For a business to stand out, I believe that it has to offer something unique that most do not provide.
Recently we found out that our company, Anytime Chefs, has become known to be the only short-term chef staffing agency in Perth Australia to have pizza chefs all the way from Italy working as Temp Pizza Chefs. This particular service has wonderfully helped create a buzz for our company!
Who would have thought that being authentic to my Italian roots will help me in my business as well?
I realised that this service is very much requested here in Perth which is why I am planning to conduct a training course for chefs to spread the knowledge of this ancient Italian tradition.
Now as business owners in the hospitality industry, making your business stand out not only involves marketing and fancy gimmicks. Interestingly, the individuals that make up your business wields more influence and effect on how people are going to notice and stick with your business. And in particular, at the core of a food-based service, is the chef.
How can the right chefs make your business stand out?
Chefs with great talent, mastery, and attitude
We are now in the age of the great food revival where more and more people are dining out and exploring culinary cuisines. They are being adventurous with their palates and getting seasoned as they go. It is easy to compare which is the best of the best and worst of the worst.
With an increasing interest in food preparation and cooking techniques, it’s vital that you have a fantastic culinary talent in your team! Just flip open your TV, and you will see many reality cooking shows that feature deconstructed dishes or something that involves molecular cooking. Some are very fancy indeed! Chef skills and attitude help contribute to the creativity and quality of cuisine.
However, please note, that before going overboard with creativity, one has to solidly master the basics to be able to present a time-tested dish, especially if it’s a classic! Try butchering a traditional and straightforward recipe, and no one will care for your creativity!
Chefs with Consistency
I like the idea of innovation and creativity, but I have learned that it is also crucial that your customers trust what you offer and serve. Of course, menu-wise, they won’t order the same things all the time but factors such as the style of service and how your chef present or serve a dish can create a sense of familiarity and comfort.
Chefs who embrace Authenticity
Has it ever happened to you that when you pretend whether you are good at something or not, or pretend that you are presenting to the world a personality that is different from you who are, it drains you out? It is hard to keep pretenses and eventually, it will show. If what you believe is not aligned with your company values, you will find that you will have difficulty upholding those values.
More importantly, when you are true to yourself, YOU ARE FREE! You are free to innovate and improve because you are not restricted. Just like what I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I am staying true to my Italian roots by introducing and providing Temp pizza chefs in my service and wouldn’t you know? It turned out to be a much-requested service here in Perth!
Hire a chef who will work together with you to deliver the service that expresses the pure soul of your business. Remember, be dedicated to creating an excellent experience for your customers but never at the cost of being authentic.
Chefs with Maturity and Ownership of Action
Mistakes happen even with the best of intentions. This is why when you get negative feedback in your service, YOU TAKE THE MESSAGE BEHIND THE COMMENT SERIOUSLY. Do your best to ignore the slurs or profanities. It is unhealthy to dwell on them, to be honest. What you need to do is figure out why they complained in the first place.
There is almost always a reason. You will later realise that sometimes, complaints are not even your own doing but just a result of that person’s state of mind at that time. Maybe that person is just directing his anger or disappointment over something else to you or your service.
What is the role of the chef in this area?
As the one responsible for the quality of the food served, the chef takes the heat when customers and clients are dissatisfied with the taste or presentation. As a chef myself, I take pride in what I put out so there is always a nerve that can be struck with the wrong word or action. Therefore, having a chef in your team who is wise and collected enough to acknowledge the mistake humbly, whether it is genuinely his fault or not and then take the necessary steps to rectify the error is still considered an asset.
Realistically, customers prefer businesses that own up to their mistakes and TAKE STEPS TO CORRECT THEM. Customer relationships sometimes turn out to be better and stronger after a problem if handled well by your people. Often, the fact that you took the time to acknowledge the mistake is enough to calm the complainant. There is a time for pride but fighting tooth and nail with customers is not good for business. However, most importantly, this goes beyond lip service. Customers will know if improvements are being made.
Chefs Creating Personal Service
It is inherent in all of us as human beings to want the feeling of being valued. As soon as your customers step through the door and receive personalised service, they take note. Customer service is a representation of how business values them.
I find this to be very important which is why this is one of the values of my company. Quite frankly, I believe this to be the primary reason for our success.
How is this applied in our business?
This personal service works both ways – for our clients and the chefs in my team. Our company cares about where we send our chefs to and to who. For the clients, it is important to us that they feel looked after, which is why we keep a team of professional chefs who are keen to share their values and knowledge to help improve the client’s business. For our group of chefs – we care where they get assigned. We identify the right person for the job so that our chefs do not experience burn out.
Primarily our business is designed to provide value to our clients, and profits are just the consequence of that mission! We mainly create, add value and support other venues and businesses through our assets – our chefs, our skills and our knowledge. Together with our personalised service, we aim to make our clients feel welcomed and looked after.
So, there you go. To stand out in this business, you have to commit to creating a memorable experience for your customers. Offer the best possible service and serve innovative yet accessible cuisine of the highest quality. Remember and implement these tips to put a wow in your business.
Ciao for now,
Thomas
