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Just bought a resturant. What kind of schooling do I need?

post #1 of 7
11/8/09 at 12:02pm
Thread Starter 
I know, sounds crazy, and it is! My husband is the ever conscious business entrepreneur and an opportunity present it's self. We recently purchased a well established small Italian restaurant in our home town. We both have some restaurant experience, business experience, and additionally college degrees, but both of us lack any culinary training. Of course we can hire chefs (ours will be leaving as she was one of the old owners), however we are interested in gaining some culinary experience ourselves. What would be the recommended course of training? BA, Associates, Certificate? The town we live in has no CA programs, so finding training will mean we will have to travel to another town. Any suggestions from the field of experienced professionals out there? Thanks!
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post #2 of 7
11/8/09 at 12:12pm

Read Read Read and try to absorb all you can> Take some courses in Italian Cooing if available ,You do not need a degree.. Good Luck
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post #3 of 7
11/8/09 at 12:49pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks! Any suggestions, or just actively read articles on the forum?
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post #4 of 7
11/8/09 at 2:12pm
Good luck in your new venture
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post #5 of 7
11/8/09 at 3:15pm
Italian Immigrant Cooking by Elodia Rigante was helpful to me coming up in the Italian American cooking world. It will help to establish a traditional menu from which to build.

My suggestion would be to hire an experienced Italian Chef to run the brigade. Ask for tastings during interviews. Let them know up front that it will be expected.Be prepared for greasy Lasagna and overcooked pasta. I would offer my services, but my wife would kill me if I asked her to move to Mo.

I suggest this because an owner's place is everywhere and everywhere is not just in the kitchen. I'm not saying you can't be in the kitchen primarily. That's where I would be most of the time but, when problems arise out front, you need to be able to handle them without having to worry about the line drones falling apart.

Other than that, Buona fortuna e molte benedizioni.
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post #6 of 7
11/8/09 at 4:30pm
Hire a Chef, It takes years to learn and be good in this business. Just because you grad from Culinary school doesn't mean your a Chef. If your interested in cooking apprentice under the Chef you hire.............Bill
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post #7 of 7
11/10/09 at 8:22pm
Good luck, you are going to need it!

Since you are taking over an established restaurant, are you keeping the menu and recipes that made it what it is? Or are you changing the menu? If the menu stays the same, the new chef might not get the old recipes to taste as good as the previous chef. If you change the established formula, it could cause loyal customers to stop frequenting the restaurant. And so on...

I don't think a fancy school is all that important. A nice hospitality program at a community college would do wonders for you and your husband IMO. You could learn basic food preparation, purchasing, menu planning, food and beverage cost, etc. Also, you could just purchase the textbooks and study them.

Try to find a good chef and trust who you select.
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