Teja Chekuri, Global Entrepreneur. Founder and managing director of Ironhill Brewery.
Dear culinary connoisseurs, welcome to a delicious journey of crafting a global restaurant brand that leaves taste buds tingling and customers coming back for more! As a global entrepreneur with a penchant for the palate, I have successfully created several brands around the world that have a global appeal with a locally inspired twist.
So, grab your aprons, and let’s explore ten delectable tips that will help you craft your restaurant empire!
1. Cuisine Couture
Your vision matters. Finding your unique flavor identity is vital in a world brimming with culinary delights. I have always found that digging into your roots for a cuisine you understand and relate to whips up the best success stories.
While you zero in on that, pepper it with a little bit of the local culture to make it more relatable. A well-crafted culinary identity is a recipe for a memorable global brand. This is the heart and soul of the restaurant that you create, so get this right and align everything around it.
2. Hiring The Right Talent
You might not be a chef to get the food right, but you have to find the right chef to pair with your vision and bring it to life. It is crucial that your chef understands your vision and brings their own twist to it. The intended chef also needs to be able to teach their fellow sous chefs so they can evolve the menu offerings. A bad attitude in the right setting is a recipe for a quick souring dish that will leave a bad taste in your mouth.
3. Design Delights
People eat with their eyes, inhale fragrances and experience touch before tasting the food. Good presentable food not only tantalizes taste buds but also dazzles the eyes. The same goes for the restaurant ambiance.
Let your restaurant’s ambiance be a canvas for cultural expression. Blend local art, architecture and design elements into your space, creating an immersive experience that transports guests to the heart of your brand’s origin. Make your restaurant a tantalizing tapestry that tells a story of heritage and innovation. I have been particularly fond of integrating global décor with local art for every restaurant concept I bring alive.
4. Price Points
This is a crucial element to the success of your restaurant. You cannot charge the same price in Bangalore as you do in New York. Survey the market, and arrive at a price point that will work in the city you are in without devaluing your brand.
5. Market Research
I think we all have a restaurant idea we love. Sometimes we fall so much in love with it that we refuse to acknowledge that it will not work in a specific city. Consider outsourcing this to an expert who will come back and tell you what will work in the city you have zeroed in on. I have scrapped more concepts than those I have agreed to.
You need to have an audience or the potential to create one for a concept to work. You will understand this when you start seeing success roll in faster when you align concepts with market research.
6. Community Engagement
Engage with local communities and support causes that resonate with the community’s values. Let your restaurant be more than just a place to eat; let it become a community hub that celebrates diversity and inclusivity. Find a local cause to support.
7. Social Savvy
In the digital age, social media is your magic wand to reach out to a global audience. Engage customers through mouthwatering food photography, behind-the-scenes glimpses and captivating storytelling. Encourage user-generated content by running photo contests or foodie challenges, inviting patrons worldwide to share their unique experiences. Nothing spreads like a delicious rumor on social media. Yum!
8. Locally Global Marketing
To win hearts and stomachs across borders, customize your marketing strategies to suit different regions. Hire local experts to understand what works in their market. This, in my opinion, is the ace in your deck.
9. Personalized Hospitality
In a world where AI and automation are gaining traction, never underestimate the power of personal touch. Train your staff to connect with guests on a human level, ensuring that every dining experience feels tailor-made.
Learn a few phrases in different languages to welcome guests with a warm embrace, and let your service speak the language of hospitality. Return the favor by helping them learn a few phrases in your language.
10. Brand Ambassadors
In my experience, the best ambassadors for any brand that you create are the local people who help you create it, service and interact with the brand before the final customer walks in.
Understand and observe local customs and traditions while engaging with internal and external audiences. This is one aspect that I absolutely insist on before starting work on a concept. Pay attention to this, and your brand marketing will go through so much easier.
Building a global brand in the restaurant industry requires a fine blend of vision, flavor and cultural finesse. Let your restaurant be the culinary ambassador of its roots, spreading the aroma of its local flavor to every corner of the world. As a global entrepreneur, embrace the joy of gastronomic exploration from your roots, for it is the key to success.
Bon appétit!
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