the help of the right kind of Restaurant Consultants the success of your restaurant will surely come through.
A dream of opening a restaurant is enough to get you started on the path to realising this dream and as you explore, you find more and more reasons to do so. You might have had a great meal somewhere and thought you could definitely do the same adding top-notch services to it. Also, with good Restaurant Consultants around, there’s always going to be great support, planning and execution in place for your dream to come true.
There’s no reason for you to keep your dream just a fleeting thought. Here are 5 reasons on why you should actually go for it.
If you have the passion, know that you’re on the right path already because your passion will fuel everything about the business, both before and after you’ve set up the restaurant. Without passion, you will see long hours, risks and sacrifices and entering the restaurant business is something that you’ll not opt for. However, if you love what you do, you’ll put your heart and soul into it and ensure that you provide the best experience your customers can have. If you’re sure about your passion and have the drive to execute the same by putting in the hard work and manage the team to deliver success, then you’re up for a pleasant journey.
Work will be work, there’s no freedom from or shortcut to hard work but firstly, when you do what you love, it changes from being work to a lifestyle. Also, you get freedom from. 9 to 5 schedule that a job brings with it. You can choose your own hours of work and plan your day differently based on what you need to and want to do. This is the biggest advantage of owning any business. Although the work involved may be more than a job, the flexibility of work hours that comes with having your own business is a big plus that you’d want to balance your life with.
You’re responsible for you and for the team now. There’s nobody instructions and work style you have to blindly follow. This gives you the opportunity to create your own direction and vision and drive the business on the road you want to. You are the boss, you decide everything without having anyone to hamper your thoughts and the way of work. Your responsibilities will be plenty but the freedom of doing it your way is a feeling that will drive your passion further to do more.
No job allows you to choose your colleagues. You have to adjust to whoever you’re working with whether you like their work style or not. However, with your own food business this won’t be the case. Since you’re the boss, you choose your own team and decide who you will spend your working hours with. Whether you seek passion and determination or imagination and creativity in your employees, it is entirely up to you who you hire. You can create a team that is suitable to your need and won’t have to worry about the bad fish at work anymore.
The kind of business you’ve chosen to go with involves community building and there’s nothing better than that. You become witness to celebrations like birthdays, anniversaries and so much more. You bring people together and provide them with an unforgettable experience and memories on their special days. What better gift than that? A community interacts and celebrates together and your restaurant can be the right place for people to come to and enjoy lasting experiences. If your food and services are good enough, your community will return time and again.
These 5 reasons are important however this isn’t an exhaustive list. There are so many more reasons why you should invest in this dream. And with a good Restaurant Consultant around, you can be sure that the planning and execution is up to the mark as per your needs so there’s nothing to worry. Go for this dream and let the rest of your life be all about good food, service and leisure.