3.18.2009

Direction

It's no secret that times are tough all over. I've talked to friends, families, ex-employees, current employees, local chefs, and chefs from L.A. to N.Y., in the business or out of the business and it is the same everywhere. We are lucky to be where we are, at a resort that can attract transient guests. We aren't seeing as many of those corporate credit cards, big groups, weekend company retreats, or even the occasional royal family with 2 floors of rooms booked that require one of the chefs on property to be assigned to them and live at the hotel to be available 24\7 during their stay. All that is gone, is about feeding our transients, our families that spend their hard earned cash to be here. They expect speed and efficiency of service, value for price paid, servers and chefs that are willing to accommodate their needs and wants, and in return we want them walking away wanting to come back for more. In most cases if we provide the level of service that is our standard then we will see those people that are staying with us for a couple of days more than once.
We have to keep all these factors in mind for our new menu. We are taking a somewhat simplified approach. We are going to tailor it to quality, quick, tasty, and approachable. If you work in the hotel setting then you know the complications that come with change. It is going to be a long 8 days of testing, costing, plating, wording, training, communicating, sourcing, and creating before our official tasting. Just because the approach seems simple that doesn't mean that's what it will be.

1 comment:

  1. Yeah things are really bad right now.... The Hotel setting is far more secure right now than the restaurant ... Like someone was saying recently: "If i put an ad for a cook on craigslist today i will have at least ten resumes tomorrow from well overqualified people...."
    Anyway you will have to explore what you can do with materials in general and i know you will get a good result.... SImple straightforward food for now until the market gets better... We are doing the same thing right now...

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