A STORY WORTH SLOWING DOWN FOR
LET’S NOT CUT CORNERS WHERE IT COUNTS
Last month, we talked about trimming hours, simplifying menus, and getting smart about lean teams. And we still stand by it.
But there’s a difference between cutting costs and cutting corners. Especially when it comes to hospitality.
You know, the part that made you want to open a restaurant in the first place.
Too many teams are in survival mode right now. And we get it, when labor is tight, margins are thin, and the room is moving fast, it’s easy to default to "just get through the shift."
But real hospitality happens when you slow down just enough to remember why people walk through your doors in the first place.
A STORY WORTH SLOWING DOWN FOR
Recently, we were in Copenhagen for the MAD Symposium. We had just finished dinner at Popl, co-owned by Chef Rene Redzepi. Anyway, after finishing dinner, we realized that we were only a short(ish) walk to the gastranome temple - Noma (helmed by the same co-owner of Popl). For anyone unfamiliar, or living under a gastronomic rock, Noma has been awarded multiple Michelin stars and named the best restaurant in the world more than once. It's known for redefining modern fine dining and turning hyper-local, foraged ingredients into art. This was a no-brainer. So, with kids on our shoulders and wives in tow, we began our trek.
Upon arriving, we first just marvelled over the beautiful and rustic simplicity of it all. The perfect architecture to mask itself so organically and intimately with its terroir. Naturally, we started taking a few (a lot of) photos. Just soaking it in and being careful not to interrupt the special event happening inside.. The next thing we know, a few staff members came out, and for a second, we thought, "Ah, we must be disturbing things." But instead, more of the team trickled out, including the chef, René Redzepi.
And they said something we won’t forget:
"You came all this way, you can’t leave without trying something."
Suddenly, emerging from the crowd, was a server carrying two plates with a candle melted onto each plate. He called the two kids over and invited them to each blow out a candle and make a special wish - which they both gleefully did. And then, to our further surprise, he informed them that the candle was an actual cake.
And as we stood in awe, watching our kids devour the “cake candles,” we stayed and chatted for a bit with the staff. And it wasn’t about flexing credentials or chasing clout. It was about connection. It was seeing their staff and our family sharing in this sublime core memory, together. Everyone with an ear-to-ear grin and filled with what can only be described as the type of deep warmth that only true, organic, hospitality can provide.
In the middle of dinner service, at one of the most celebrated restaurants on the planet, they made space to be kind. To be present. To be human.
That’s hospitality. And it reminded me why any of us do this in the first place.
Hospitality isn’t service. It’s care. It’s generosity for generosity’s sake. It’s what makes your restaurant feel like your guests, and your guests to feel like you.
And in a moment where a lot of restaurants are just trying to stay open, this is what creates loyalty. This is what brings people back.
Because there’s no real brand without real hospitality.
HOW NEW SCHOOL IMBUES THIS
Hospitality doesn’t have to be a programmatic undertaking - it just has to be sincere, intentional, and realized (not just a feel good talking point at pre-shift)..
Here are a few ways we help teams build it into the system:
FOH role-playing that empowers staff to personalize the guest experience
Service flows that allow for genuine moments, not just transactions
Uniforms, music, lighting, and language that align with brand tone while also avoiding anything contrived or providing “theatre” that doesn’t actually enhance the guest experience
Training that builds confidence, not just task lists
Offers and touchpoints that surprise and stick
It doesn’t take a cake from Noma. But it does take thought.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
In a time where everyone’s cutting something, the best thing you can do is double down on the one thing people remember.
Hospitality isn’t an amenity. It's the point.
Be Well & Eat Well,
The Schooligans
