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Taste talks to area chefs about how they’re coping in a different economy.

Scott Ouelette, Chef/Owner of two popular Lakes Region eateries, O’s Steak & Seafood in Lakeport, New Hampshire, and Canoe Restaurant & Tavern in Center Harbor. To learn more visit www.osteakandseafood.com or www.eatatcanoe.com.
Photograph by Linda S. Murphy/Lasting Moments Photography.

Evan Mallet, Chef/Owner the Black Trumpet Bistro in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This elegant restaurant is known for its distinctive cuisine, and distinguished history as the site of two of Portsmouth’s leading restaurants—the Blue Strawbery and Lindbergh’s Crossing. Black Trumpet Bistro features cuisine with influences from Spain, North Africa, the Mediterranean and Mexico. Visit www.blacktrumpetbistro.com. Photograph by Jasmine Inglesmith.

Matt Lee, Chef at the Granite Restaurant, located in the historic Centennial Hotel in downtown Concord, New Hampshire. Granite offers New American Cuisine and showcases Lee’s interest in Caribbean, Pacific Rim and Latino cuisine. Visit www.granite.com.

How are restaurants being affected by the economic downturn?

Scott: People are still going out to eat. I have the same amount of people, if not more, coming through the door, but they are spending less money. They are cutting back on appetizers, high end bottles of wine, and dessert. As a result, I’ve started offering more mid-range wines; they’re good quality, and this way, people can still afford to have something nice
with dinner.

Evan: I have to disagree. I think more restaurants are being affected than not. Of those offering a premium meal that people will splurge for, I think there’s maybe a handful that are doing okay. We’re fortunate that we are one of those places. We offer a unique experience, and the restaurant also has a long history of being the place to go for special occasions. Even in times of hardship, people still come here to celebrate the good things. People frequently tell us stories of how they met here, or got engaged here, or some other special memory. Those bonds run deep and they count on us to be here and offer that same memorable experience. Our commitment to stay true to what people expect keeps us going.

Matt: I’m with Evan; I think most restaurants are definitely being affected. We’re coming into our third year and we should easily be making our budget—we’re making it, but it’s not easy. Things are definitely slower.

What are restaurants doing differently with menus, portions, specials or other options to help the consumer be able to continue to dine out?

Scott: At my place, I make sure we’re right on the money in terms of portion control. If we promise an 8-ounce burger, it’s 8 ounces, not 8.5. This way, we’re not being wasteful. In fact, not being wasteful is our main philosophy these days. We use the vegetable ends to make stock; we’re buying more effectively—by the case, not the package. I’m locking in prices with purveyors, and taking more advantage of specials and what’s in season. If beef steak filets are on special, I can get a good price for those, and pass that savings on to the customer. It works well for all of us. We also make sure lights aren’t left on, and the gas isn’t left on if nothing’s being cooked. It’s a lot of small things that we didn’t always pay attention to before, but we do now. It all adds up.

Evan: One of our most popular items right now is the Stimulus Package—it’s $19 for a three-course meal, and it’s a spectacular deal. We’ve had a number of people come in for the first time because of this offering, and we’ve had other diners who had only previously patronized the restaurant off and on now become regulars because of this menu. I definitely agree that people aren’t spending as much as before, but they still want to go out, and many of them want to experience a certain type of food and ambiance like what we offer here. This menu lets them do that.

From an efficiency perspective, we’ve taken a good look at our menu, as well. Like Scott said, we try to make use of everything. Our grandparents, and people in other nations, are much better at truly using things up. I try to find ways to use all parts of the pig, for example, not just the standard cuts. We make sausages, we use different cuts in stews. It’s actually been fun for us in the kitchen. Being more efficient forces you to be more creative, both in planning cost-effective menus, and as a challenge to your cooking skills. We’re constantly looking to be less wasteful and produce a great dish. We also always buy local, which saves on transportation costs, and reduces our carbon footprint.

Matt: We’ve always provided half portions, and that has worked really well; it’s a great value for the consumer, as most are $15 or less. It’s still a lot of food, especially when paired with a salad or appetizer. We’ve also taken some items and placed them in a “Three for $30” menu—you can get a salad, entree and dessert for $30. It’s a great deal. Like  Scott, we’ve also worked with our purveyors to get better buys, like good but less expensive types of seafood, or more mid-range wines. We’re offering some specialty nights, too, such as Ladies’ Night and Half-Price Martini Night, and my favorite, Fried Chicken Dinners on Thursdays. I’m from Atlanta, and you can cook up a really good fried chicken dinner and keep it affordable. Guests can have plenty of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, truffle gravy, and haricots vert for just $12.

Finally, we’ve always made sure that our menu had casual fare. If all you want is a beer and a burger, you can get that, and we have incredible burgers—100 percent Angus beef, and made to order.

Do special menus and coupons really work?

Scott: We have what we call our ‘Stimulus Menu,’—hey, Evan, great name!  It’s a three-course meal that costs about 20 percent less than if you bought each item individually. It includes an appetizer, an entree, and dessert, and we’ve seen a great response. About 10 to 20 percent of my customers are taking advantage of this on any given night.

Evan: I think you have to use them with caution. While our Stimulus Package has worked, I do think you have to be careful about offering specials and coupons. If you commit to too many two-for-one specials, or other specialty discounts, you run the risk of becoming locked into that even when times are better. Customers get used to those discounts and it’s hard to take them away. If you do, they may not come back. I think some promotions are good, but you have to be careful, or you’ll wind up revising your whole business model.

Matt: I think they have encouraged some people to try the restaurant who otherwise might not. I think there has been the mistaken impression, because of our really nice appearance, that the restaurant is expensive—and it’s not—there’s a very diverse menu. So, having some special menus and specialty nights has gotten people in the door, and once there, they’ve seen all we have to offer and been surprised.

You have all been in the restaurant business awhile; I assume you’ve seen bad times before. What do you see as the key to surviving them?

Scott:  I’ve been around for 20 years, too. I’ve seen this before, although I wasn’t in the management part of the business the first time around. I think to survive you need to be consistent. Good, authentic product still needs to be offered. You may have to cut back on help and run a little leaner. You also need to go over every aspect of the business and be as efficient as possible—don’t run the heat or AC excessively, for example.

Evan: It’s 19 years for me. I actually think this is the worst I’ve seen. I say that because some family friends run a restaurant in Boston—it’s been there for generations. They came up for dinner in November and said they had never seen times like these. I mean, restaurants in Boston are closing; they are being hit hard. That said, we’re doing okay. I think what keeps you going is being true to your core beliefs and your restaurant’s identity. Don’t panic and veer too far off course. Yes, these are desperate times but you can’t appear desperate. People come to your place expecting a certain experience—give that to them. We believe in this community and their support, and we make that a two-way street.

Matt: I’m the newbie at 15 years, but yes, I remember there was a downturn after September 11th. I think you have to be prepared to roll with the punches. The restaurant business always has ups and downs. I think the key to keeping customers coming in the door is maintaining quality, and offering good value. People still want to go out to eat, and they appreciate good value, so helping them out with an affordable menu can work for you both.

How are restaurants reaching out and giving back during these times?

Scott: A number of food banks are opening in the area, and we will definitely be involved with those. We also work with nonprofits all the time and help them out by donating gift certificates or participating in fundraising events. Anything we can do to help, we do.

Evan: My wife, Denise, is very involved with Seacoast Local, and we’ve partnered with them to raise money to get food and heat to those in need. Our (H)EAT event was very successful, and I’m sure we’ll be involved in more things like that.

Matt: We haven’t gotten involved on a large scale yet, since the restaurant is fairly new, but we have already done fundraising for the March of Dimes, and Taste of the Nation. We were pleased to make a contribution to both of those events, so I know we’ll do more. Whatever it is, we’ll do our part.

Crystal Ward Kent is Contributing Editor to Taste magazine and has written for Taste since its inception. She is a frequent contributor to numerous regional magazines, including Yankee, Accent, and New Hampshire Home.

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