I am very excited to say that Knoxville has some great new options on the way for diners and bar goers alike. A new UPSCALE sports bar and music venue coming to you in November, I believe everyone will be very impressed with what is being done in the space formerly occupied by World Grotto. A new speakeasy and live music/event space will be opening side by side also in November. The space is very close to downtown and will provide a nice alternative away from the younger crowd that flocks to the Old City.
Just giving you a little teaser of what is to come, I will write more when I have it. I hope to be working on some level with both of these establishments. I have met the owners and think both of these spaces have the right people behind the scenes to make them very successful.
We shall see...
Cheers!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Trying to get on the map...
Knoxville,TN.
Not exactly the place you would think of when speaking of fine cuisine. Think again.
While Knoxville is a college town and has more than its fair share of the standard chains, there are some really bright dining stars here. The Market square area, as well as downtown, have both grown in the past few years to accommodate some fantastic restaurants. La Costa market square, is a wonderful, fully organic restaurant that prides itself on it fantastic specials as well as a nicely rounded wine list. Nama, on Gay st., is hands down the best sushi place I have ever had the opportunity to dine in (time spent on the West coast is not included in this statement, because that's just not fair). The Tomato Head has arguably the best pizza in the area and definitely some of the freshest ingredients.
These are a few of the many options, I will try to bring more to this as I have the opportunity to explore and taste!
"If drinking is interfering with your work, you are probably a heavy drinker. If work is interfering with your drinking, you are probably an alcoholic.)
-Author Unknown
Not exactly the place you would think of when speaking of fine cuisine. Think again.
While Knoxville is a college town and has more than its fair share of the standard chains, there are some really bright dining stars here. The Market square area, as well as downtown, have both grown in the past few years to accommodate some fantastic restaurants. La Costa market square, is a wonderful, fully organic restaurant that prides itself on it fantastic specials as well as a nicely rounded wine list. Nama, on Gay st., is hands down the best sushi place I have ever had the opportunity to dine in (time spent on the West coast is not included in this statement, because that's just not fair). The Tomato Head has arguably the best pizza in the area and definitely some of the freshest ingredients.
These are a few of the many options, I will try to bring more to this as I have the opportunity to explore and taste!
"If drinking is interfering with your work, you are probably a heavy drinker. If work is interfering with your drinking, you are probably an alcoholic.)
-Author Unknown
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
A Few Random Facts... Just For Fun
Guinness Beer is actually brewed in about 35 countries. 40% of all Guinness is produced in Africa.
The longest bar in the world is 684 ft long and is located at the New Bulldog in Rock Island, Illinois.
The U.S. Marines first recruiting station was a bar.
Bourbon is the official spirit of the United States by an act of Congress.
The Manhattan (bourbon and sweet vermouth) was invented by Winston Churchill's mother.
If a young Tiriki man offers a woman a beer and she spits some in his mouth they become engaged.
The shallow champagne glass began with Marie Antoinette, it was first formed from wax molds of her breasts.
Methyphobia is fear of alcohol.
White wine gets darker as it ages, while red wine gets lighter.
The average number of grapes it takes to make a bottle of wine is 600.
Favorite cocktails of some former presidents:
Gin and tonic- Ford
Gin Martini-Hoover
Rum and Coke- Nixon
Scotch- FDR
Bourbon- Truman
Modern Snakebite (stout and hard cider)- Clinton
Cheers!
"It has long been recognized that the problems with alcohol relate not to the use of a bad thing, but the abuse of a good thing".
-Abraham Lincoln
The longest bar in the world is 684 ft long and is located at the New Bulldog in Rock Island, Illinois.
The U.S. Marines first recruiting station was a bar.
Bourbon is the official spirit of the United States by an act of Congress.
The Manhattan (bourbon and sweet vermouth) was invented by Winston Churchill's mother.
If a young Tiriki man offers a woman a beer and she spits some in his mouth they become engaged.
The shallow champagne glass began with Marie Antoinette, it was first formed from wax molds of her breasts.
Methyphobia is fear of alcohol.
White wine gets darker as it ages, while red wine gets lighter.
The average number of grapes it takes to make a bottle of wine is 600.
Favorite cocktails of some former presidents:
Gin and tonic- Ford
Gin Martini-Hoover
Rum and Coke- Nixon
Scotch- FDR
Bourbon- Truman
Modern Snakebite (stout and hard cider)- Clinton
Cheers!
"It has long been recognized that the problems with alcohol relate not to the use of a bad thing, but the abuse of a good thing".
-Abraham Lincoln
Thursday, August 6, 2009
A Fools Way Out...
I recently picked up a weekly circular that focuses on the service industry, not restaurants per se but more about employees of restaurants and bars. I was extremely disapointed to find an article entitled "Blame It On The Kitchen". The article didn't talk about this problem in a negative way, it promoted it! It even called it "The number one best servers defense", and went as far to say "I will blame the kitchen when something goes wrong that they can be blamed for-hell, even if it's something they CAN'T be blamed for".
Are You Kidding Me?
This kind of attitude is what is wrong with a lot of servers. I don't mean to say that there are not times when it is the kitchens fault i.e. they were busy and forgot something, they didn't realize that you subbed a side dish, things were not timed correctly and one dish was either too early and cold or too late to be served with the other meals. In my observations and work experience though, I have seen many more issues with server error i.e. forgetting to ring the substitution, not ringing in an order, taking the wrong food out of a window, or not having someone watch for your food while you ran to the restroom or out back for a smoke.
I think people in a restaurant appreciate honesty; an honest drink, an honest meal for their buck, and most of all an honest server. I have always been the type that will tell a guest my opinion of a dish if I am asked, I will steer them towards the fresher selections of the day, I will tell them if I have screwed something up and go above and beyond to rectify the situation. As a guest, I do not want to hear "the kitchen screwed up" or "it's the bartenders fault". You are the person I am speaking with, you are the person giving me advice, you are the person I pay at the end of the meal, as far as I am concerned you might as well own this establishment! There is the issue, ownership. Servers need to carry themselves as the face of the place! Don't just act like you know, act like you own! Look your guest in the eyc and say "I' m sorry WE have made a mistake, what can I do to make it up to you?". Your gust will appreciate the honesty, and feel as if they are dealing with someone who both can and will do whatever is needed to insure that they leave happy.
I will tell you what you can't "Blame On The Kitchen"...order-takers like the author of this article giving quality servers a bad name.
Cheers!
"It was a woman who drove me to drink, and I've never had the opportunity to thank her..."
-Will Rogers
Are You Kidding Me?
This kind of attitude is what is wrong with a lot of servers. I don't mean to say that there are not times when it is the kitchens fault i.e. they were busy and forgot something, they didn't realize that you subbed a side dish, things were not timed correctly and one dish was either too early and cold or too late to be served with the other meals. In my observations and work experience though, I have seen many more issues with server error i.e. forgetting to ring the substitution, not ringing in an order, taking the wrong food out of a window, or not having someone watch for your food while you ran to the restroom or out back for a smoke.
I think people in a restaurant appreciate honesty; an honest drink, an honest meal for their buck, and most of all an honest server. I have always been the type that will tell a guest my opinion of a dish if I am asked, I will steer them towards the fresher selections of the day, I will tell them if I have screwed something up and go above and beyond to rectify the situation. As a guest, I do not want to hear "the kitchen screwed up" or "it's the bartenders fault". You are the person I am speaking with, you are the person giving me advice, you are the person I pay at the end of the meal, as far as I am concerned you might as well own this establishment! There is the issue, ownership. Servers need to carry themselves as the face of the place! Don't just act like you know, act like you own! Look your guest in the eyc and say "I' m sorry WE have made a mistake, what can I do to make it up to you?". Your gust will appreciate the honesty, and feel as if they are dealing with someone who both can and will do whatever is needed to insure that they leave happy.
I will tell you what you can't "Blame On The Kitchen"...order-takers like the author of this article giving quality servers a bad name.
Cheers!
"It was a woman who drove me to drink, and I've never had the opportunity to thank her..."
-Will Rogers
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
This is a snippet of an article I found online.
Several years ago, researchers at Cornell University and Michigan State University conducted a study of restaurants in three local markets over a 10-year period. They concluded the following: After the first year 27% of restaurant startups failed; after three years, 50% of those restaurants were no longer in business; and after five years 60% had gone south. At the end of 10 years, 70% of the restaurants that had opened for business a decade before had failed. Those are far different numbers than a 90% failure rate after the first year quoted by our television star chef. Another academic research study concluded that 81.4% of all small business failures result from forces within the control of the owners/managers. The bottom line is that even if the failure rate is a little daunting, failure is not inevitable.
-G.Sidney
I truly agree with what Sidney is saying here, especially the last line. Failure happens for many reasons with restaurants or bars, I believe that more often than not it is due to staff and management problems. I have seen too many employees figuring out ways around the rules, and I have watched too many owners or managers sit at the end of the bar drinking up the profits. As someone who works in this industry, and has for years this bothers me terribly. I have watched friends (and myself) lose their jobs due to other peoples mistakes. Misappropriations within a restaurant affect so many people, I know servers, bartenders and dishwashers who have lost their homes, cars etc. because of the sudden loss of steady income that they had been counting on and working their ass off for! I have seen owners sink their families hard earned money into a place that gets run into the ground by selfish and dishonest employees. Now everyone is in trouble! The servers now have trouble finding a new job elsewhere because the places that are being run right by management and not taken over by the staff are full. People don't leave these jobs because they are treated right and make great money, owners are there for them because the staff is responsible, honest and loyal. The owners are now looking for work as well, or back at the jobs they left because now they have to find a way to recoup the money that they and their family no longer have.
I don't want to appear to be on a high horse. Who hasn't handed out a few drinks to a well tipping customer? Or given your buddy a beer? Snuck a shot as a manager or employee? We all probably have, but let's stop blaming the industry or the economy for the failures and do our best to take responsibility for them and turn them around. Cheers all!
"Always do sober, what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut"
-Ernest Hemmingway
Several years ago, researchers at Cornell University and Michigan State University conducted a study of restaurants in three local markets over a 10-year period. They concluded the following: After the first year 27% of restaurant startups failed; after three years, 50% of those restaurants were no longer in business; and after five years 60% had gone south. At the end of 10 years, 70% of the restaurants that had opened for business a decade before had failed. Those are far different numbers than a 90% failure rate after the first year quoted by our television star chef. Another academic research study concluded that 81.4% of all small business failures result from forces within the control of the owners/managers. The bottom line is that even if the failure rate is a little daunting, failure is not inevitable.
-G.Sidney
I truly agree with what Sidney is saying here, especially the last line. Failure happens for many reasons with restaurants or bars, I believe that more often than not it is due to staff and management problems. I have seen too many employees figuring out ways around the rules, and I have watched too many owners or managers sit at the end of the bar drinking up the profits. As someone who works in this industry, and has for years this bothers me terribly. I have watched friends (and myself) lose their jobs due to other peoples mistakes. Misappropriations within a restaurant affect so many people, I know servers, bartenders and dishwashers who have lost their homes, cars etc. because of the sudden loss of steady income that they had been counting on and working their ass off for! I have seen owners sink their families hard earned money into a place that gets run into the ground by selfish and dishonest employees. Now everyone is in trouble! The servers now have trouble finding a new job elsewhere because the places that are being run right by management and not taken over by the staff are full. People don't leave these jobs because they are treated right and make great money, owners are there for them because the staff is responsible, honest and loyal. The owners are now looking for work as well, or back at the jobs they left because now they have to find a way to recoup the money that they and their family no longer have.
I don't want to appear to be on a high horse. Who hasn't handed out a few drinks to a well tipping customer? Or given your buddy a beer? Snuck a shot as a manager or employee? We all probably have, but let's stop blaming the industry or the economy for the failures and do our best to take responsibility for them and turn them around. Cheers all!
"Always do sober, what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut"
-Ernest Hemmingway
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
And So it Begins...
I am beginning this blog as an addition to my website and personal business www.HeavyPourConsulting.com , a consulting company specializing in front of the house issues and marketing for both bars and restaurants. As I stated this is just an addition, I don't want to solely use this forum to promote myself or business, It will be a place where I discuss the service industry...positive and negative! I plan on articles, stories, quotes, jokes and the occasional drink recipe. The more people that read and comment the more we can all learn from each other.There is my intro, I will now leave you with your quote for the day:
"I feel sorry for people that don't drink, because when they wake up in the morning that's the best they are going to feel all day"
-Frank Sinatra
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