There is something so soul-warming about cooking great food for the people you love. Dishing up brand new recipes that you have learned, or old family favorites. Watching the faces of happy eaters enjoying the flavors and care that you put into the food.
Over time there might be a creeping feeling that actually this is what you should be doing for life. This should be your business. Watching Chef and then Burnt to get an idea of the stress, and some of the other aspects of running a kitchen.
When you think about it, the local eateries have been in business for years, and there are family establishments around the world that have been open for hundreds of years.
So maybe it is your turn. But what does it take to get a restaurant running?
Photo by Ivan Stern on Unsplash
Business Plan
There are very few if any businesses that don’t do better with a solid plan in place. When it comes to the food industry, there will be a lot more detail about things like the safety of your customers, kitchen staff and restaurant permits and licenses that you’ll need to be able to trade.
There isn’t just one style of restaurant either. Concept restaurants, fusions, modern, a premium all need a different pricing structure and a different plan to match it.
Think about why people will come to eat your food, and what they will pay for it.
Equipment
While we can get by in the home kitchen with some basic things, the equipment you are going to need in a restaurant is somewhat amplified. In order to cater for potentially hundreds of people a day, you have to think bigger. And bigger usually means more costly. Here are some basics that you need to factor in:
- Glassware and barware
- Cold storage to keep all of your produce fresh
- Silverware – the front of house ones, tablecloths, napkins, placements
- Utensils in the kitchen – industrial kitchen ones – steel most often for durability
- Pots and pans – ones to suit your intended menu
- Table, chairs, interior decor
- Ovens, grills, fryers, sous vide, vacuum packing, microwaves and more
- Signage
And that only covers the very basics of what you are going to need. Not only that, but they will need to suit the style of place you are trying to create. You can get a better idea by actually sitting in a restaurant for a meal and paying attention to what is going on around you.
Team
The team you have in place will need to be skilled and ready for the hectic nature of the service industry. While it doesn’t hurt to have some people who don’t have any experience at all, you’ll need to provide training and guidance. Typically kitchen staff is passionate, and they put everything into their work. The service staff is quick and efficient too. Take your time to build a team, and make sure they have met numerous times ahead of the opening, and had plenty of practice. A soft opening for all of the friends and family is usually a great idea.
The restaurant business is alive and vibrant with so much to explore, and having the right team, and the most comfortable space for your customers will see your way to success.
Recent Comments