The work is difficult, requiring full dedication, but interesting and challenging. You will have to deal with a heavy workload on a daily basis:

carry out the general organization of the restaurant’s work;
monitor compliance with standards;
Manage inventory and timely ordering everything you need;
Provide the institution selected products;
Contact with representatives of the inspection authorities;
Maintain communication with customers;
Hire, train and fire employees;
Coordinate staff schedules;
Evaluate the performance of subordinates;
keep financial records and control costs;
plan and update menus;
create and implement marketing strategies.

Do you need a special education to cope with all this? It certainly doesn’t hurt, so let’s figure out where to get it:

University + courses. You can get business management skills and back them up with a certificate from a popular program, such as the Associate Degree, which allows you to get a job at the most prestigious Michelin restaurant.
Western University. Most Western universities that train professionals for the restaurant industry have their own restaurants. Students learn theory and practice at the same time, which is a huge advantage.
Internship programs. One can long to dream of a management position working as a chef or bartender. Not every restaurateur will give their employee such an opportunity if they don’t have a specialized higher education. You can get out of this situation with flying colors by proving your restaurant management skills with a credible educational program.

What experience should a restaurant manager with special education have?

Experience as a PR manager. The competition in the catering market is quite high, so opening a restaurant is only half the battle. It is important to make it bring in money.
Designer’s experience. The restaurant will not become a fashionable and popular place of attraction if it does not attract visitors with its exterior, interior, décor, menu design, style of social media publicity, advertising and other important components of the brand.
Experience as a financier and marketer. If financial operations for the manager is a thick forest, he will not succeed in his field. He needs to understand every figure in the documents, settle accounts with suppliers, conclude profitable contracts and be talented in marketing policy.
Exquisite taste. It’s not just waiters who help diners determine their orders by recommending a particular year’s wine to a particular dish. It is very graceful when a charming manager himself approaches the guests and with the deepest professionalism (and also a sincere love for his business) advises to try something delicious and get a real pleasure.
Stress tolerance. The manager does not know what “nervous overstrain” is. This person is calm in any situation, because he already knows how to get out of it with the least losses. He can work without breaks, days off and vacations, understanding that the restaurant simply cannot cope without him.
Leadership ability. A mumbler doesn’t go to the barricades for a mumbler. The manager is an effective manager who loves and cherishes his restaurant, knows about the problems of each employee, is willing to listen and help. He understands everything, gives useful advice, and is an example to his subordinates. It is important to remember that they copy the behavior of their boss.

If the owner of the restaurant can watch what is happening with the help of automation, even without being on the territory of the institution, the manager should always be there, because his presence alone disciplines the employees. At first glance, it may seem that the manager interferes in the work of the administrator and does not allow anyone to work quietly. This is not the case. An experienced manager has complete order in the restaurant, so checks and controls take 2-3 hours a day.

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Restaurant business – entrepreneurial activity with own or borrowed funds at your own risk and under your own responsibility, in the field of restaurant business. Like any other business, the restaurant business requires a business plan, management, market research and developing its own strategy.

With potential diners in mind, a restaurant profile is developed.

What is a restaurant profile?
The profile of a restaurant is defined by its concept, which characterizes its image related to a particular market segment: casual, children’s, ethnic, etc.

The concept must meet the peculiarities of a particular area, which determines the design of the institution, the menu and other things.

Of course, for the successful functioning of the restaurant institution is important quality of food, menu, level of service, price, atmosphere, management, but most important is the location.

Among the main criteria by which a location for a restaurant is chosen are the following categories:

• demographics – how many people live, or come, in a given area (a neighborhood that is within the service radius of the establishment);
• the average income level of that population;
• whether the area is a developing area or declining, which affects its infrastructure (sewage, drainage, etc.)
• convenience and accessibility in terms of transport connections and parking options;
• catchiness – whether the restaurant is easy to see and distinguish among other similar establishments;
• attractiveness – how welcoming the establishment will seem to passersby and passers-by;
• location – how pleasant the surrounding structures seem.

There is no single, internationally accepted classification of restaurants. In Britain, for example, as well as regarding hotels, there are 5 levels. Instead of stars they use a sign: “crossed knife and fork”.

According to the established requirements are assessed comfort, convenience, cuisine, service and atmosphere. A modestly decorated restaurant with courteous staff can expect one distinction, while an international-class restaurant that meets many requirements will receive 5 distinctions.

Restaurants, like hotels, are reviewed anonymously. Owners are not charged for inclusion in a directory or guidebook. Only the inspector’s rating is important. In other countries, the approaches differ. However, most experts agree that the vast majority of restaurants fall into one of two categories: full-service and specialized. Other categories include quick-service restaurants, restaurants that specialize in dining out, restaurants for special events, casual, national and others.

Full-service restaurants are those that offer a wide variety of dishes (at least 15), almost everything that is served (up to and including fresh herbs) is grown at the restaurant establishment itself.

Full-service restaurants can be formal or informal, and can be classified by price, atmosphere and the menu on offer. The dishes that are prepared in most such restaurants fall into the category of haute cuisines. More often than not the traditions of French or Italian cuisine flourish there, which according to Western gourmets are the best in the world. Most full-service restaurants are privately owned. They are distinguished by an atmosphere of luxury, exquisite and fashionable design, and a high level of service. Sometimes they are attached to hotels.

The specialization of restaurants can be very diverse: quick service, family, casual and others. Restaurants can also specialize in the preparation of national dishes, breakfasts, lunches, and so on. Quick service restaurants offer menus that are limited to hamburgers, fried potatoes, hot dogs, chicken, different fish and national dishes like Mexican tacos, Italian pizza, Ukrainian varenyky, etc.

Standardization of the menu allows for much faster service. In many of them, visitors even put food and remove dishes themselves, which allows to reduce the cost of food. As a rule, a quick-service restaurant specializes in the preparation of one main dish.

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Learning how to be a good restaurateur is possible. But you have to consider that there is no such thing as a profession when you have one. Professionalism will have to gather up bit by bit – from training at college or university, practical work in restaurants and clubs, the gradual ascent of the career ladder (from dishwasher to waiter, from bartender to maitre d’, from manager to owner).

Requirements for the quality of services offered by the hospitality industry are constantly growing exponentially. Consumer market is developing and the competition does not stop for a second. Is it any wonder that many restaurants begin to accept guests 24 hours a day, which is not the case in the same “gray-haired Europe”, and the working day of the restaurateur smoothly turns into a working night.

If you decide to become a restaurateur, you will not have any free time. The restaurant business is capricious and dependent on force majeure. You will have to be morally and financially responsible for everything that happens in the establishment. That is why it is so important for the success of the business who is in charge of it. Is it a person who has achieved everything himself, with persistence applying the talent, practical wit and accumulated knowledge? Or is it a businessman who made a fortune on something else and wanted to open a catering establishment? The first is well versed in his field and ready to adapt to changing market conditions, achieving results. And the second has experience in creating successful companies, but may abandon the project if he does not feel the returns.

IMPORTANT: The restaurant business is an art. To earn money in this field can only someone who understands that it is not food and drinks that are traded here, but the atmosphere of rest and new impressions
The main activities of a restaurateur:

Concept Creation. The type of establishment, the exterior and interior, the culinary direction, specialties – a restaurateur must paint a picture, as an artist does. And then bring it into reality, as magicians do.
Finding a location. The restaurant founder must clearly understand who his clientele will be. Age, gender, and social status of the representatives of the target audience directly affect the choice of premises for a catering establishment. In addition, you need to consider traffic, neighborhood, etc.
Work with the staff. If the staff does not know how to sell the product, there is no difference, good or bad. The quality of service delivery plays a huge role in the restaurant business. Employees need to be found, trained, constantly monitored and encouraged.
Attracting visitors, building a circle of loyal customers. You are wrong if you think that a good restaurant does not need marketing activities. Brand advertising, promotion and winning the honorary title of “innovator in everything” make it stand out against the gray background of competitors, turning ordinary customers into loyal guests.

It takes a restaurateur in all seriousness to navigate every aspect of the restaurant industry, whether it’s the art of cooking or marketing. And that requires tenacity, curiosity, creativity, stress tolerance, endurance, savvy, determination, organizational skills, self-improvement and communication skills.

Obviously, becoming a restaurateur is a very real possibility for many. You just need to be superhuman, keep thousands of notes in your head and handle hundreds of tasks every day. All that remains is to figure out where to get the appropriate education.

There are specialized universities that train professional restaurateurs with a strong theoretical and practical base. In the state educational standards of our country’s specialty “restaurant business” is not yet available. But there are related areas – tourism, hotel management, bartending, culinary arts, and all kinds of additional programmes and courses, training courses and master classes which enable you to acquire the missing knowledge.

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