Do you love to cook? Do you spend a lot of time in the kitchen honing your craft? Then maybe it’s time to take your skills professional! If you know how to make the best breakfast sandwich in the world, and you always have a well stocked spice rack, you’ve got a good chance of succeeding in running a restaurant. However, cooking in your own kitchen is a lot different to cooking in a full scale restaurant with dining guests waiting on you! Being able to pitch this difference is a big part of the battle, and it might even be one you’re not sure you’re up to. But we say different! Going professional is a challenge, of course, but it could be the perfect thing for you. If you’re a good cook, and you’ve got some time on your hands to put together a business plan, we’re here to help.
What Do You Like to Cook?
What cuisine do you indulge in most? Maybe you’re more of a fusion person? Whatever it is you like to cook, it’s best to open up a food business surrounding this one cuisine and/or cooking style. Of course, make sure you do your research. You probably don’t know everything about a certain cuisine, but the more you understand about its history and how it’s changed, the better your food business is going to fare.
What’s Your Availability?
Do you have time to run a food business, such as a restaurant? This is the second thing to consider. After all, some companies run simple day shifts 5 times a week, others have a 24 hour restaurant schedule, and you’ve got to find the perfect fit between the two. So, what’s your availability? Check your usual schedule, think about your free time periods, and what you’d need to sacrifice to make your dreams come true. The answer could get complicated. For some people, this means scrapping their plans to open up a separate location and simply run their business out of their home. Yes, as long as you’ve got the space, licensing, and appropriate hygiene, you could have people dining inside your own four walls!
What are the Restaurant Rules in Your Area?
If this is the professional course you want to take, make sure you fully understand the law behind serving food to paying customers. This is going to have strict rules, no matter where you are in the world, so you’re going to want to take your time going through official guidelines. Mainly, you want to stay inside these guidelines for both yearly inspections and to prevent being reported by a disgruntled customer. It’s OK to have a slow day, and for someone to be annoyed that their food took a little while, but food poisoning should be avoided in its entirety!
What’s Your Budget?
If you want to open up a small cake baking business from the comfort of your own kitchen, start up costs are going to be relatively low. However, if you want to open a full restaurant with a kitchen and diner, you’re going to need some serious funding behind you. A good budget doesn’t have to stretch until it’s all gone, but it certainly needs some wiggle room. That’s where investment comes in, whether from one source or many. There could even be a government program you could rely on; you won’t know all your options until you’ve exhausted every avenue.
What Location are You Interested in?
So, where do you want to open up? In a small downtown area close to you? Maybe in a bigger metropolis that’ll have hundreds of customers passing by every single day? Or maybe you want to open up online and run a pick up and delivery service for delicious, home cooked food? Each location is going to have its own benefits and disadvantages, and it’s up to you to weigh them against each other to find the best option for your food business plans.
What Ambience Do You Want to Create?
This is a concern for those businesses that offer in-house dining, but it’s also a concern for people with established online presences as well. After all, you want a potential customer to feel just as good about your establishment from pictures online as they do actually walking in to place an order. It’s how they get a good first impression of you and your food. Let them see it from the moment they look up your name and they’re far more likely to come inside and try a dish or two. Aim for an ambience that matches the cuisine you serve as well as the branding imagery and colors you’re going for. It’s no good having intimate lighting and a foggy yet romantic atmosphere if you’re mainly serving food to parents with young children!
How Will You Advertise?
Unfortunately, people aren’t going to instantly flood your restaurant just because it’s open. You’re going to need to advertise it, and advertise it well! To do this, open up a social media presence and start posting about what’s going on, when you’re planning to open, and anything interesting that occurs during the process. Post pictures of your menu, make sure people get a good idea of your prices, post some behind the scene images of your staff busy at work, and post some offers from time to time. The more variety you offer a follower, the better your social presence is going to fare. And if your food quality is excellent, you’re only going to get more free promotion from happy customers! A passion for food and a love of cooking does often a good chef make. You’ve just got to create the environment to thrive in yourself. It’s going to take time, a lot of effort, and piles of money, but you’ve got a good chance to become the next big thing in the culinary world. Goodbye fast food and hello to your future dining empire!
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