Do you like to be in charge of your own self development and career?

Would you li ke to know how to identify and develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to advance your career?

Are you interested in advancing your career within the restaurant industry?

If you answered…

How many of us have heard these famous last words at the end of a not-so-successful date? They remind me of Charlie Sheen’s character on Two And A Half Men. “I’ll Call You” was Charlie’s escape hatch which allowed him to quickly part company with his lady friends without a big confrontation. It was never genuine. Rather flip and dismissive. Which is why Job Seekers recoil when they hear the same words from a Professional Recruiter: “I’ll Call You.”

I understand the temptation to lump…

Sometimes our lives become so hectic that we don't think before we make our next move, especially when it comes to the Internet. However, in one swift movement, our online image can be tarnished just by a few posts. What's worse, it takes longer to win back the trust of your followers or even gain the confidence of a recruiter or hiring manger than it does to tear it down.

So, take some time to clean up your online image, even if you believe it's spotless. Here's how to get…

As a recruiter, I am always impressed by candidates who have questions of their own to ask-and I consistently receive feedback from hiring managers all over the country who feel the same way. The candidate who’s asked, “So, do you have any questions?” at the end of the interview better come up with something. One who answers, “No, I don’t think so,” is going to get a big negative mark against them in the hiring decision.

Companies want candidates who have critical thinking skills, as…

A restaurant career is an extremely viable option for a job seeker nowadays. Given the popularity of eating out today, more and more opportunities are opening up to those looking for insights about how to get hired. The restaurant industry is catching up with the healthcare industry and any job seeker who can’t seem to get a lucky break would do well to consider the possibilities of a restaurant career.

For the job seeker, here are the basics…

There are many non-negotiable things for a job seeker wanting to start a restaurant career. Being a very competitive industry, it’s important to first know how to get hired. What do Human Resources managers of restaurants look for? This article will help any job seeker get answers for the burning question “how to get hired to start a restaurant career?”

The basic characteristics a job seeker embarking on a restaurant…

Grant Funded Hospitality Training 

If your hostess and server team is spiraling out of control, or you're interested in honing their skills to generate better guest service and hopefully improve sales, consider state grant programs.  These programs can be made available to independent, small chain, and corporate restaurants.

Understanding Grant Opportunities

Many states make grant funds available to employers in good tax standing to…

Starting a restaurant career can be a bit rough at the beginning. However, with strategic planning and preparation, a job seeker can nail down a job that might just be the launch pad to a truly successful career. There are three things one should pay particular attention to. These three will serve as guidelines for a current job seeker or someone aiming for a restaurant career in the future.

Know that perfect spot.

There are plenty of areas one can…

Since it is impossible for hospitality owners and operators to be on premises during all business hours, it is extremely important for the assistant managers to communicate current policies and procedures through daily logs and pre-shift meetings.

Communication is of utmost importance for superb hospitality service which involves preparation, awareness, organization and execution. Restaurants are always in a state of flux, so the best way to keep continuity is for assistant…

With the current global crisis, impacting negatively on the restaurant industry. Food prices, labour costs, electricity are all increasing at quite a rapid pace. For quite a few restaurateurs this means that sales turnover is not keeping in line with increased expenses.

This leads to some restaurateurs adopting a negative and pessimistic outlook, which unfortunately impacts negatively on their business. The successful restaurateur remains positive and optimistic and they see…

It’s been four years since we entered The Great Recession. Now, at long last, optimism about economic growth in Leisure & Hospitality and Food & Beverage is taking root.

For operators this means finding leaders who have the skills and proficiency to do the job will become harder and harder. Sourcing values and character matches will be a monumental challenge.  Operators will need to step up benefits and retention strategies, and salaries will begin to rise…

Once you've developed the skills needed to manage a restaurant, successfully, and develop a strong team who are motivated and goal oriented, it is time to sell your skills.  The restaurant manager's job requires good communication skills, and the ability to present projects and reports in a way that will sell ideas to the team, management, investors, and to the customers who walk through the doors each day.

The resume is the first place you have to highlight your…

Once you've developed the skills needed to manage a restaurant, successfully, and develop a strong team who are motivated and goal oriented, it is time to sell your skills.  The restaurant manager's job requires good communication skills, and the ability to present projects and reports in a way that will sell ideas to the team, management, investors, and to the customers who walk through the doors each day.

The resume is the first place you have to highlight your…

You are so much fun to be around.  You know how to host and how to serve; how to cook and how to present. Everyone hits you up for recipes and tips from table settings to the length of oven time their holiday roast requires for perfect medium rare.

What non-hospitality folks don’t understand is how hard it is to work around food all day long!

We asked hospitality professionals around the country what habits to make or break in order to stay healthy and we received a ton of…

A friend just mentioned to me that Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple (as if you don’t know who he is) had hired top business school professors to work up a project they call Apple University. It seems as if they are producing business case studies that review major decisions made by the Apple team over the years in an effort to capture, and make available internally the business magic that polishes the Apple.

Major business schools utilize the business case study as a foundational teaching…

Online culinary mag StarChefs feted its pick of Chicago's rising star chefs at a tasteful gala on Monday, May 23. The event took place at the beautiful Fairmont Hotel Chicago and hosted by executive chef Brad Parsons and Beverly Kim Clark, chef de cuisine at Aria. Chef Clark's Buttermilk Bleu Cheese Semifreddo with Port Foam and Five-spice Walnuts was a sweet-savory delight, served in a miniature ice cream cone.

 …

Over the years, I have been hounded by tribemates looking for a raise in pay (not unwarranted, but alas, still pervasive). If you want a pay increase to materialize at a faster pace, you must do some homework in addition to your work duties. What follows is the hospitality- manager response I have given to those on the money hunt: Whenever you are being evaluated for hiring, a promotion, or a raise, start with the most significant accomplishments you can cite from your recent…

Restaurant Marketing: In a recent workshop I gave, an attendee who had an Italian restaurant said they get a tremendous amount of business from a local funeral home.

I asked how that all came about ... he simply approached the director of the home and inquired if there was ever a need to provide food for a wake or a similar event to please consider us as your…

The Ultimate in Wine Cellar Wood Flooring

Does your wine cellar floor make a statement?

So how are Wine Barrels turned into beautiful wine cellar flooring that…