Ronald Lee - The Everything Guide to Starting and Running a Restaurant: The ultimate resource for starting a successful restaurant!

THE

EVERYTYING

GUIDE TO STARTING AND RUNNING
A RESTAURANT

2ND EDITION

Dear Reader,

If youre thinking about starting your own restaurant (well, you must be if you just picked up this book!), you should know that it is a great way to make a living. I grew up in the restaurant business, and I love it. Sure, its hard work, the hours are long, and weekends and holidays are usually when Im busiest. But I wouldnt trade it for any other business in the world. Where else can you express creativity and passion for food, meet lots of people, and make money doing so?

It isnt a walk in the park, not even for someone like me. I started my own restaurant when I was twenty-five. As a teenager, I worked at my parents restaurants. After college, I thought I knew everything I needed to go on my own, but I soon discovered that it was a whole new ballgame. Fortunately, it worked out, and my restaurant is still going strong after seventeen years, although I learned a few lessons along the way.

After reading this book, you will be much more prepared than I was when I started out. If you have the passion and the drive, theres a good chance youll succeed.

Good Luck!

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THE
EVERYTHING

GUIDE TO
STARTING AND
RUNNING A RESTAURANT
2ND EDITION

The ultimate resource for starting a successful restaurant!

Ronald Lee

To my children, Alice Ai Chiotti Lee and Henry An Chiotti Lee

Copyright 2011, 2006 by F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced
in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions
are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book.
Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Media, Inc.

Published by Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN 10: 1-4405-2685-0
ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-2685-5
eISBN 10: 1-4405-2783-0
eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-2783-8

Printed in the United States of America.

10987654321

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the publisher.

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A special thanks to Kate Powers, Meredith OHayre, and the whole team at Adams Media, for the opportunity to write this book; to my staff at Spice Island Tea House for their hard work; and to Danielle Chiotti, my love and inspiration, for her support, wisdom, positive attitude, and putting up with me in general.

1.Top: A group of customers at a table, used in conjunction with a number. A table of two is a two-top (also know as a deuce), a table of four is a four-top, a table of six is a six-top, and so on.

2.On the fly: To need something quickly, as in I need the order for Table 9 on the fly!

3.Full house: All tables are taken, either reserved or currently occupied, as in We have a full house until 10 P.M . A.k.a., Music to a restaurateurs ears.

4.Jumpin (or hoppin): A term describing a very busy restaurant but under control, as in The place is jumpin!

5.Slammed: To have orders all coming in or going out at the same time. The night started off slow, then we got slammed!

6.In the weeds: To be so busy it seems youll never catch up to your orders.

7.Fire: To start cooking now. For example, Fire Table 8! means Start cooking Table 8s order.

8.Weedwacker: Someone who comes in and bails out the person who is in the weeds.

9.86: To be out of something, or to throw out an unsatisfactory or unpopular item. For example, The chef didnt like the soup he made today so he 86ed it.

10.Yesterday: Urging someone to hurry up, as in, Water at Table 6, yesterday!

Owning a restaurant has a great many benefits. Of course, being your own boss is a tremendous incentive, but the main reason so many restaurateurs find it rewarding is because it is an exciting, energetic business that utilizes their creativity, business acumen, marketing and social skills, and passion for food. A well-executed restaurant can be a profitable business, but it can also establish itself as an endearing institution within the community. People get excited when a new restaurant opens in their neighborhood. Even if youre just running a hot dog stand or pizza joint, you are still trying to sell a product that pleases your customer. It is one of the few industries in which you can have an immediate reaction from your customers. Nothing is more satisfying to restaurateurs than people enjoying themselves at their restaurants. In a nutshell, restaurant owners love being in the business because they love pleasing people.