This is a contributed post.
Starting a food business? Want it to be a big success rather than a culinary disaster the likes of which even Gordon Ramsay could not even salvage? Here are a few things you need to do:
Table of Contents
1. Serve Food That’s Actually Worth Eating
Let’s start with a revolutionary concept: your food should be good. Properly good. Not “I’m just being polite” good, or “It’s slightly better than a supermarket microwave meal” good, but genuinely, salivation-inducingly scrumptious. Invest time in testing recipes and refining techniques, and don’t forget to source quality ingredients. If you’re flipping burgers, make them the kind that brings tears of joy to a diner’s eye, not the kind that tastes like recycled cardboard.
2. Presentation: Looks Matter
We might preach, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but everyone judges food by how it looks. If your plates resemble a Jackson Pollock painting—or worse, school dinner slop—customers will run for the hills. Whether you’re a fine dining restaurant or a trendy street food stall, make sure what’s on the plate looks enticing enough to snap and share. After all, who doesn’t want their culinary creations to go viral on Instagram?
3. Hire a Food Consultant Before You Do Something Silly
Think a food consultant is just another person trying to charge you for stating the obvious? Perhaps. But a good business consultant can be your secret weapon. They’ll help you fine-tune your menu, streamline operations, and maybe even stop you from trying to serve pineapple and fish custard (seriously, just don’t). A food consultant brings fresh eyes, helps you dodge disasters, and ensures that what goes into your kitchen is on-trend and on-taste.
4. Spread the Word Like Butter on Hot Toast
You can have the best gnocchi this side of Rome, but if no one knows you exist, you might as well be cooking for imaginary friends. Get out there and shout about your offerings. Social media is your friend here—post mouth-watering images, share behind-the-scenes kitchen antics, and maybe release a few silly cooking videos. Show off your personality, not just your plating skills. If you can charm potential customers online, they’ll be lining up at your door, credit cards at the ready.
5. Customer Service: Smile Through the Stress
Look, we know customers can be a bit, shall we say, “demanding” at times. But friendly service can make up for minor menu hiccups or a delayed dish. Train your staff to treat customers like honoured guests rather than distractions from their phone scrolling. A genuine smile and a helpful attitude can turn hangry diners into loyal regulars faster than you can say “free dessert.”
6. Keep Adapting, Stay Curious
If you want to stay ahead of the culinary curve, be ready to shake things up. Update your menu, experiment with new flavours, and keep an eye on emerging food trends. The culinary world never sits still, and neither should you. Embrace change, keep learning, and never settle for mediocrity. After all, there’s always a rival who’d love to swipe your diners—and your bragging rights.
In short, a successful food business isn’t just about what you serve—it’s about how you serve it, how you shout about it, and how you continue to evolve. With these tips, you’re well on your way to culinary stardom!