So You Want to Own Your Own Restaurant?
Marilyn March 16th, 2006
Warning!
As someone who has been doing it for 30 years, it has always puzzled me why perfectly normal, intelligent people harbour a dream to own their own restaurant.
Perhaps they think it will give them a life of fun and glamour, with lots of good food and booze thrown in. Hang off the bar entertaining friends, and never having to pick up the bill ..
Unfortunately life wasn’t meant to be that easy, and the reality is quite different. In recent years profit margins in restaurants have become smaller and smaller — the industry average is 3% and if you’re really firing and are a good business person to boot, you may make 8-10%. That’s before tax.
But You Do It
Yes, it’s a bit too late for me to change course. I married a Frenchman whose only dream was to open his own restaurant. I either had to become part of it, or divorce. I do still enjoy the interaction with people, the challenges, the multi-skilling … and some superb wining and dining. You are never lonely and have unlimited opportunities to meet so many interesting people. Our family-owned restaurant is called Baguette Restaurant & Lounge Bar (in Brisbane, Australia) and over the years we have met people who initially were customers but later became firm friends.
Being slim of course is a distant memory but the pleasure we get from cooking food for friends and family, and sharing some good wine is well worth the love handles.
10 years ago we opened another restaurant with partners (Bretts Wharf Seafood Restaurant also in Brisbane) and now employ over 120 people. Most of those are under 25 years so it’s really quite a responsibility to be the best employer you can be.
You Still Want to Leap In?
If you are determined, than PLEASE do your homework — even if you have worked front or back of house and think you know what it’s all about. Do a course with someone like Ken Burgin, www.profitablehospitality.com. He’s a good operator, a straight talker and will give you the skills you need to survive in a tough industry.
I have to tell you that there are still a lot of people that dream about opening their own restaurant.
Your post reminds me about the story I saw on tv about a guy that wanted to open his own restaurant. He took a few cooking classes but that was all the cooking-related experience that he had. The problem was that he still wanted to open his own restaurant. His former cooking teacher said he wasn’t ready. He hired a restaurant consultant who said he wasn’t ready. He was maxing out all his credit cards. But his spouse was 100% behind him! He got a grant to help with the financing of his restaurant. He (and his friends) did a lot of the construction work. He virtually went back and forth more than a few times to get the right permits that he needed and he just kept going.
Happy end to this story he started his restuarant! (Oh and its still thriving by the way)
Its just a great testament to the human spirit and determination.
But there are just people that have it in their heart that they want to start their own restaurant and – God bless them – they do it!