Page 15 - foodservice Magazine July 2019

CHEFS’ CORNER
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too much more important stuff to worry about first.
4) USE IP AUSTRALIA
We went through dozens of draft names. We found the Australian Business Name Register is not always the best check. IP Australia has a better search tool to review registered trademarks, business names and website domains all at once to avoid any copyright issues.
5) DON’T FORGET THE DETAILS
We learnt the most after we moved into the space. Think about all the steps your guests and your team will take throughout a workday or service, and design for that. Don’t forget small things like bins, power points, laundry, bag hooks and signage.
6) MYTH-BUSTING CHARCOAL
Charcoal cooking was central to our concept, and we learnt that in NSW it usually requires extra town planning applications. Tip: Most industry rumors said we had to have expensive electrostatic filters too, which turned out to be unfounded as we got in with carbon filters.
7) BE PREPARED TO LAY YOUR OWN TILES, AND TO PAY SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT
We did our own tiling to save budget, but we probably underestimated its time and complexity. While we eventually had a great sense of accomplishment, some jobs are
just more effective with professionals, and looking back we probably would have simply bit the bullet. That said, a lot of time can be saved by being present on your construction site to make quick design decisions.
8) PLAN TO BE LATE
Unfortunately time can slip away easily. The things we thought would take long, like the liquor licence, were fast, and the things we thought would be fast, mainly the council modifications, were slow. Don’t set an open date until you’re sure you’ll make it.
9) ASK FOR HELP
Friends and family were invaluable to us along the way. You never know what friend- of-a-friend might have be skilled in the exact area you need. Keep your friends in the loop, because you never know how they or someone they know can help.
Pipit's open kitchen and dining room.
10) HAVE A NEWBORN AT THE SAME TIME
With our first baby and first restaurant due at the same time, the family joke was that
we were having twins. In the end they were luckily a few months apart because a baby and a new restaurant together isn’t ideal timing. But in a funny way our new baby forces us to keep some balance and motivates us to hustle in new ways.
Let’s be honest, if opening Pipit was
a purely financial decision, well, we’d
be smarter to invest in tech. But it isn’t financial. We are in this game for so many personal and professional reasons, and for us, taking the financial risk was better than the alternative of always wondering “what if ”.
Being a chef-owner isn’t for everyone, and now, just a couple of months into trading, we are certainly not experts. But to anyone reading this with the same ambition to own your own restaurant, we say, give it a go. What’s the worse that could happen?
Ben and Yen are happy to share more advice and answer questions to help your project plan via email at admin@pipitrestaurant.com.