How to prepare to open your own restaurant

It’s many people’s dream to open and run their own restaurant, serving only their favourite cuisine in a way that they’ve always thought it out to be served, consumed and enjoyed. For many, it stays a dream, but for the fortunate and driven few, it becomes a reality. This article takes a look at some of the basic things you’re going to need to get right when setting up your own restaurant business, ensuring that you leave no stone unturned in your quest to create the ultimate dining experience for your guests.

Interior

You will likely have bought a place in a town or city for your restaurant to be. It may well have been an ex-restaurant, which will save you a great deal of money in converting a fully-functioning kitchen. Either way, it’s time to curate your interior to hit just the right vibe. Shop for restaurant furniture that suits your tastes and will create the sort of ambience you’re hoping for your guests to enjoy. Make sure you’ve got the right lighting and that you have a music system that’s able to permeate through the building over chitter chatter.

Menu

The most exciting part of all - you’ll have to create your own menu. While you’ll likely have a pretty solid idea of the types of cuisine you’ll be offering, Indian, Italian, Fusion or Pub Grub, it’s time to narrow down both the options you’ll be serving and the descriptions that you’ll be selling them as. Remember to match the language of your menu with the kind of establishment you’re trying to go for. Finally, you’ll need to price your menu up, working to a certain degree of profit for each dish sold so that you’re able to work as a business.

Staff

Finding, hiring and training staff can be a draining and thankless task for those opening a new restaurant build from scratch. You wish they’d share your vision and excitement, but the truth is they’re probably involved for the pay packet. That’s no bother. Be a kind, conscientious but firm manager and teach them the ropes of how your business is expected to operate. Get your chefs and cleaning assistants on side too so that you’re never scuppered by a hygiene rating or a pan fire. Pay your staff well and leave them the tips - it means they’ll work harder and better.

Safety

As with the opening of any business, you’re going to be responsible for a good deal of health and safety thinking before opening your establishment to the public. This is only heightened by the fact that you’ll be required to observe strict hygiene laws too, and you’ll need to operate with stern and dedicated diligence when it comes to allergies and food-related illnesses. Make sure you have all the safety measures in place so that you’ll not be liable in the case of disaster. It’s enough to bring about financial ruin if you’re found to be without adequate training or safety precautions.

This handy four-step guide should help cover the basics for anyone who’s thinking seriously about opening up a restaurant, pointing you towards the chief areas of concern.