In a restaurant, training is essential to have an excellent team. Beyond the learning provided to each person when they join the team, it is essential to include a continuous training process that is aimed at all of your staff. Do you do training in your restaurant? If so, congratulations. We hope that the activities generate good results. If not, we encourage you to consider training as a fundamental tool to face the challenges of the sector. Either way, here are ideas for classes, workshops, and training to showcase your team and your restaurant. So take note!
The benefits of training in your restaurant
First of all, if you are not yet convinced, here are the two main reasons to take this step:
Encourage involvement in the company . A restaurant that includes training in its budget and planning demonstrates commitment to staff and performance. This leads to a mirror effect: employees are more involved in the company and more motivated, because they are given more consideration, beyond their daily work.
Improve the general level of the restaurant . All the knowledge acquired allows the team to be stimulated to create and apply new solutions in all areas of activity. For example, a chef who has undergone training in nutrition will be able to offer more balanced dishes to customers. A server who has participated in a cross-selling workshop will be more effective in selling products and will present better results.
Do these arguments seem relevant to you? But which courses represent the best investment? Here are some examples :
Basic training
Ideally, all staff members should be qualified in their specialty and know how to offer the highest quality services. In reality, this is rarely the case, and it even happens that very good employees who have been in business for many years have never had any training in the restaurant industry. Based on this observation, basic training can be very useful to ensure the proper functioning of the establishment. It is recommended that each of the teams (kitchen, dining room, bar, management) undergo training concerning the missions of each division, the organization of your establishment, the fundamental standards, and the objectives to be achieved.
For example :
- Execution of sanitary and hygiene standards
- Protocol and resolution of emergency situations
- Prevention of risks at work
- Before and after service activities
- Food handling and storage
- Allergens and Cross-Contamination in the Kitchen
- Recycling and waste reduction
- Oenology and sommelier
Good to know : You can sign agreements with hotel schools to train the staff of your establishment while welcoming students who wish to discover the world of catering for internships.
Further education
Beyond the basic skills, a restaurant can offer more specialized training for each profile of the team. In this way, you encourage staff to get more involved every day and focus on service excellence.
With this in mind, it is essential to take into account the real needs of each person according to their skills and abilities, in order to guarantee results and not have to invest in training that is difficult to set up. By involving your entire team when choosing training, you ensure that it has a significant impact on the quality and effectiveness of your workforce.
Here is an example of some of the most common specializations:
- Kitchen management
- Nutrition and food health
- pastry techniques
- Room and bar management
- Mixology
- Administration of costs and returns.
- Leadership and team management skills
- Effective marketing and sales skills
- Emotional management and empathy towards customers
- English proficiency in catering
In our fast-changing times, it is also very useful to constantly train your employees in order to keep them informed of the latest developments and trends, for example:
- Special diets (intolerance to gluten, lactose, seafood etc.)
- Balanced diet and trendy products
- Organic cooking and the differences with traditional recipes
- Dressage trends (presentation and layout)
- E-reputation and management of online opinions and reviews
- Bring content to the restaurant’s social networks
Training for the future
With the future taking shape today, it is essential that staff are ready to face the future challenges of our sector.
With this in mind, it is very interesting to offer training on aspects that are and will be increasingly important and necessary. Such as :
- Mastery of restaurant management software
- The use and analysis of data for a personalized service
- Environmental Consciousness
- Innovation and entrepreneurship
Finally, we suggest that you regularly organize meetings and more human experiences, allowing staff members to identify more with the establishment and to be more motivated in their work. For example :
- Discussions on the restaurant’s philosophy and main objectives
- Networking to receive employee feedback and new ideas
- Motivation and personal development workshops
Do not hesitate ! Opt for the training of your staff!
In order to help you take the plunge, TheFork offers you a very complete free training allowing you to make the most of TheFork Manager, our restaurant management software which will be of great use to you. Click here to contact your TheFork advisor and agree on the training needed for your team regarding the management of reservations, the organization of the room on the digital plan, the creation of databases and the mastery of statistics and information. If your establishment does not yet have this tool, acquire it and prepare for the future by clicking here . You will see the difference!