Remember Rita describing how she was a mentor for the Café Studies class at Guilford Young College in March this year?
Well, you’ll be pleased to know that the class business of running the cafe went ahead and they opened their Mosh Café at the college, traded one day per week all through second term, and have now moved into their newly built commercial kitchens also onsite at GYC. They finished up for the year today, serving their last meals to staff, students and guests. (Pictured above is Aaron Lucas, teacher and chef extraordinaire, in their new kitchen at GYC today). The company will be wound up this week, and there will be an award-giving night at Bellerive Yacht Club for all participants in a few weeks time.
All sixteen students proved to be extremely competent café workers, and business people. Whilst not quite ending up in the black, they traded extremely well, and had we had a few more weeks in which to trade, would have well and truly made a significant profit. I sincerely hope they remember to add participation in this venture to their resumes as the experience was highly relevant to their futures, no matter what they end up doing.
I have learnt a lot from these young people, but mostly I re-learnt about youth. As people get older, I find generally they loose that spark of youth; that embracing of fun and laughter and piss-taking and risk-taking. That intangible that sets young people apart from the rest of the world.
Being with those kids reminded me (especially when I returned to work, to the world of adults acting and behaving like adults) of what it was that we all seem to loose over the duration of our adult lives. I’m sorry in lots of ways that I had to grow up too, if it meant loosing that spark.
Anyway – I’ll miss Mosh Café and its staff, and have been privileged to have been part of their Café Studies class this year. Thank you Aaron and GYC Café Studies. (Why didn’t Huonville High have that class in 1964?)
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8 comments:
This comment is for your previous post.I wouldnt be suprised if it was the same male owner I dealt with.(new cafe already for sale). I called the cafe to book a table for for sunday lunch and was arroganty told that he does not reserve tables because its so busy just turn up. So we turned up to a up at 1 pm to a fairly empty cafe and were rudely asked if we had a booking. Then the cafe stayed pretty much empty the whole time we were there. What a wanker! I would never go back there or to his other restaurant either.
I have consistantly heard that this particular place that Rita visited is waay overrated.
Getting to that time of the year again when people book large tables for hen's nights, birthday celebrations and dare we say - early Christmas gatherings. How do we in the industry get around the number of no-shows. Had a group of 25 book on a Saturday night, reduced to 19, 14 turned up and two shared the cheapest main on the menu. They were occupying a semi private area due to the numbers booked, so there was no alternative but to turn away walk-ins, as the remainder of the restaurant was full. How do the dining public feel about a minimum spend, or a restaurant insisting on a set menu, or taking a deposit? I know it's not London (Sir Grumpy) but the last time I dined in a really nice restaurant there, we were required to give our credit card details and a cancellation fee would be charged in the event of a "no show". I know we're not at that level yet, but what can the industry do! Imagine booking 6 hair appointments and only 2 turning up - we just would'nt do it, so why is it ok to do it to the restaurant industry! Any thoughts (apart from - don't buy a restaurant)
Congrats on the Mosh Cafe Rita! I wish I had had the opportunity to do YAA as a student - might have learned a few things to help me out now!
As a diner, I would be more than happy to provide credit card details when making a reservation at a restaurant. After all we do this with accom. bookings etc. However, I am not sure this approach would work with group bookings. For the numerous hen's nights I have been on over the last couple of years, more often than not it has been a set menu or prepaid option, which I believe is also totally acceptable (more often than not hen's are not usally there for the food!). it comes down to communication and making the terms clear at the time of booking.
LT
Two Anons - I didn't state the name of the restaurant, for obvious reasons, so won't add anything to your comments.
Anon 9.51 - I hope a few can comne up with a suggestion as this has been a source of frustraion and irritation for years, and seeming to become way more prevalent, particularly last year. It doesn't surprise me, given society's general lack of courtesy and thoughtfulness these days. The over-riding attitude seems to be basically 'stuff everyone else, it's all about ME', so given that, why would you bother calling a restaurant back to report on diminished numbers for your group booking?
LT - I agree with you that I would always be happy to provide cc details on booking round that busy time (and any other time too). Group bookings ARE something that should be looked at seriously, and probably cc details taken from the person making the booking - that would then ensure that it's in that person's interests to follow up with the booking, especially closer to the date, as it will obviously cost THEM if they fail to do the right thing by the restaurant. Hand over the onus to them that book!
Anon 9.51
Yoy want US to put money in your till AND come up witha sure fire way to attract business?!
Stop moaning & just cook my dinner properly & just maybe I'll turn up.
There are always going to be these sorts of problems, especially in a small city with a vast amount of choice. In many respects hospitality is like housing. When you have an over supply of vendors and few customers, the customer becomes empowered and in some ways over awed with choice.
In larger cities you generaly would not consider dining out without a booking, knowing full well that you would not get in.
In my own case, we often close off part of the restaurant on quieter nights, reduce the staff etc. The people who wander in are served as are the bookings. However just occasionally we say no. Not because we are not gratefull for the custom, but because in serving people (especially groups) we would be compromising our quality and standards of service, not only to you, but to the patrons who did book. The result can often mean that you recieve a less than satisfactory experience for your dollar, which for some of us that matters more than just turning a buck.
Cartouche
All industries have no-shows and no-payers, it's just the cost of doing business. It's not just a hospitality industry issue. So just deal with it like everybody else does and institute your own control measures.
Meanwhile that's a swanky looking set-up with that cafe Rita! We never had that much funding when I was at GYC. In fact we only had one goal for soccer. And had to walk barefoot through the snow to get there!
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