Michelin French Restaurants – Buying a Restaurant

I thought I would share my life as a chef and restaurateur whilst homebound, like all stories I should start at the beginning….

Fine Michelin Restaurants in London

How do you find and buy a restaurant? It might seem odd talking about this right now, but just the thought of this sends hope and dreams and blind faith surging through my mind. You need to hold on to these things because you will need them later!

I would imagine every chef and would be restaurateur, holds the desire to open their own restaurant one day; and over time talking with friends and getting as much feedback from professionals, partners and family, you will know when it is time. This is when you have run the concept through in your head a thousand times, able to look your doubters in the eye and answer confidently, it will work.

Restaurateur and Michelin Chef

Next is the location and business plan, how many seats? Style of food and service, opening hours, and a feel for the revenue the restaurant might achieve.

Then with a bank or business partner you need to be ready to be very honest with yourself and crunch the numbers. Jeff and I always remain optimistic about what we can do, but always brutally honest, you need to stick to reality. For instance, as a chef you will have a number of chefs in your mind you want to work with, or envisage a big spend on design, it’s no use simply stretching your forecast to make this fit, otherwise your venture will be short lived.

I remember the late, great Michel Roux Sr telling me when I was about 19, that you needed two things, a minimum of 70 seats, and a good helping of stubbornness if I was to succeed in my dream as a chef patron, still great words of advice today.

Looking for a site is one of the most exciting parts, they used to say, location, location, location, but many great restaurants have disproved this, does anyone remember the journey to El Bulli? Or even restaurants closer to home. If you are good, people will come.