Topic: Restaurant Start-up: Bringing my own Mediterranean recipes to the US

Topic: Restaurant Start-up: Bringing my own Mediterranean recipes to the US

Title: Starting up a Mediterranean Restaurant: What to expect through the trek

1. Outline
2. Introduction to Mediterranean Cuisines: finding about Mediterranean cuisines for the first time at home, the start of the dream of becoming a chef, sharing the very first cooking experiences.

         Growing up, I have come to love different Mediterranean cuisines. The process of cooking itself already gives me much delight considering that the ingredients are plant-based and that it is hard to produce a recipe conducting a little absence of meat but I am always dumbfounded as I start to ingest these dishes and see just how beautifully the ingredients taste altogether.

         I turned my curiosity and amazement, as that of a child, into a dream. The cuisines my mother cook when I was little inspired me to cook for other people too. I started to have that feeling in my gut that I must let others taste what I have tasted, or let them experience the delight that I experience every time I eat such cuisines. This passion took me to higher extents of dreaming, and of course, becoming.

         Just like any other dreams, mine encountered failures. I have had some troubles in producing an original recipe and have even come to a point of dereliction wherein I did not want to continue what I have started anymore. The spark that used to be so sturdy burned the candle’s wick. But as I remember my dream, the spark began to grow once more. I tried and tried even if I failed in a certain recipe. Success does not come easy, we work for it. Jim Rohn did not know how right he was when he said “Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well” (Hartzell 4). We are all hungry for victory but what matters is how we aim for it. It is all about the manner of hustling.

Sources: Hartzell, Michael: 10 Magic Marketing Tips. Jim Rohn: “Success is doing ordinary

things extraordinary well.” Magic Marketing. USA:  2010 Better by Ten Productions. Ebook.

Kochilas, Diane. Mediterranean Grilling: More Than 100 Recipes from Across the

Mediterranean. NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2009. Print

2.)        Mediterranean Cuisines as a boon in the food business world: why food business never ceases despite the basic economic downturns, why Mediterranean cuisines never get old over time.

         Nowadays, we can observe a lot of new and developing food industries from different parts of the world to different parts of the world. Why do these businesses click? Simple. Because people never run out of ideas regarding new recipes. There is just a lot to create and discover with all the different spices. Another reason why businessmen tend to grow such biz is that these food businesses do not get much affected with economic collapses considering our abundance in You do not always need a lot of funds to start a food business. Sometimes all you need is water and sunlight for your ingredients to grow.

Sources: Lynn, Jacqueline. Start Your Own Restaurant and More: Pizzeria, Coffeehouse,

Deli, Bakery, Catering Business. 4th Edition. USA: Entrepreneur Press, 2012. Print

Walker, John. The Restaurant From Concept to Operation. 7th Edition. New Jersey. USA:

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2014. Print.

Especially if you are serving Mediterranean cuisines.

         Mediterranean cuisines are not only very healthy but very practical too. Because they mostly come from natural processes, you do not have to worry too much about running out of ingredients. Natural processes are a cycle, and a cycle runs continuously.

Here is a list of some ingredients a Mediterranean cuisine commonly consist of:

• Lots of fruits and vegetables
• Moderate consumption of wine, desserts and chocolates
• Beans, potatoes, and grains
• Fresh fish, poultry, and limited red meat
• Some eggs and dairy products
• Nuts and seeds
• Olive oil

Sources: Courtier, Marie-Annick. Mediterranean: Secrets of the World’s Healthiest Diet.

NY, USA: Hatherleigh Press, 2009. Print.

Kochilas, Diane. Mediterranean Grilling: More Than 100 Recipes from Across the

Mediterranean. NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2009. Print.

1. The essence of the Mediterranean Diet

         What is a Mediterranean Cuisine anyway and why is this kind of diet followed by most people?

         “The Mediterranean diet is traditionally followed in Greece, Crete, southern France, and parts of Italy that emphasizes fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, olive oil (as opposed to butter) and grilled or steamed chicken and seafood (as opposed to red meat). Plus a glass or two of red wine” (“Definition of Mediterranean Diet”).

Source: “Definition of Mediterranean Diet”. MedicineNet.com. n.d. Web. Accessed 14 December 2015: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=39284

What makes a Mediterranean cuisine special?

1.)        It is the World’s Healthiest Diet– It is a good balance of vegetables with an ample amount of meat that is sure to keep our bodies lean.

2.)        Its irresistible aroma – Although such cuisines may come from Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Cypress, Turkey or Morocco 5, the smell will always take you home. It is like being homesick to a place you have never really been before.

3.)        Beef = Steak = Happiness to Everyone’s Inner Carnivore – People want a variety. We do not like eating pure veggies or pure meat either. That is why the Mediterranean diet is perfect for us, to supply not only our physical needs, but also our desires – and yes, that includes meat.

“Observing the Mediterranean diet also provides a wide variety of benefits. It gives protection against type 2 diabetes because it is rich in fiber and slows down the winds in our blood sugar. It prevents heart disease and strokes because of the absence of refined breads, processed foods, and red meat in this diet. A Mediterranean diet keeps a person agile and reduces a senior’s risk of developing muscle weakness by 70 percent. It helps in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s by improving the cholesterol and blood sugar levels and overall blood vessel health. Following a Mediterranean diet also keep us away from Parkinson’s disease because it contains high levels of antioxidants that prevent cells from undergoing a damaging process called oxidative stress. Finally, there is increased longevity in this type of diet when you follow a Mediterranean diet, there is a 20% reduced risk of death at any age. Truly, this diet helps us in many aspects of our health. We can conclude that a Mediterranean diet may extend our life considering it reduces risks of having some diseases that might shorten our period in living” (“Health benefits of a Mediterranean diet”).

Sources: “Health benefits of a Mediterranean diet”. HelpGuide.org. n.d. Web. Accessed 14 December 2015: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/diet-weight-loss/mediterranean-diet.htm

Courtier, Marie-Annick. Mediterranean: Secrets of the World’s Healthiest Diet. NY, USA:

Hatherleigh Press, 2009. Print

Surely, cooking does not only require mental understanding, but it also requires the stability of my emotional being. Here are some practices (Waters, 7 thoughts on “How to Improve Your Cooking Skills and Knowledge”) I must commit in the process of learning:

• Focus – do not ramble your thoughts. Keep your mind on the goal.
• Identify the dishes that you like and then cook them over and over
• Practice using your senses of taste, touch, smell and sight
• Keep notes – there is always something new you can learn

Education, Career, and Concepts/Planning: These guidelines will help in the unending process of learning how to cook, which will take me steps closer to my goal. Some occupations may also be my stepping stones towards the top. These jobs include being a Food Stylist, Caterer, Nutritionist, Food Scientist, or even Cooking School Instructor. These may seem to be little steps but like what I aforesaid, success does not come easy. After all, these will give me lessons I might apply in my journey.

Sources: Lynn, Jacqueline. Start Your Own Restaurant and More: Pizzeria, Coffeehouse,

Deli, Bakery, Catering Business. 4th Edition. USA: Entrepreneur Press, 2012. Print

Walker, John. The Restaurant From Concept to Operation. 7th Edition. New Jersey. USA:

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2014. Print.

In planning my own food business, it is very essential to learn and understand the basics of handling one. Here are some tips to understand (Mealy, “10 Things to Know About Restaurant Management”):

• The customer is always right – never argue with them any matter how wrong they may seem.
• Restaurants need advertising – make your business known by showing your consumers what it is about. “After all, food service is a simple necessity each of us takes part in several times a day. People eat to sustain their lives. Customers choose where to eat because of what they believe. What do customers believe about your restaurant? Poor reputation and poor customer perceptions require more than marketing” (Hartzell 4).
• A restaurant menu should regularly be updated – people need to know that you serve something else rather than plain veggies and meat.
• Small steps can save restaurant’s money – small steps such as saving electricity is a big contribution to the restaurant’s funds.

The consumer makes up the restaurant itself. A restaurant business is nothing without the people who patronize its menus. That is why you must remind yourself to value your customers. A single order from each of the people around your location will surprise you when you add them up. Remember that the development of your food business is in the hands of your consumers.

What would my restaurant look like?

The ambiance is everything. No matter how often we hear the words “never judge a book by its cover”, we just can’t help not to notice the appearance. That is why your restaurant should look welcoming and must be attractive to the eyes of the majority.

Because I plan to serve Mediterranean cuisines, my restaurant should look like it is in the Mediterranean parts of the world. I can add different replicas of different historical artifacts found in the countries that are part of the Mediterranean section of the world. And because I serve both vegetables and meat, there could be certain parts of my restaurant that look fresh and soft like adding plants, and other parts that would look meaty such as different paintings of animals hung in different parts of the wall. All you have to do is brainstorm about an idea that you think might click. Creativity is a requirement in setting up your business place.

Source: Walker, John. The Restaurant From Concept to Operation. 7th Edition. New Jersey.

USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2014. Print.

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Courtier, Marie-Annick: “Mediterranean: Secrets of the World’s Healthiest Diet” Chapter 1:

How a Mediterranean Diet can Improve your Health. NY, USA: Hatherleigh Press, 2009. Print

Edge, John. The Truck Food Cookbook -150 Recipes and Ramblings from America’s Best

Restaurants on Wheels. Ebook

Hartzell, Michael. 10 Magic Marketing Tips. USA: Better by Ten Productions, 2010. Ebook.

Kochilas, Diane. Mediterranean Grilling: More Than 100 Recipes from Across the

Mediterranean. NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2009. Print

Lynn, Jacqueline. Start Your Own Restaurant and More: Pizzeria, Coffeehouse, Deli, Bakery,

Catering Business. 4th Edition. USA: Entrepreneur Press, 2012. Print

Mealy, Lorrie. “10 Things to Know About Restaurant Management”. restaurants.about.com,

2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.

Walker, John. The Restaurant From Concept to Operation. 7th Edition. New Jersey. USA:

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2014. Print.

Waters, Alice: 7 thoughts on “How to Improve Your Cooking Skills and Knowledge”,

simplycooking.wordpress.com, 2011. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.