If you have ever played a team sport, you will have taken part in pre-game warm ups and a final few moments of time together with your mates before the game begins. Your coach probably even gave you a last-minute pep talk or some tips that may help you play better that day.
That is what we do at least twice a day at each of our restaurants. For us, it is called Pre-Meal.
15 minutes before we start lunch and dinner we get our staff together to talk about food, cocktails, any specials we have and to try dishes so that the servers can tell our guests what to expect in terms of flavor and ingredients.
We also go over the reservations so that everyone knows what to expect from the shift. Birthdays, family reunions, first dates, bridal luncheons and other special occasions are things we want to make sure we recognize.
Pre-meal is the place where we take a collective breath before things get lively every day. If you show up a few minutes before we open and see a dozen or so staff sitting at a table tasting some food and talking, we are just getting ready to take better care of you. It’s one of the more obvious ways that teamwork plays a part in our day.
