Hospitality Restaurant

Tucked away in a country garden setting, a quiet restaurant with only 15 tables has taken the culinary world by storm. Located in Yountville, California and surrounded by the lush vineyards of the Napa Valley, it was named Best Restaurant in the Americas in 2006 by Restaurant Magazine, an international magazine with judges from around the globe. And it secured the #4 spot of the Top Fifty Restaurants in the World by the same esteemed publication.

But the French Laundry, which is owned by Chef Thomas Keller, is no stranger to awards and accolades. The restaurant, which maintains a lengthy waiting list and for which there is some difficulty in securing a reservation even two months ahead, has won every major culinary award bestowed on fine restaurants in the past 10 years for its food and hospitality.

Still, great restaurants do not just happen. They are the result of long, grueling hours of planning, preparation and experimentation. And even with a great chef at its helm, the business administration, marketing, personnel recruitment, menu planning, equipment inventory & maintenance, design and upkeep of facilities, adherence to sanitary practices, and selection of food vendors are critical in the restaurant field. For example, at the French Laundry, waitstaff are able to give diners the name of the person who makes their butter.

The restaurant business is competitive, and the failure rate is somewhat discouraging, though not as high as has been reported in ads. According to a Cornell University study in 2005, called ‘Why Restaurants Fail’, the rate of failure averaged 30% in the first year, and between 57 and 61 percent for a three-year period ending in 1999, close to the figures for other business failures. Some reasons cited for restaurant failure include economic factors, the inability to adapt to changing demographics, management incompetence, owner burnout and personal reasons.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food service managers generally work 12-15 hours a day, often 7 days a week, and are the first to arrive and the last to leave the restaurant. Owner/managers may spend additional hours taking care of business, income and outlay, and personnel recruitment.

But for those who enjoy working with the public and have a background or training in business and the hospitality field, the rewards can outweigh the challenges. Experience is important for those who are managers; and both junior colleges and 4-year universities offer training in hospitality management, food service management and other relevant areas. Online degree programs allow the flexibility of being able to gain restaurant experience while attending school.

The French Laundry is just one of numerous restaurant success stories. New food establishments are born every day; and with the right amount of training, diligence, patience and resources, anything is possible – even $240 per person for a fixed price meal (including gratuity, but not wine), as is the case at the French Laundry.