Ken Burgin

Restaurant Productivity

Hospo Reset Spotlight

How to Sell a Cafe

Podcast 12: Buying and Selling Cafes and Restaurants

March 14, 2022 No Comments

In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Paul Leach from GSE Business Consultants about Buying and Selling Cafes and Restaurants. Paul is an experienced business consultant and broker: he originally trained as a chef and has many years of experience as a cafe and bakery owner. There are some great hospitality businesses for sale, and many that will be disappointing – it’s essential to understand the factors that make the difference between a good purchase

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Disney & Hospitality

Podcast 11: What Can Disney Teach Us About Hospitality Systems & Service?

February 27, 2022 No Comments

If you haven’t experienced a Disney theme park or travel adventure, you have heard about the amazing service and carefully designed experiences they produce. How can hospitality operators of any size learn from the Disney approach to customer service, and create some of that magic in their own venue? In this podcast, I’m talking with Michelle Pascoe, a Customer & Team Retention Specialist in the hospitality industry. Her dynamic business covers areas from leadership &

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Food Delivery Truck

How to Get a Better Deal from Food & Beverage Suppliers

February 16, 2022 No Comments

The relationship between hospitality venues and their suppliers is a complicated one. Sometimes, vendors act like a business partner, tipping you off to new products and trends. Other times, you feel as though they are competition, squeezing out every last cent. The best way to manage this paradox is to have some supplier tips and tools up your sleeve – here are some suggestions. Many small hospitality businesses run their price negotiation on a weekly

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Developing Young Leaders

Podcast 10: Developing Leadership Skills in Young Hospitality Staff

February 14, 2022 No Comments

More young people are being given management responsibilities early in their career, and running a hospitality business is becoming more complex. This can mean added stress and errors, and much more to learn about. Training and development for new leaders can be done through professional courses, and many times it’s through guidance on the job. How can business owners and senior managers make this process more effective and efficient? In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks

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Restaurant Efficiency

How to Get Better Results on the Busy Days

February 8, 2022 No Comments

Being busy is great, but chaos is not – it leaves customers frustrated, staff upset and a real loss of potential profits. Here’s a quick checklist to prepare front and back of house so you maximise results, contain costs and avoid drama. Be well organised Anticipate the Busy Days. Based on the other factors, like weather, day of the week, TV and sporting events. Over time these have predictable results on customer numbers – check

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Restaurant Payments

10 Ways to Make it Easier for Customers to Spend Money – Remove the Friction in your Cafe or Restaurant

February 8, 2022 No Comments

Nothing should interrupt a customer who’s keen to give you money! The sales term is ‘grease the slide’ – removing any friction that stops a customer completing a sale. Check for any bumps or roadblocks you may have created – here are some solutions: Take more Credit Cards: Do you accept the whole range? Amex fees are a bit higher, but ‘no Amex’ rules get people offside, especially if they want the points. Are you

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Kitchen Recruitment

Podcast 9: Take a Fresh Look at Finding and Keeping Kitchen Staff

February 7, 2022 No Comments

Foodservice operators need to be more creative and flexible in their search for staff, and more thoughtful about how they look after those they have. It’s more than just offering higher pay – that might be part of the equation, but there are many other factors involved. In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Paul Rifkin. a chef consultant who works with a wide variety of clubs, pubs and foodservice operators. He’s a practical optimist,

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foodservice outsourcing

Podcast 8: Outsourcing and Labour Saving in Modern Foodservice

January 31, 2022 No Comments

Shortages of skilled staff are nothing new in hospitality, but Covid lockdowns and job losses have only made the situation worse. It’s time to stop waiting for things to improve, and take a fresh, hard look at your menu and how many people you need in the kitchen. Customers still want quality and service at an affordable price, but how else can this be provided? In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Graeme McCormack from

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Regional Cafes

Podcast 7: Building Strong Cafes & Restaurants in Regional Communities

January 24, 2022 No Comments

A good cafe, good food and a good bar can often be the heart of a country town – for locals and the people who visit. What makes them successful, especially if they don’t have a big-city population and workforce? In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Deb Brown from SaveYour.Town about the many ways that regional cafes and restaurants can grow and prosper through community connections and innovation – it’s an inspiring conversation. Topics

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Restaurant Consultant

Podcast 6: How to Be a Successful Cafe, Restaurant or Foodservice Consultant

January 17, 2022 No Comments

Many chefs, managers and business owners have built up years of experience running kitchens and restaurants. They often think about consulting as a way to take their career to the next level, and an opportunity to have more regular time with friends and family. In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks to Shaun de Vries from Open Pantry Consulting, about how he’s developed his very successful consulting business, including the excellent Principle of Hospitality Podcast. Topics

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