Open a restaurant: find the best suppliers and employees

The choice of suppliers is decisive for the success of a restaurant opening project . The quality of your services depends on it. To satisfy your future customers, you will have to carry out a complete research to make the best choice in terms of quality and price.

As well as the recruitment of qualified personnel remains an important variable in the organization of your activity and the selection of these must be prepared. Here are our tips on how to find the best suppliers and employees .

To read: successfully open the restaurant

1) Find the best supplier in catering:

This step is the most difficult because we are easily drowned by the amount of information, suppliers, food wholesalers are easily identifiable, but the difficulty lies in their selection. In fact, when you start, you are sorely lacking in information about the quality of your offers. For this step we advise you to take a look at the AFE creation that clearly summarizes the main ways you can find the supplier of your dreams.

Note that if you have a cash register touch , you can integrate your suppliers and track in real time your stocks and margins on each product.

To read: a cash register with inventory management

Suppliers are often found in:

• The lounges
• Professional bodies
• The professional press
• Generalist directories
• Internet and social networks
• Market places
• Directories or specialized sites

Do not hesitate to get in touch with other restaurants to inform you about the origin of their products. Try to find out who provides them and why did they make that choice.

Local suppliers for your restaurant:

Restaurants using high quality, locally sourced ingredients are becoming more and more popular. Get closer to local farmers and producers. You can offer tasty products to your customers, such as local drinks, fresh meat and dairy products, indicating their origin. Rather than go through wholesalers make the choice of an artisan bakery for high quality bread and other cooked products. In addition, by communicating on local sourcing, you will bring a good image to your restaurant, which will make you talk.

To read: certified payment solution NF525

Suppliers near you:

Make sure you shop near you before signing any agreements with wholesalers. Tell yourself that making a good deal does not necessarily have to choose it from the cheap provider. The quality of the food and service provided is just as important or more for the sustainability of your restaurant.

Look for references and contact other restaurants with whom the supplier had the opportunity to work. Negotiate in detail, food characteristics, delivery times and payment terms. Choose a supplier with whom you can build a good working relationship and have a long-term vision.

2) Hire the ideal employee:

A qualified and professional staff is essential for the success of any restaurant. Before looking for an employee, it will be necessary to quantify your needs, to describe the positions. Here is a practical guide of the CCI of Paris.

The main steps:

– Analysis of need
– Publication of announcements
– Analysis of applications
– Interviews and evaluation tests
– Selection of the candidate

The different employee profiles you will need:

The cookers :

A good restaurant is nothing without its cooks; therefore the choice of your employees is decisive and must be your top priority. The choice of cooking will depend on your restaurant concept. If you are looking to open a fast restaurant, it will be easier to find the right candidate, but if you have the project to open a more upscale restaurant, you will have to anticipate the recruitment because the candidates are more rare. Contact the schools of specialized hotels, they will guide you in your search.

Waiters :

The servers will always be in contact with your customers, so the choice of profile is quite specific. Indeed they will have to be multitasking, with a good relationship and withstand the pressure. The style of service will depend on your concept , so train your team according to your positioning. To determine the number of servers, use as reference the number of seats and customers expected, not to mention your budget.

Read: 10 tips to develop team spirit

The job interview with a candidate:

Take the time to ask the candidates a maximum of questions. Make sure they are aware of what their role will be in the restaurant and your expectations from them. Sample questions

Select your candidates through the AFE guide , and maximize your chances of success.

Whether it is the choice of a supplier or the choice of an employee, you will have to look for information. Where do your competitors get? The local restaurants? Who are the local producers? Respond to the eco-responsible problem. On the other hand, the recruitment of a qualified element is quite difficult, follow the various processes and prepare you to meet the candidates to have a maximum of information to make your choice.