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Undoubtedly, most culinary business professionals and chefs have heard of Michelin-starred restaurants. And they are aware of the rigorous and secretive 'tests' that restaurants and chefs must endure to attain those prestigious stars.
Steve Denning is a reputable contributor to Forbes magazine. He has worked at the World Bank and authored several intriguing books on business management such as Leader's Guide to Radical Management (2010), The Leader's Guide to Storytelling (2011), and The Secret Language of Leadership (2007).
He shares: “After teaching economics for hours, I often fly from Nice to Paris to visit renowned restaurants rated by the Michelin Guide. Palme D’Or in Cannes (France), Maison Pic in Valence (France), La Pyramide in Vienne (Italy) – are among the many Michelin-starred restaurants I have visited.
>> Discover more: What is Michelin Star and why every restaurant owner should know about it?
What's remarkable is that Steve Denning's visits to these Michelin-starred restaurants aren't just about enjoying food; he also enriches each trip by bringing back valuable lessons on restaurant management specifically, and organizational management in general, for readers.
Below are the invaluable management lessons derived from the management model of world-leading Michelin-starred restaurants, enabling any manager or restaurant owner to optimize their business profits through seemingly simple actions. Let's delve in!
Achieving a Michelin star is the dream of every restaurant and chef worldwide
1. Never be complacent
Anyone interested in international cuisine is familiar with the reputation of these Michelin-starred restaurants. A restaurant awarded with three Michelin stars signifies the acknowledgment that the restaurant has reached the pinnacle of the world culinary art.
The Michelin Guide's ratings are based on standards formed over decades. These stringent standards compel restaurants to focus intensely on satisfying their customers.
The challenge is real, but the list of Michelin-starred restaurants changes annually, based on evaluations from top culinary experts. Therefore, no restaurant ever listed wants to rest on their laurels, or dare I say, they 'dare not rest on their laurels.'
Michelin stars can be awarded and taken away. In 2003, a head chef committed suicide with a gun because his restaurant lost a star amidst financial difficulties.
Many other renowned Michelin-starred restaurants have also had their stars revoked, especially during changes in chefs or restaurant management.
For example: Maison Pic restaurant was demoted in 1995. La Pyramide also lost a star, going from 3 stars to 2 stars in 1986 after the death of Mrs. Point, who took over the restaurant after her husband - legendary chef Frenand Point passed away shortly before,…
Therefore, no matter how brilliant the glory may seem, never rest on your laurels. This is the first lesson that Michelin-starred restaurants teach us about good restaurant or business management.
2. Make a 'perfect' first impression with guests
Indeed, it's not just a 'good' or 'professional' impression but a 'perfect' one!
All customers wishing to dine at Michelin-starred restaurants must make reservations, often one month, two months, or even a year in advance. Even a brief reservation conversation requires impeccable courtesy and friendliness from reception staff, ensuring customer satisfaction before they even use the service. Even for simple tasks like taking down names, contact information, and reservation dates and times, all staff are meticulously trained.
But the long wait is compensated with a 'dreamlike' reception for you. Michelin-starred restaurants not only guarantee food quality but also service quality. As soon as guests step in, they are greeted with warmth and friendliness, vastly different from the 'snobbish' attitude often seen in some expensive yet less classy restaurants.
The service attitude at Michelin-starred restaurants is akin to a generous host eagerly awaiting the arrival of their esteemed guests, genuinely delighted when they arrive. It's not just professional smiles but sincere joy and enthusiasm. Guests will feel genuinely anticipated.
3. Always deliver exciting experiences for customers
At La Palme d’Or, Maison Pic, and La Pyramide, the reception area is quite distant from the dining area. But instead of seeing this as a hindrance, these restaurants have cleverly turned the space into unforgettable experiences for diners.
For example:
- At La Palme d’Or, guests are escorted to a stunning elevator and then led through a magnificent vault before sitting down on a dreamy terrace overlooking the sea.
- At Maison Pic, customers are guided through a series of elegantly designed dining rooms before reaching a contemporary-style dining room overlooking a tranquil garden.
- At La Pyramide, diners are taken to an outdoor terrace where the banquet table has been set up and awaits,...
Caring about 'customer experiences' is one of the critical restaurant management experiences. Sometimes, this is the 'secret weapon' to beat your opponent right on their own turf.
4. Excelling at the simple things
Michelin-starred restaurants include not only upscale establishments but also those classified as very 'ordinary'. Luxury and elegance abound. However, the experiential lesson these restaurants impart is: 'To succeed, one must excel at the simple things'.
For example:
- Making french fries may not be difficult, but achieving the perfect balance of soft fluffy interior and crispy exterior is far from simple.
- How to maintain the quality of dishes, ensuring consistency in taste even when the quality of ingredients is not always stable? This requires the refined skills and extensive experience of the chef.
Almost all renowned Michelin-starred restaurants excel at these basics effortlessly. Whether it's thick or thin sliced fish, served with sauce or not, grilled or steamed, everything is always perfect, standardized, and bursting with flavor!!!
This is marvelous and also the most anticipated aspect at Michelin-starred restaurants, especially those with 3 stars. They not only achieve the pinnacle of flavor, ambiance, and customer experience but also epitomize excellent restaurant management experience, ensuring a consistent process, day after day - perfection.
5. Endless surprises of joy for guests
These joys are not on the 'menu' or in the pre-planned agenda; they entirely reside in the script of each Michelin-starred restaurant.
When visiting any 3-star Michelin restaurant, do you expect everything to be perfect beyond regular standards? Understanding this mindset of diners, these restaurants prepare many 'tricks' to delight their esteemed guests.
A delightful amuse-bouche before the meal begins, a surprising palate cleanser, welcome gifts upon arrival or departure,... all add to the service style at these establishments.
Small actions but immensely effective. These are management experiences that you can fully apply to your restaurant, organization, or business. It all depends on your creative thinking.
6. Correcting mistakes continuously and immediately
In Michelin-starred restaurants, 'subtle and skillful' could be the adjectives used to evaluate the staff here. They always pay attention to customer perception everywhere, all the time.
For example, in one restaurant, when a staff member notices that the Amuse Bouche dish doesn't surprise the guests, they quickly bring another dish. Perhaps a delicious foie gras dish!!!
Mistakes are inevitable. But on the bright side, if handled skillfully, the customers will be yours. The key point to avoid disappointing customers is to 'provide them with even more stunning and amazing experiences'. Have you learned this lesson yet?
'The key point to avoid disappointing customers is to provide them with even more stunning and amazing experiences'
There is no shortage of lessons on the secrets to success in business filled in books, documents, online articles, but the fundamental lessons on restaurant management experience from these Michelin-starred restaurants may perhaps be more relatable and easier to imagine for those of you in the F&B service industry. Managing a restaurant is like being a captain steering a ship, managing it well, the ship will sail smoothly out to sea, overcoming big waves and bringing back a bountiful catch.
Wishing you success in your restaurant business,
Warm regards,
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SEE MORE
- Top 3 Michelin-starred restaurants in the world (updated 2020)
- 10 most Michelin-starred chefs in the world (updated 2020)
- Strange Michelin 3-star restaurant fills empty seats with mannequins
