Pantry Essentials: Episode 1

Within episode 1 Shaun de Vries and James O'Connell discuss the key strategies they've learnt throughout their decade long careers as hospitality coaches. Here are a few takeaways from the session - to watch the recording click here.

How to navigate the world of rising prices and reduced customer spend

"Let's talk about chefs... their sole purpose is to create food that is profitable food. We've got to get clear about that. So, we talk about a system called menu engineering where you understand the numbers, the costs of goods and you know what profit you're making from each dish.

....My advice to owners today is to get the financial literacy of your shifts and menu creators so strong and up to date that they are making really, really good decisions. " James O'Connell

How to identify problem areas that aren't contributing to the bottom line

"Often hard work doesn't always end in good results. I've got a saying that my clients know well;  work doesn't always equal performance but a good performing menu means you're doing good work." James O'Connell

"Think about how you can actually tell your hospitality story journey in your venue, because that is what gets customers coming back, not just the price of a beer on a Friday night." Shaun de Vries

Retaining and training staff

"Within my business we talk about people stacks first. So we look at people optimisation
across the group and start to think about who you need to hire next - what person is needed to help the business grow? How do we recruit better? How do we create a really great employee? Next up is making sure that your staff stay for longer and have the ability to move within the business. This will also help customer experiences as your employees are happy." Shaun de Vries 

Keen to keep chatting about these topics? Make your notes in the thread below!