Owning a Restaurant is Like Farming
And other things I've learned over the last 5 years in the restaurant business
The restaurant turned five this week.
We’ve been celebrating all month with pizza “happy hour” and bringing back some of the most popular specials and menu pizzas.
Five years. Often people start these kinds of things by commenting on how fast the time goes.
I will not. There were certainly many days, weeks and even months that did not go fast during the last five years. I think particularly of those long takeout months during the pandemic or weeks of road construction when the entire street vibrated for hours on end, day after day.
As we look back on our first five years, there were no shortage of challenges. I could belabour them here but just know there were many times it was a slog, not unlike many small businesses. Those moments helped define us though and made us stronger.
There was a quote we heard often about starting a businesses during an economic downtown and the likelihood of thriving as higher, if you survived. I couldn’t find it and I don’t know if it’s true, but we do feel we are some living proof of the resilience you gain when you make it through difficult times.
Starting a business is hard. Starting a restaurant, I’d suggest, is even harder. The stats will tell you 90% fail in their first 5 years. I don’t know if that’s true, but I know it’s not easy. We’re proud of what we’ve built though and I’ve learned so much along the way.
I’m fiercely proud to be a third space in our community. Restaurants are vital to communities, as are legion halls, libraries, churches, gyms and community kitchens. Places people from different backgrounds can gather and meet their neighbours, form friendships and learn about one another are vital. The relationships we’ve witnessed form and be nurtured in our restaurant are so special to us.
You kind of know that restaurants are often the places people choose to celebrate, but you never really realize how special this is until it’s happening. We’ve hosted an engagement. A wedding. And even a trivia day to celebrate a special customer who left us too soon.
There is a little community of our team and regulars that has formed here, and we have developed special friendships with these folks. Our team has developed into a tight-knit group that we are so grateful the universe has brought together.
I have learned that some of our regulars will come and go, and that’s okay, we cherish the moments all the same. Some people are in our lives for a season, and those times can be as treasured and others will be friendships that endure.
I’m also always amazed by the people I know who will make a point to go out of their way to come dine with us. When we move and I am no longer in the building everyday, I know I am going to miss seeing these folks. These surprise visits are often the highlight of a day or week, and especially during COVID, they were like a special privilege I got to enjoy.
Beyond the people, I’ve learned just how talented my husband is and how complex a restaurant is to manage and operate.
I brought things to this business to help get it off the ground, but I’m not a chef.
My upbringing taught me how to grow and preserve food. I learned how to plant a garden and thin carrots. I blanched peaches for canning.
I learned how to follow a recipe but mostly our dinners were whatever meat my mom pulled from our freezer, potatoes from the cold room and frozen vegetables. Sometimes peas or beans from the garden.
How many ways can you cook potatoes? Not enough. Oh how I loathe a boiled potato. But I digress.
Ironically, the only recipe that I made my mom write down for me when I went to university was her lasagna. It came from her head. Canned tomato sauce and ground beef, cottage cheese and an egg, lots of shredded mozzarella, noodles (from a box) and some extra water to cook the noodles as it baked.
My favourite part is still the hard, crispy noodles and cheese on the top.
Lasagna is a fan favourite in the restaurant. Chris put his spin on it of course, topping it with prosciutto to guarantee that salty, crispy texture. Our noodles are made from scratch. I would have never thought to order lasagna at a restaurant. I’ve learned you should never discount these classic dishes.
A really good classic will always deliver a satisfying meal.
And while I’m never going to be crafting any dish for our menu, I am slowly getting the way a good dish blends flavours, but also textures and visual interest. The balance of fat, acid, salt, and sweet are something I play with more in our own kitchen, ditching the recipe and adding and tasting.
I have learned to trust and allow others to lead. Specifically, Chris.
This was also new ground for me, which I also learned.
More than once I raised my eyebrow at his ideas. Then, I was quickly proven ridiculously wrong when customers raved. He knew broccolini was going to be the thing before it was everywhere.
Before Bonfire, my only restaurant experience was as a server at a couple local places. I never worked the big shifts.
I have learned those are for the full-timers. The experienced staff who you know will deliver exceptional service. The ones who have put in the time, not the part-time students picking up some summer hours. This is something I didn’t appreciate as a young person, expecting to make big tips. Absolutely, this is possible serving but you have to put in the time.
As a part-time server, I didn’t appreciate the work that went into putting those plates onto the pass. The hours of prep that started long before I arrived for my shift.
The skill and talent that is central to any restaurant.
I was probably all the things that front of house / back of house rivalries are about. I have learned that now, and I have developed a tremendous appreciation for the kitchen.
I have also learned how special a chef-driven restaurant can be. Everyone works for the kitchen. Everyone understands the effort and grind. Our team understands that in a way I never did as a server.
It has taken a long time for me to be comfortable in our kitchen. I still appreciate that it’s their domain, and I have learned to read the rhythm and respect it. I may be a part owner, but I am still a guest in the kitchen.
Finally, here are a few other things I’ve learned about owning a restaurant.
Owning a restaurant is a lot like owning a farm, except that we are dealing with the public. The days are long. You live where you work (this is changing this spring). And generally, when the sun shines, you’re busy.
Also like owning a farm, you can buy used equipment and save a little money, but you better learn how to fix that equipment or have someone reliable you can call when it breaks down. Because it will break down, usually when you are most busy. Like our first oven quit our first Christmas on “shoppers night”, which also happened to be one of our busiest days yet and we were lined up with orders.
You can eat pizza everyday of the week. Maybe you shouldn’t eat pizza everyday of the week though.
Sales reps will always come in right at the lunch hour, even though they know you’re busy and that is the worst time to come in.
Being in Grey Bruce is extra special, but just a little extra challenging. So many suppliers will not ship beyond the Greater Golden Horseshoe or they rely on a third party shipper, which typically means orders are regularly lost, broken or don’t show up. It’s not insurmountable but it is a challenge and means we don’t have the flexibility many places in the city have when something gets missed on an order.
The perk of having a fully stocked restaurant kitchen always at your disposal is real. Buying groceries again is going to be a real adjustment.
You can’t please everyone, nor should you try. There is a fine balance between listening to customers and also being true to your brand and who you are. Especially in service, your team is everything and we stand behind ours when they make a decision that aligns with our ethos but a customer might not like.
You have to be consistent with food quality and service but you can experiment with other things - decor, additional revenue lines, the menu. As long as it doesn’t take away from your core, you can always try things and adjust to what works. You don’t have to have it all figured out from the start.
What I haven’t learned yet is how to make good reels or Tiktoks, so I don’t expect the 5-year anniversary video I made is going to trend anytime soon. It was fun to go down memory lane selecting all the images and videos to include.
In the coming weeks, we will move out of the apartment and into our new home. Chris will be commuting to the restaurant, and I will visit as time allows given my Council and work schedule (I’ve been working full-time since last January). This was always our plan, and so it seems like a fitting time to celebrate this milestone and transition. The next five years will undoubtedly be quite different, but they’ll be no less entertaining I’m sure!
Cheers and happy Easter to you all!
