In my opinion there is no other industry with a learning curve as wide as the restaurant industry. Some might think that good food and good service is all you need to be successful, but we all know there are countless other factors that can make or break a restaurant. I hope this blog can be a collection of stories, lessons, and ideas on how to be successful in the food business.

 

Throughout my collegiate years, studying advertising and PR has taught me many valuable lessons on how to identify client’s needs, while determining customers’ wants to formulate specific strategies to accomplish both goals.

 

I spent this past summer in Phoenix doing an intensive five-week training course in restaurant management. I worked for Peter Piper Pizza Inc., and got to experience what every position in the restaurant entails. The best way to describe my experience is “working my way up, real fast.” I spent about two to three days working in each position; trying to master the art of making pizzas. One would think very little skill is needed, but there are many tricks of the trade that can only be learned through endless practice and trial and error.

 

One of the most valuable lessons I learned during my time in Phoenix was that in order to run a successful restaurant, education and training are key elements. One of my training managers told me, “In a restaurant, you should only have to train one person.  This individual should then be responsible for training his team members.”  He was trying to explain how vital it is to never get distracted with micromanaging. It can make you a slave to your business.  This ultimately means, how are you supposed to share an awesome experience with others, if you can’t look past all the work you have created for yourself?

 

While I still have many lessons to learn and obstacles that I have not faced, I keep an open mind because there are many tools available to us. I encourage readers to send me a message about your experiences and I will gladly share with others. Stay tuned!
 
Your partner,
Alejandra