Eighth Edition of the Dean's Leadership Series
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The 8th edition of the Dean's Leadership Series, "Insights from Innovators," was the featured speaker session on the opening day of the NRA Show 2011. The panel discussion drew over 150 attendees and focused on top restaurant trends including sustainability, restaurant design, social media and other marketing innovations, and human resource issues.
Michael D. Johnson, dean & E. M. Statler Professor, moderated the panel discussion featuring:
- Elizabeth Blau, CEO, Elizabeth Blau & Associates
- Zachary Bruell PA '12, Chef/Restaurateur, Parallax, Table 45 and L'Albatro
- Drew Nieporent '77, Owner, Myriad Restaurant Group
- Daniel Rosenthal '71, President, The Rosenthal Group & Chairman, Green Chicago Restaurant Co-op
Conversations about sustainability abound in the restaurant industry today, and the topic hit close to home for several of the panelists. Rosenthal is helping to lead the “green” discussion in the Windy City through the Green Chicago Restaurant Co-op, which provides green purchasing assistance, educational initiatives, and the “Guaranteed Green” restaurant certification program. Blau said that she is seeing the sustainability trend everywhere, even in Las Vegas, where they are using recycled materials in construction and design and selecting sustainable seafood sources.
Panelists also discussed the impact that third party discount and reservation providers, such as Groupon and OpenTable, are having on the restaurant business. Nieporent said he is strongly against Groupon’s model, pointing out that “the ideas that work best for us are when everyone is involved.” He cited New York City’s Restaurant Week—which began in 1992—as an example of successful group restaurant promotion. Blau said she also feels that consumers are becoming “coupon-obsessed,” but that she “hopes the trend does not catch on in this industry.” The panel agreed that coupon-users are not usually loyal, repeat clientele and are more focused on price than on quality and overall experience.
In a highlight of the session, Bruell discussed how he uses the innovative “Tour de Bruell” to cross-market his Cleveland-area restaurants. He explained that in order to complete the Tour, guests must dine at all four of Bruell’s restaurants between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Clients who finish the Tour are entered to win prizes, including a complimentary wine-tasting dinner at Table 45 and a custom, in-home dinner, prepared by Bruell.
Delving into the topic of recruiting and retaining staff, Blau reminded attendees that “employees are your most important commodity.” Rosenthal shared that, due to the excellent corporate culture of his company, the Rosenthal Group has less than seven percent turnover, a striking statistic within industry.
A panel discussion about the restaurant industry would not be complete without talk about innovative dishes and menus, and all four panelists shared what they’ve been seeing in the way of food trends. However, everyone agreed with Bruell when he pointed out that “what makes a restaurant is the service and experience, not just the food.” Rosenthal added, “you have to have that hospitality quotient.”