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Want to open Restaurant...

post #1 of 15
9/1/09 at 2:37am
Thread Starter 
Its the stage in my life when i am looking to kick off my professional career. Since i have interest in cooking, was thinking to take it up as my profession and have plans to open my own restaurant in near future. I want to know if somebody could help me with suggestion, do I need to have any professional degree or it can be started as such? If there is a need to earn a degree, can I get it online too?

 I am seeking help for selecting the best university that provides practical trainings also.
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post #2 of 15
9/1/09 at 5:57pm
Under your profile, you state that you are a former chef, is that correct?

You also mention, at this stage in your life, you are looking to kick off your professional career. Here would be viable information for anyone to give you advice.

Age?
Work experience?
Education?
Location?
And why on earth do you want to open a restaurant?
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post #3 of 15
9/2/09 at 10:33am

Want to Open a Restaurant

There are many other opportunities in food service beside restaurants. Most would demand that you have an expertise in food preparation, but most importantly, any business is going to demand you have a great business background.

Even if you make the best food in the world, and charge $5.00 for what it costs you $6.00 to make, you won't be in business long.

Consider partnering with someone that compliments your expertise. If you pursue a culinary degree, partner with a marketing expert. If you pursue a business background, then you can hire a chef to run your foodservice.

Rather than a restaurant, consider starting a catering company. It can help with your labor and food costs, as you only hire and purchase exactly what has been ordered. A restaurant can be good for the ego, but you need food and staff whether you have a customer or not.

Perhaps a contract foodservice company that supplies daycare facilities with healthy breakfast and lunch for children would be more targeted than a restaurant.

Think about a PROFITABLE business plan first. What type of business will make you money? Then, think about the skills or partners you'll need.

Chef Todd Mohr
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post #4 of 15
9/2/09 at 12:29pm
First, schedule an appointment to have your head examined! ;)

Then, once you understand business law, business finance, personnel management, marketing, advertising, plumbing, HVAC, electrical repairs, insurance, etc., and have a willingness to work 15-18 hours a day, you can start worrying about the menu, the pricing of the menu, and, last but not least, who will cook it.
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post #5 of 15
9/2/09 at 12:47pm

Want to open a restaurant

How very true! You need all those skills, or the money to spend for years while you learn them by elimination....what NOT to do first.

Ultimately, education is the answer, and action overcomes fear.
Tons of people have great ideas. How are you going to be smarter or more prepared than 90% of them is the question for getting into business.

Read Seth Godin, Malcolm Gladwell, T.Harv Eker, Tony Robbins, Tom Hopkins, Jack Trout and any more you can consume to hear what's the cutting edge in business.

Best of luck!

Chef Todd Mohr
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post #6 of 15
9/2/09 at 2:20pm
FORGETABOUTIT !! Unless you take at least a 1 year course in all the subjects Pete mentioned above. And have sadist or self destruct tendencies:crazy:
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post #7 of 15
9/2/09 at 4:16pm
FWIW, I have discovered the secret to making a million dollars owning a restaurant.

If 500 of the members of this forum send me $2,000 each within the next 24 hours, I will reveal it to all.
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post #8 of 15
9/3/09 at 5:26am
pete,
another option - start with $2 million...
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post #9 of 15
9/3/09 at 8:21am
Awe shucks, you "stole" my "punch line", I was going to say, "start with four million";)
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post #10 of 15
9/7/09 at 4:41am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the wonderful advice to first start up with catering business. But for that also, some degree or certification would be required. Could you please guide me more on these lines?
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post #11 of 15
9/7/09 at 6:35am
To the best of my knowledge, no "degree or certification" is NECESSARY to start or run ANY business.

Now, that being said, there ARE certain government standards that have to be met for some jobs that involve public safety or may affect someone's well being, the most obvious in the food service industry being the ServSafe/NRFSP Food Safety Manager certification.

If you want to succeed in business EVERY bit of education and experience that you can obtain, especially experience, will add to the skills you will need, starting with business law, business finance, personnel management, accounting, bookkeeping, human resource management, inventory control. To own and operate a food service establishment, add on plumbing, electrical, HVAC & refrigeration, furniture repair, and, oh, cooking, menu design, etc.
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post #12 of 15
9/12/09 at 5:15pm
PeterParker, where are you located? If you are in a major metropolitan area, there may be a professional association of caterers or a branch of a chefs' organization (or a local orgn). You should check those out first and talk to some in your area.

But most of the other advice is good -- especially the "learning everything you can about everything." Also check out some of the other threads here that people have started asking pretty much the same question. :D
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post #13 of 15
9/18/09 at 3:43am

Tapas Bar

I don't know where you live but if you live in a big city I would start a Tapas Bar. Seems like spanish food and going tapas is starting to be trendy and it's usually easy and tasty cooking. Cooking tapas isn't very expensive and you can get big revenues.
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post #14 of 15
9/18/09 at 5:07am
As was pointed out by most above. The cooking is the easy part.:chef:
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post #15 of 15
9/19/09 at 12:48pm
This is really and eye opener for me..thank you very much..very impressed by your words..
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