Interview with Chef Martin Laprise
For those of you who are thinking of opening and running your own restaurant someday, you will enjoy this advice from Chef Martin Laprise, author of My Daughter Wants to Be A Chef.
Chef Laprise is one of those chefs who has seen it all. As described in his book, he has been employed in 24 of the 39 venues a professional chef can expect to work. It is a great read if you or your child consider attending culinary school. For more culinary school research, check out Culinary School Resource Center for articles and school information on culinary schools near you.
Martin, now a professional caterer and personal cooking instructor in Canada, participated in my Novice2Pro chef interview, which can be seen at Interview with Chef Martin Laprise. This is another great interview for prospective chefs considering going to cooking school.
At the end of my interview with Chef Martin, I asked him if he had any comments or advice about managing a restaurant, and here is his informative reply.
Chef Martin Laprise's Tips
- If you will have a restaurant one day, do your homework first. Here's some advice I passed on to a friend of mine last month about running a successful restaurant: Train and coach your staff well so that when it's your day off, they still perform accordingly. NO RESTAURATOR can do it alone.
- Although this is your own unique concept, as soon as you open your restaurant, create your business as if someone else would take over one day. Think like a franchise. That way, when you want to slow down and have a life with your child, you have a system and rules for everything. OR if you want to sell the business and travel the world, it's easier once you have a system in place. Think TURN KEY.
- Empower all your employees to make decisions and not rely on you every time. Do not discourage them if they screw up, try to explain to them the best you can.
- Reward your cooks by letting them create a special of the day and/or an item for the new menu. Everyone likes to be part of things, and a cook who feels part of something will stay longer. Ask for their opinions once in a while so they will feel important and happy to work for you.
- The schedule is the BEST tool in the kitchen or the front. It's a great reward to give your staff a flexible schedule so they can have a life or a hubby. Employees are there to help you realize your goal. Figure out what is best for everyone. Four days a week for 10 hours for someone may not be suitable for someone else. Talk to everyone and make the schedule that best fits everyone's needs. For example, young cooks like to party, whereas old cooks like to be with their spouses on special occasions. ADJUST!
- You are now a restaurant owner, wow, BUT don't forget to think about when you were an employee and how it made you feel when the boss did not listen to any of your advices. Listen to your staff; NO, REALLY listen to all your staff, including dishwashers. They see things that you don't. You only have two hands and two eyes! Create a system and environment that promotes opinion sharing. For example, there should be a meal between lunch and dinner service with all the staff so everyone can talk about ideas and how to improve. This will create a great TEAM environment and cost very little in the long term.
- The front-of-the-house servers will benefit from having educational wine tasting occasionally, enjoying the experience and staying longer.
- Don't make one person work 60 hours a week when you can hire one and a half workers instead. I know that the labor market is tough, but it can be done. Overworked people don't perform well and may cost you some future clients. You ultimately control who works and how much! Even if someone wants to work overtime, don't do it—for cost and for the employee.
- Follow-up is the most important action in any business. For example, when you tell an employee I will talk to you tomorrow, talk about it the next day. When you say we will talk about a raise in two months, don't avoid it. Make sure to talk two months to the day even if it says I can't talk right now for X or Y reasons.
- If you give direction to any employees, you need to follow up to see if it was done correctly. If an employee who knows that you don't follow up is more likely to screw up.
- Customer service is extremely important. If you know that a table has waited too long, send a glass of something to the table. A few dollars is much cheaper than a bad review from a client. Find a drink or food that is your signature to offer when things get busy.
- All recipes, food or drink, should be written down and standard every time.
- Since you are in the middle of a wine country, I would like to do a wine tasting once a month if I were you. Something like the second Wednesday of each month. Stick with it, and one day, it will be packed. Have a winemaker as a guest!
- Press releases are simple. Tell your story about how you got there, and you should get free press. Don't ever sell your restaurant; sell your journey to the media.
- Press releases are very powerful! Wait until you are ready to handle a lot of people. Then, send it to all media nationwide, not just local media.
- Don't cut down on quality ever. Dessert is extremely important, as this is the last thing the client sees before the bad news/the bill.
- No matter how much I like to cook duck, if the local market does not want it, I have to accept that I will have to cook something else to make a living.
- Hire people for who they are, not what they know. You can teach someone to be a better cook or server, but you can't teach someone to be a better, more well-adjusted human being. Choose people for their personalities and teach them what you want.
- Reward your employees for doing a good job.
- Support your small community by giving out dinners to charity; you will get free press for it and feel good, too.
- An employee will never have the same commitment as you, period... This is your life, and it's only a job for your best employee. Eventually, to make someone assistant manager is a smart move that will allow you to have a life of your own.
Books To Read If You Want To Open Your Own Restaurant
If you are interested in reading more about running your own restaurant, I have found books on the subject that might be helpful. I have not read these books yet because I am not thinking of opening my own restaurant but they might be something to check out if you are.
Starting a Small Restaurant, Revised Edition
Restaurant Success by the Numbers: A Money-Guy's Guide to Opening the Next Hot Spot
Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality
Running A Restaurant For Dummies
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting A Restaurant
Is A Culinary Career Right For Me?
- What Happened to All the For-Profit Culinary Schools
- The Journey of Celebrity Chefs: From Passion to Fame
- Cooking for Business or Pleasure
- Give the Gift of Cooking Classes
- What It Takes To Become An Executive Chef
- Which Hospitality Management Jobs Pay the Best
- Interview with Top Ten Pastry Chef in America Mary Cech
- 10 Things To Consider Before Getting Into The Culinary Industry
Chris Van Ness
I could not get past the first lines with out writing. Many chefs are "the greastest" but you will NEVER move up in the world if you don't have someone trained to do your job. Training or teaching is a gift,
John Stewart
I think what you mentioned about sharing what you know is a great thought, as this will one day give you the opportunity to expand your business
Adam J. Medina C.E.C
very very insightful. I could not help but chuckle to #18. I have never ever even thought of that. Am sure now though, it will help me in so many areas when it comes to hiring a new team member.
Kebo
I am thinking about starting my own Restaurant, and you gave me some very brilliant advices. You are so right.
These are so powerful.
mario khalil
I am also a chef, Chef Martise have a nice comment.
Thank you Chef Khalil. Where are you working as a chef these days? - RG
Jeff Walker
I'm a Culinary Student at the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. My goal is to one day open a successful restaurant establishment and set an example for other restaurants who want to become successful. I wat to create that kind of restaurant that everyone would love to work at! Very good comments people, Anc Chef Laprise, once i become successful in the restaurant industry, you will become part of my steps which lead me to becoming successful! Thank you!
David Acuna
Hi Chef Laprise I found your advice to be very useful. I recently took over an existing Thai restaurant and have completely turned the place around in a good way. In our first 3 months we are starting to get a little busy and we are very happy although our hours are very long and we are only 23 yrs old so we like to go out and have a good time. We had never had any restaurant experience and we are still getting used to the experience. Our goal is to systematize our restaurant so that we can travel and also expand and open others! Anyone that is reading this and has any advice for us please respond. Thank You
abel
Hey chef,
I recently became the manager of a sushi restaurant and I'm hoping to have a positive impact on catalyzing the culture of the owners vision into the employees, menu, and patrons as well as increase revenue. Any advice, anyone?
Hi Abel, thanks for writing. I am not a chef but a "work-at-home" dad who enjoys good food and learning how to be a better cook. I guess the first question would be, What is the "owners vision"? There are plenty of professionals that may be able to help you learn how to increase your revenues but as sushi goer myself, it's all about customer service. Of course the food has to be good, but the service is just as important. And remember, the first person the customer meets will have a tremendous influence on how that person enjoys their experience with you. - RG
Henry Akande
Chef Martin, you are a great man. All i needed to run my own restaurant successfully was what i got here. I have come to realized that no restaurant owner can make it without the team work of his staff. No one can make it in isolation. Thank you!
Hi Henry, I'm sure Chef Martin appreciates your comments. - RG
Aaron Sample
I owned a restaurant in the past & my mistake was researching this info after closing instead of before opening . If you don't do your homework prior to opening it only makes things harder as time goes on . I had moderate success but found once I opened unprepared didn't have much time to research & business suffered . Great advice sir, everything you stated is so true & very helpful .
Tim
I would also add a recommendation...be flexible. Many operators work hard to find an approach [to whatever it may be]that works, but something in the future could come along and improve that approach. Don't be afraid of change, especially when it comes to using technology.
pankaj
hi,
i am indian chef running a fine dine indian resturant of 86cover in jaipur india we are doing ok but m not happy with out come want to increase my sale and foot fall can u help me out to bostup my sales ???????
Mark Chase
Too many restaurateurs don't take the time to properly analyze locations and don't understand the complexities of restaurant leases. This is an area where professional advice can help you avoid huge mistakes. A qualified real estate attorney should be retained during lease negotiations.
John
I like that tip to empower employees. You don't want to micromanage. Another good idea is to outsource accounting when you start.
rachel frampton
From my point of view, people who are running a restaurant must invest in good quality kitchen equipment. Well, I agree with you that they must reward their cooks by allowing them to come up with a special of the day menu. You are also right that they must provide a flexible schedule to their staff so everything will run smoothly.