Restaurant owners should always be on the lookout for activities that will complement their current services. That is what is called business development. There are lots of other possible profit centers for your business aside from selling food.
One of those areas is in the wine section. Aside from including wine in your menu, there are other ways for you to earn income and that is by selling wine gifts. This is especially great if you make or concoct your own wine which will make it exclusively from your restaurant.
Wine gifts can be packaged in wine baskets, wine gift certificates or as a single wine bottle. Wine baskets would need a strong basket that won't fall apart when carrying couple of bottle wines. simple wrapper or basket lining would also be great. If you decide to sell wines, make sure that you are ready with wine gift cards, gift certificates, ribbons and wrappers.
Wine gifts make it easy for people ot give gifts. When you can't think of anything else to give as a gift, wines are defintely a great option.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Bone-building foods
Did you know that aside from dairy products, there are s so many other bone building foods out there?
You might be surprised to know that one of them is the alaskan king crab. Aside from being excellent in taste, they are just as superb on the nutrition side. Alaskan king crabs are high in protein and low in fat. It also has zinc which, aside from being an antioxidant, it helps support healthy bone mass which is just what you need for bone building.
Alaskan king crabs are also great for keeping or getting those fabuous abs and keeping your heart beating steady! When cooked, they provide 3 kinds of omega fatty acids which are just what you need for a healthy heart.
You might be surprised to know that one of them is the alaskan king crab. Aside from being excellent in taste, they are just as superb on the nutrition side. Alaskan king crabs are high in protein and low in fat. It also has zinc which, aside from being an antioxidant, it helps support healthy bone mass which is just what you need for bone building.
Alaskan king crabs are also great for keeping or getting those fabuous abs and keeping your heart beating steady! When cooked, they provide 3 kinds of omega fatty acids which are just what you need for a healthy heart.
Organizing your pots and pans
Restaurants use a lot of these: pots and pans. Sometimes in a year's operation, a restaurant accumulates so many pots and pans of varying sizes and purposes that the old ones get stuck under the cupboard while the new ones are the more often used ones. Sometimes, pots and pans that are not used often get drowned by other pots and pans which are used regularly.
However, there is a good way to organize your kitchen. This is by using enclume pot racks to organize your wares. Enclume potracks were designed to make your kitchen look more organized and put your pots in a way that you see them all at a glance.
An enclume pot rack can be hanged or it can be set to stand on its own. It allows you to hang different sizes of pots without buying different pot racks for different sizes.
However, there is a good way to organize your kitchen. This is by using enclume pot racks to organize your wares. Enclume potracks were designed to make your kitchen look more organized and put your pots in a way that you see them all at a glance.
An enclume pot rack can be hanged or it can be set to stand on its own. It allows you to hang different sizes of pots without buying different pot racks for different sizes.
Keeping Cleanliness in Critical Areas
We will all agree that the dining room is probably one of the two most important places to keep spic and spac in a restaurant. But overall, there are other places in the restaurant that are just as critical to keep clean as the dining room area.
Basically, the whole restaurant should be kept clean and in order at all times. However, there are areas that should be zeroed in on extra cleanliness.
One of them is your kitchen. A clean kitchen would mean clean food. Kitchen sinks should be kept clean and free of food particles. Ideally, there should be different kitchen sinks for different purposes like dishwashing of plates and other guest dinnerware, for pots and pans and utility wares and for preparation. All sinks should be washed and scrubbed and wiped dry after every major washing.
Workstations and cooking stations should be maintained clean and in order even while cooking. Garbage and food trimmings should go straight to the trash bin. Kitchen floors, cupboards and walls should be cleaned and wiped dry on a daily basis but a end of shift major cleaning is highly recommended.
Another area where cleanliness is extra-expected by guests is your toilet. First of all, a toilet should smell clean. If bacteria thrive in your toilet, then it is not clean. The bathroom sink must be kept clean and dry as often as possible. (Expensive toilet fixtures like vessel sinks and fabulous faucets do not ensure a clean toilet!) Trash receptacles should be emptied at least 3 times a day and washed twice a week to keep off bad smell. The toilet should be cleaned and disinfected at least weekly.
Restaurants have a great pressure to be clean as the product served in this place is food. Therefore, restaurant owners have to keep a high standard of cleanliness or guests get turned off.
Basically, the whole restaurant should be kept clean and in order at all times. However, there are areas that should be zeroed in on extra cleanliness.
One of them is your kitchen. A clean kitchen would mean clean food. Kitchen sinks should be kept clean and free of food particles. Ideally, there should be different kitchen sinks for different purposes like dishwashing of plates and other guest dinnerware, for pots and pans and utility wares and for preparation. All sinks should be washed and scrubbed and wiped dry after every major washing.
Workstations and cooking stations should be maintained clean and in order even while cooking. Garbage and food trimmings should go straight to the trash bin. Kitchen floors, cupboards and walls should be cleaned and wiped dry on a daily basis but a end of shift major cleaning is highly recommended.
Another area where cleanliness is extra-expected by guests is your toilet. First of all, a toilet should smell clean. If bacteria thrive in your toilet, then it is not clean. The bathroom sink must be kept clean and dry as often as possible. (Expensive toilet fixtures like vessel sinks and fabulous faucets do not ensure a clean toilet!) Trash receptacles should be emptied at least 3 times a day and washed twice a week to keep off bad smell. The toilet should be cleaned and disinfected at least weekly.
Restaurants have a great pressure to be clean as the product served in this place is food. Therefore, restaurant owners have to keep a high standard of cleanliness or guests get turned off.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Uniform for your dining staff
Part of a restaurant's concept and image is the design of its dining room service staff or waiters. It is important as well to determine how the uniform is worn and the grooming you want your staff to maintain.
First on the design. A lot of conservative designers and restaurateurs go for the plain long sleeves with necktie or chef's uniform modifications for waiter's uniforms. Other restaurateurs prefer to go out-of-the-usual. This is specially true about themed restaurants and fastfood places. I personally like inculcating a restaurant's concept into the waiter's uniform but not in a way that the uniform looks weird. I like designs that bring out the personality of the restaurant. At the same time, I like simple designs that give waiters comfort and allow them to move around easily but with a simple touch or accessory here and there. Simple accessories or touches could range from color combinations, different cuff links or buttons, simple brooches or pins.
Fine dining restaurants would admittedly have to be more conservative. Materials would have to be exquisite.
On the other hand, I also would like to emphasize how waiters carry their uniform or groom themselves. I prohibit waiters from wearing strong perfumes and heavy makeups. I also allow only a few pieces of jewelry like a watch and a ring and stud earrings for ladies. No muliple or fine jewelry allowed! Why? You don't want your waiters to look more dressed up than your customers. I also emphasize good grooming, neat hairstyle and clean, pressed clothing. Try if you can to set as a policy that your waiters don't wear their uniforms on the way to work. If possible, uniforms should be washed inhouse care of the restaurant.
A waiter's uniform is part of your establishment's image. Therefore, it should be given attention to just like the other aspects of your restaurant's operations.
First on the design. A lot of conservative designers and restaurateurs go for the plain long sleeves with necktie or chef's uniform modifications for waiter's uniforms. Other restaurateurs prefer to go out-of-the-usual. This is specially true about themed restaurants and fastfood places. I personally like inculcating a restaurant's concept into the waiter's uniform but not in a way that the uniform looks weird. I like designs that bring out the personality of the restaurant. At the same time, I like simple designs that give waiters comfort and allow them to move around easily but with a simple touch or accessory here and there. Simple accessories or touches could range from color combinations, different cuff links or buttons, simple brooches or pins.
Fine dining restaurants would admittedly have to be more conservative. Materials would have to be exquisite.
On the other hand, I also would like to emphasize how waiters carry their uniform or groom themselves. I prohibit waiters from wearing strong perfumes and heavy makeups. I also allow only a few pieces of jewelry like a watch and a ring and stud earrings for ladies. No muliple or fine jewelry allowed! Why? You don't want your waiters to look more dressed up than your customers. I also emphasize good grooming, neat hairstyle and clean, pressed clothing. Try if you can to set as a policy that your waiters don't wear their uniforms on the way to work. If possible, uniforms should be washed inhouse care of the restaurant.
A waiter's uniform is part of your establishment's image. Therefore, it should be given attention to just like the other aspects of your restaurant's operations.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Curtains or blinds?
In the area of dressing up your windows, I would be torn on whether to use curtains or blinds. Blinds need to be utterly presentalbe. I would say the same for curtains but you basically have more pattern and design choices for curtains. If you could afford a Hunter Douglas, well and good! But if not, you have to go and get a presentable set of window blinds.
The reason I am writing about this is because windows are a part of most restaurant structures and dressing up your windows is part of your ambience.
You might even choose to use neither. However, this is an important decision specially in tropical countries. Curtains make a place look soft, comfortable and homey. Blinds on the other hand, make a place look spic and span, neat, modern, clean cut.
As to which is more practical, blinds give you one-set of a look. Curtains give you more flexibility. If you wash your curtains, you probably need another set of curtains while the other set is drying. With blinds, you clean them up, wipe them dry and they are done.
However, what would be the most important factor or question to answer is if a curtain or blinds are what you need for the ambience that you want to create.
The reason I am writing about this is because windows are a part of most restaurant structures and dressing up your windows is part of your ambience.
You might even choose to use neither. However, this is an important decision specially in tropical countries. Curtains make a place look soft, comfortable and homey. Blinds on the other hand, make a place look spic and span, neat, modern, clean cut.
As to which is more practical, blinds give you one-set of a look. Curtains give you more flexibility. If you wash your curtains, you probably need another set of curtains while the other set is drying. With blinds, you clean them up, wipe them dry and they are done.
However, what would be the most important factor or question to answer is if a curtain or blinds are what you need for the ambience that you want to create.
Sprucing up your dining area
With the so many restaurant themes that have come up and the stiff competition among restaurants, the need to find an edge is now a must.
The edge or what makes you different from others or what your customers would keep coming back for should be clear and should be understand by your customers.
In this aspect, the focal point should be your dining room. There are definitely other guest areas that are just as important like your toilets, parking area and entrance.
One of the things that you is often overlooked over the design is how comfortable the area is. I particularly like restaurants where you can slouch and be comfortable in cozy chairs. Now that I am thinking about it, how about persian rugs and low tables? I think rugs will always embody an ambience of coziness.
Comfortable can also be accomplished by making your tables and chairs lower than the usual dinner table set where your knees are bent at basically 90 degrees. One of my favorite restaurants have low tables and chairs that allow you to slouch and lean over the table. Talk about table manners! What more if you have hand knotted rugs for that great feel on your feet when you take off your shoes.
Comfortable also means cleanliness and orderliness of your dining room. Make sure that your furnitures are not broken or wobbling.
When customers remember what lovely time they had in your restaurant, they just might be a candidate for repeat customers.
The edge or what makes you different from others or what your customers would keep coming back for should be clear and should be understand by your customers.
In this aspect, the focal point should be your dining room. There are definitely other guest areas that are just as important like your toilets, parking area and entrance.
One of the things that you is often overlooked over the design is how comfortable the area is. I particularly like restaurants where you can slouch and be comfortable in cozy chairs. Now that I am thinking about it, how about persian rugs and low tables? I think rugs will always embody an ambience of coziness.
Comfortable can also be accomplished by making your tables and chairs lower than the usual dinner table set where your knees are bent at basically 90 degrees. One of my favorite restaurants have low tables and chairs that allow you to slouch and lean over the table. Talk about table manners! What more if you have hand knotted rugs for that great feel on your feet when you take off your shoes.
Comfortable also means cleanliness and orderliness of your dining room. Make sure that your furnitures are not broken or wobbling.
When customers remember what lovely time they had in your restaurant, they just might be a candidate for repeat customers.
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