Navigating Challenges in Off-Premise Catering

Dean Small is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, where he apprenticed for two years at Windows On The World.

In 1985, Dean became Director of Culinary Development and Purchasing Manager at El Torito Restaurants, which operated more than 220 units and 12 restaurant concepts, with operations grossing over $420 million.

In 1988, Dean founded Synergy Restaurant Consultants to provide innovation and efficiency strategies to restaurants and food manufacturers. Since then, Synergy has been a food, beverage, and operations resource to over 225 national restaurant chains and independent operators.

Check out Jolt as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out Enjoy as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out ExpandShare as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out Menuvative as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out DELIVER-iT as mentioned in today's episode!

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Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "You only know what you know."

In today's episode with Dean Small we will discuss:

• Most people are not born restauranteurs, there is so much you have to learn
• Working at Windows on the World, the busiest restaurant in the world
• Productivity, Motivation, high volume kitchen work
• Working for a Rockefeller
• How does skiing relate to restaurant hospitality?
• Cooking in a pineapple cooking contest
• High-end catering in Aspen
• Becoming the best caterer in a very busy ski town
• Failure based on uncontrollable circumstances
• Meeting challenges as opportunities
• The immensity you can learn from a massive corporation
• Leverage buy-outs and how they work
• Look for "white spaces" where services are needed but don't exist
• The 8 ways to become more profitable:
  1. Brand Positioning
  2. Guest Experience/Emotional Connection
  3. Management Team and Execution of Strategy
  4. Menu Innovation
  5. Off-Premise Cattering
  6. Labor Costs
  7. Food Costs
  8. Marketing

Today's sponsor:

Restaurant365 is a cloud-based, all-in-one, restaurant-specific accounting and back-office platform that seamlessly integrates with POS systems, payroll providers, food and beverage vendors. It generates accurate real-time reporting and analysis in user-friendly dashboards, facilitating immediate, data-driven decision making. Restaurant365 eliminates manual, error-prone processes and is designed to help restaurant businesses grow with functionality that helps optimize labor costs, reduce food costs and increase revenue.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

Contact info:

Email: dean@synergyconsultants.com

Synergy Restaurant Consultants

Thanks for listening!

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Huge thanks to Dean Small for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

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