ETCIO South-East Asia’s Post

In the heart of every great restaurant is a team that keeps it running smoothly—the unsung heroes who show up day in and day out. Yet, the industry often overlooks the value of prioritizing their well-being. Imagine what could be achieved if we put the same energy into caring for our teams as we do into crafting the perfect menu or guest experience. When leaders take time to understand and support their staff, it creates a ripple effect. Happy, respected employees deliver better service, show up with passion, and stay longer, reducing turnover. Simple practices like showing appreciation, fostering open communication, and encouraging growth go a long way. Let’s push for a culture shift that recognizes that sustainable success isn’t just built on revenue—it’s built on people. Investing in our teams is investing in our future. A thriving workforce is the secret ingredient to any restaurant’s success.

Thank you Nation's Restaurant News and Alicia Kelso for including Boqueria Restaurants and our thoughts on tech strategy in your June issue. In the interview, I shared how we keep our tech stack lean by eliminating two solutions for every new one we implement. This helps us stay efficient and cost-effective as we grow. One highlight: shifting from manual spreadsheets and processes to SpotOn's Teamwork saved us over 3,000 hours of management labor per year. By focusing on solving known issues, we are able to create real value for our team and operators. Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/etCMXacK. 🚀 #RestaurantTech #Innovation #Leadership #Boqueria #TechStrategy

10 Things we can Learn from Will Guidara - Owner of the number 1 restaurant in the world! 🌎 1. Excellence Beyond Recognition: Aim for continuous growth, not just awards. Success is a motivator, not the final goal. 2. Make Work Fun: Gamify tasks to keep your team engaged. Small challenges can boost both morale and performance. 3. Impact Over Perfection: Focus on how you make people feel, not just delivering a perfect product. Personal connections create lasting impressions. 4. Unreasonable Hospitality: Thoughtful gestures—like gifting champagne flutes to newly engaged couples—leave a lasting emotional impact. 5. Power of Small Gestures: Simple acts of kindness, like a smooth late-night hotel check-in, can leave a profound mark on customer experience. Want to learn the next five strategies for exceptional leadership? Check out the full post here: https://lnkd.in/g9nuBeyf #Leadership #Excellence #CustomerExperience #Hospitality #WillGuidara #Inspiration #LeadershipExcellence #BizHacker.io #Success

"How do you become a better leader in the kitchen and the office?" Very excited to share the answer to this question and latest post from NuMarket's blog, Nu Business. This week we're featuring a leader we know well, who’s redefining success in the kitchen and beyond - Irene Shiang Li Li of Mei Mei Dumplings and Prepshift. 📖 Vol 8: Being a Better Leader in the Kitchen, with Irene Li Irene's journey from the opening Mei Mei to the tech-driven platform at Prepshift embodies the essence of innovation and leadership. Her secret sauce? A radically transparent approach to Open Book Management that's not only winning awards (The James Beard Foundation included) but also winning hearts across our industry. In a world where the hospitality scene is peppered with challenges, Irene stands out as a leader of adaptability and sustainability. 💡 Why this matters? Irene’s approach is a deep dive in creating a shared vision, engaging customers on a deeper level, and fostering a work environment that's both nurturing and empowering. We all can learn from this! Plus, her insights into technology's role in reshaping hospitality make the read an even more interesting one for the food industry. 🌟 Highlights: -Transforming Mei Mei into a community-centric powerhouse -Launching Prepshift to elevate industry standards -A deep dive into Open Book Management and its impact 👉 Dive into the full story and feel free to reach out if you’re curious about Irene’s work or how we at NuMarket are supporting similar incredible journeys. #Leadership #Hospitality #OpenBookManagement #Sustainability #NuMarket #FoodIndustry https://lnkd.in/e9HhdArk

You walk into a lively restaurant with friendly staff. Ever wonder why it's so great? It's the COMPANY CULTURE. Culture shapes everything, like how staff treat you and each other. Positive cultures mean a happy workforce and better results. However, many owners struggle to keep this culture going. This month’s Nation's Restaurant News, "Ask Jill! Unlocking the Culture Code for Restaurant Brands" article focuses on these questions asked, “How important is it to have your executive team shape your company culture?” And most importantly, “How do we get the current leadership to unite around this ‘people-first’ value so they will lead by example?” It's all about leadership and how leaders can shape the organizational DNA for their companies. When you lead by example and communicate well, and you set the stage for a great culture. A strong culture means employees stay and ‘become advocates and customer magnets’, repeat customers become regulars (while sending referrals), and profits go up. Don't miss out on your restaurant's potential. A strong culture keeps things going smoothly and consistently. Ask yourself, "What is my company’s ‘culture code’? What is my responsibility in leadership to make my restaurant's culture better today?" Read the article (link below) and email me your thoughts and questions. Let's work together for strong leadership to make your brand stand out! The first step is YOURS! For more tips on improving your restaurant's culture, check out this article: https://buff.ly/3P44XHn #Companyculture #customerretention #EX2CX #RestaurantSuccess #AskJill! #DevelopYourCompanyCulture

We at Fourtop are proud to partner with two amazing teams at Hart House and Nekter Juice Bar to reimagine the future of the hospitality business model. Technology can and should amplify empathic leadership at scale, automate administrative tasks, and streamline and optimize the tech stack. I am honored to work with leaders like Andy Hooper and Jeff Barney who exemplify open-mindedness and the willingness to innovate in a human-centered way. They have answered this critical question: "Is your technology flexing to your brand, operations and culture, or is your team working around your technology?" https://lnkd.in/e9QpkbMu

Embrace change, and thrive in the flux! In the realm of hospitality and senior living, adaptation is key. Managers, are you ready to lead your teams through transitions, turning challenges into opportunities for growth? Learn how to dissect change, cultivate resilience, and seize new possibilities in our latest article. Discover practical strategies to navigate uncertainty and drive innovation. Don't just manage change—embrace it and set new benchmarks for hospitality excellence. Read more https://lnkd.in/eVNpgbZR and unlock the power of transformation. #LeadershipDevelopment #ChangeManagement #Innovation #HospitalityExcellence

Join me as I chat with Alex Mann of LANDED about the importance of diverse restaurant leadership and our philosophy of investing in people. Tune in now to get inspired and learn more about my story and the incredible work we’re doing to shape the future of restaurants through education, mentorship, and investment. Don’t miss it! Links to all podcast formats here (https://lnkd.in/ehqmMCXV). You'll hear a number of topics in this wide-ranging interview: 💡 The Role of Capital in Emerging Restaurant Brands: why there is a gap in capital for early-stage restaurant brands, particularly those led by women and minorities, and how Full Course provides equitable capital and operational support to these businesses, ensuring they not only survive but thrive. 💡Leadership and Development in the Restaurant Industry: The importance of nurturing talent within the restaurant industry. Insights on how on-the-job training and a lack of structured leadership development contribute to the underrepresentation of diverse leaders at the top levels of the industry. 💡Addressing Biases and Creating Equal Opportunities: The inherent biases in the restaurant industry that limit career progression for women, minorities, and non-native English speakers. The need for equal access to opportunities and the importance of removing barriers to foster a more inclusive and diverse leadership pipeline. 💡The Importance of Purpose and Mission: The significance of having a clear purpose and mission in driving organizational success. How a well-defined mission and excellent training programs can lead to outstanding customer service and employee engagement. Thanks to LANDED for including me in this amazing series with insightful and inspiring women! #restaurants #restaurantindustry #investing #privateequity #venturecapital

We’ve recently been asked a lot to work as an objective third party to validate new models, operational speed and service enhancements, new transformation initiatives (from changes in positioning to new prototypes to what geographies to launch into to how to reconfigure the tech stack in a modernized operating environment), long-term strategic plans, and brand portfolios. It's clear from our view that the global restaurant industry is entering a new era of modernization, transformation, reimagined CapEx deployment, and operational enhancements. The value of a professional second opinion cannot be overstated given how fast consumer dining behaviors are evolving. And no matter what, you will get a second opinion. If you don’t get a second opinion from an expert, you’ll get it from the market (and from critics or activists). Expert, objective third-party validation can not only reduce the risk of any new initiatives but also contribute innovative ways for growth. #restaurants #strategy #leadership