Since my new television show 24 Hour Restaurant Battle premiered about three weeks ago, I have quite a few people on Twitter and Facebook, as well as some customers and friends asking me the same thing:
"Is this really possible?"
It's on the Food Network if you haven't see it (or would like to). If you don't know about it, the basic gist of the show is pretty straight-forward: two teams each open a restaurant from scratch in just 24 hours, competing against each other to realize their dream -- opening their very own restaurant.
These contestants, or aspiring chefs and restaurateurs, are charged with developing a concept, executing it and everything that goes along with that: interior design, menu, budget, and of course, food. Each team is provided with help that they have to manage -- just like a real restaurateur.
Admittedly, it's pretty difficult.
The contestants don't stop for a moment, not even to sleep. It taps into every fiber of their creativity, tests their endurance, strains their relationships, and ultimately, teaches them a little bit about themselves.
In essence, the 24-hour development period is the race to the starting line -- when time is up, in come the customers, about 60-100 people having a full dinner in what was an empty hall only a day ago.
When it's all over, the winner gets ten grand in seed money for their own place, and somewhat more importantly, they get the bragging rights to say they did it. They opened their own restaurant.
So, now you know why I get the question... is it even possible??
I have to say that I have seen and experienced some amazing ideas and some failures during the filming. There was one constant: if you don't have a plan -- you fail.
When my team and I jump into opening mode for one of my restaurants, there are a few commandments we always keep in mind -- granted, I've never done it in 24 hours.
1) Know Who You Are...
Sounds easy enough, but I think it is one of the most difficult things for an aspiring restaurateur to stay cognizant of. First, you have to figure out who you are. Next, you have to figure out what your specialty is, and then ask yourself if it's worthy of being called a specialty. It requires truth with yourself and with your dreams. Those chocolate chip cookies you bake may be a hit around Christmas time -- are they special enough to sustain a business?
2) Your personal story is wonderful, but ask yourself: Does it make for a good business model?
Everyone thinks that they have a great story and that the story can bring people in the door. But, a business needs to function on its own and be self-reliant. The story is the starting point. The execution of the story should be the goal.
3) If you think it's easy... it's not!
Opening a restaurant is a wildly stressful experience... you don't sleep much, you are overwhelmed with work and it takes a huge emotional toll. If you're doing this for an ego boost or a glamour job, invest in a restaurant... don't run one.
4) Be a Coach
With the challenges and the strain, you must act as a coach and mentor to your staff during and after the opening. Between the contractors, designers, building the inventory, and all the other money flying out the window, you as the owner have to be the face of the restaurant. During the opening, you have to be the stable factor in the chaotic environment. You keep the team motivated, help streamline their ideas. Let them offer their know-how, it will make things easier for everyone.
And just maybe, the hard work pays off and the stars align just a little bit. You develop some original and delicious items for the menu. You come up with a great name that speaks to who you are. You pick out the right chairs, steak knives, candle holders. You figure out just how you're going to fold the napkin. You find a staff that shares a sense of hospitality not unlike your own. You open the doors.
Unfortunately there is nothing one can do to ensure success. But... you can help ensure the customer's experience. After all, its really ultimately all about them. If the customer is happy, it doesn't matter if you opened in 24 hours or 24 months... you'll be on the right path.
5.) Cook your chicken all the way through.
6.) Don't serve me red onions.
most important things for a restaurant:
PARKING...PARKING...PARKING....PARKING......
EASY ACCESS....EASY ACCESS.....
ATMOSPHERE----TO SEE AND BE SEEN.
(basically, the food can suck)
.
there is a degree of risk associated with having the food too good.
critics move in and rate you.....then the next wave of critics, who don't like
the first wave of critics come in and downgrade you--
thereby redirecting whatever business you may have acquired.
no one pays attention to food ratings of "in" restaurants....
people goes to these restaurants to see and be seen.
not for the food, which is almost uniformly mediocre at best.
every successful restaurant owner knows
that it is not possible to maintain sufficiently high standards
for the mass production that an "in" restaurant demands;
and that it is far more important to strive for
an acceptable level of inoffensive homogenized uniformity.
(the very few restaurants with great food tend to price themselves
beyond the range of non-bankers and assorted mere mortals)
.
The enormity of what I want to do someday has dawned on me because I see the guys doing it. It's a miserable business with few rewards if you are not fully committed to food. Heck, I love cooking, but you know what? The odds are, I won't get to do much of the cooking in my own restaurant when I get it. Yeah, because owner/chefs do a lot more 'owner' and a lot less 'chef.'
It's a grind, you gotta love it. What you don't need to do is watch TV and decide that it'd be a nice way to spend your retirement money. It doesn't work that way.
Leave it to the pros, guys, leave it to the pros. Even if you're investing, you probably need to learn about how the biz runs, perhaps by working as a stage or otherwise getting a clue.
90% of all new restaurants never turn a profit and fail completely within 5 years.
The 10% that manage to stay alive do so with paper thin profit margins that barely return minimum wage to the owner, considering that 80 hour weeks are common.
Here are four keys to restaurant success:
1. Make good food differently from other places in your town. That is to say: anyone can make the crap they serve at Chili's, TGIFriday's, Bennigans, or any of the 1 million other places like them. You need to make good food that's different than that. Cause you'll never do it cheaper. So, look at what's already around. No place in town that does tapas? Put that on your menu. Is there a place in town with a really good beer selection? No? Try that.
2. Hire a good, well-trained waitstaff. The best food in the world doesn't mean anything if your waitstaff is surly, incompetent, or can't recommend a decent beer or bottle of wine to go with the meal.
3. Location, location, location. You place has to be easy to get into and out of from the road.
4. Be prepared to lose money. America's Cup captain Dennis Connor was once asked to describe yacht racing. His reply "stand in a shower and tear up hundred dollar bills." Wanna know what it's like to run a restaurant: stand in an sauna and tear up hundred dollar bills.
Hey! Can I have my own TV show?
1) Have enough $$$$$$ in the bank to be able to Lose money for up to Two Years !!!
2)Good food's nice , Presentation's nice , but giving patrons a good bang for their buck will create word of mouth advertising that's priceless .------- and , Bad food and service will kill you dead!!!
3) Location , Location , Location !!!!!!
4) Be Knowledgeable in ALL aspects of the business . (Recipe for failure = "Bill makes a great sauce , and I'm really friendly with people .") Almost All Inexperienced restaurateurs Fail !!!
5) My Dad said that one could be the best cook , the best bartender , the best waiter , BUT the Best Title one could Earn was "Good Worker" .
6) and ----- Always remember " THE DISHWASHER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE HOUSE" Try getting thru a busy Friday or Saturday night without one !!!!!!
Scott's show is a good concept, but I don't like the 24 Hour concept. I guess they do that for taping multiple episodes in the same location which saves the production budget.....What I think gets sacrificed is the ability to put on the best product. No one opens a Food establishment in a day...Give them 2-3 days at least.
Also, I like Scott's on "Chopped" and I think I could make pasta that he wouldn't got postal with me on and there is no way I would ever serve him raw red onions.