ELYSIUM LAGOS À LA CARTE RESTAURANT PROJECT
CHEF AHMET ÖZDEMİR BROUGHT THE ELYSIUM GROUP RESTAURANT PROJECT TO LIFE IN LAGOS, NIGERIA
International restaurant consultant and kitchen consultant Chef Ahmet Özdemir managed the full operational structure of the comprehensive à la carte restaurant project carried out under Elysium Group in Lagos, Nigeria, from the construction phase to the opening process.
The Elysium Lagos project was not a single restaurant study. It was a multi-dimensional food and beverage project in which four different restaurant concepts were planned under the same brand, their menus were prepared, their operation systems were established and they were carried through to opening.
Within this project, Fine Dining, Garden Restaurant, Bistro and Cafe concepts were handled separately. For each concept, intercontinental menu structure, kitchen layout, service flow, staff hierarchy, training system, operation plan and opening management were prepared professionally.
Elysium Group Lagos stands out as one of Chef Ahmet Özdemir’s reference projects in international restaurant setup, à la carte restaurant consulting, kitchen consulting, menu consulting and operation management.
INTERCONTINENTAL CUISINE CONCEPT
Elysium restaurants were planned not only as a Turkish cuisine concept, but as an intercontinental cuisine concept. In this approach, different world cuisines, international guest expectations, local product availability, operational capacity, service language and brand identity were evaluated together.
The intercontinental menu concept is a much more comprehensive study than a classic restaurant menu. In this structure, not only taste, but also product availability, kitchen team application skills, service tempo, cost structure, plate standard, guest profile and the brand goal of the restaurant must be considered together.
The menus prepared by Chef Ahmet Özdemir were created to bring together the expectations of Lagos gastronomy and international restaurant standards.
FOUR DIFFERENT RESTAURANT CONCEPTS UNDER ELYSIUM GROUP
The Elysium Lagos project was planned under four different restaurant headings:
FINE DINING RESTAURANT
The fine dining concept was prepared as the highest-level restaurant experience of Elysium Group. The aim in this section was to create a special restaurant structure that appeals to a distinguished guest profile, carries a high service standard, has an elegant presentation language and presents the intercontinental cuisine approach at a refined level.
For the fine dining restaurant, menu language, plate presentation, product quality, service speed, reservation flow, staff behavior standards and kitchen production system were studied separately.
GARDEN RESTAURANT
The Garden Restaurant concept was planned with an open-air atmosphere, a relaxed but high-quality service approach and a menu structure that appeals to a wider guest profile. In this section, the garden ambiance, service flow, table setup, menu variety and operational intensity of the restaurant were evaluated together.
The menus prepared for the Garden concept were created to include both international flavors and products that are easy to consume in a relaxed atmosphere.
BISTRO RESTAURANT
The Bistro concept was handled as a more dynamic and accessible restaurant model that can serve at different times of the day. In the Bistro menu, fast service, strong flavor, balanced cost, practical production and guest satisfaction were considered together.
In this section, kitchen production flow, service tempo, product preparation system and staff task distribution were built on operational efficiency.
CAFE / COFFEE SHOP
The Cafe and Coffee Shop concept was planned as a structure that lives throughout the day, can provide fast service and functions as a social meeting area with desserts, beverages, light food and snack options.
The cafe menu was created by considering coffee, desserts, snacks, light meals, daytime sales and guest flow. In this section, product visibility, counter sales, service speed and repeat visit rate were evaluated as important headings.
FULL-SCOPE MANAGEMENT FROM CONSTRUCTION TO OPENING
The work in the Elysium Lagos project was not limited to menu preparation. The project was managed in detail from the construction phase to the opening of the restaurants.
The main works carried out within this scope included:
* Evaluation of restaurant project drawings
* Planning of kitchen and service areas
* Determination of fixed asset and equipment needs
* Selection of kitchen equipment
* Planning of service equipment
* Preparation of menu concepts
* Creation of intercontinental menus
* Preparation of fine dining, garden, bistro and cafe menus separately
* Recipe standardization
* Writing of staff hierarchy
* Establishment of the kitchen team
* Establishment of the service team
* Staff training
* Creation of operational flow
* Supply chain work
* Management of the soft opening process
* Preparation for the grand opening
* Post-opening performance follow-up
Thanks to this structure, Elysium Group Lagos was brought to life not only as a restaurant group with completed decoration, but as a food and beverage project with a functioning kitchen, service, team, menu, operation system and brand language.
MENU CONSULTING AND RECIPE STANDARDIZATION
In the Elysium Lagos project, menus were prepared separately for each restaurant concept. A fine dining menu and a bistro menu cannot be built with the same approach. The service flow of a garden restaurant and the operation of a cafe do not have the same needs. Therefore, each concept was handled according to its own guest profile, service capacity, kitchen structure and brand goals.
The following headings were considered in the menu work:
* Intercontinental cuisine structure
* Guest profile
* Product supply conditions
* Application capacity of the kitchen team
* Service speed
* Plate presentation
* Cost control
* Portion standard
* Recipe applicability
* Menu variety
* Restaurant concept
* Expectations of Lagos gastronomy
During this process, fine dining, garden, bistro and cafe menus were prepared as separate files. In addition, special works such as red meat, seafood and chef’s test menus were also carried out.
STAFF HIERARCHY AND TEAM TRAINING
The success of a restaurant project does not depend only on the beauty of the venue or the richness of the menu. The team that will operate the restaurant must be established correctly, job descriptions must be clear and the staff must be trained with the same standard.
In the Elysium Lagos project, the kitchen and service team were created with this understanding. Staff hierarchy was written, task distributions were determined, the kitchen working order was established and the service language to be used by the service team in front of guests was professionally developed.
The following areas were covered in staff training:
Kitchen discipline
Recipe application
Portion standard
Product preparation order
Service discipline
Guest greeting
Table service
Menu explanation
Complaint management
Team task sharing
Quality standard
Operational flow
Thanks to these trainings, the newly formed team was carried into the opening process in a more prepared, conscious and disciplined way.
SOFT OPENING AND GRAND OPENING PROCESS
In the Elysium Lagos project, the restaurants were not taken directly to grand opening. First, the soft opening process was managed. A soft opening is an important stage in which kitchen, service, menu, team, inventory, supply and operational flow are tested before moving into the full guest experience.
During the soft opening process, the following areas were observed:
Kitchen production speed
Service flow
Menu applicability
Staff performance
Table management
Guest feedback
Product deficiencies
Supply problems
Operational issues
Cost and portion control
After the soft opening, the system was improved through the data obtained, deficiencies were corrected and the grand opening process was successfully carried out approximately three months later.
A 16-MONTH INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT PROJECT
Elysium Lagos was brought to life as a comprehensive restaurant setup and operation management process of approximately 16 months. During this period, construction, project implementation, equipment, menu, staff, training, operation, soft opening and grand opening headings were managed in connection with each other.
At the end of the project, Elysium Group Lagos became one of the restaurant groups attracting attention in the Lagos gastronomy scene and started to be mentioned among the good restaurants of the city.
This success was not only the result of a good menu. It was the result of correct project management, a strong kitchen system, disciplined team training, controlled operation and sustainable quality understanding.
LAGOS GASTRONOMY AND SUPPLY CHAIN
Managing a restaurant project in a large and dynamic city like Lagos is not limited to culinary knowledge. Local product structure, supply chain, team recruitment process, staff training, cultural differences, guest expectations and operational conditions must be evaluated carefully.
In the Elysium Lagos project, product supply, local market conditions, quality standard, continuity, cost and alternative product planning were among the important work headings.
International restaurant consulting does not mean copying the same system in different countries. It means understanding each country’s product structure, human resources, guest profile and operational conditions, and producing applicable solutions.
INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT SETUP WITH CHEF AHMET ÖZDEMİR
Chef Ahmet Özdemir’s role in the Elysium Lagos project was not limited to writing menus. It was a broad consulting and management work covering the entire process from the construction phase of the restaurants to their opening.
This work included restaurant setup, à la carte restaurant consulting, kitchen consulting, menu consulting, equipment selection, staff training, operation setup, opening management, quality standards and performance follow-up together.
The Elysium Group Lagos project is a strong reference project showing how an intercontinental cuisine concept can be established in international restaurant consulting, how different restaurant models can be managed under the same brand and how newly opened restaurants can be made operational.
CONCLUSION
The Elysium Lagos à la carte restaurant project is a comprehensive international restaurant project consisting of Fine Dining, Garden Restaurant, Bistro and Cafe concepts, prepared with an intercontinental cuisine approach and professionally managed from construction to opening.
Within this project led by Chef Ahmet Özdemir, all details from restaurant project drawings to equipment planning, from menu preparation to staff training, from establishing kitchen and service teams to managing soft opening and grand opening were handled systematically.
The Elysium Lagos project is an important reference work showing how a restaurant group can be brought to life successfully through correct consulting, strong operation management and professional kitchen discipline.