So you’ve arrived.
The Mecca. I hear it is the dream of almost every chef to own their own place. A place to call the shots.
YOU, my friend, are either a partner in it, or are married to someone whose in it.
(Insert Standing Ovation here)
No really, this takes SOME dedication and if your restaurant man or woman is at this place in his/her journey, they deserve all the kudos that come along with enormity of this undertaking.
Talk about drive and ambition! Owning your own digs takes some serious cajones!
SO… I think it’s safe to say that most of us reside in the Dating/Marriage and Children step of our Evolution. YOU, my friend are one of the few.
Tell us.. What’s it like?
The closest I have come to experiencing this is via hearing it from other significant others… talking about the 7 days a week/20 hours a day… finding financial sponsors (also called backers), acquiring a space that’s going to bring in the masses (location, location!), square footage cost versus seating capacity.
And that’s even before you really spend any time in the place!
Then begins some of the fun stuff.. The logo.. the menu, hiring your staff (which I’m sure is both exciting and stressful!) Finding someone to tell the news to (i.e. the media)
you catch my drift..
What is that even like… being with someone whose ENTIRE existence is their restaurant?
Tell me… WHERE is the balance?
- How do you manage it with children?
- If you are a partner, how do you keep from killing each other at work if you work with your spouse?
I mean.. By now I think everyone reading understands that we significant others are STRONG, INDEPENDENT, PASSIONATE IN THEIR OWN PURSUITS, AND PROUD TO STAND BY THEIR MAN/WOMAN!
How does everything you’ve likely learned about yourself, your relationship and your family show itself at this step of your evolution??
Come on… SO many of us are yearning to know!!!
TOOLS FOR SUCCESS
Well, no one needs to tell you what it takes. If you’re at this point, you’ve exercised those muscles, through the aches and the pains… you’ve stuck it out with some dedication and drive to really see results.
So.. I KNOW everyone reading is interested to know – WHAT prepares you for something like this?
How much chatting with your husband or wife, girlfriend or boyfriend do you have to do before you even embark on this journey?
Our guess at this point is the tools for success are TIME MANAGEMENT and SELF CARE. I’m sure that your running around, in between your own 9-5, or taking care of the kiddos, maybe your overseeing the construction of your new place..
How do you create enough time management that you can allot for daily self care?
HMMM?
Yes, you might not understand what those at this step of their journey are going thru, NOW, but potentially you will be here one day yourself. Why don’t you make sure you sign in, connect with those at a similar path, and let’s stick together…
What’cha say?!
My husband, Michael, and i with his parents have owned our own restaurant for almost 5 years. 5 months into the opening we added having a baby into the mix…a miracle and surprise after 13 years of marriage! We spend every minute of every day together,we even live in an apartment above the restaurant!(Just my husband son and I.) some days are definately easier than others. You ask…how do you keep from killing each other at work??…we don’t. we try to be realistic…we speak very openly to one another about what needs to be done. we are both fully invested…he’s the chef, runs the kitchen, develops menus, manages the kitchen staff…you name it. I run the foh…wait tables, bartend, train, do liquor orders, payroll and everything else that pops up. We work very hard everyday and sometimes have a difficult time finding time to celebrate our success. we are fortunate to have an exceptionally supportive family who gives of their time, talent and dollars. I think the biggest misconception to restaurant ownership is that you are your own boss…5 pm is our boss. no matter what happens in a day – the food delivery is late, the bartender dropped an entire rack of glasses, our son has a cold, our cousin is getting married (which we missed of course because it was on a saturday!) when 5 o’clock hits…the doors open. Don’t get me wrong, 99% of the time I love this. However, I have turned in my 2 weeks notice to myself or my husband at least a couple of times each year. (No one will ever accept it!) It is a challenge each day to find balance and a quiet moment. But when I watch my husband on the line deep in the weeds pull his entire team through it with grace and respect and when I watch our servers help create romantic, fun and beautiful experiences for our guests I am proud beyond all measure.