Helped Restaurant Transition From Poor Performance To Profitable Business Through Head, Executive Chef Hiring

Our Chef Recruiters Found Superior Professionals Who Were Best Fit To Enable A Large Multi-Cuisine Restaurant Transition From Loss To Profit-Making Business.

Summary:

A large multi-cuisine restaurant was struggling with various challenges and reporting losses. The client planned a major business transition and required exceptional, strong candidates who could manage the transition and improve business performance.

With poor performance and a weak employer brand reputation, the restaurant was not able to persuade outstanding professionals to join their business. Despite a 3-month recruitment campaign, the restaurant failed to hire the right candidates.

After consulting with Alliance Recruitment Agency, the restaurant client found two superior candidates to fill the position of Executive Chef and Head Chef within two months, leading to a business turnaround.

The Situation And Requirements

The client, a large multi-cuisine restaurant, was reporting losses quarter-over-quarter. The restaurant’s new business plan involved hiring leaders who could bring a huge transition, transforming the restaurant’s business performance and bringing a turnaround.

The client approached Alliance Recruitment Agency to hire an Executive Chef and a Head Chef with the abilities to revive the business and make it profitable again.

The key requirements for the Executive Chef position were as follows:

• Ability to handle the demands of a tough and hectic work environment that is typical of transition, transformation, and turnaround
• Outstanding track record in leading restaurants towards change, transforming standards, operational methods, food management, and customer service
• Experience in managing staff and operations of a large restaurant
• Financial knowledge
• Vendor management experience

Other requirements for the position included: bilingual abilities, procurement management experience, and superior leadership and restaurant management skills.

The key requirements for the Head Chef position were as follows:

• Extensive experience in American, Italian, Greek, and Mexican cuisine
• Outstanding track record in menu planning for walk-in customers, packages and food deliveries, and cuisine management for events
• Ability to customize food preparation as per on-demand, ad hoc custom orders
• Superior knowledge of food preparation as per best practices, standards, and protocols

There was a long list of other requirements for the head chef position.

Challenges

Talent Attraction Challenges:

As the hospitality client was earning a poor reputation despite its size and capacities, and the restaurant had been involved in a hiring and firing spree for a couple of years, the employer brand did not attract new chefs, especially the ones who were working in successful restaurants.

Tough and Harsh Work Environment:

The restaurant was struggling with diverse challenges while trying to retain various client accounts. The restaurant had its walk-in customer segment, food delivery segment for corporate executives, food delivery segment for the general public, and strategic partnership with event managers to furnish food for events, among other business streams.

Exceptional Demands:

The restaurant client was facing a desperate situation where the transition was the only option to stay profitable. The client required exceptional chefs, and the demands of the position were making it difficult to find the right talent.

Headhunter Solutions And Approach

Alliance Recruitment Agency prepared a highly sophisticated and strategic chef recruitment plan in consultation with the client.

Our executive chef recruiter analyzed the recruitment challenges and assessed the client’s business situation. We advised the client about certain changes the restaurant would need to make to be able to attract an extraordinary executive chef and head chef.

We offered market mapping and compensation benchmarking services to help the clients map the right talent based on their unique scenarios.

Within two months, we found exceptional candidates to fill both the positions, despite the numerous scenarios which were not in favor of the client. The candidates who accepted the position had a clear understanding of all the troubles the restaurant was facing and were ready to bring in the required turnaround.

Executive Chef Recruitment

The Executive Chef sourced by our company and hired by the client had experience in working for the restaurants of international hotels and the ability to manage a large staff.

The individual had a degree in hospitality management as well as certifications in finance and accounting. The Executive Chef had managed a proprietary food business for 2-3 years and possessed a keen knowledge of food business client management and food business marketing and development. He had sold his business at a profit before joining an international hotel in the Middle East.

Head Chef Recruitment

The Head Chef sourced by our agency and hired by the restaurant client had an outstanding experience in cuisine innovation, custom food preparation, and maintaining health and hygiene standards.

The Head Chef had 20+ years of experience in the industry and 10+ years of experience serving as a Head Chef for restaurants specializing in North American and Continental cuisine.

The individual also possessed experience and knowledge in restaurant turnaround and transition.

Outcomes

1. Six months post recruitment, the restaurant reported a small profit and vast improvements in its reputation, popularity, orders, and corporate account retention.

2. The restaurant’s cuisine quality attracted a 100% increase in orders from event managers.

3. One year post recruitment of the Executive Chef and Head Chef, the restaurant reported superior metrics in terms of revenue management, cost management, profit margins, and kitchen staff retention.

About Alliance Recruitment Agency

We are a wide network of recruitment and executive search teams offering a range of recruitment solutions worldwide.

Our ability to source highly specialized candidates within a short period of time is one of our key strengths. Our extensive recruitment experience also makes us an affordable recruitment partner, as we are able to get a lot done with less time, investment, and hassles.