Talented Chefs Leaving the Big Cities

A year ago, Gavin Kaysen left his executive chef position at Café Boulud in New York City. He packed up his bags, and headed back to his hometown of Minneapolis, where he set up his own restaurant, Spoon and Stable.

Kaysen says one of the advantages of opening a restaurant back home is being closer to his support system. He happily shares that he gets to spend more time with his family and children.

Another plus was the space. Kaysen found an office building that was originally an old horse stable, and thought it had lots of potential and charm. Construction started in early May and Kaysen was able to have a grand opening on November 16th. Putting together a restaurant in the short span of only six months was an amazing feat.

In addition, Kaysen notes that Minneapolis is an agricultural haven. He has been forming relationships with countless local farmers and producers.

Kaysen thinks the talent has been leaving big cities, like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, because chefs are embracing the old European restaurant concept again. He mentions how Michelin was initially created to expose the small, out-of-the-way shops to people and tourists.

He states that there no denying that metropolitan cities push out excellent food and chef talent. However, he points out how that it's not the locality that makes a great chef. Kaysen says, "I still believe if you cook really good food, and you create beautiful hospitality and great service, people will find you."

Kaysen finds it extremely humbling when patrons are lining out the door for a seat in his restaurant, especially since it is in Minneapolis. He is excited to see Minneapolis being a game changer to the culinary world.

(via Grub Street)

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Survey Highlights Staffing Challenges Plaguing Many Foodservice & Hospitality Operations

 

RICHMOND, Texas, Sept. 28, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Restaurant Owner (RestaurantOwner.com), an industry leading resource for budding and seasoned independent restaurateurs, recently published an industry survey on the hiring and staffing issues plaguing the foodservice industry today. More than 650 independent restaurant owners responded with the unique situations they are facing in hiring and retaining their staff.

Over 63 percent of the operators surveyed note that their staffing challenges have increased in the past two years. While most would rank their restaurant as a good place to work, you may be surprised by the creative means some restaurateurs are using to find and retain their staff.

The most difficult category to hire: back of the house staff, with 56 percent of respondents stating that they are often short staffed and always hiring in their kitchens. Many operators call into question the quality of the labor pool, noting that it is increasingly difficult to hire conscientious, dependable employees.

Many independent operators are realizing that they must be proactive and take steps to make their restaurants a better place for their employees to work. 70 percent of the respondents noted that if their labor problems continue or get worse they will need to change the way they operate by taking actions such as increasing automation, reducing hours of operation or even changing their concept.

Only 1 percent of all restaurants surveyed said that they have plenty of candidates and are fully staffed in all areas of their restaurants. These operators note their success is primarily due to teamwork, building a good team spirit and sticking to their stated principles and core values.

To view a summary of the responses: http://www.restaurantowner.com/public/Survey-Hiring-Keeping-Good-Employees.cfm.

About Restaurant Owner

Founded in 1998 this membership website provides independent restaurant operators the insights and tools to build a better restaurant, better business and a better life.

Restaurant Owner's business plans and startup checklists have helped thousands of restaurant startups open their doors while their resources on leadership, systems and business management have helped others improve their culture, guest experience and profitability. For more information please visit https://www.restaurantowner.com/.

(via Send2Press)

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