The ascent of a restaurant construction professional : Sarid Drory: After serving as a Special Forces Lieutenant in Israel, stationed in Lebanon for five years, Drory’s first development and management experience was in the carpet and floor cleaning industry. He developed six successful companies in this category, selling them at a profit. See extra information at http://waverlynyc.com/. The management and staff need to show and provide quality customer service. Leading companies today become successful because of an excellent service. The staff need to be friendly, efficient and fast when it comes serving the food or getting the order of their customers. Any complaint needs to be handled in a way that the restaurant will not lose a valued customer.
Figuring out food costs on every menu item is hard work. It’s also essential to turning a profit. Make weekly inventories and number-crunching routine duties. Accurate food cost accounting helps you develop better menus, deal with price fluctuations and budget for seasonal ingredients. Organize back of house so that staff can work with maximum efficiency and minimum waste, Make sure everyone understands the important role they play in holding down food costs. Emphasize best-prep practices as part of in-house training, and assign rotating positions to monitor overall effectiveness. Consider hiring a restaurant cleaning service such as from ServiceMaster to keep the premises clean and safe for employees.
Since that time, Drory has cultivated a prestigious history of success in the New York City restaurant scene. His first purchase was Ye Waverly Inn from the family who had run the establishment for three generations. Due to his strategic upgrades to the restaurant, including the installation of the famed garden, Drory created a popular New York hot spot and tripled the revenue in three years. After 14 years for ownership, he sold Ye Waverly Inn for seven figures. Next, Drory bought The Cub Room restaurant from renowned chef, Henry Meer for $1.25 million. After a year of ownership he had increased the revenue by 70%. Totaling in 8,000 square feet, The Cub Room housed a 3,000 square foot dining area, a lounge with a bar which was further expanded by Drory, with 89 types of scotch and 94 types of vodka. An organic café occupied the third room, which became a favorite hangout area for New Yorkers. After about ten years Drory sold the restaurant for $2.5 million
Drory’s next restaurant and renovation project was Greenwich café, a 24-hour café, which became a well- loved spot by its downtown West Village community. Barbara Walters even chose the restaurant to host a 4-hour, on-location live show where the community played an integral part of the broadcast. The initial project cost for the restaurant was $350,000 and it was sold for $1.8 million, adding to Drory’s portfolio. Along with Lesly Bernard, best known for Pravda and Clementine, and Herb Wilson, formerly of Bambou and Jack’s Fifth, Drory next remade Greenwich into NYC, which was acquired for $2.2 million. Drory’s other projects have included two Italian restaurants, located in East and West Village, and called Tanti Baci. Drory brought in special cooks from a village in Palermo, Italy, where his father was raised, to enhance the romantic feel of the restaurant. The two restaurants were a big success after 14 years of operating and were sold for $1.8 million each.
One of Drory’s latest projects is Artisanal Bistro, located on 2 Park Avenue, noted as NYC’s first artisanal food entries. After acquiring Artisanal, Drory made many improvements in the first 40 days, including saving $1.2 million by cutting expenses and adding enhancements to the environment for the clientele that love Artisanal. Menu enhancements by Drory include offering 81 types of wine by glass to match the existing menu of 197 types of cheese; expert bakers from Breads to add to the wine and cheese experience; and increasing the wine selection list to include top shelf cognac and scotch. Drory hired Adam Tihany, the famed hospitality designer who originally designed the space, to renovate Artisanal. Additional contracts in the works include two downtown hotspots; Spitzer’s Corner on 101 Rivington Street and Los Feliz on 109 Ludlow Street. Spitzer’s was bought for $5.2 million and Los Feliz for $2.8 million. Sarid also bought the club Fat Baby for $3 million. Drory will be moving Artisanal to a better and bigger location on Park Avenue, because Sarid would like to share the space with a substantial retail space for cheese and pastries by Fall 2016.
A successful restaurant runs well from front to back of house because everyone on staff knows they’re appreciated. Make it clear that you value their hard work. Set up bonus systems, be generous with incentives, and organize entertaining outside activities. Let them know your door is always open to both their concerns and their ideas.
Heart – Be recognized as a business with a large heart by donating to non-profit organizations that help curb homelessness and hunger in your city. You might want to consider setting up a buffet-style food day where you provide meals to those in need. This helps build an emotional connection to your community and shows that your business is about more than making a profit. Social Media – Do you want to be seen and heard? Create social posts and write fun captions that show off the food you serve. Mouthwatering photos lead people right to your door. Likes and shares on platforms like Instagram help your business see exponential restaurant success as they get passed on from one person to another. When your food is talked about on social media, you are more likely to get referral business.
