How I built the number one new restaurant in America | Aaron Silverman | TEDxMidAtlantic

Summary

The speaker recounts their journey of opening a restaurant, emphasizing the importance of hiring the right people over skills. They highlight the restaurant's rapid success, attributing it to their talented and passionate staff. The speaker shares insights on hiring for desire over experience and creating an environment that attracts and retains top talent, ultimately concluding that they are in the 'people business' rather than just the restaurant industry.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The speaker opened a restaurant with no prior experience and faced the challenge of convincing people to work in an industry known for high turnover rates.
• 🤝 They partnered with a close friend who shared similar ideas and beliefs about restaurants and people, highlighting the importance of alignment in values.
• 👥 They built a team of 25 people, many of whom remain with the restaurant, emphasizing the significance of a strong and loyal team.
• 🏆 The restaurant quickly gained recognition, being named the best new restaurant in America by Bon Appétit and GQ magazine, showcasing the impact of a dedicated team.
• 🍽️ The speaker believes that their success is 100% due to their employees, who are talented, ambitious, caring, passionate, and well-dressed.
• 👨‍🍳 As a chef, the speaker reminds the staff that food is only 40% of their service, indicating the importance of the overall dining experience.
• 🤔 The speaker questioned what made their restaurant different and concluded that it was their people, not just the food or service, that led to their success.
• 🧐 The speaker suggests that the quality of a business's product or service is a direct result of the people who create and deliver it, underlining the role of employees in business success.
• 📝 Hiring practices are crucial; the restaurant looks for people with the right attitude and desire, not just skills, as skills can be taught, but care and passion cannot.
• 🌟 The restaurant's hiring process de-emphasizes resumes and focuses on references and personal fit, valuing personality and attitude over past experience.
• 🌱 The restaurant has created an environment that attracts great people, reducing turnover and making hiring a less challenging process.
• 🙌 The speaker concludes that they are in the 'people industry' rather than the restaurant industry, as their success is driven by the people they have gathered.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial concern when deciding to open a restaurant?

The speaker's initial concern was how to convince anyone to come work with them, especially considering the restaurant industry's notorious high turnover rate.

Who did the speaker reach out to for help in starting the restaurant?

The speaker reached out to one of their oldest and closest friends, who shared the same ideas and beliefs about both restaurants and people.

How many people joined the team when the restaurant was first established?

Initially, 25 people joined the team when the restaurant was first established.

What recognition did the restaurant receive within its first year?

Within its first year, the restaurant was named the best new restaurant in America by both Bon Appétit and GQ magazine.

What does the speaker attribute the restaurant's success to?

The speaker attributes the restaurant's success to their talented, ambitious, caring, passionate, and well-dressed employees.

What percentage of the restaurant's success does the speaker attribute to the food?

The speaker attributes 40% of the restaurant's success to the food.

What did the speaker initially think the restaurant industry was about?

The speaker initially thought the restaurant industry was about serving good food and providing good service.

How has the speaker's perspective on the restaurant industry changed over time?

The speaker's perspective changed from thinking they were in the restaurant industry to realizing they were in the hospitality industry, and ultimately to being in the people business.

What is the speaker's philosophy on hiring practices?

The speaker believes in hiring people based on their desire and personality rather than solely on their skills or experience, as skills can be taught but not everyone can be inspired to care.

What is the speaker's approach to retaining great employees?

The speaker focuses on creating a great environment that people want to be a part of, prioritizing the employees as the main stakeholders and the core of the business.

How has the restaurant's approach to hiring affected its staff turnover?

The restaurant's approach has resulted in a low staff turnover, with many of the original team members still working there four years later, and new, talented employees seeking to join the team.