A NEW PARADIGM IN HOSPITALITY

Make enthusiasm the backbone of your business

Whether you are fine dining, street food, a casual chain restaurant etc, there is a common thread.So, what’s the common thread? You need a front of house team who are invested in delivering great service with a solid knowledge and understanding of the dishes they are serving to their guests.  It’s a compelling mix and one which seems to be proving very successful.

I already know that; I hear you say!Well, here is something you may not know or even like. THIS NEEDS TO BE DRIVEN BY THE CHEF.  That’s right, the grumpy git in the back of the house who can have a massive impact on how your customers are greeted and served. This for some is already in place, I am however shocked by the percentage that do not understand or accept this. Chefs simply must become sales gurus, especially when it comes to their products. (I CAN COACH THIS) Knowledge is power (let’s face it you wouldn’t buy a car from a salesperson with zero knowledge of the product).

Many high-profile chefs have relaxed the formal dining model and now offer their fabulous dishes in simpler surroundings (often simpler presentations) where it’s all about the food, letting the ingredients speak for themselves, even at the very highest end of the fine dining scale, we are just a bit cooler and more laid back. At the more casual end of the scale, we are seeing slightly more modern foods, lighter touches and some exciting world-wide influences are creeping in. We are seeing groups,independents and even street food vendors smashing it out of the park. We are in exciting times when it comes to eating out.

So what is the secret to the success of this model

Teamwork gets it done
One of the things about good food is that it is elevated to even greater heights when served by an enthusiastic team member, who has been thoroughly trained and can explain every aspect of the food and wine with natural passion. AKA, they own it!Treat the team like your family. Teach with huge enthusiasm and give them confidence to walk like they own the place. This is on you Chefs! The front team will ooze enthusiasm to the guests.

Great cooking starts with the food 
With standard staples already on the menu, the whole essence of the approach is to cook what’s good on the day. The best fish, the most interesting local meat and, very importantly, super fresh vegetables of the season. Like the traditional bourgeois French approach of starting each day at the market and designing the menu from there, there is a clear commitment to letting the ingredients do the talking and the role of the chef is to present their freshness fulfilled. Get your front of house team excited about what is coming in from the markets.

For me Teamwork always makes the dream work (cliché but true!)

Having started my culinary journey at a very young age, gaining my own Michelin stars at both Lords of the Manor and Hunstrete House, I have also held several lead chef positions, including working with the legendary Pierre Koffmann, Heston Blumenthal and David Everitt-Matthias.It has always been my goal to make things run smoothly with a happy team.From the front of house to kitchen porter, all become naturally focused on the food.Enthusiasm is after all contagious. In my teams every member was fully briefed on the ingredients and dishes of the day. They were given tastings and tasked with producing their own buzz words to sell. Please note daily tasting (even if only one dish) Enthusiasm has an expiry date, keep it fresh!Your teams enthusiasm for what’s delivered on the plate is infectiously transferred to the guest, and there will be a sense of excitement and anticipation that becomes the signature of your hospitality. What got me up in the morning when I was a head chef, was the search for the freshest and finest ingredients of the day. I was clear, that while my skill and passion is my cooking, the business I am in, is hospitality.It is now my vision to deliver this passion to as many teams as I possibly can, to help them achieve a greater hospitality business.  The emphasis should always be working as a team and let the food speak for itself.  I still believe this is very much the way forward.

To summarise
Remember to refresh your daily enthusiasm
Learn to sell (chef!)
You are a family unit, keep lifting spirits
Enthusiasm is the backbone of your business