THE HOSPITALITY EXPERT

What is a Hospitality Expert

I can see a hospitality expert when I close my eyes. He has that 1000 yard stare - not bothered by the day-to-day operation even as he navigates it so well. She is cheerful and excited by the service even with fires burning all over the place. They love what they do, but not enough to be weighed down by the grind. 

The best analogy is being a grandparent instead of a parent - you still love the kid, but will pass it off when the diaper needs changing. 

This is a stark difference to how I started out as a restaurant owner. Constantly panicked on customer feedback, employee grievances, equipment maintenance, the daily income numbers and the rest of the hundreds of minor to major issues that affect the daily operation of a hospitality business. It took me 2 full years to really find my groove, having made all of the mistakes along the way. All of them! 

If we can do anything at Ignite that has value to our restaurant clients, it’s to instill a sense of confidence in the process. To allow for creative expression without being bogged down by the pressures of the business. Those pressures will not go away, but how they effect you is all about perspective. 

The Problem - Food Costs

You can see bad ownership methods easily. Many owners get caught up in product pricing with the intent of cutting food costs. There are ways to cut food costs without resorting to cheap or pre-made purchasing, however many owners fall into the trap of “forseeable cost”. Pre-made frozen products with a set price, that require no expertise to prepare is a favored method. Products like jalapeno poppers, mozz sticks, fries and wings are all available as frozen and ready for the frier. Yes their fresh-made alternatives are much better, but owners can be scared off by the unknowns: Will their customers like it, will these products spoil, will a chef quit?

The Solution

Without perspective and expertise, these issues could seem insurmountable (and those Sysco reps sure do know how to sell based on these fears!). It takes time and effort to find out what really works for your patrons, but that effort is well worth it. Happy custsomers equals more profits because repeat business is cheaper to obtain then first-time customers. It also takes expertise to create a menu that uses the best possible ingredients for delicious food along with a process to maximise ingredients, all while lowering food costs. But it can be done. 

Ask us at Ignite and we’ll help.