Food is often the main driver of visits, no doubt. But, creating a memorable experience for diners can boost a restaurant’s ratings, reputation and recommendations, causing diners to come back for more. How, then, can restaurant teams cultivate relationships in the relatively short window of time during a diner’s visit? What sourcing stories, for example, can they share and how can they offer outstanding service? In short, what is the X Factor beyond the menu?
The labor shortage in restaurants is significant – so significant that, in April 2018, the New York Times published an article titled “A Worker Shortage Is Forcing Restaurants to Get Creative.” In response to these challenges, which range from a tight labor market to minimum wage issues, the hours that restaurant personnel work and more, this Roots panel will discuss strategies to find, train, cultivate and keep a talented team, getting real about the solutions required today.
When your restaurant gets a positive review in the press, you can easily imagine the clink of glasses, clang of silverware and hum of chatter as tables fill up. When a negative review gets published, though, it’s easy to panic. Instead of merely reacting to what appears in the media, this panel will discuss strategies to help you cultivate positive relationships with media, from local to national, new to established. We’ll also talk about how to navigate negative press.
As the number of people following a plant-based diet increases—whether that means as vegetarians or vegans—it’s increasingly important that farmers, suppliers and restaurateurs collaborate to responsibly provide diners with the plant-based foods and grains they want. How can we, collectively, cultivate a new attitude towards and systems around this shift in dining preferences? How does the food industry need to evolve to accommodate these desires?
Cultivation is an important part of food and the direction foodservice is heading in whether that is cultivating healthier behaviors, fresher ingredients, or higher quality options. To truly impact the vast majority of American consumers, national chains and major manufacturers have to participate in this cultivation. This panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities for chains and manufacturers as well as provide examples from past efforts and future possibilities.
After a full day at work, you try to squeeze in time for other commitments, whether that means planning for upcoming events at work, spending time with your family or something else entirely. Or, maybe you wake up early to fit in non-work tasks. But, what about you? This panel will discuss the often-challenging lifestyles people in the food industry live, and brainstorm solutions to not only make time for yourself, but to cultivate the very best version of you.
Today’s guests want more sourcing transparency than ever before, along with protein items labeled as humane treatment, pasture-raised and ABF, and “clean” food on the menu. That makes cultivating a strong chef-guest relationship even more important, so you won’t want to miss this candid conversion between a farmer and a chef, each sharing what’s important in livestock production. They also will discuss how the concepts of “local” and “quality” do and don’t intersect, exploring common goals and the ground that stands between them.