The Restaurant Doctor - Electronic House Call

ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - December 7, 2001

I figure you are all running around trying to balance the demands of the job with obligations at home and don't have time for much deep thinking at the moment, so here are a couple of quick items that are on my mind at the moment

'TIS THE SEASON
It wouldn't be the holiday season without my annual reminder to buy up a bunch of those little clear lights while they are cheap and readily available. (Call them "garden lights" and they have a life past the Christmas season.) If you are in Canada, I hear that Wal-Mart has them on sale at CDN$1.00 for a 100-light string -- that is 64 cents US! In any case, these lights are incredibly versatile at any time of year to brighten up dark corners, add a little zip to a catering presentation or just add visual interest. Recently I used them to create more street appeal for a client and change his dining room from drab to dazzling! (Sales increased!) Once the holidays are over, they are difficult to find -- and much more expensive -- so snap some up while they are plentiful . . . and before you forget like you did last year!

THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS
What is it with "vegetable medley" these days? Why do some operators believe that a "one size fits all" mish-mash of zucchini and a few other random veggies is the proper compliment to every dish on their menus? Vegetables are not (just) a space-filler on the plate. They could be -- and should be -- a thought-out complement to the entree presentation. And while we are talking vegetables, unless you are a cafeteria, you have to do better than canned or frozen veggies. I will grant you that the selection of fresh produce may be lower at this time of year (my subscribers in the Southern Hemisphere excepted), but your guests do not typically cook fresh vegetables at home. This means that if you do, it makes dining out that much more special. The question is not how good do you have to be, but how good CAN you be?

DUH
I couldn't let you off the hook without SOMETHING on the philosophical side, so ponder this. You cannot learn anything while you are speaking, only while you are listening. Start to notice your interactions with your staff, your guests, your mate, your kids and the other folks in your life. Start to notice how much time you spend talking vs. how much time you spend listening. It should make you humble quickly. What did you learn from your staff today? What did you learn from your life today? Know less. Learn more.

FINALLY
Next week I hope to have the details of my Hospitality Industry Roundtables during the last half of January. Tentative locations are Orlando and Seattle.

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