I recently finished watching FX’s latest season of the hit show ‘The Bear.’ The chaotic chronicles of a master chef trying to turn an old sandwich joint in Chicago into a Michelin star restaurant. If you have seen the show you will know just how chaotic running a restaurant can be. But also just how fulfilling it is too. Food is such an important part of humanity. Not just in regards to fueling our body. It is a part of our histories and cultural heritages.
Opening your own restaurant can be a daunting prospect. But it is a worthwhile venture if you can do it right. This guide will help you lay the foundation for starting your own restaurant.
Finding The Money
Most businesses will run at a loss for a while once they first start. This is only natural. Start up costs are high and you will need time to recoup that initial investment. Which is why it is good to try to find some alternative sources of income to help cover the running costs.
Seeking investors is perhaps one of the best options available to you. There are hundreds of people out there looking to put their money into a new venture. Investment fairs or trading conferences are a great place to network and find potential investors.
You could also look at setting up a more passive income business. For example storage units. This might sound shocking but yes, owning a storage unit business is profitable. The initial cost of acquiring storage units might be high. But, once you start renting out the units, you will be bringing in a lot of passive income with very few expenditures. Enough to cover some of the more consistent costs you will encounter in your restaurant.
Finding The Space
A restaurant is only as good as its location. You could be serving the best food in the world but if you are situated next to a garbage dump you won’t get any customers. It is always worth holding out for the right location.
You need to consider a lot of things. How many covers are you hoping to run each night? The more covers you serve the bigger your kitchen will need to be. You will need a section for a powerful dishwasher and numerous sinks. Along with a staff changing area, walk in fridge and freezer, and external access for trash to be stored and for deliveries to be brought in. Don’t rush this part of the process. Really take your time to find the ideal location for your restaurant.
Menu And Decor
The menu is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of your restaurant. It is the ultimate focus of the business. But a lot of people often forget that the decor of your restaurant should match up to the menu’s theme. No one wants to be eating a fine dining tasting menu in an American diner.
Work with your chefs and interior designers to find the right balance. Remember, minimalism goes a long way in the restaurant game. Subtle and tasteful decorations help set a mood more than garish and bright ones. If your decorations are too distracting it will pull the focus away from the meal your customers are meant to be enjoying.
Securing Good Ingredients
The cornerstone to any successful restaurant is ensuring you are using good quality ingredients. That means avoiding frozen or heavily processed foods as much as possible. It might be a tad more expensive and time consuming. But the results will be worth it.
People want to know that the food they are enjoying is prepared with skill and love. And if you have taken the time to source fresh, local ingredients each day, you can relate that back to your customers. This will ensure they keep coming back time and time again.
