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To get a glimpse at an extreme example of efficient restaurant management, take a look at Willy Staley’s recent article in NY Times Magazine, “22 Hours in Balthazar.” Balthazar, one of Soho’s hottest spots for fine dining and ultimate star-gazing, churns out high quality meals for 1,500 diners a day, spending close to $90,000 a week on food. To keep patrons fed, the restaurant has become a factory—“raw materials enter through one side early each morning, moving through various stations, where 150 to 200 employees, each playing a narrowly defined role, produce finished, value-added and marked-up goods and serve them directly to end users.” Because of this extreme efficiency, the machine shines. Every role is just as important as the next, from the stewards who bring in and catalog deliveries at 6:00 each morning to head chef Shane McBride who makes important decisions about suppliers, recipes and menus. This New York location has such a well-run system, it recently flew a team of busboys to train staff at their new London location.

Does this spark your interest? If you’re curious to learn more about the New York restaurant industry, the Food and Beverage or Culinary Arts paths in CUNY CareerPATH at Kingsborough might be your first step towards a career in this fast-paced field. Eligibility restrictions apply, so we encourage you to speak with a representative about your options. We have information sessions scheduled through December, so get in touch with us today!