In this episode with Chef Elizabeth Wiley, we discuss:

• Being mindful about how you make people feel.
• How hollering and being an shithead doesn’t serve you or your team.
• How being more organized makes working more fun.
• Incorporating a debriefing.
• The importance of knowing yourself.
• Learning and leveraging a unique skill as point of entry into the industry.
• Being positive to attract onto yourself incredible people.
• “Three” being the magic number when it comes to partnerships.
• Getting front of house and back of house experience to improve your odds of success.
• Paying for a consultant when opening your first restaurant.
• Being detailed and realistic about your expenses with a cost analysis.
• Establishing a personal connection with your guest.
• Being super frugal and letting your cash determine your growth.
• Using partners to pump energy and new ideas into your business.

Chef Elizabeth Wiley is a self-taught chef from Kansas City… on the Kansas side… who got her start working in her aunt and uncles restaurant. Wiley made a name for herself initially at The Winds in Yellow Springs, OH. In 2004 she opened Meadowlark Restaurant and later Wheat Penny.

Show notes…

Favorite Success Quote or Mantra.

“People will forget what you say. people will forget what you do, but people wont forget how you made them feel.”

-Mia Angelo

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Knowledge bombs

1. Which “it factor” habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?

   • Vision- for new restaurants and menu items.

2. What is your biggest weakness?

   • Complacency.

3. What’s one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?

   • Ask, “do you like to cook?

4. What’s a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?

   • Doing what you want to do while staying profitable.

5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.

   • Treat each other like human beings.

6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?

   • When people say they like something on your menu or when they’re really excited… bring them the recipe.

7. What’s one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 

   • The Zuni Cafe Cookbook: A Compendium of Recipes and cooking lessons from San Francisco’s Beloved Restaurant

8. Share an online resource or tool.

   • tastingtable.com
   • Eater.co

9. If you got the news that you’d be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?

   1. Be yourself.
   2. Listen more than you talk.
   3. always drink rose at the end of the day.

Contact Info

www.meadowlarkrestaurant.com

www.wheatpennydayton.com

 Instagram

@Wheat_Penny

@Meadowlark_Restaurant

Facebook

/MeadowlarkRestaurant

/WheatPennyOvenAndBar

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Huge thanks to Elizabeth Wiley for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

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The post 447: It doesn’t pay to be a shithead with Elizabeth Wiley appeared first on Restaurant Unstoppable.