Chefs/owners also need
a commitment to their
communities. “I work as a
March of Dimes chef, teach
cooking classes for children and
participate in other activities at
the request of my guests,” Ost
explains. That’s good business.
Wiping the floor doesn’t do
much for your ego, but the boss
with the big ego doesn’t always
succeed when it comes to the
restaurant business. Instead
of ego, a love of people and the
desire to treat them properly,
whether they’re guests or
employees, will serve the would-be restaurant owner well.
To keep all the balls in the air
at the same time, restaurant
owners have to know how to
multitask. “But you can’t let it
overwhelm you,” Lentchner
says. “Remember, the best way
to eat an elephant is one bite
at a time. You have to keep
your eye on the big picture
and surround yourself with
good people.”
top: The inviting downstairs
bar at The Lazy Goat.
Bottom: At least four versions of
flammekueche, the national
dish of Alsace, France, are
on the menu at Sandrine’s
Bistro at all times.
Guests like to feel that they have
a connection to the chef. That’s
why Ost and Wiley “work” the
dining room, speaking with their
guests. Petti does the same, and
uses this time to keep track of
what’s going on. Eyes constantly
roving, he looks for guests who
seem unhappy or impatient,
and takes action to solve any
problem. He also checks for
employees who need help.
“The days of the screaming chef
should be long over,” Petti says.
“If I don’t treat my employees
right, how can I expect them
to treat my guests right?” Ost
agrees. “My staff stays with me.
Why? Because I’m a nice guy.”
“It’s a balancing act, and it’s
not hard when everything is in
harmony. But there are those
days when what can go wrong,
does,” Moore says. “Then you
have to keep your cool and
be levelheaded. You’ll live
through it.”
business sense
As important as good people
is good business sense. Without
it, you will close down, Ost
believes. Bookkeepers,
accountants and tax experts are
helpful, even essential, but the
responsibility is essentially in
the hands of the person running
the restaurant. Learning that you
can’t spend money you don’t
have and spending the money
