Veteran restaurateur Max Ghaly, owner of Max's Restaurant in Maadi, spoke with Business Today Egypt about the joys and challenges of owning and running your own restaurant. Edited excerpts:
You have to love this business. It's not something I do because it's a business. I like to be with people, talking to people. A lot of restaurants start off well, but after a couple of months they start to relax and they lose business.
It is a very stressful business -- you have to look after everything. I'm here from 9am every day until 11pm, seven days a week. I don't go crazy from the work because I enjoy it. From my experience, this business is like having a second wife. I have a family -- when they miss me, they come to see me here at the restaurant.
I have very close relationships with the guests, and I talk to everybody. When you talk to your clients, they start [to] trust you and they feel at home. People come to see me and they expect to feel more comfortable with me around making them happy. The guests should feel you are happy to see them, that you are willing to serve them. Your aim is to make them happy.
Sometimes, though, you want to be by yourself. I just disappear and try to calm down. I walk every day, one hour -- this is very good, relaxing.
My senior staff [managers and chefs] have been with me for 15 years. They feel safe with me; when I move to a new restaurant, they move. They know what I want, and I am a bit tough. Having a personal relationship is one thing, but business is something else. It doesn't mean when you are tough with the people that you don't like them -- it's a business.
[Although he's been in the business for a decade and a half, Max's Restaurant is the first property Ghaly owns himself.]
I make a deal from the beginning: You need to work here, but at least I give a training course. I have trained many people with no experience and now they are very good.
Some unprofessional staff start out and all that is in their heads is what they get at the end of the month. They are not aware that you can earn better tips if you give better service. You get out of the business what you give it. Too many people are not willing to start slowly; they want to have a lot of money from the beginning.
We used to deal with small distributors, but they are never on time and they don't provide consistent quality. But now this is getting much better since I started working with larger companies. It costs you more, but at least you get quality.
Time, for me, is also very important [...] I never in my life had someone call and say, "Where are you?" You have to feel you are in good hands.
Max's Tips for Success
Experience is paramount: "Get experience -- I spent many years working cleaning dishes."
Don't focus on money: "In the beginning, forget about making crazy money. You have to suffer, but in the end you earn really good money."
Be persistent: "Work a lot and keep it going. Don't think, 'The business is running well' and then relax."
Quality Control: "Good quality -- you may have to pay more, but you won't get sick."
Distinguish yourself from the competition: "You must have something people appreciate and come back for. The competition is everywhere, so you must have something different."
Keep an eye on the clock: "Time. Time. Time. If you are late, forget it. People feel they can't trust you."
By Imogen Kimber and Dan Reese
© Business Today Egypt 2007
