Episoder
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Dani Valent describes herself as a food journalist, podcaster, writer, eater, traveller and cook - and it's all done with enthusiasm and a passion for sharing. I will also add that she's a great humanitarian and advocate for restaurant workers, asylum seekers and refugees - the people who give vital support to our industry, but are often overlooked and struggle to have a good life. Find more about her work at DaniValent.com.
Questions we discussed...
What has made her so interested in all aspects of hospitality? Food media - what's changed in the last couple of years? Better and worse? New media channels - what does she use and find most interesting? How do new restaurants and cafes get the attention of a journalist - what's the best hook? The Covid experience - what have we learned that's made us stronger? Business owners and entrepreneurs - what has she learned about their resilience and innovation? How Dani works as a journalist and podcaster - keeping to deadlines and producing a steady flow of interesting content.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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Management is a lot more than carrying a big bunch of keys and covering the roster. A massive increase in operational complexity makes the manager role more demanding, and also more effective if the data available is harnessed accurately to show performance and results.
Ken Burgin interviewed Liz Perkins from The Hospitality Company on this very interesting topic - she has a background as a chef and business owner. Liz now coaches hospitality operators in how to make the best use of the digital management tools available, and master the critical numbers that show business performance and success.
Topics they discussed:
The 5 key business areas that modern managers need to handle. How manager roles and expectations have changed in the last few years. Digital literacy and skills - what should the modern manager be comfortable handling? Recommended digital systems to help operators take control eg dashboards, rostering, recipes etc. How to upgrade the skills of older and less-experienced managers.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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Manglende episoder?
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Every cafe owner likes the idea of building 'community support' and having loyal local customers, but how do you make this happen?
Ken Burgin interviewed Mike Matich from Crooked Spire Cafe in Perth, about how he's built strong local support in his area. What makes it a place that appeals to everyone in the community, from street people to tradies, families and office workers - including the local Member of Parliament? His enthusiasm for business and for his customers is inspiring!
Topics they discussed:
How is Crooked Spire different to other cafes? Mike's background in hospitality and business. How does community involvement work as a profit builder? Working with a local Chamber of Commerce and wider networking - something many hospitality operators don't make time for. Growing stronger from the Covid experience. Advice for operators who want to use their 'community heart' but don't have much time, or know where to start. Technology and systems used eg bookings, POS, financial management, social media etcYou'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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Dianne McGrath has been doing remarkable work on sustainability in the hospitality industry. While everyone believes in reducing food waste and improving sustainability, she has done detailed research on how the problem shows up in restaurants and foodservice, and how to make practical improvements.
Ken Burgin interviewed Dianne to find out what he’s learned from her research, and how that can be used by operators and the wider food production industry - the production chain moves from agriculture and harvesting to processing, distribution and then use by foodservice or households. You can find more about her projects at the Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre or LinkedIn.
Topics they discussed:
What Dianne found from her PhD research into food waste in restaurants and foodservice. Understanding the Value Chain in food production and distribution, and implications for foodservice. Shelf life issues - 'use by' or 'best by' dates, and what they mean. Handling food waste in the QSR and aged care sectors. Over-production issues that regularly hit the headlines eg avocados. Future developments in sustainability that will impact foodservice operations and profits.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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Wherever there are people working together, there will be team dynamics and the need for negotiation and sharing tasks and responsibilities. A good leader guides this process to get the best from their people - and chef Glenn Flood has many years of experience making this work.
It was great to talk with him about Building Teamwork in Restaurants and Cafes - in the kitchen ad front of house, and relations between the two sections.
In the podcast, we discussed:
What are the elements of good teamwork? Back of House vs Front of House - new and better ways to communicate. Glenn's background and how he moved into the business development side of hospitality. The role of the Head Chef and Manager has broadened and changed, and now less authoritarian - what's their role in modern teamwork? How do they fit this into already busy schedules, and what can they delegate? Challenges for young leaders in developing a team - beyond 'being buddies'. Challenges for including overseas workers - the backbone of our industry. What is it about teamwork that's a cultural issue that might be challenging for non-Australians? Communication channels and styles to promote teamwork - what works well and what do you suggest?You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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Michael Tinsager has a unique position in hospitality - as an industry adviser and podcaster with the Hospitality Mavericks Podcast, he has access to the experience and wisdom of hundreds of great operators and experts. He is based in the UK and keeps a close eye on the industry there, in Europe, North America and worldwide.
Ken Burgin interviewed Michael to find out what he's learned during the pandemic about Innovation & Leadership in Hospitality Management. We discussed 'new best practice' with purchasing, cost control, financial reporting and control systems, particularly with the increasing maturity of data analytics. We also discussed changes in managing people - recruitment, retention, mental health, skill development, culture and productivity.
Moving to the customer side of business, we looked at recent changes in the customer experience and service, and how businesses are meeting and matching new expectations. This then led to marketing, customer communication, loyalty and social media. It was a very stimulating conversation! You can download Michael's recent presentation on What Great Hospitality Leaders Know & Do.
You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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In this podcast, Ken Burgin looks at Toyota’s classification of 8 different types of waste, and how we can use this in hospitality to cut costs, increase efficiency and improve the bottom line.
Toyota built its world-class success by watching and controlling every step of the manufacturing process, especially waste. It’s very useful to apply the discipline of manufacturing to hospitality – we produce things too! This classification of 8 Types of Waste is based on the work of a Japanese engineer Taiichi Ohno, published as Toyota Production System: Beyond Large Scale Production. It is still so relevant today.
You can also read a summary of the podcast here Using Toyota’s 8 Waste Control Methods in Your Restaurant or Cafe. The types of waste identified are:
Transportation Waste Inventory Waste Motion Waist Excessive Wait Times Overproduction Overprocessing Defects Wasted Talent and CreativityYou'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Mark Khoder from YourSocialChef. He develops and manages social media and marketing campaigns for a wide variety of restaurants, cafes and food brands. As you will hear in the discussion, his focus is on getting the best return on investment, helping your brand and income grow.
There's no shortage of social media options, and it's easy to be excited by the latest 'shiny object' - the result is often chaos, and disappointing results. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Google, TikTok or YouTube - where should you invest your time and money? Mark Khoder brings order to the process with his OKR framework - Objectives, and Key Results, and in this interview we apply it to Mother's Day and Father's Day. These are often 'easy wins' for a bookings and sales, but how can we leverage more from their popularity, and apply it to celebrations throughout the year?
Topics they discussed:
Talk us through a better thinking process so we get the most from our promotional dollar. Strategy - how and why should we use these popular events beyond a one-day mega sale? Valentines Day also comes to mind. How should we organise our promotion - based on what data and research? Mother's Day - how else can we develop this, given that it's usually a full house anyway? Father's Day - often neglected, how can we ramp it up? How should we think of it differently to Mothers Day? How to build up followers, fans and customer lists on Instagram and Facebook TikTok & Snapchat - your thoughts re these events? What about email and SMS - still relevant? How should we use them in conjunction with social media?You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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We expect a lot from chefs - not only to manage production and service, but keep to a budget, manage a team of people and be aware of safety issues, changing food trends, menu design & engineering, plus social media and a bit of marketing. It's a big ask, especially when they may not have had training beyond hands-on experience with another chef.
In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Liz Perkins, a chef, former hospitality business owner, and trainer with The Hospitality Company, where she teaches chefs all about leadership and team management, food costing, menu engineering and stock control. Details of her excellent course are outlined here.
Topics they discussed:
Building teamwork and managing discipline issues on a daily basis Giving feedback – understanding the 4 leadership hats Understanding and using personality styles Are there different issues for women and men, locals and people from overseas? Chef issues vs Front of House – how are the challenges different? Managing Covid issues and Vaccination leadership Handling delegation when you’re young and new – how to get better doing this Being more productive and showing others how to be more productive Understanding and improving time management Giving feedback to the boss or the owner, and ‘managing upwards’ Building on the technical ability of Gen Z and Gen Y What’s in your recommended tech toolbox to help young leaders do a better job? How can your programs and products support business owners and managers.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Paul Leach from GSE Business Consultants about Buying and Selling Cafes and Restaurants. Paul is an experienced business consultant and broker: he originally trained as a chef and has many years of experience as a cafe and bakery owner.
There are some great hospitality businesses for sale, and many that will be disappointing - it's essential to understand the factors that make the difference between a good purchase and a bad one. Proper due diligence plus a good broker, lawyer and accountant can make all the difference. Paul also assists business owners to prepare their business for sale through an orderly exit strategy, and is the founder of Australia's best Facebook Group for hospitality operators Growth, Strategy and Exit Planning For Cafe Owners.
Topics Discussed...
State of the cafe and restaurant market - what type of businesses do people want to buy after two years of Covid? City or country businesses - how does the market differ? With the buying and selling process, what parts do people find most challenging? Legal issues - leases, contracts, licenses and other obligations. Landlords and occupation costs - there has been more scrutiny on how landlords behaved during Covid lockdowns Understanding the figures - due diligence for buyers, and preparing a case for sellers. Are better figures now available with decent bookkeeping becoming the norm? Financial benchmarks - what makes a business an attractive purchase? How to make your business more 'saleable' beyond good profit figures? How to value your business and justify the price. Any value in 'potential'? Why use a broker to sell vs. doing it yourself?You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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More and more young people are being given management responsibilities early in their career, and running a hospitality business is becoming more complex. This can mean added stress, mistakes and lots more to learn about. Training and development for new leaders can be done through professional courses, and many times it's through guidance on the job. How can business owners and senior managers make this process more effective and efficient?
In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Vanessa Pollock of VP Training & Development. an experienced hospitality trainer and development coach. She knows the industry inside out, and has been shaping her training programs to fit with the extra demands of Covid restrictions.
Topics they discussed:
Building teamwork and managing discipline issues on a daily basis Giving feedback - understanding the 4 leadership hats Understanding and using personality styles Are there different issues for women and men, locals and people from overseas? Chef issues vs Front of House - how are the challenges different? Managing Covid issues and Vaccination leadership Handling delegation when you're young and new to a job - how to get better doing this Being more productive and showing others how to be more productive Understanding and improving time management Giving feedback to the boss or the owner, and 'managing upwards' Building on the technical ability of Gen Z and Gen Y What's in your recommended tech toolbox to help young leaders do a better job? Tell us about how your programs and products can support business owners and managers.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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If you haven't experienced a Disney theme park or travel adventure, you have heard about their amazing service and carefully designed experiences. How can hospitality operators of any size learn from the Disney approach to customer service, and create some of that magic in their own venue?
In this podcast, I'm talking with Michelle Pascoe, a Customer & Team Retention Specialist in the hospitality industry. Her dynamic business covers areas from leadership & customer service development to market research & mystery customer surveys. She also has her own inspiring podcast and has been to training courses and conferences run by the Disney Institute in the USA.
Topics we discussed:
What sums up the Disney experience for someone who hasn't visited before, especially if they come as an experienced hospitality person, not just a wide-eyed tourist? What will surprise them? What attracted you to learn more about the Disney experience? How does Disney take their customer service to the next level. How Disney develops a high level of staff engagement and team behaviour How Disney use staff feedback and experience for continual improvement How is Disney using technology, loyalty schemes, membership etc to automate a great customer experience - and how can we do this in our local operations? Translating the Disney experience from the 'larger than life' USA to smaller local situations. - specially as most of staff have not been to a Disney theme park.. How and why should people learn more from Disney, short of visiting?You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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Foodservice operators have to be more creative and flexible in their search for staff, and more thoughtful about how they look after the people they have. It's more than just offering higher pay - that might be part of the equation, but there are many other factors involved.
In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Paul Rifkin. a chef consultant who works with a wide variety of clubs, pubs and foodservice operators. He's a practical optimist, and has some great suggestions on how to look for staff with new eyes and an open mind.
Topics they discussed:
You're by nature an optimist - what keeps you positive about the hospitality industry? What are the most common mistakes operators make when recruiting kitchen staff? What are some elements commonly left out of job ads, that will affect the response rate? How should operators think ‘outside the box’ when recruiting for cooking positions - eg the mumforce and the 'popforce'? Are there any advantages to regional work that country operators should be highlighting? Any other advice for regional operators who are looking for chefs and cooks? What’s your magic touch for recruiting and retaining young workers and school students? How does an older chef or kitchen manager create an atmosphere that's attractive to a young and diverse team? What sort of tech and modern systems should we be adding to our kitchen as part of creating a more attractive workplace?You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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Shortages of skilled staff are nothing new in hospitality, but Covid lockdowns and job losses have only made the situation worse. It's time to stop waiting for things to improve, and take a fresh, hard look at your menu and how many people you need in the kitchen. Customers still want quality and service at an affordable price, but how else can this be provided?
In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Graeme McCormack from Food Equity group about Outsourcing and Labour Saving in Modern Foodservice. How to serve high-quality food with a semi-skilled workforce and the right equipment - there are some great solutions.
Topics they discussed…
Graeme visited dozens of pubs and clubs recently - what did you hear, and what are the business opportunities? What changed in QSR through 2020 - 2021 with flavour and food consumption trends? What's changed (or not) with people's eating preferences in the last 2 years? Is the desire for healthy eating and sustainability really as important as the media says? Particular food and flavour trends we should be watching out for? Designing the new knifeless / low skill kitchen. What staff do I need to put it together? What are the core pieces of equipment? Speed oven, fryer, good fridge, what else?You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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A good cafe, good food and a good bar can often be the heart of a country town - for locals and the people who visit. What makes them successful, especially if they don't have a big-city population and workforce?
In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Deb Brown from SaveYour.Town about the many ways that regional cafes and restaurants can grow and prosper through community connections and innovation - it's an inspiring conversation.
You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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Many chefs, managers and business owners have built up years of experience running kitchens and restaurants. They often think about consulting as a way to take their career to the next level, and an opportunity to have more regular time with friends and family.
In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks to Shaun de Vries from Open Pantry Consulting, about how he's developed his very successful consulting business and the other opportunities it has given him. See the questions we discussed on the Show Notes for this episode.
You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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It's more important than ever to keep in touch with your customers – promoting delivery, reminding them about new opening hours, publicising events or just a friendly message to the community. Social media has its place, but email and SMS are much more direct and under your control - they're not subject to the whims of Facebook formulas or Instagram algorithms.
In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks to Sarah Franklyn from Impact Data, one of Australia's leading customer, loyalty and transactional data specialists - she's had extensive experience with hospitality businesses of all sizes.
You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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Want to be taken seriously as a professional? A good LinkedIn profile is essential, and that means more than just dropping your CV into a new location. It can also be a powerful marketing channel for your business. People who want to know more about you for a job, as a referee or for a professional opportunity will always Google your name - your LinkedIn profile will appear high up on the first search page, and usually influences their opinion. Use these 3 steps to boost your Linkedin profile and impact: build a complete and professional profile; grow your circle of connections; and increase your influence by sharing quality content.
Check these articles on the Hospo Reset website: Make LinkedIn More Effective: for Chefs, Restaurant Managers & Owners
and How to Add 100’s of Great Hospitality Linkedin Connections. Also check my list of LinkedIn 'Headline' and 'Summary' examples for inspiration - updated regularly.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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It was great to talk with Matt Lucas from The Coffee Pedaler cafes, in the towns of Gundagai and Tumut, about halfway between Sydney and Melbourne in Australia. With a focus on quality coffee and efficient systems, Matt has built a business that generates a high return and is easy to manage across multiple sites. It's the place that discerning travellers head to when they're on the freeway and need a break. - and they often find Coffee Pedaler through Matt's clever use of Google mobile location advertising.
You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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In this episode, I talk with team culture and facilitation expert Leanne Hughes about how to use facilitation skills to overcome some of the hesitation attached to restaurant, cafe and foodservice training. Training, the T-word, causes anxiety for many small business owners: don't have the time, costs too much money, wasted on staff who don't stay etc - small business thinking is so different to corporate culture.
Many simple training sessions could be facilitated by the chef, the coffee or seafood supplier, or the bar manager who's a fanatic on whiskey or craft beers. Maybe the inhouse facilitator's job is to set up the structures, organise the times, and let people get on with it. We went deep on the skills of a facilitator, and how this could be a great career extension for many people working in hospitality today.
Connect with Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn, through her website LeanneHughes.com and listen to her own excellent podcast First Time Facilitator.
You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.
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