Guidelines for Creating a Successful Restaurant

Staffing

Front of the House

Making the guest feel welcome from the minute they arrive, until the time they leave is a goal that all Front of the House personnel should aspire to, whether you are a waiter, waitress, bus person or hostess.

A Server's Primary Duty is Service!

The server's primary goal is to serve! And to serve impeccably. A thorough knowledge of the menu, including menu item ingredients, how dishes are prepared, sauces, dressings, beverages and prices is essential for a successful and professional wait staff.

Prompt responses to a guest's questions, problems or issues ensures that they will be taken care of honestly and efficiently, and with the assistance of management if necessary.

Back of the House

The Chef is typically the manager of the kitchen. He or she may also have jurisdiction over the wait staff and other restaurant personnel. Often, the Chef is the owner or co-owner of the restaurant. In any event, the Chef is responsible for the overall production, presentation and taste of all food leaving the kitchen.

Other kitchen personnel, such as sous chefs, line cooks, prep cooks, and dishwashers must all work together to make a busy and sometimes hectic kitchen run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Proper cooperation between all staff members and management is required.

Teamwork

Cooperation and communication between the front and back of the house is required for a smooth running operation. Consistency in ordering methods, whether through a computer system or hand written, should be maintained with all personnel. Any special or custom orders from the wait staff to the kitchen must be communicated clearly.

Problems or miscommunications between the front and back should be handled according to policy. Often, there is a dining room supervisor or head waiter who is responsible for communication between the two. There are kitchens where servers may not be allowed to speak to the chef or those on the line. A proper chain of command is necessary for clear communication between these types of departments.

"A well-run restaurant is like a winning baseball team. It makes the most of every crew member's talent and takes advantage of every split-second opportunity to speed up service."

~ David Ogilvy

Photos Source: www.morguefile.com

© 2011 Andrew Brent