SET TABLE FOR SUCCESS

With restaurants opening – and closing – constantly on the Gold Coast, a new book deals with the less glamorous side of hospitality

THERE’S nothing quite as heartbreaking as watching a new venue go from a “coming soon!”sign to languishing unvisited. The door closes, in many cases also closing the door on a lifelong dream that turned out to be a nightmare for its unprepared owners.

While passion fuels many would-be restaurateurs, Broadbeach woman Jodie Terzis has written Foodie Dream, a book that grapples with the less exciting but equally vital logistics.

“I decided to write this book because I have seen many people go into the hospitality business with a dream, but no real knowledge of what is required to begin the process and make it sustainable into the future,” she says. “I want to help answer questions and dispel some myths around the process of starting out in the hospitality business. Deciding to start up your dream business can be scary for some people, because they don’t realise what they’re getting themselves into.”

Foodie Dream is a wealth of information for those new to the industry.

“My first tip is to ask questions – both of yourself and of a professional,” Jodie says.

“Asking the big questions of yourself is a major part of the journey that will open your mind to new possibilities and the answers will give you ideas you hadn’t even considered.

“It also means knowing how to set up the business and my best advice is to go and seek out a hospitality professional that you trust to help you.”

Jodie’s second tip is to protect yourself.

“Make sure you protect yourself and your assets, which is good business sense, because losing everything isn’t part of the dream,” she says.

“Start by looking at the legal setup, including ABNs and partnership agreements. Also consider what licences, permits and certificates you will need.

“Insurance for your property and having the right lease is also a huge part of setting up your business because this can save you heartache and money in the long run.”

Next, Jodie says it’s important to get your business and brand out there.

“You’ve put in so much hard work getting your concept, menus and kitchen right – now you’ve got to look at how you’re going to sustain your business now that it’s open,” Jodie says.

“Marketing is something that you will work on throughout the whole life of your business. Start small and grow as your business grows.”

Foodie Dream is available now on Kindle and Amazon