Need a bit of help

H.P.Pellaprat · 5th February 2010, 01:42 PM

I hope you don't mind this one Ernie but I'm trying to gather some information for a thesis on financial aspects of the restaurant industry, in particular financial knowledge during the first year of opening.

Its only a short questionnaire for any person who has opened a restaurant.
If any restaurateurs on the site could help me out could they email me at omeara.michael@gmail.com
Thanks a million all

Ernie Whalley · 8th February 2010, 09:39 PM

Michael, are we talking about anyone who has ever opened a restaurant?

If so, include me in.

H.P.Pellaprat · 10th February 2010, 10:05 AM

Hey Ernie,
Pretty much anyone, the more information I can get the better. Looking at changes throughout the years is an important part of this. What I'm trying to find out is if people are entering the trade with or without the financial skills, knowledge and abilities. This is often speculated in particular with people assuming chefs have poor financial skills, I want to look at this a little closer.

unclepat · 10th February 2010, 10:45 AM

Hi HP, I sent you a mail the other day-did you get it? If you forward the questionnaire I'll fill it in.

H.P.Pellaprat · 10th February 2010, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclepat

Hi HP, I sent you a mail the other day-did you get it? If you forward the questionnaire I'll fill it in.

I don't seem to have got the mail another address is foodandwinephotography@gmail.com thanks a million for that.

H.P.Pellaprat · 30th March 2010, 09:54 AM

Thanks a million to everyone who helped me out with my thesis and also thanks Ernie for allowing me to use the best food site in Ireland.
I got accepted into the MSc course in DIT starting in September so mission a success!! Thanks again all.
Michael

Ernie Whalley · 30th March 2010, 03:02 PM

Congratulations, HP. Richly deserved.

italian foodie · 30th March 2010, 06:58 PM

Congrats HP, sorry I couldn't get back to you that time!

YumYum · 30th March 2010, 08:47 PM

Well done on getting into the course.

petitechef · 30th March 2010, 09:23 PM

Congrats HP

unclepat · 31st March 2010, 07:18 AM

Good on ya HP. Does this mean you'll be living the student life in Dublin!?

europhile · 31st March 2010, 08:50 AM

Waking up with traffic cones on his head?

H.P.Pellaprat · 1st April 2010, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclepat

Good on ya HP. Does this mean you'll be living the student life in Dublin!?

Dublin here I come!!

Thanks so much for all the kind words guys

As a matter of interest I would really recommend any chef to consider doing the degree courses now available. I know when I started there was only certificate type courses and a degree really pushes you out of your comfort zone.

hutspot · 1st April 2010, 09:20 PM

Was always interested in the Degree course having done the certificate, but unless you plan on going into teaching is there much point, I always found a hands on education far more useful than anything I learnt in college.

H.P.Pellaprat · 2nd April 2010, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hutspot

Was always interested in the Degree course having done the certificate, but unless you plan on going into teaching is there much point, I always found a hands on education far more useful than anything I learnt in college.

I agree but you have to remember that although you might love the kitchen at a certain point the kitchen might not love you anymore, also we will all be working until our 70's pretty soon and I'm not sure about being a chef at this age. You have a lot of skills and experience which you gained over the years a degree simply allows you capitalise on this. There is a lot more you can do with a degree and the skills it gives you than just teaching but all chefs should really think hard about their futures and skills.

sean_dru · 2nd April 2010, 02:20 PM

couldnt agree more hp, anyone who says there is no point in college completely misses the point. anyway congrats on a great achievement and good luck with it.

chefsmith · 2nd April 2010, 03:48 PM

I agree with you HP and Sean too, i certainly dont fancy working 16 hr days when im 60.
I never did my chefs diploma, so im kinda in trouble a bit, ill have to work on going back to college or something, or maybe just win the lotto

What i will say though, in the everyday kitchen world at a young level, if a chef has his papers or not would not play a huge role in me employing them, in fact i would always pick experience over papers, two guys aged 22/23, one worked in kitchens for 4 years and one out of college i know which one im tempted by, one is used to the long days, kitchen politics. Also used to getting a roar at them once in a while and handling a busy service and prioritising under pressure and one wants to go home early cos 'his feet are hurting'
Thats only my experience

hutspot · 2nd April 2010, 04:40 PM

What I meant by there being no point is that anything I learnt in college was apart from the basic knife skills was not much use to me when I went into a proper kitchen, of course no one wants to be slaving at the stove over 50 and I dont know enough about the course to comment on it.
I do feel that most sucessful chefs would be well suited to do any buisness/management course they put their minds too. In terms of work ethic and multi tasking a good chef is hard to beat. The fact that most are successful managers of personnel,budgets,time management and creativity not recognised enough.

italian foodie · 2nd April 2010, 08:07 PM

I never thought I'd end up going into food when doing my degree(business and marketing) and when I opened the shop I thought my degree would be a bit wasted! It's come in pretty handy though with the marketing side and it's amazing how the 2 actually tie in well together. To think that I actually worked in a bank (hated it) and everyone told me I was mad to leave my good pensionable job to work in food

sean_dru · 2nd April 2010, 09:04 PM

what i meant was that a combination of both is important, to become a chef should be in stages, its as important to understand the nutritional side of cooking as well as the basic cooking principles that span a career, you dont really learn about those things from training in a kitchen, in college it is broken into different modules that teach chefs about the different dynamics of catering, in time you become better through not only practicality but theory also.

5th February 2010, 01:42 PM	#1
H.P.Pellaprat Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Galway Posts: 273	Need a bit of help I hope you don't mind this one Ernie but I'm trying to gather some information for a thesis on financial aspects of the restaurant industry, in particular financial knowledge during the first year of opening. Its only a short questionnaire for any person who has opened a restaurant. If any restaurateurs on the site could help me out could they email me at omeara.michael@gmail.com Thanks a million all

30th March 2010, 09:54 AM	#6
H.P.Pellaprat Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Galway Posts: 273	Big thank you all Thanks a million to everyone who helped me out with my thesis and also thanks Ernie for allowing me to use the best food site in Ireland. I got accepted into the MSc course in DIT starting in September so mission a success!! Thanks again all. Michael

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8th February 2010, 09:39 PM	#2
Ernie Whalley Restaurant at the end of the universe Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: On the dark side of a glass Posts: 2,164	Michael, are we talking about anyone who has ever opened a restaurant? If so, include me in.

10th February 2010, 10:05 AM	#3
H.P.Pellaprat Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Galway Posts: 273	Hey Ernie, Pretty much anyone, the more information I can get the better. Looking at changes throughout the years is an important part of this. What I'm trying to find out is if people are entering the trade with or without the financial skills, knowledge and abilities. This is often speculated in particular with people assuming chefs have poor financial skills, I want to look at this a little closer.

10th February 2010, 10:45 AM	#4
unclepat Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 733	Hi HP, I sent you a mail the other day-did you get it? If you forward the questionnaire I'll fill it in.

30th March 2010, 03:02 PM	#7
Ernie Whalley Restaurant at the end of the universe Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: On the dark side of a glass Posts: 2,164	Congratulations, HP. Richly deserved.

30th March 2010, 06:58 PM	#8
italian foodie Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Limerick Posts: 305	Congrats HP, sorry I couldn't get back to you that time!

30th March 2010, 08:47 PM	#9
YumYum Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 250	Well done on getting into the course.

30th March 2010, 09:23 PM	#10
petitechef Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Beyond the Pale Posts: 1,064	Congrats HP

31st March 2010, 07:18 AM	#11
unclepat Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 733	Good on ya HP. Does this mean you'll be living the student life in Dublin!?

31st March 2010, 08:50 AM	#12
europhile Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 556	Waking up with traffic cones on his head?

1st April 2010, 09:20 PM	#14
hutspot Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: amsterdam Posts: 81	Was always interested in the Degree course having done the certificate, but unless you plan on going into teaching is there much point, I always found a hands on education far more useful than anything I learnt in college.

2nd April 2010, 02:20 PM	#16
sean_dru Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 231	couldnt agree more hp, anyone who says there is no point in college completely misses the point. anyway congrats on a great achievement and good luck with it.

2nd April 2010, 03:48 PM	#17
chefsmith Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dublin Posts: 543	I agree with you HP and Sean too, i certainly dont fancy working 16 hr days when im 60. I never did my chefs diploma, so im kinda in trouble a bit, ill have to work on going back to college or something, or maybe just win the lotto What i will say though, in the everyday kitchen world at a young level, if a chef has his papers or not would not play a huge role in me employing them, in fact i would always pick experience over papers, two guys aged 22/23, one worked in kitchens for 4 years and one out of college i know which one im tempted by, one is used to the long days, kitchen politics. Also used to getting a roar at them once in a while and handling a busy service and prioritising under pressure and one wants to go home early cos 'his feet are hurting' Thats only my experience

2nd April 2010, 04:40 PM	#18
hutspot Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: amsterdam Posts: 81	What I meant by there being no point is that anything I learnt in college was apart from the basic knife skills was not much use to me when I went into a proper kitchen, of course no one wants to be slaving at the stove over 50 and I dont know enough about the course to comment on it. I do feel that most sucessful chefs would be well suited to do any buisness/management course they put their minds too. In terms of work ethic and multi tasking a good chef is hard to beat. The fact that most are successful managers of personnel,budgets,time management and creativity not recognised enough.

2nd April 2010, 08:07 PM	#19
italian foodie Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Limerick Posts: 305	I never thought I'd end up going into food when doing my degree(business and marketing) and when I opened the shop I thought my degree would be a bit wasted! It's come in pretty handy though with the marketing side and it's amazing how the 2 actually tie in well together. To think that I actually worked in a bank (hated it) and everyone told me I was mad to leave my good pensionable job to work in food

2nd April 2010, 09:04 PM	#20
sean_dru Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 231	what i meant was that a combination of both is important, to become a chef should be in stages, its as important to understand the nutritional side of cooking as well as the basic cooking principles that span a career, you dont really learn about those things from training in a kitchen, in college it is broken into different modules that teach chefs about the different dynamics of catering, in time you become better through not only practicality but theory also.