A man for all seasonings

At a Bizweek seminar last week, he shared a tip on how a restaurant can become the must-visit place for sophisticated diners. He remembered the day when he was a restaurant manager at a five-star hotel. As the dining area catered service for just four or five tables, he brushed off reservation phone calls, saying that the place was fully booked.

Within weeks, the restaurant became the talk of the town and all the diners were pleased that they managed to snag a reservation at this exclusive dining emporium. And through such clever tactics, the diners were convinced that they were being treated to superb dishes - even though the restaurant hired a chef from a lower-star hotel.

Keeping the diners coming back for more was equally important. He said that his Bt60,000 salary of two decades ago was entirely spent on gifts and special items that could not be found at the restaurant, just to ensure that influential diners would be impressed and come back again.

Chaithep started as a waiter at the Oriental Bangkok. But unlike other waiters, he observed each dish after guests left their tables. Why did much of this dish remain uneaten? Why was that dish entirely consumed? What are the secrets of each chef?

And like people who love progress, he was never shy of changing jobs, for the better. That explained why he moved up fast. From waiter, to captain, to restaurant supervisor and manager. All the jobs were at five-star hotels.

Eventually, he rose to the top and he decided to open his own restaurant.

Operating a restaurant successfully is an art, said the man who now owns three Lee Kitchen restaurants. While running his restaurants, he also learned to be a great cook himself, always ready to dash into the kitchen to make a special dish for important guests. He is certain that all the influential people of Thailand have visited his restaurants.

"Just having money does not ensure success for a restaurant owner," he said. "You can lose even when your place sells well, as your chefs are going to ask for big pay raises."

Being a chef himself ensures he can maintain the quality of his food - the most important ingredient of success.

He certainly now has the money and a deep knowledge of food - the right recipe for a successful restaurant owner.

achara_d@nationgroup.com