How to Open and Operate a Restaurant

by Arthur Meyer, Mick Van Vann

Overview

The restaurant business is both an established field and also an evolving one. Today more people eat out, having less time to cook at home. With the advent of the celebrity chef, many people are interested in trying new and different foods. The expansive cable television networks provide entertainment in the form of “reality shows” revolving around winning money to open a dream restaurant or be top chef. The globalization of food distribution allows people everywhere to become familiar with ingredients never before available, stimulating their interest in food as more than sustenance. Dining out becomes entertainment as well as filling the need for nourishment. With over 80 combined years of cooking experience, Meyer and Vann have seen the trials of opening and running restaurants—those they have worked in and those they have designed and helped to open. They bring this expertise to How to Open and Operate a Restaurant and will take the reader through al the aspects of opening and running a restaurant including many examples of pitfalls to avoid, rules to follow and guidelines for success.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762781898
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	07/02/2013
Series:	Home-Based Business Series , #1
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Arthur L. Meyer is a restaurant and bakery consultant who has cooked professionally since 1963 in New York, San Francisco, San Antonio and Austin. He has taught cooking internationally, is considered an expert on world cuisines, and has achieved Master status in baking. He opened a specialty bakery in 1983, which became the subject and name of his first cookbook, Texas Tortes (University of Texas Press, 1997 hc, 2010 pbk). He also is the author of  Baking Across America (University of Texas Press, 1998) and co-authored Appetizer Atlas (Wiley, 2003), which won Best in the World from Gourmand Cookbook Awards in 2003. Appetizer Atlas has been his best seller and is a mainstay in many professional kitchens. Its popularity can be attributed to its detailed research on the cuisines of the world and the popularity of appetizers and small bites with home cooks and chefs alike. Just released is Art’s fourth book, Corsican Cuisine (Hippocrene Books, 2010) and his fifth cookbook is scheduled for release in fall 2011, Danish Cooking and Baking Traditions (Hippocrene Books, 2011). His sixth book is under contract with Globe Pequot Press (The Houston Chef’s Table, fall 2012). Art resides in Austin, Texas where he had been a Lecturer in Organic Chemistry for 14 years at the University of Texas, and continues to teach chemistry at the community college.

            Self-taught chef Mick Vann grew up working in restaurant and hotel kitchens during high school and college (Chariot Inn, Holiday Inn, McDonald’s, Westwood Country Club). Selected as one of the two principals on the corporate restaurant opening team, Vann opened Pelican’s Wharf restaurants in Texas (Temple, College Station, Port Aransas, Victoria, McAllen) between 1976 and 1977. In late 1977 Vann opened the Pelican’s Wharf in San Antonio and was offered the management position, where he stayed for 5 years. In 1982 Vann moved back to Austin to open and manage Clarksville Café, where he won numerous awards. Since 1998 Vann has been a food writer for The Austin Chronicle.  Vann is the co-author of, The Appetizer Atlas. Vann currently does freelance food writing, while working with Art Meyer as an associate in his restaurant consulting firm. Vann is currently working on a culinary tourism guide to Thailand, Savoring Siam: A Chef’s Culinary Adventures in Thailand, as well as The Cocktail Cupboard: Bar Supplies for the New Mixologist.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xiii

01 So You Want to Open a Restaurant? 1

A Self-Evaluation 1

A Reality Check 3

02 Envisioning Your Business 5

The Concept 5

Formulating Your Concept 7

Location 10

Naming Your Restaurant 14

03 The Menu 16

Restaurant Needs and Design 16

Pricing Your Menu 18

Writing Your Menu 22

Recipes and How to Write Them 24

Food Costing and Creating Master Lists 27

Taking Inventory and Food Costing 31

Labor Cost 33

04 Financial Planning 34

Start-Up 34

Construction Expense Estimates 35

Securing Finances 39

Organizing Your Business 42

Insurance 43

The Business Plan 45

05 Equipment FOH and BOH 49

Equipment Basics 49

Utilities Sources-Gas versus Electricity 51

Obtaining Equipment-Lease versus Purchase 51

Equipment Selection 53

Major Kitchen Equipment 55

Refrigeration 65

Small (Counter) Kitchen Equipment 70

Dishwashing 72

Hot-Water Heater 75

Wait Station Equipment 75

Bar Equipment 77

Stainless Steel and Shelving 81

06 Design Considerations 87

FOH Entrance and Waiting Area 88

Dining Room Layout 89

Wait Station 94

Restrooms 95

Bar 96

BOH Design and Layout 102

Sanitation 106

BOH Plumbing and Lighting 107

Ventilation and Exhaust 110

Equipment Placement 110

07 Getting Started 111

Minor Remodels 111

Major Remodels and New Construction 112

Site Plan and Layout 114

08 Suppliers and Purveyors 116

Food Purveyors 116

Bar Suppliers 119

Linen 121

Paper Goods 121

Chemicals 121

Service Suppliers 123

09 Staffing 141

Payroll Taxes 144

Staffing-FOH 145

Staffing-BOH 152

Hiring 156

Training Overview 158

Training-BOH 159

Training-FOH 161

Training-The Bar 164

Getting Ready to Open 167

Scheduling Considerations 167

Maintaining a Full Working Crew 169

10 Marketing: Bringing in Patrons 170

Establishing Your Market 170

Traditional Advertising 172

Website 172

Search Engine Placement 173

Social Media 174

11 Up and Running-A Day in the Life of a Restaurant 176

BOH 176

FOH 179

12 The Business End Game 184

Things Are Going Well 184

You Are Just Breaking Even-No Profit 186

Getting Out 189

Concluding Thoughts 190

Appendix A Chronological Checklist to Opening 191

Appendix B Useful Pre-Opening Checklists 194

Appendix C Food Safety 198

Appendix D Table Layout and Seating 201

Appendix E Smallwares 207

Appendix F Glassware and Tableware 214

Index 218

About the Authors 224