Written by I once sat in a dining room that felt more like a museum than a restaurant, staring at a wine list so thick it could have served as a doorstop. The sommelier spoke in hushed, reverent tones about “terroir” and “vertical tastings,” while I sat there wondering if anyone actually drank the liquid, or if … Continue reading “The Complete Guide to Building a Wine List”
I remember a Tuesday night in my old sixteen-seater, just as I was locking the till, when a table of two sat down ten minutes before closing. They were polite enough, but when the bill arrived, they stared at the service charge with that particular brand of quiet indignation, as if I’d personally reached into … Continue reading “The Complete Guide to Tips and Service Charge”
I remember the first time a young chef tried to convince me that adding a delivery wing was “the future of scaling.” He had this bright-eyed look, talking about untapped markets and seamless integration, while I stood there looking at my pristine, sixteen-cover dining room and wondering how on earth a lukewarm risotto was going … Continue reading “The Complete Guide to Delivery and Takeaway”
I remember a rainy Tuesday in 2004 when a client tried to book my sixteen-seat dining room for a “spontaneous” corporate mixer of forty people. They had read some glossy brochure promising a seamless experience, but they hadn’t read the fine print about floor plans or service ratios. I watched my best waiter’s face go … Continue reading “The Complete Guide to Private Hire”
I remember sitting in my little sixteen-seat dining room in 2014, staring at a single one-star review that had arrived just as I was wiping down the last linen. The customer had complained that the sea bass was “too salty,” ignoring the fact that the kitchen was short-staffed by two people and the delivery driver … Continue reading “The Complete Guide to Handling Online Reviews”
I spent twenty-six years watching people throw money at “influencers” and glossy brochures, only to watch their dining rooms sit empty on a rainy Tuesday. Most people will hand you a complete guide to restaurant marketing that reads like a textbook written by someone who has never once had to deal with a broken walk-in … Continue reading “The Complete Guide to Marketing a Small Restaurant”
I remember standing in my walk-in freezer at 11:00 PM on a rainy Tuesday, staring at three crates of expensive, bruised shallots that should have been in a confit three days ago. I had spent forty minutes staring at a spreadsheet that told me I was “optimized,” while my actual bank balance told me I … Continue reading “The Complete Guide to Stock Control”
I remember standing in my kitchen at 4:30 AM on a Tuesday, staring at a crate of wilted, grey-edged leeks that had just been delivered by a “premium” distributor I’d spent three weeks vetting. The invoice was beautiful, printed on heavy paper, but the produce was garbage. Most people will hand you a complete guide … Continue reading “The Complete Guide to Working With Suppliers”
I remember sitting in my office on a rainy Tuesday in 2012, staring at a spreadsheet that looked more like a crime scene than a balance sheet. I had a dining room full of happy regulars, a kitchen that was humming, and a menu that people actually loved—but I was still terrified because I couldn’t … Continue reading “The Complete Guide to Hospitality Cash Flow”
I remember sitting in my tiny back office in 2004, staring at a stack of invoices that felt more like a death warrant than a business record. Most of the consultants I met back then would hand you a glossy binder and call it a “complete guide to restaurant accounts,” filled with lofty theories about … Continue reading “The Complete Guide to Reading Restaurant Accounts”