When you open a restaurant, you want to be sure that you’re serving the best food possible. It’s the only way to ensure returning custom and word of mouth recommendations. But, not everyone who starts such an enterprise is a talented chef. A lot of the time, restaurant owners turn to their employees to produce top quality food. If that’s the situation you find yourself in, the chances are that you want the best chef out there. They will, after all, become your best asset. They have the ability to make or break your business.
Yet, employing a chef is different to hiring, say, waiting staff. For the majority of your recruitments, you’ll be in the driving seat. The same can’t be said for your chef. Instead of doing the interviewing, you need to convince them your restaurant is worth their time. Here are a few steps which should help you do it.
A Kitchen Worth Working In
Top quality chefs will have the chance to work in some fantastic kitchens. Make sure you stand a chance against them by stocking up on equipment from companies like Kitchen Solutions. Here, you can get everything from kitchen sinks, to industrial ovens. You need to ensure, not only that you have everything, but that it’s the best quality out there. If not, why would an amazing chef waste their time? If they don’t have the equipment they need, they won’t be able to do themselves justice. As such, your company will become an instant no-go. If you have top gear to show off, they’ll find it much harder to turn their back on your offer.
Give Them Some Say Over The Menu
This may be a hard point to accept, but you stand a better chance of bagging a top chef if you offer some creative input. At the end of the day, they’re putting their name to your menu. The least you can do is let them tweak things to suit their style. If anything, getting help from someone with experience of what works is invaluable. So, instead of sticking to the menu you have in your mind, sit down together and talk things through. If you’re unsure about suggestions, offer a trial period of a few days. If the dishes go down well, you can eat your words. If not, you can revert to your planned menu.
Offer A Top Kitchen Team
An expert chef needs an expert team to work with. These individuals will be preparing many of the dishes under your chef’s tutelage. If you employ a load of kids who don’t know what they’re doing, why would a chef take a job with you? They’d be letting themselves in for a world of stress, and a potentially tarnished reputation. Make sure to employ kitchen staff with experience and credentials. Give each of them a trial so that you can see how they operate. And, have a team in place before you approach a chef with an offer.
