How To Turn Around A Restaurant With The Restaurant Coach

The restaurant industry took a significant hit over the past
year, perhaps more than any other industry. Despite record
takeout numbers, 1 in 6 restaurants closed permanently or
long-term during 2020, according to a survey from the National
Restaurant Association, which equals about 100,000 restaurants.


But, this year aside, restaurants have always faced challenges.
So, what can a restaurant do to survive in a crowded marketplace?


On this episode of The Main Course, Host Barbara Castiglia talked
with Izzy Kharasch, the Restaurant Coach, Chef, and owner of
Hospitality Works. They spoke of Izzy’s career, what is a
restaurant coach, common mistakes restaurants make, and the key
challenges facing restaurants during and post-COVID.


For Izzy, career choice has never been a question. He started in
high school and has never been passionate about anything else,
Izzy said. He served as a food inspector in the U.S. Army before
going to chef school. He has served as the Executive Chef at
Harvard University, and in 1987 he founded Hospitality Works,
helping several Chicago restaurants turn around their fortune.
With his experience, he can help out all aspects of an
organization, from the front to the back, letting them know what
will work and what will not.


“One of the things that really makes me, my company, different
from other consulting companies is that not only did I go to chef
school … I have a lot of back-of-the-house experience, and then
later I transitioned to front-of-the-house, and operations and
development and training. Now, when I work with clients, I can
work with them on the front-end and the back-end.”


Listen to learn more about Izzy’s career and his advice for
restaurants as they recover from the COVID-19 Pandemic.