Behind The Curtain

We had lots of kind words and messages after our last newsletter, where we talked about finding ourselves in a tough spot. It's very much appreciated, and thank you to everyone who reached out or booked a table. It really does make a difference.

Off the back of that we thought we'd share what we're actually doing about it.

There are three big levers we can pull to reduce our costs: the menu, the wine cellar and the wage bill. Here's how each one works.

When it comes to the menu we've decided it will change a little less frequently than before. Monthly menus are great, but they come with a couple of operational downsides.

A new menu isn't just a new list of dishes. It's new prep lists, new ordering, new recipes, new training and usually a few mistakes whilst everyone gets up to speed. Every menu change inevitably results in some prep that can't be used, so there's always a degree of waste involved. All of this takes time, costs money and adds pressure to the kitchen.

To offset this we'll be adding a few more specials as the summer goes on, and the menu itself is now a little larger than it was before.

One of the new additions is a sharing steak. It's a great-looking plate, and a piece of medium-rare sirloin drenched in Henry's peppercorn sauce has, unsurprisingly, been a big hit!

There are a couple of reasons we've gone down this route, aside from it being delicious.

It takes some weight off the chefs during the busiest periods of service. Cooking one large piece of steak requires less work than preparing two separate mains, each with three or four different elements. It's also a very low-wastage dish. We have a fixed number of steaks each week and, as long as we get through them, very little goes to waste.

When times are tight, cash flow matters. One of the biggest places we carry cash in the business is the wine cellar. Lots of bottles...all representing a chunk of cash, just sitting there.

So over the summer we'll be working through some of our lesser-known wines to reduce our stock holding. Like most restaurants, we use specials and wine pairings to help manage the cellar, and for the keen-eyed amongst you this means there will be some genuine bargains appearing on the wine specials board over the next couple of months!

The biggest lever we have...and by far the hardest to pull...is the wage bill.

The truth is that it's impossible to make a material impact on the bottom line without making some changes here. We are incredibly lucky to have a brilliant team, many of whom have been with us for a long time, and that experience makes all the difference.

An experienced front of house team member can comfortably cover more tables with confidence, warmth and grace than someone who is still learning the ropes. Which allows us to be more efficient whilst still delivering the level of service that has been so important in getting us to where we are.

These choices are hard and there are no easy fixes. Every decision has consequences and each involves a trade-off. But we're enjoying the challenge and, as we've said time and time again, we're fortunate to have a team of people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do what needs to be done with positivity and good humour.

But the truth is that cost cutting is not the answer.

Back when Alina and I worked for Alan Yau as part of the Hakkasan Group, there was a sign on the wall at head office.

I might have the wording slightly wrong after nearly twenty years, but it said something like:

"Some believe the way to succeed is by cutting costs. We believe the way to succeed is by creating excellence."

That sentiment has stayed with both of us ever since.

Success in hospitality demands near endless energy...both physical and emotional. And on a daily basis, a focus on creating excellence is a much better source of energy than cost cutting, so we spend most of our time on this.

Because in the end, the best way to improve the bottom line is to add to the top line.

Which means working hard to secure a few more tables each week. It means more social media. It means encouraging more people to sign up to this newsletter, which remains one of our most engaged and effective ways of talking to guests. Each of these adds a few extra covers and that makes a difference.

We're even considering taking on a PR partner for the first time. In the early days we resisted the idea because we were still figuring out exactly what we wanted Wilson's to become. Two and a half years in, we understand that much more clearly and we know from others in the industry that this works…so watch this space.

To everyone who wrote to us after the last newsletter asking how they could help...thank you.

The answer is actually very simple.

Come for dinner. Tell a friend. Share this newsletter with someone who you think might enjoy reading it.

Independent restaurants have always grown through word of mouth and recommendations from people who care about them.

We hope that's something we can continue to earn for many years to come!