Words from the Wise – Rebecca Mascarenhas
Rebecca Mascarenhas, owner, sonny's, Cantinetta and Kitchen W8, London, shares her business secrets
Have the courage to make changes Don't be afraid to change when something isn't working. Kitchen W8 restaurant in Kensington had two previous incarnations which were fine, but not to the standard of success that we had hoped for. My partnership with Philip Howard of the Square brought me the level of collaboration that has helped us to create a truly successful restaurant on many levels.
Know your numbers Make the effort to learn everything you can about the detail of your business, especially finance. Modern technology provides a platform for fast analysis of your business, so learn to understand reports and act on them. Do not file them. If you are not great with figures get someone to go through them with you. Do not be afraid to ask for help.
Keep your budget tight, you don't need to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds (or even millions) to create a great restaurant interior and ambience. Keep it simple, classy and comfortable - then add good service and food. Make it personal. An over-stylised interior dates quickly and often overwhelms the senses, most people would rather pay for what is on the plate rather than on the walls.
Focus on what you do best Don't waste time on projects that will go nowhere or distract you from your main, core business. You can't be everything to everyone. Keep your focus narrow and singular, and concentrate on what you do best. Be proud of your achievements.
Listen to your customers Create your (restaurant) business for your customers, not to satisfy critics, even in the early days of a new launch. Be prepared for controlled growth rather than chasing the feeding frenzy that now accompanies new restaurant openings.
Neighbourhood restaurants require a particular philosophy of customer service. Building a regular business with the locals needs care and attention. Over 25 years at Sonny's, we've seen four generations of customers from the same family - because they know that we know who they are.
Value your staff Teach your staff to understand the purpose of their assignments so that they feel involved and proud of their achievements. Recognise and reward good members of your team.
Over the years I have been guilty of failing to value some of my staff and only realised how valuable they were when they left. Consequently I struggled to find decent replacements and my businesses wobbled until I found the right people again. In the hospitality business your team is everything.
Good decision, bad decision
Good The best decision I ever made was to buy the freeholds of some of my businesses when they became available. This meant that the businesses had a tangible rather than an intangible asset, making borrowing money much easier.
Bad The worst decision I made was to buy a restaurant very close to me geographically as I did not want a competitor on my doorstep. I didn't apply my normal business criteria to this project and as a result lost a packet.
CV Highlights
1980-83 General manager, Rib Shack, Knightsbridge
â- 1983-86 Manager, then general manager, and then managing director, Stock's Club, Kings Road, Chelsea
â- 1986 Opened Sonny's in Barnes with husband James Harris
â- 1989 Opened Sonny's in Nottingham (since sold)
â- 1996 Opened the Phoenix in Putney
â- 1999 Opened Parade in Ealing (since sold)
â- 2009 Opened Kitchen W8 in Kensington in partnership with Phil Howard
â- 2010 Relaunched the Phoenix as Italian restaurant Cantinetta
Business Motto Cultivate experts to work with you and take the advice offered. I have been helped by brilliant people, who have been incredibly generous with their time. Collaboration is key.
