HOW TO OPEN A NEW RESTAURANT?

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HOW TO OPEN A NEW RESTAURANT?

"For investors wishing to open a restaurant, the first step is to determine the right restaurant concept, select a location, prepare a feasibility study, finalize the budget, create the food menu, plan the restaurant kitchen setup, choose equipment, assemble the staff, and properly prepare the opening management. Chef Ahmet Özdemir provides restaurant setup, restaurant consulting, kitchen setup, food menu consulting, cost control, and opening management services in Turkey and various count..."

YENİ RESTORAN AÇMAK İSTİYORUM

HOW TO OPEN A NEW RESTAURANT?

How to open a new restaurant? For investors who say “I want to open a restaurant,” the answer is not simply renting a place, buying tables and chairs, building a kitchen and hanging a sign. A successful restaurant is built with the right business identity, the right location, the right menu, the right kitchen setup, the right equipment selection, the right cost control, the right staff structure and the right opening management.

If you say “I want to open a steak restaurant,” “I want to open a seafood restaurant,” “I want to open a high-class restaurant,” “I want to open an à la carte restaurant,” “I want to open a Turkish cuisine restaurant,” “I want to open a coffee shop,” “I want to open a quick service restaurant,” “I want to open a restaurant with a dealership system,” or “I want to open a restaurant abroad,” the first truth you must know is this: every restaurant is not built with the same method.

Every restaurant type has a different kitchen, menu, equipment need, staff structure, purchasing method, cost structure, service language and guest expectation. For this reason, when opening a new restaurant, the process must not be based on ready-made patterns, but on a professional setup plan suitable for the real identity of the business.

Under the consultancy of Chef Ahmet Özdemir, new restaurant openings are handled in Türkiye and in different countries of the world, within the available cuisine concepts, through a complete consultancy system from the idea stage to opening day. The aim is not only to open a restaurant, but to establish a restaurant that works, earns, can be controlled, creates guest satisfaction and can grow.

I WANT TO OPEN A RESTAURANT, WHERE SHOULD I START?

The first thing investors who say “I want to open a restaurant” should do is to evaluate the idea commercially in the right way. A good food idea alone does not mean a good restaurant. A restaurant investment must be evaluated together with business identity, location, rent burden, kitchen strength, menu, service style, product cost, staff expense, target guest profile and daily sales potential.

Before opening a new restaurant, the following questions must be answered clearly:

What business identity will the restaurant have?

Who will be the target guest profile?

Is the selected location suitable for this restaurant type?

Is the rent burden balanced with the sales target?

How many items will the menu include?

Can the kitchen produce this menu quickly and consistently?

How many guests are targeted daily?

What will the average spending per guest be?

Is the staff cost sustainable according to total revenue?

At what level will product cost be kept?

Is the investment return period realistic?

Making an investment without answering these questions does not mean opening a restaurant; it means increasing the risk.

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO OPEN A STEAK RESTAURANT

For investors who say “I want to open a steak restaurant,” the most important issues are meat quality, meat aging order, cooking equipment, grill line, smoke extraction, meat storage conditions, portion weight and service standard. Opening a steak restaurant does not succeed only by buying good meat. Purchasing, aging, cutting, waste control, cooking degrees, side products, sauces and presentation must be planned within the same system.

Important points when opening a steak restaurant:

Meat supply order

Meat aging cabinet and storage conditions

Butchery preparation area

Grill and cooking equipment

Smoke and odor control

Cooking degree standards

Portion weight

Waste and bone ratio calculation

Side product and garnish cost

Beverage and complementary sales plan

High spending target per guest

A poorly planned steak restaurant experiences the biggest loss on the most expensive product. A correctly planned steak restaurant turns into a profitable business with strong product perception, high guest satisfaction and controlled cost.

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO OPEN A SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

For those who say “I want to open a seafood restaurant,” the most critical issues are freshness, purchasing, cold chain, product display, waste control, cooking method and daily sales planning. A seafood restaurant is a business type that does not forgive stock mistakes. If the product is not fresh, guest trust is lost. If too much product is purchased, waste grows. If too little product is purchased, sales are missed.

When opening a seafood restaurant, the following topics must be professionally planned:

Daily seafood supply

Cold chain and storage system

Seafood display area

Cleaning and preparation section

Grill, pan, oven and steaming equipment

Appetizer production plan

Seafood waste ratio

Daily menu management

Seasonal product tracking

Average sales target per guest

Success in a seafood restaurant is achieved not only with seafood variety, but with correct purchasing, correct storage, correct cooking and correct service speed.

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO OPEN A HIGH-CLASS RESTAURANT

For investors who say “I want to open a high-class restaurant” or “I am planning to open an elite restaurant,” the subject is much more sensitive. Opening a restaurant at this level requires a strong culinary identity, refined menu language, quality service flow, selected guest profile, flawless presentation, calm but effective atmosphere and high-standard staff training.

Every detail affects brand value in high-class restaurants:

Menu story

Tasting menu structure

Plate design

Service rhythm

Reservation management

Table spacing

Staff posture

Product quality

Beverage harmony

Kitchen and dining room communication

Guest welcoming standard

In elite restaurants, mistakes are visible. A wrong plate, slow service, insufficient training, weak business identity or uncontrolled cost can quickly damage brand perception. For this reason, high-class restaurant openings should be planned with professional consultancy.

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO OPEN A TURKISH CUISINE RESTAURANT

For those who say “I want to open a Turkish cuisine restaurant,” the biggest risk is reducing a rich culinary heritage to an ordinary food list. Turkish cuisine is not limited to a few well-known dishes. Ottoman palace cuisine, Anatolian cuisine, old Istanbul cuisine, Mediterranean cuisine, Mevlevi cuisine, regional products, traditional techniques and modern presentation language can turn into a strong restaurant brand when they are planned correctly together.

When opening a Turkish cuisine restaurant, the following topics are important:

Correct determination of culinary identity

Regional balance in the menu

Recipe standards

Adapting traditional techniques to professional production

Updating presentation language

Staff training

Correct storytelling to the guest

Product supply standard

Cost and portion control

Under the consultancy of Chef Ahmet Özdemir, Turkish cuisine, Ottoman and Anatolian cuisine concepts are handled not only as a story from the past, but as applicable, sellable and sustainable restaurant models in the world.

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO OPEN A COFFEE SHOP OR QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANT

For investors who say “I want to open a coffee shop” or “I want to open a quick service restaurant,” speed, repetition, product standard, takeaway service, staff efficiency and high sales turnover are at the forefront. In these businesses, the kitchen may be small, but the system cannot be weak.

In coffee shop projects, the following topics must be planned:

Product range

Coffee and beverage recipes

Dessert and snack order

Beverage preparation area

Takeaway service order

Fast production equipment

Staff task distribution

Daily sales target

Average bill amount

Cost and stock control

In quick service restaurants, the most important issue is speed. No matter how good the product is, if the system is slow, sales loss begins. For this reason, a quick service kitchen must be built to provide the shortest production time according to the menu.

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO OPEN A RESTAURANT WITH A DEALERSHIP SYSTEM

For investors who say “I want to open a restaurant with a dealership system,” brand order, recipe standard, product supply, training model, process control and branch supervision are very important. A dealership system is not only buying the right to use a name. A real dealership model means that the same product can be repeated in different locations with the same quality, the same service language and the same cost discipline.

When opening a restaurant with a dealership system, the following topics should be examined:

Brand strength

Location suitability

Entry fee

Ongoing payment structure

Product supply system

Recipe standard

Training support

Process control

Profitability calculation

Investment return period

The right dealership choice gives speed to the investor. The wrong dealership choice can risk the investor’s capital, time and reputation.

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO OPEN A RESTAURANT ABROAD

For those who say “I want to open a restaurant abroad,” the work is not only opening a place in another country. The target country’s guest habits, product supply, staff structure, culinary culture, service expectations, price perception, local rules and competition structure must be examined.

For investors who want to open a Turkish cuisine restaurant, steak restaurant, Mediterranean restaurant, Ottoman cuisine concept, Anatolian cuisine concept, plant-based restaurant, Lebanese cuisine restaurant or high-class restaurant abroad, the consultancy process must be planned more carefully.

In this process, the following issues are evaluated:

Target country and city analysis

Guest expectations

Local product supply

Access to kitchen equipment

Staff recruitment and training process

Adapting the menu to the local market

Pricing plan

Cultural presentation language

Business flow and opening management

Chef Ahmet Özdemir provides professional consultancy services worldwide, within the available cuisine concepts, in restaurant setup, kitchen consultancy, menu consultancy, cost control, staff training, business flow setup and opening management.

HOW IS BUSINESS IDENTITY DETERMINED WHEN OPENING A NEW RESTAURANT?

Restaurant identity is not a decoration idea. Restaurant identity is the main decision that determines why the business exists, whom it serves, which culinary identity it represents and what kind of experience it offers to the guest.

While creating this identity, the following topics are planned together:

Cuisine type

Target guest profile

Location character

Price level

Menu width

Service style

Table capacity

Staff structure

Brand story

Decoration and atmosphere

Sales plan

If the restaurant identity is not clear, the promotion language will not be clear either. If the promotion language is not clear, reaching the right guest becomes difficult. Therefore, one of the first steps when opening a new restaurant is to create a strong and applicable business identity.

A RESTAURANT KITCHEN CANNOT BE BUILT WITHOUT A MENU

A restaurant kitchen is built according to the menu. Before the menu is clear, equipment selection cannot be made, kitchen layout cannot be finalized, staff number cannot be determined and the cost system cannot be established.

In menu planning, the following details are examined:

Number of products

Preparation time

Cooking method

Service time

Portion weight

Product cost

Waste risk

Supply convenience

Storage need

Profitability rate

Sales strength

A strong menu is not a crowded menu. A strong menu is suitable for the restaurant identity, producible, sellable, controllable in cost and easily understandable by the guest.

HOW IS A RESTAURANT KITCHEN PLANNED?

When opening a new restaurant, kitchen planning is one of the most critical stages. A poorly planned kitchen means slow service, high waste, staff fatigue, hygiene risk, loss of product standard and increased cost.

In professional restaurant kitchen planning, the following areas must be established correctly:

Goods receiving area

Dry storage

Cold storage

Freezer area

Preparation sections

Hot kitchen

Cold kitchen

Dessert section

Dishwashing area

Service pass point

Takeaway service area

Waste management

Hygiene flow

Product flow in the kitchen must not become confused, clean and dirty areas must not overlap, staff must not take unnecessary steps and the service pass must not turn into a bottleneck. The right kitchen directly affects the speed and profit of the restaurant.

HOW IS THE COST OF OPENING A RESTAURANT CALCULATED?

The cost of opening a restaurant does not consist only of decoration and kitchen equipment. Rent, deposit, project, permits, architectural application, kitchen tools and equipment, tables and chairs, staff cost, product purchase, stock, software, signage, promotion, opening expenses and working capital must be calculated together.

When calculating the cost of opening a restaurant, the following items are considered:

Place rent and deposit

Architectural project and application

Kitchen setup

Equipment selection

Ventilation and infrastructure

Furniture and decoration

Staff cost

Initial product purchase

Permits and official procedures

Software and cash register system

Promotion and opening expenses

Working capital

If the investment budget is not calculated correctly, the restaurant may open, but the business may not be sustainable. For this reason, feasibility study is one of the most important steps of restaurant opening.

COST CONTROL MUST BE ESTABLISHED BEFORE OPENING

Starting cost control after the restaurant opens is a late step. Recipes, portion weights, product costs, purchasing lists, stock tracking, waste rates and sales prices must be clarified before opening.

In professional cost control, the following topics are tracked:

Product cost

Recipe cost

Portion cost

Waste rate

Stock turnover speed

Purchase prices

Staff cost

Energy cost

Rent ratio

General expense percentages

Menu profitability

Sales performance

Not every restaurant with high sales earns money. Profit is protected with the right cost system.

A RESTAURANT SHOULD NOT OPEN WITHOUT STAFF ORDER AND BUSINESS FLOW SYSTEM

The success of a restaurant should depend on the system, not on individuals. Kitchen team, dining room team, cash register, purchasing, storage, cleaning, reservation and management must work within a regular business flow.

The following systems must be established at a new restaurant opening:

Job descriptions

Shift plan

Service flow

Kitchen production plan

Opening and closing controls

Hygiene control lists

Stock tracking system

Purchasing method

Recipe application discipline

Guest welcoming standard

Complaint management

Daily reporting

A restaurant without a system repeats the same problems every day. A restaurant with a system measures, controls and grows.

OPENING PREPARATION PROCESS

The preparation process before opening a new restaurant must be managed professionally. Opening day is not only the day the doors open. Before opening, menu trials, recipe trials, equipment checks, staff training, service rehearsals, supplier trials, hygiene checks and trial services must be carried out.

Professional opening management includes the following work:

Menu trials

Recipe trials

Equipment working checks

Staff training

Service rehearsals

Trial invitations

Cost controls

Supplier trials

Hygiene checks

Business flow controls

Opening day management

A well-managed opening strengthens the restaurant’s first perception. A poorly managed opening can damage guest trust from the very first day.

PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANCY FOR OPENING A NEW RESTAURANT

If you say “I want to open a new restaurant, but I do not know where to start,” you can make your investment more controlled with the right consultancy. Restaurant opening is a professional process in which idea, business identity, feasibility, menu, kitchen, equipment, staff, cost and business flow are managed together.

Under the consultancy of Chef Ahmet Özdemir, restaurant setup is prepared with a measurable and revenue-focused system from the investment idea to opening day. In the consultancy process, not only theoretical suggestions are given; the kitchen, menu, equipment, supply, staff training, cost control and business flow are made workable on site.

This service can be applied to steak restaurants, seafood restaurants, high-class restaurants, elite à la carte restaurants, Turkish cuisine restaurants, Ottoman palace cuisine concepts, Anatolian cuisine concepts, Mediterranean restaurants, Lebanese cuisine, plant-based restaurants, coffee shops, quick service restaurants, restaurants to be opened with a dealership system and hotel restaurant projects.

RESTAURANT SETUP AND CONSULTANCY WORLDWIDE

Our consultancy service for investors who want to open a restaurant is not limited to Türkiye. Within our available cuisine concepts and areas of expertise, professional consultancy is provided in different countries of the world for restaurant setup, restaurant kitchen setup, menu consultancy, cost control, staff training, business flow setup and opening management.

If you want to open a restaurant in Türkiye or abroad, the target country, target city, guest profile, product supply, kitchen equipment, staff structure, menu adaptation and business flow model are evaluated together. In this way, your restaurant is not only opened; it is positioned correctly in its market.

OPEN YOUR NEW RESTAURANT WITH THE RIGHT SYSTEM

Opening a new restaurant is a serious investment. Managing this investment correctly requires experience, analysis, planning and professional application. Wrong decisions become expensive after opening; right decisions strengthen the future of the restaurant.

If you say “I want to open a steak restaurant,” “I want to open a seafood restaurant,” “I want to open a high-class restaurant,” “I want to open a Turkish cuisine restaurant,” “I want to open a coffee shop,” “I want to open a quick service restaurant,” “I want to open a restaurant with a dealership system,” or “I want to open a restaurant abroad,” do not start only by looking for a place.

First plan the business identity, then the menu, then the kitchen, equipment, cost, staff order and business flow correctly. Successful restaurants are not built by chance; they are built with the right system.

Chef Ahmet ÖZDEMİR

International Restaurant Consultant

International Kitchen Consultant

International Hotel Kitchen Consultant

** All rights reserved ©. This article may not be copied, reproduced or published on another website without the written permission of Chef Ahmet ÖZDEMİR. It may be used in academic studies with proper citation.

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