Anyone who has ever worked or is currently working in the F&B and hospitality industry knows that the word "easy" is not a part of the job description. And anyone who says otherwise, is probably not doing it right. From dealing with difficult customers and unreliable suppliers to spending long hours on your feet in the kitchen working under tremendous pressure, there are a myriad of reasons that make working in F&B sound far from a dream job to most. But there are those few out there who welcome these challenges and manage to do it with a smile still intact.
Marion Grasby, Gili Back, Debby Tang and Nualanong Falcioni are big names you're likely to be familiar with. Whether you've seen Grasby demonstrating her cooking skills on MasterChef Australia, indulged on one of Back's (many) comforting dishes, wined and dined at one of Tang's establishments or you've made Falcioni's burger joint your favourite weekly cheat meal -- they are without a doubt, the four superwomen in Thailand's food industry.
So whose brains better to pick than theirs? Guru attended AKIN Asia's F&B event last month to catch up with these affable ladies who have offered some incredibly valuable tips for all the aspiring restaurateurs and foodies out there.
MARION GRASBY
You may recognise her as one of the contestants on MasterChef Australia (2010). Now, she is not only a television host, but also a food producer, an author and a public speaker. She is the creator of Marion's Kitchen Asian food range, which is sold in more than 10,000 stores across the USA and Australia.
Three tips for anyone who is thinking about creating a food range/product.
1) Know what you want out of your food business. You can have a small hobby-style food business where you hand craft your products and aim to sell them at weekend farmers' markets. At the other end of the scale, you can target major domestic retailers and/or export markets. Deciding what you want out of your business will affect how you scale your production, what investment/finances you need and what permits/regulatory approvals you will need.
2) Research your market. Different markets want different flavours and may require different pricing structures. Look at whether there are similar products in your market and whether you have something that sets you apart from the rest.
3) Get out there and go for it! There's nothing like learning as you go. Yes, you'll make some mistakes but you'll soon learn from them.
In your opinion, do you think the food scene in Bangkok has changed much in these past few years? What do you think it'll be like in 10 years time?
Bangkok's food scene has changed incredibly in just the past four years I have been living here. We're now seeing bigger international players, which to me is a good thing because it means we're really stepping up our game and becoming a magnet for restaurateurs who see Thailand as a more sophisticated food market.
At the same time I'd like to see more discussion, promotion and reverence for Thailand's local food cultures. I think we have an opportunity here to really promote more regional differences in food cultures across Thailand in a similar way to how the specialty dishes and ingredients from the different regions of France and Italy are promoted.
Have you considered opening a restaurant in Bangkok?
I'll leave that to the far more skilled restaurateurs and chefs I've met and hold in high regard here in Bangkok. Maybe one day!
What do they not tell you about reality TV? And if you knew what you know now, what would you have told yourself back then?
Reality TV is an unpredictable beast! It's exciting and intense and it's easy to get caught up in the hype. I had a whole lot of fun and tried not to take things too seriously. I just concentrated on the experience I had and the amazing chefs I was lucky enough to train with and work with on MasterChef Australia. If anything, I would tell myself to relax and enjoy the moment more.
DEBBY TANG
Though her role as Director of Operations doesn't require her to man the kitchen, Debby's got a lot of work cut out for her. She's in charge of service operations, human resources, restaurant opening management and accounting. With her husband, they founded Foodie Collection, which is the hospitality group behind Vesper Cocktail Bar & Restaurant and Il Fumo Restaurant & Bar.
Photos: Akin Asia
Three tips for aspiring restaurateurs:
1) Know your strength and weaknesses. Ask yourself why I am the best equipped person to run this restaurant. Also ask yourself what is it that you are lacking in order to make the restaurant successful. Once you know these, then you can take the various steps needed to minimise the risks by either learning the skills you currently do not have, or getting someone who knows them to come onto your team.
2) Concept-then-location, not the other way around. Oftentimes, people find a good location for a restaurant then create a concept around it. While this may be okay in some cases, it's always better to think of the concept you want to do -- how is it different from the current restaurants and what value it will add to society -- and then find a location to fit it. It may take longer but patience is a virtue.
3) Watch your finances carefully. This is true in all businesses but sometimes this gets neglected by aspiring restaurateurs. When setting up a restaurant, always do conservative forecasts of projected sales. Get a lot of initial investment money as much as you can (but don't go and spend it all) because 99% of the time you are always over budget, and this is healthy when you are faced with rainy days, figuratively and literally.
Since you work with your husband, do you find that you take work back home with you? And how do you switch off?
Yes, this can be tough because we live and breath our restaurants 24 hours a day. It's not just at home but when we find time to dine outside, we always think about restaurants -- what this one does better than us or what that one is lacking.
One way we switch off is with a rule that we never to talk about work on Sundays, which is our only day off! Another way is to take a trip outside the country every 3-4 months and completely switch off.
Knowing what you know now, what would you have told yourself three years ago before opening your first restaurant?
'Running a restaurant is not a sprint, it's a marathon'.
GILI BACK
Comfort is her middle name. And if you've tried any dish of hers at cafe CHOMP on Samsen Road, you'll know exactly what we mean. Her passion for food and drink began from an early age of 16 while playing with flavours and alcohol behind the counter of a cocktail bar. She has spent much of her time travelling across the globe, living in different continents but found her (current) home in Thailand 14 years ago.
Photo: Gili Black
Three tips for aspiring restaurateurs:
1) Check the area you wish to open your business in. See what is already there and see how you can contribute to the community/area by setting up something different that compliments rather than just competes with what's already established. Study your target group and know your product inside out so that your customer base honestly believes in you and what you do.
2) Make sure you have enough resources and funds to keep your business running for at least six months after you open. All your investment and energy shouldn't just be about setting up, buying supplies and decorating the premises. You need the back up to keep you going until you actually start generating profits.
3) It is not an easy industry so be 100% sure it's what you really want to do! Be original. Be passionate. Be creative. It's a never ending job and there will always be surprises and unexpected occurrences of both the good and bad kind. There will be great days and there will be awful days so keep the fun element alive even when you are tired and feel like you can't go on.
Knowing what you know now, what would you have told yourself before opening your first restaurant?
I probably wouldn't have been so trusting or brought in 'friends' to work for me. It's not the same as having a friend as a business partner. Sadly, those that I thought I could trust the most because of long term friendships were the ones who took advantage of my good nature.
This doesnt mean you can't become friends with your staff and take care of them, not just short term but long term too. Even if it means you give them the skills to leave and move on to other things.
Remember this is a business, not your personal living room, so also -- without seeming stingy -- don't set precedents by giving away freebies and big discounts to all your friends and family members. Once you start you can't stop without causing upset. Set a standard special discount for loyal customers, friends and family and stick to the rule!
Can you give us details about the opening of CHOMP Deli?
CHOMP Deli is located in between Samsen soi 1 and soi 3. It's based on the concept of home community delicatessens with products made locally as much as possible. And I mean not just in Bangkok but actually around old town.
The selection of cheeses, meats, veggie options, hot dish of the day, canned preserves and other off the shelf items will change on a daily, weekly and seasonal basis. Our main focus is on takeaways and deliveries so the 'menu' will be updated daily via Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Line and on the display boards so people can check and order what they want. We ask the customers to order on a weekly basis with a set delivery day guaranteed for each supplier. This helps the artisan producers reach a wider audience without being pressurised or having to deal with everything themselves. There will only be 4 tables and NO WIFI as we actually want people who do sit in the deli to go back to the old art of conversation and interacting.
With my personal obsession for environmental concerns and leading change, there is an emphasis on no food waste -- if it's finished, it's finished for the day. No plastic or unnecessary packaging. Using local bike taxis for delivery so they benefit from extra income and other little old school values that keep a family feel alive.
NUALANONG "HONEY" FALCIONI
Armed with an infectious smile and a killer burger foodtruck, Daniel Thaiger's leading lady is in charge of leadership training, managing operations, menu creation and customer service. Recently Honey and her partner Mark confirmed that they'll be opening their own brick and mortar restaurant called "Crying Thaiger" where the focus will be on steaks and their famous burgers.
Three tips for anyone who is thinking about switching from a foodtruck to brick and mortar restaurant?
1) Stick to your roots and always remember where you came from.
2) Give the customer more. Change it up. Keep people excited about things.
3) Be realistic about your abilities to run a restaurant because customers will be expecting more.
What's the most challenging part of customer service? And how do you deal with it?
The most difficult part is not so much about interacting with the customer. I love chatting with customers and delivering good service. Trying to get the same level of service from every employee is quite a task. At Daniel Thaiger, we try our best to create a family environment with our employees and to help them understand our values in an organic way. Not necessarily something we teach but rather something we live.
Knowing what you know now, what would you have told yourself before opening Daniel Thaiger?
Mentally prepare yourself for the road ahead. The journey is full of more ups and downs than we ever anticipated. Extremely satisfying "highs" and extremely debilitating "lows" can take a toll on all aspects of life.
If you could teach your kids something about the F&B industry, what would it be?
Two things:
1) Never cut corners when it comes to your product, always try and deliver quality.
2) Always give great service. Treat the customers how you would want to be treated.
AKIN ASIA produces events connecting like-minded professionals in Bangkok and across Southeast Asia. Their next event is on Sep 7 at 6:30pm and focuses on women in the media industry. Attendees will get to meet and hear from some of the region's most experienced female journalists.
For more information and tickets, visit www.akinasia.com.
