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Socially responsible business is where it’s at today – across the restaurant sector, as well as every other industry.

The food you cook says a lot about who you are as a person and a chef. Your culture and family traditions are embedded in your palette, and it’s likely that this is where your initial inclination towards cooking stems from. As you rise through the ranks to become a head chef, you will hopefully gain more freedom to express your creativity and share your culinary inspiration through the meals you prepare.

Before you can start experimenting with ingredients and indulging in daring combinations, however, you do need to have your basic cooking skills firmly established. Honest and willing tasters will also give you the necessary feedback to perfect your dishes. Once you do, you’re on your way to establishing yourself as a specialist – something that many employers will rate highly when viewing applicants.

The food industry is thriving. However there is often a long road to travel before you get the head chef job. Nevertheless, it’s worth remembering that whatever stage you’re at there’s always something you can do right now to help improve your head chef job prospects. 

All of us have had that interaction with an employee who isn’t fully engaged with their job. Distracted, slow, low on energy and maybe even sullen, if an employee is clearly not happy with what they’re doing this kind of attitude can filter through the whole team. On the flip side, the good vibes of happy employees tend to spread not only through the team, but to customers too and if your team feels taken care of they are far more likely to go the extra mile for the business.

Online reviews have become an essential part of marketing for any restaurant. 88% of customers incorporate online reviews into their purchase decision making process and 90% of customers now read online reviews. Given these statistics, the likelihood is that your business is being read about or talked about somewhere online right now. So, how do you maximise this as part of your marketing efforts?

Do you know if your current restaurant marketing is working? Can you measure the return on your marketing investment? And, if your marketing efforts don’t seem to be producing any results, do you know why? Questions such as these are essential when it comes to evaluating how precious marketing resources are spent so as to ensure that you are getting the most impact from every marketing investment. If you don’t feel that you have a good idea of your restaurant’s marketing needs, current marketing performance and potential stumbling points then a marketing audit may be essential.

Social media can be a huge growth driver. If your business is seeking a new audience, launching a new location or looking to gain traction for a change of menu then a strong social media network can bring attention, as well as diners, through your doors. What many brands don’t realise is that your restaurant team is a huge asset when it comes to social media strategy.

Discounting is a popular trick in the restaurant trade but it doesn’t always produce the best results. Many experts now believe that discounting is rarely an effective strategy for attracting regular customers and building up a loyal base of support. In fact, you could even be damaging your brand if you’re still using discounting as a business tool.

According to the “primacy effect,” the information that customers learn about you first has a much more lasting impact than much of what comes later. So, the initial impression your business makes, from the first time they click on the website, to the moment customers lay eyes on your menu, or the minute they walk through the door, is crucial. It not only provides the foundation for customer loyalty but will also encourage those all-important word of mouth (or social media shared) recommendations too. If the first impression you’re looking to create is a premium one, what do you need to know about how to do it?

Whether it’s a permanent decision or a temporary move, for many chefs there comes a time when it’s important to get outside the kitchen. It could be a matter of health, family or just the desire for a career change – if you’re looking to move beyond the kitchen then what options do you have?

There are many different factors involved in restaurant success. One of the most valuable is marketing. However, marketing your business is a very different today compared to just a few years ago – mainly because of the presence of influencers and the impact they can have on success or failure.

There is no set journey for moving up the hierarchy in the kitchen. It takes a combination of skill, hard work and talent to win that coveted promotion. However, you can help your career to move in the right direction by getting into good habits that will enable your skills and experience to develop with a promotion in mind.