08
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2016
Act.
08
de Gener
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2016
Being among the best restaurants in the world brings as many opportunities as it does expectations. "A Michelin star puts you on the map and it is a symbol of quality, and recognition that goes further," JoanRoca, chef and founder of El Celler de Can Roca told VIA Empresa. Who doesn't like to have their good work recognised? Work that, with each new star, widens one's focus. "The geographical sphere of influence grows with each star you have," says the chef from Girona. "With one star it is on a local level, in your province or region. With two stars you widen your reach to nearby countries. And with three stars your area of influence becomes global," he points out.
Carme Ruscalleda, chef of Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar concurs: "Michelin stars are in the end an international calling card, it is like a passport of quality that informs the gourmet client what he or she can expect in that place," she tells VIA Empresa. However, increasingly, chefs with the most stars combine their work in the kitchen with media recognition. The latest example is DavidMuñoz (@dabizdiverxo), whose Diverxo restaurant in Madrid has three stars, and which this weekend will make its television début on the Cuatro channel. .
For her part, the Maresme chef confirms that "each star boosts your profile a bit more. You begin to go beyond your locality, county or country." In short, "you make yourself visible in the world, and that means that you get more customers, you gain confidence, you take more care of the restaurant, you work with higher quality products or get a new dinner service," says Ruscalleda.
More stars, more expectation
Each new star creates a counterpoint of higher expectations that grows at the same rate as the recognition. "It attracts gourmets from around the world, and if you can add more stars the commitment to excellence becomes confirmed," says Joan Roca. In the end, Michelin's criteria, which everyone sees as positive, "means that there is excellence there.". And the more the excellence, the higher the expectation.
The renowned Girona chef admits that despite the fact that recognition is positive, it also "has a certain perversity to it". Roca sees it this way because the increased recognition means that "you need a more highly-trained, stable staff and a structure that costs money. It is getting to a point in which to remain competitive, innovative and to be able to feed your creative department you need more resources."
Large turnover, low profitability
The result is restaurants in which there are almost as many employees as customers. In the Celler de Can Roca, 40 people serve some 50 diners; while in Sant Pau the team is made up of 30 employees who can attend up to 35 people... or 18 if the new tables are taken by couples, "as often happens", says Ruscalleda.
"On its own it is hard to make the restaurant profitable, but not impossible," says Joan Roca. The chef is convinced that "if you refuse to settle for less and you want to do more things you need to create complementary things around you that allow you to grow, even intangibles: creativity, a team building or new ideas."
Nevertheless, he says that El Celler de Can Roca does not usually lose money. "I do not share the belief in the cliché that with three Michelin stars you can still lose money. If you lose money, take a good look because you have a problem," says Roca. "The restaurant by itself has to be profitable. However, as the profit margins are so small compared with turnover, to have a reasonable operating account you have to do other things," he says.
"It is often inevitable," concurs Ruscalleda. Open for business for the past 27 years, the restaurant has always aimed to offer quality and good service. "Over the years, it has grown in terms of the team, the details and comfort. We have gradually taken on professionals as the business has grown," she says.
For Ruscalleda the key is passion for the project. "If you start the business for economic reasons only, you should never have started it. You have to have a passion to offer the cuisine that is important to you, and that makes people share your emotion," she says with conviction.
"It all depends on the places you have in the restaurant, but it is hard to keep things going with that alone," she insists. The limited dining places, essential to be able to maintain the level of attention expected with this type of gastronomy certainly does not help. "Each place is its own world, with its own philosophy, and everyone has to look for business so that they do not go down," says Ruscalleda.
Business born of the stars
For the Girona chef, "the easiest thing when you have three stars is opening other restaurants around the world. As it was not something we wanted to do for ourselves, we had to find complementary companies." For example, a banqueting and catering company, which they used to be able to pay for the premises in which the restaurant is located today. Before getting installed, all types of banquets were held there that have now moved to another place on the outskirts of Girona.
Also sharing in the success of El Celler de Can Roca are the Rocambolesc ice cream parlours. "It is a different business model, which in this case can be replicated," says Joan Roca. There are currently four open "with a profit margin that is higher than that of the restaurant."
Moreover, the prestige attained with the restaurant also allows the Roca brothers to carry out occasional activities with creative companies, in an adapted site in the Masia. "It is about offering your creative vision to companies from different spheres. You can add know-how and make creativity profitable," he points out.
Ruscalleda also insists that "it is very important to be clear that the books must be squared and everyone has to be paid." Thus, she highlights the need for slow growth. "The stars bring more parallel business with them: collaboration, books, conferences, publicity or even know-how," says the chef. "In all, it helps you to have the numbers to keep the restaurant going in a way that if it had to do it by itself would often not be viable," she says.
Unlike the Roca brothers, Ruscalleda has opted to open new restaurants, with which she has gained another four Michelin stars. Despite the success of the Sant Pau in Tokyo or Moments in Barcelona, she makes it clear that "our passion is Sant Pau and offering what we want to. Doing it like that brings other businesses closer, such as that in Tokyo or in Barcelona. They expect us to help them with the management, the creation of the concept and to continue working together."
However, Ruscalleda points out that "the number of stars varies the profitability because it encourages you to create the restaurant you imagined. The aim has never been economic, the creativity and the passion for the work you do is what gives you the enthusiasm to do it well." In other words, it is the passion to do the work well that creates new opportunities that, at the same time, feed back into the initial idea. "Working abroad has given us the chance to make the restaurant we have," Carme Ruscalleda acknowledges. "We could never have done it without the businesses abroad, which were forged with steps taken slowly but solidly," she concludes.
Carme Ruscalleda, chef of Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar concurs: "Michelin stars are in the end an international calling card, it is like a passport of quality that informs the gourmet client what he or she can expect in that place," she tells VIA Empresa. However, increasingly, chefs with the most stars combine their work in the kitchen with media recognition. The latest example is DavidMuñoz (@dabizdiverxo), whose Diverxo restaurant in Madrid has three stars, and which this weekend will make its television début on the Cuatro channel. .
El domingo 10 en @cuatro a las 21:30 estrenamos @elxef !!Os entrarán ganas de comeros el mundo después de verlo.... pic.twitter.com/dfY6J77nZs
— Dabizdiverxo (@Dabizdiverxo) 5 gener, 2016For her part, the Maresme chef confirms that "each star boosts your profile a bit more. You begin to go beyond your locality, county or country." In short, "you make yourself visible in the world, and that means that you get more customers, you gain confidence, you take more care of the restaurant, you work with higher quality products or get a new dinner service," says Ruscalleda.
More stars, more expectation
Each new star creates a counterpoint of higher expectations that grows at the same rate as the recognition. "It attracts gourmets from around the world, and if you can add more stars the commitment to excellence becomes confirmed," says Joan Roca. In the end, Michelin's criteria, which everyone sees as positive, "means that there is excellence there.". And the more the excellence, the higher the expectation.
The renowned Girona chef admits that despite the fact that recognition is positive, it also "has a certain perversity to it". Roca sees it this way because the increased recognition means that "you need a more highly-trained, stable staff and a structure that costs money. It is getting to a point in which to remain competitive, innovative and to be able to feed your creative department you need more resources."
Large turnover, low profitability
The result is restaurants in which there are almost as many employees as customers. In the Celler de Can Roca, 40 people serve some 50 diners; while in Sant Pau the team is made up of 30 employees who can attend up to 35 people... or 18 if the new tables are taken by couples, "as often happens", says Ruscalleda.
"On its own it is hard to make the restaurant profitable, but not impossible," says Joan Roca. The chef is convinced that "if you refuse to settle for less and you want to do more things you need to create complementary things around you that allow you to grow, even intangibles: creativity, a team building or new ideas."
Nevertheless, he says that El Celler de Can Roca does not usually lose money. "I do not share the belief in the cliché that with three Michelin stars you can still lose money. If you lose money, take a good look because you have a problem," says Roca. "The restaurant by itself has to be profitable. However, as the profit margins are so small compared with turnover, to have a reasonable operating account you have to do other things," he says.
"It is often inevitable," concurs Ruscalleda. Open for business for the past 27 years, the restaurant has always aimed to offer quality and good service. "Over the years, it has grown in terms of the team, the details and comfort. We have gradually taken on professionals as the business has grown," she says.
For Ruscalleda the key is passion for the project. "If you start the business for economic reasons only, you should never have started it. You have to have a passion to offer the cuisine that is important to you, and that makes people share your emotion," she says with conviction.
"It all depends on the places you have in the restaurant, but it is hard to keep things going with that alone," she insists. The limited dining places, essential to be able to maintain the level of attention expected with this type of gastronomy certainly does not help. "Each place is its own world, with its own philosophy, and everyone has to look for business so that they do not go down," says Ruscalleda.
Business born of the stars
For the Girona chef, "the easiest thing when you have three stars is opening other restaurants around the world. As it was not something we wanted to do for ourselves, we had to find complementary companies." For example, a banqueting and catering company, which they used to be able to pay for the premises in which the restaurant is located today. Before getting installed, all types of banquets were held there that have now moved to another place on the outskirts of Girona.
Also sharing in the success of El Celler de Can Roca are the Rocambolesc ice cream parlours. "It is a different business model, which in this case can be replicated," says Joan Roca. There are currently four open "with a profit margin that is higher than that of the restaurant."
Moreover, the prestige attained with the restaurant also allows the Roca brothers to carry out occasional activities with creative companies, in an adapted site in the Masia. "It is about offering your creative vision to companies from different spheres. You can add know-how and make creativity profitable," he points out.
Ruscalleda also insists that "it is very important to be clear that the books must be squared and everyone has to be paid." Thus, she highlights the need for slow growth. "The stars bring more parallel business with them: collaboration, books, conferences, publicity or even know-how," says the chef. "In all, it helps you to have the numbers to keep the restaurant going in a way that if it had to do it by itself would often not be viable," she says.
Unlike the Roca brothers, Ruscalleda has opted to open new restaurants, with which she has gained another four Michelin stars. Despite the success of the Sant Pau in Tokyo or Moments in Barcelona, she makes it clear that "our passion is Sant Pau and offering what we want to. Doing it like that brings other businesses closer, such as that in Tokyo or in Barcelona. They expect us to help them with the management, the creation of the concept and to continue working together."
However, Ruscalleda points out that "the number of stars varies the profitability because it encourages you to create the restaurant you imagined. The aim has never been economic, the creativity and the passion for the work you do is what gives you the enthusiasm to do it well." In other words, it is the passion to do the work well that creates new opportunities that, at the same time, feed back into the initial idea. "Working abroad has given us the chance to make the restaurant we have," Carme Ruscalleda acknowledges. "We could never have done it without the businesses abroad, which were forged with steps taken slowly but solidly," she concludes.