The State of the Kitchen

Below is a link to an interesting article from the New York Times about what some top chefs are saying about the state of the restaurant industry. Some interesting observations (and frankly, no small amount of whiny complaining). But make no mistake about it: the restaurant industry has changed dramatically since the pandemic, and my guess is that more change is coming. Two things occur to me as I read this.

First, Satchel's BBQ is capital "L" lucky to live in this community. Truly. As you read comments from these chefs, it sounds like some of them are at war with their customers. Wow. That is not how I want to spend my work day. And fortunately, I don't have to. All of the staff at Satchel's BBQ are so appreciative of the wonderful people who walk through out doors every day.

Second, I am so happy that we implemented a profit-sharing plan at Satchel's BBQ. For those who don't know, all the profits are split 50/50 between ownership and staff. And we have complete 100% transparency of all financial information (we meet monthly to review and discuss prior month's financials). In other words, a good day for me (the owner) is a good day for all the staff. And a bad day for me.....well, you get the idea. This is the type of change we need to embrace in the restaurant industry. We shouldn't be resisting increases in the minimum wage (thank you, Michigan Restaurants Association). We shouldn't be moaning and groaning about how difficult our customers can be. We should be thinking about sustainable ways to structure our businesses for long-term success for all its stakeholders.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/27/dining/chefs-state-of-the-restaurant-industry.html?smid=url-share