If you are in catering, you probably know the feeling. You go to bed at night like HERO - everything was running, guests left happy, reviews were full of praise and the team was running like a well-oiled machine. But in the morning? You can wake up in the morning like ZERO - a phone full of messages about absenteeism, a disgruntled guest, unexpected changes, or just plain chaos that is so typical of the industry.
Working with people is unpredictable. And gastronomy? It takes it to a whole new level.
QUALITY PEOPLE ARE ESSENTIAL, BUT...
As a manager Restaurant I appreciate my team more than anything. Without good people, we would be nothing. But hand on heart - finding the right people, keeping them and motivating them to want to be part of something bigger is a real challenge.
It's not enough for someone to know how to carry plates, mix drinks or prepare steaks. We're looking for people who are reliable, loyal and open to feedback. People who understand that this business is not just about a job, it's about a lifestyle.
And that's the hard part. Gastro is rough. Work days start early and end late, holidays and weekends don't exist, and if something goes wrong, you have to be ready to step in - whenever and however.
For example, if you get Chef at 4:00 in the morning, he writes that the whole world sucks and he's not coming at all, so what do you do? You put on a turtleneck and you're standing in the kitchen at seven in the morning.
And behind the bar? Same thing in pale blue. Every day, different guests, different situations, different atmosphere. It only takes one bad day for the whole Restaurant will feel it.
WE TOLERATE CRITICISM BUT ACCEPT PRAISE
Despite everything - we love it. We do it for the people. And when we see satisfied guests, When they come back and recommend us, all that hard work makes sense.
Reviews and feedback are everything to us. Sure, sometimes you read something that upsets you. But then there are those times when someone writes
- „The best experience in restaurant over the last few years!“
- „Amazing atmosphere, fantastic operatorand and food “A-okay!"
And that's when you say to yourself: Yeah, this is all worth it.
A REQUEST IN CONCLUSION: BE FORGIVING TO EACH OTHER
You know, gastro isn't just about service and food. It's about people. It's about emotions. It's about energy. And even though we try to stand out, push service levels higher and do things differently, we're still just people.
So please be patient with us. Just as we try to make you feel comfortable with us, try to understand us sometimes. One kind smile or word of appreciation means more to us than you can imagine.
We look forward to seeing you!
Stanislav Kubin
Restaurant Manager Stodola
