Traveling brings with it many different and difficult circumstances. There is a new language, that proves to be a difficult barrier to many and there is a totally new culture. Working through these disadvantages for a tourist can be pretty challenging but rewarding when done. One of the toughest things a tourist has to work through is…food! If you are from the United States, you are going to have a much different perspective on what tastes good then say the European restaurant you are at! There are a few tricks of the trade to finding good restaurants abroad- you just need to be aware of them!
Here is a quick man’s guide to finding a great restaurant in an area where you don’t know the language or the culture!
• Ask a local person! This is the most basic of suggestions but is often the most effective. Most local people would be glad to assist you with finding a quality restaurant. If you can, find a local who speaks your language at least a little bit and they should be able to comprehend what you are looking for! Locals know the good restaurants, the poor restaurants and the ones that will make you sick!
• Look for popularity! Now this tip doesn’t take a lot of time or a lot of knowledge, just observation! If you are in a city where there are streets full of restaurants and shops, just merely see which ones have the longest lines when dinner time rolls around! Chances are the restaurant with the longest line is going to have at least half way decent food!
• Research your area! The internet has opened up many different options when it comes to researching a specific area for restaurants. Not only can you find out how far the restaurant is from your hotel or accommodation, but you can find reviews from other people who have eaten there! Yahoo! and Google offer some of the best restaurant guides online for your convenience; so if you’re looking at a specific area, look on the internet first! Another form of researching is asking your travel agent. Often your agent will have at least a good sense of the restaurants in the area, if not first hand experience!
Finding the best restaurant for you when you are abroad doesn’t have to be impossible or stressful for your vacation- make it a fun part of the excitement that international traveling brings along with it! Follow the tips above to get the restaurant that has your tastes and preferences in mind!

Cancun Hotel Reviews

Cancun is a coastal area with white sand beaches and popularly known as the Mayan Gold Coast. Cancun is a Mexican city located in the state of Quintana Roo. Encircled by Caribbean Sea, Isla Mujeras and the Bojorquez lagoons, the city carries the reputation of the famous tourist destination and modern beachfront hotels. Climate in Cancun is warm throughout the year but with some strange and startling facts were you can see the sunshine on one side and rainfall on other side. You can experience showers and rainbow throughout the year.

The city progressed rapidly with many investors taking interest in hotel industry. The hotels in Cancun are the result of the investment of international companies. Nightlife in Cancun is simply marvelous with a number of nightclubs. We still find Cuban and salsa type restaurants and bars, which present the breathtaking dance performances keeping you glued to such places and enliven the energy in you and provoke you to tap your feet with their dance numbers. People throng discos for partying, people enjoying sunbath on the stupendous white sand beaches of the city. There are many water sports that you can enjoy with your entire family on the beaches. You can find water racing attractive or surfing more adventurous or underwater diving with your kids more interesting or paragliding intoxicating. Do whatever, the options of having fun are unlimited here in Cancun.

This city is young, as are most of its permanent and temporary inhabitants. Way back Cancun was just a small sand barrier when the plan began to develop it into the vacation haven of all times. Today, Cancun stands as a medium-sized coastal city and a long, thin island connected to the mainland through bridges at its north and south ends. It is a home to world-class resorts, hotels, clubs, and malls. With the changing nature of this place it offers something for everyone, from an all-day fun party beach to an isolated, tranquil island. Whatever your mood and liking is you find suitable places of solitude here in Cancun.

With around four million visitors every year Cancun has gone through many changes. One of the major change is evident in the 140 hotels which stand tall in this once small city. Hotels are a major business in Cancun and find many big investors and players participating in this venture. The hotels in Cancun are located in the Hotel Zone which is shaped like a backwards 7 with bridges on each end connecting to the mainland. This hotel zone offers a broad range of accommodation facilities, ranging from relatively inexpensive motel-style facilities in the older section closest to the mainland, to high-priced luxury hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton in the popular areas. Many of the hotels are time-share condominiums with kitchen facilities. Some all inclusive hotels where all meals, drinks both alcoholic and non alcoholic, hotel activities, entertainment, non motorized water sports, tips and taxes are included in the price of the hotel rooms. With these cheap accommodations you can also find upscale private residences and lavish condominiums for rent that cater to the rich and famous. It is seen that the restaurants, bars and shops in the hotel zone tend to be rather expensive compared with the downtown area and other Mexican resorts. Here travelers will find many recognized theme restaurants and clubs.

As celiac disease, or the inability to digest the protein gluten, has become an increasing problem many people have had to change their lifestyles and diets.
As more and more people are required to eat gluten free foods, a need for gluten free restaurants has become evident. It is hard to keep up with eating tasty, healthy, gluten free food recipes all the time at home and those who can’t eat gluten, like to eat out just as much as anyone else.
“The Essential Gluten Free Restaurant Guide”
If you are looking for more information about gluten free restaurants you could look for a book named “The Essential Gluten Free Restaurant Guide.” This is a great guide that contains four hundred pages that list all of the best gluten free restaurants in a directory that is simple to use.
This guide also lists all of the items on the menus of 800 chain restaurants that are gluten free. This is certainly best option for you to find out where to eat out when you want to eat gluten free food.
This book will let you see the gluten free restaurants that are located in your state and can come in especially handy when you plan on traveling, or want to eat out when out on a business trip, or even wish to go out with your friends and family. With all the different gluten free restaurants listed, you should be able to know beforehand where you are going to get gluten free food wherever you may be in the United States.
Using this gluten free restaurants guide, you can easily find out where gluten-free menus are available and whether the restaurants are providing gluten-free specialty dishes. It will also tell you whether the establishment has hundred percent gluten-free menus, and if you want to eat at a chain restaurant, the guide will show you which of these serve up gluten-free food.
Furthermore, you can also find out the estimated cost of your meal at these gluten free restaurants which can start from fifteen dollars and go up to twenty-five dollars and more.
Another thing that the guide book will help you with is letting you research the restaurant and know whether it is buffet style place, a sandwich shop, or a restaurant to get an evening dinner. The guide also keeps up on local food sanitation regulations and lists restaurants where there is risk of food contamination. Since restaurant businesses of open, close and change suddenly you should call ahead and enquire if the restaurant is still serving gluten-free food and ask whether the gluten-free specialty food is in stock or not.
Once you enter the gluten free restaurant, you should meet the host/hostess and introduce yourself and tell him or her about your special requirements and enquire about the gluten-free menu. Finally confirm that they have understood your diet needs and can provide you with a suitable gluten-free meal.
It may seem embarrassing to make your condition known to everyone, remember that you are simply taking active steps to ensure your health. There is certainly nothing embarrassing about that.
Being cautious is recommended as it can save you from health problems and will also get you a delicious as well as a safe gluten-free dining experience.

We all know there are great restaurants in France but where are they? What is the food like? Travel guides are nice and they offer some advice, but these restaurants aren’t reviewed by gourmets and certainly don’t tell you where they are. Well never fear, Gourmandia.com is here!

Gourmandia.com is your resource for the gourmet life style. From dishes, to the worlds restaurants, to little things like napkin folding that add an extra flare to your food, gourmandia.com is where the world gourmands go to get advice, share recipes, and network with other like-minded people.

One of the best traveling and food resources on gourmandia.com is the restaurants directory. It can be found here: http://lifestyle.gourmandia.com/restaurants.php

It lists restaurants from all over the world serving every cuisine imaginable. Right now our featured restaurants are all in France but they are unique because they are not all in Paris. So if you want to try new chefs, new ideas, and new foods then get out of Paris and get into these restaurants.

Restaurant de Bacon

In 1948, the family Sordello sold pan bagnat, beer, and lemonade at Buffet de Bacon (a tent roof and two trestle tables). Alphonsine Sordello presided over the small seaside establishment and open-air dance floor that became the Restaurant du Bacon in 1950. For 20 years she prepared fish soup, bouillabaisse, small fry, and other dishes with the help of her two sons Etienne and Adrien, called “Didi.” As the years went by, with their help and that of Serge Philippin, who became chef in 1980, the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 1985. Frequented these days by a more sophisticated crowd – epicureans of excuisite seafood. Le Bacon, superbly located facing Old Antibes and the Baie des Anges, has acquired an international reputation and professional recognition that crown the efforts of two generations of Sordellos and of course Chef .The next step is soon to come. Le Restaurant de Bacon is closed all day Monday, closed at lunch on Tuesday, and closed from 1st November to 1st march 2007.

Scholteshof

Chef Roger Souvereyns is a passionate collector and homme de gout. Transforming a magnificent farmhouse from 1742 in Stevoort, Belgium, into a true haven of peace, where gastronomy and art de vivre perfectly harmonize, Roger Souvereyns maintains a 28-acre garden, where he grows herbs, vegetables and other ingredients for his cuisine. The “Scholteshof” will let you discover superb art objects, precious, ancient furnishing and an excellent cuisine!

El Raco de Can Fabes

In 1981, Angel and Santi Santamaria opened the “El Raco de Can Fabes” in Sant Celoni, a small village very close to Barcelona. Being an autodidact, Santi Santamaria serves a typical Catalan cuisine, which has already been awarded with 3 Michelin stars.

Le Jardin des Sens

Jacques and Laurent Pourcel are twin brothers and a true duo in the cuisine. Being consultants to the well-reputated restaurant “Maison Blanche” in Paris, they are extraordinary 3-star-Michelin-chefs in their own restaurant, the “Le Jardin des Sens”. Having a favor for contemporary arts, “Le Jardin des Sens” was decorated and designed by architect Philippe Stark. Jacques and Laurent Pourcel serve cuisine from the Languedoc, playing with both, the land and sea, influenced by the Spanish border. Above all, the cuisine is strong in taste, aromatic, personalized, and enriched with their own dreams of the entire world.

Ocean City offers a wide variety of dining choices. My favorite restaurant is the Marina Deck located at 306 Dorchester Street. Try their cream of crab soup for a taste of true Maryland cuisine, or select from any of their seafood dishes, everything is very good. As with any restaurant, house specialties are always the best so don’t go to a seafood restaurant expecting great ribs. Marina Deck is a must visit while in Ocean City.

If you’re in the mood for ribs or beef I would suggest Nick’s Original House of Ribs located at 14410 Coastal Hwy, or Bull on the Beach with 2 locations, one at 94th Street & Coastal Hwy and one just outside Ocean City on Route 50. While Nick’s has the best ribs, Bull on the Beach has the best pit beef in Ocean City. Many visitors and locals consider Bull on the Beach is a must place to eat while Ocean City in and their bar is a relaxed gathering place for locals. JR’s used to be the place to go for ribs but I have gotten some bad reviews about service the last few years and I have not been overly pleased with their service.

When you’re in the mood for Italian head downtown to Adolfo’s Italian Restaurant located at 806 S. Baltimore Avenue. Their food is excellent and highly recommended by locals, however; the best doesn’t come cheap so be prepared to pay top dollar to eat here. For very good Italian food at family prices try Salvatore’s Italian & Seafood Family Restaurants located just outside of Ocean City on Route 50. I don’t consider Salvatore’s a step down from Adolfo’s, just a different menu with a more family friendly menu and reasonable prices.

The Japanese steak house, Sakura, is one of my family’s favorite places to eat. Located in the White Marlin Mall just outside of Ocean City on Route 50 it offers some excellent beef, poultry, and seafood dishes all cooked in front of you by some talented chefs. Wait times are not too long, but keep in mind that parties of less than 6 will be seated with other small parties. This is really fun and gives you a chance to meet other couples or families. While I’m not into Sushi, I’m told theirs is very good. Sakura’s is a must visit while in Ocean City. Unfortunately there is no one Chinese restaurant that I can recommend over another, so this will have to be a try it and see selection. I always suggest you try new restaurants at lunch or at early bird dinner hours when the prices are usually much lower.

On days when all you can think about is dinner I recommend going to a buffet. This has become a popular dinner alternative in our area because you can really get a good value for your dollar when you’re super hungry. If you mainly want crabs or crabs and shrimp my favorites are Waterman’s located on Route 50 just outside of Ocean City and Higgins Crab House with two locations; 31st & Coastal Hwy and 128th St & Coastal Hwy. Both of these are, in my mind at least, must visit restaurants. Crab feasts are the most economical way to get crabs but buying them by the dozen allows you to get larger crabs and take the leftovers home to eat later. Both of these restaurants have carry-out as well as eat in and all you can eat menus. If buying crabs to go I always recommend buying them by the ½ bushel or whole bushel, because you get more for your dollar. When you’re in the mood for more variety the best buffet is at The Bonfire located at 71st St & Ocean Hwy and the Embers Restaurant located at 24th Street & Coastal Hwy. Both of these offer prime rib and seafood buffets that are the best in town.

Tired from being at the beach all day? Try Ponzetti’s Pizza located at 144th Street & Coastal Hwy, this is a non-chain pizza parlor with very good pizza, an amusement area, and a full service bar. There are many pizza places in Ocean City but Ponzetti’s, Lombardi’s located at 9203 Coastal Highway, and the Dough Roller with 4 locations; 70th & Coastal Highway,  1125th Street & Costal Highway, Division Street & Boardwalk,  213 North Atlantic Avenue, are, in that order, the best in my opinion. If you’re in the mood for a sub try Fat Daddy’s located at 216 S. Baltimore Ave. Of course all of the fast food chains are represented up and down Coastal Hwy, but I really think you will like our local restaurants and Deli’s much better for close to the same cost.

As stated earlier; try unknown restaurants at lunch or for their early bird dinners to see if they are worth spending your hard earned money on. Like all resort areas there are what I call “rip-off” restaurants that appear for a summer or two and then vanish. You may have noticed that several of the restaurants I recommend are located just outside of Ocean City, but all of them are less than 5 minutes away. Every restaurant I recommend is frequented by locals and is open year-round with the exception of the Marina Deck which has a smaller restaurant in Ocean Pines that is open year-round. Almost every question I am asked about restaurants starts with; where do the locals eat? The restaurants listed here are where my family and friends eat that is in or near Ocean City.

SO YOU WANT A CAREER AS A RESTAURANT MANAGER?

Even if you’re currently a restaurant’s resident dishwasher, it is still very possible for you to climb the ladder to the very top with hard work, persistence and the right set of skills. A lot of restaurant operators seek people who already have ample experience in nearly all restaurant duties, so if you’ve been rotating on different tasks for the past months or years, you already have one foot in the door.

However, given the present times, most owners are eyeing potential candidates who have formal qualifications to fill supervisory and managerial roles in the company. While experience also carries a lot of weight, job opportunities are likely to be more open and better if you have an associate or bachelor’s degree to your name, particularly those that have something to do with restaurant and institutional food service management.

Understanding Your Work Conditions

A restaurant manager’s daily life is often very hectic and subject to high levels of pressure. Thus, a considerable amount of resilience, stamina and physical, mental and emotional endurance is required of you. Since evenings and weekends are the most busy times for restaurants, you should be prepared to work during late nights and weekends. It is not uncommon for restaurant managers to work for around 50 to 60 hours per week, and you will most likely be the first to arrive and the last to leave everyday.

A restaurant manager’s work hours and job nature are also highly intermittent, as you might have to fill in for an absent employee, no matter what his job designation is, at the last minute. Hence, it is very important that you know all the restaurant’s operations inside out and from top to bottom, as being a restaurant manager does not just mean sitting behind a nice desk and making chitchat with customers. There will be times that you will have to perform all sorts of “dirty work”.

The pressures of making sure everything is in order almost always happen simultaneously with a number of other responsibilities. Whenever there are problems, it will be your duty as restaurant manager to seek a solution with the least possible disruptions to other operations, particularly in the serving of customers. This can be further aggravated by uncooperative and stubborn staff, as well as irate clients. You have to have a lot of patience for this job if you want to pull through sanely and in one piece.

Duties of a Restaurant Manager

A restaurant manager’s daily duties are not to be underestimated. Apart from the usual tasks of selecting what to place on the menu and determining each of their prices, ensuring quality service and proper food preparation and the efficient utilization of supplies, taking responsibility for the rising number of human resource and administrative tasks are also part of the job description.

Typically, the management team is composed of a general manager, one or two assistant managers (depending on the size of the place) and one executive chef, who takes charged of all kitchen operations. Often, in the case of small restaurants, the manager and the executive chef is just one person. In the case of major fast food chains, there are a number of assistant managers to supervise the different shifts.

All of the members of the managerial team should expect to be working from the moment the restaurant opens until it closes at all days of operation. Because a manager is responsible for all, he does not have the liberty to just skip work because he doesn’t feel like going. Restaurant management, though accompanied by considerable perks, is a full service job that requires full time commitment.

Managing the Menu and Supplies

It is a restaurant manager’s job to determine menu items. This is often doen with the help of the executive chef and will be decided on based on the past popularity of certain meals and the likely number of customers who will patronize it. Sometimes, a new dish is introduced in order to accommodate and avoid the wastage of unserved food. How the menu is arranged also depends on what raw ingredients are in season or simply for the sake of variety and novelty.

Managers also review each dish to find out how much it costs to prepare them, taking into consideration certain overhead expenses, to know what price best represents its value. Items on the meu should also be done ahead of time so managers can estimate what supplies are needed and when these should be bought and delivered. Upon delivery, it is the manager’s duty to check the content and evaluate their quality, particularly the meats, fruits, vegetables, fish, baked items and poultry.

Grocery items are not the only supplies that should be monitored. Tableware, linens, cooking supplies, furniture and cleaning materials should also be checked regularly. Waste disposal and pest control should be addressed, as well.

Hiring the Right People

How smoothly a restaurant runs depends a lot on the people who work there. That’s why it is important that managers hire the right people for the job. It is the manager’s responsibility to explain the company’s rules and regulations to all staff members and to provide the training necessary. Employee work schedules are also under his jurisdiction.

Because restaurants at peak hours are considered one of the most stressful working environments in the business world, managers should be able to exercise maximum grace under pressure and handle problems with the least disturbance.

Administrative Duties

While majority of administrative functions are handled by the bookkeeper, managers should also know how there are run, particularly for smaller restaurants where he might have to do the job himself. Issue like work hours and staff wages, tax and licensing paperwork, payroll, supply and equipment purchases and other disbursements fall under this category. Given a highly technological business environment today, managers will also need to learn how to operate computerized point of sale systems to increase productivity and efficiency. POS systems can help minimize the workload by automatically talling sales, supplies and ranking which dishes on the menu are the most popular among clients.

Training to be a Restaurant Manager

Given the multitude of responsibilities managers face each day, it is important that he is well equipped to handle the job. Colleges and universities offer two to four-year programs on restaurant related subjects like food technology, nutrition, food planning and preparation, accounting, even restaurant and hotel management itself.

The demands of the times today do not only call for a vast experience on the business, but also the adequate formal and technical know-how in order to grow safely with the changes and industry advances.

To further bolster you chances of becoming a restaurant manager, you might want to acquire a certification as a Foodservice Management Professional from the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association. This can be obtained after you’ve successfully completed a series of food service management related courses, passed a written test, and met certain minimum requirements pertaining to performance and experience.

Restaurant managers work in some of the most glamorous, exciting environments you can imagine. From luxury resorts in exotic locations to high-powered conference centers to the hottest restaurants, hotel and restaurant managers are working behind the scenes to ensure the excellence of their establishment. If you are looking for a challenging, rewarding career and enjoy working with people, hotel or restaurant management could be right for you. The more people travel, the greater the need for Hotel/Restaurant Managers. As operations become more complex, employers are putting more emphasis on specialized training. The Penn Foster Hotel/Restaurant Manager program can give you a real advantage over others. As a Hotel/Restaurant Managers you can work in restaurants, bed and breakfasts, or even manage franchises for major hotel chains. You might be assigned to organize a newly built or purchased facility, or to reorganize an existing one. Managers determine room rates, oversee restaurant operations, and supervise the staff.

Being a restaurant manager is a lifestyle, not a job. If managers are going to succeed, they will put in 50 to 80 hours per week with high stress levels at times. But once you get everything going, it can be a fun career with very good pay. Employers suggest that potential candidates should consider the following: What type of restaurant business are you going into? There is a big difference between fine dining, family style, fast food and a sports bar or restaurant atmosphere. These restaurants attract different employees. A fine dining establishment might draw more experienced, mature employees, while a fast food restaurant or sports bar might interest younger ones. Do you want to be a floor manager, a back-of-the-house manager or a general manager? Each of these positions requires different skills.

When pursuing jobs, ask potential employers how long they have been in business, where they see the business growing, what opportunities exist for advancement and what type of manager-training programs they have. If someone wants a career in this field, try getting in with a franchise for training and a stable income, many employers will advise. After three to five years, you can look at a privately held restaurant where you can go in as a general manager and demand a pay of $60,000-plus for your expertise or partnership.

The Positives

Restaurant management is great if you like a lot of variety in what you do, like to work really hard and enjoy working with people. It is a fairly easy field to break into without investing in an education; however you can move up faster and not start at the very bottom if you do have an education.

The upside to restaurant management lies in the opportunity to advance quickly, the challenge and the chance to acquire an array of management skills. Nelsen suggests asking yourself these 10 questions to help you decide if this is the career for you:

Do I like to work with many different types of people, both as coworkers and as customers?
Will I mind working all hours of the day and night?
Do I like to motivate people to do their best?
Will I enjoy the pressures of making a budget, staffing the restaurant and managing daily operations?
Will I mind people calling me with questions on my time off?
What do I picture for the future, my family and how we spend our time? Do a restaurant manager’s hours fit into this vision?
Am I highly motivated?
Do I like to work hard?
Do I like to reach daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals?
What does this career offer that others do not?

One last thing to remember about a career in restaurant management is that with all the training and experience you get, you can move to many different industries and careers, for example, you can go from restaurant management to office management, to sales management to bank accounting, publishing and marketing.

Leading by example is a single principle for any success. Passing information through proper leadership is essential to the harmony and relationships among your employees. Whether you are working at the Front of the House or the Rear of the House, leadership sets the course for the direction of your operation. Knowing the basic principles of leadership will help you in every imaginable way in the restaurant business.

Here are a few tips for future restaurant managers: Take a moment to review your facility and operation. Does your facility accommodate critical relationships established by the flow of food? Or, do your servers have to walk through the prep or production areas to access the ware washing area? Are your servers and kitchen employees able to move freely? Or, are they always engaged in “right of way” debates? When a facility is designed based on the flow of food, the quality of service, risk of cross contamination, and employee morale all improve. If your facility utilizes this approach to design, you can attest to the results. If not, consider how you can improve the current configuration or operational procedures to better follow the flow of food.

Menu marketing is an important aspect for the success of any foodservice establishment. Menus are statements of the food and beverage items that are provided by a restaurant based on consumer wants, needs and demands. Menus can be interpreted as a list of products that a restaurant offers, and it can be a piece of literature or display used to communicate the products to the customer. From a marketing view point, menus are more than the conventional function of a communications and selling tool but also a tool that must be formatted to increase restaurant profits. Menu engineering provides the manager with information about a menu item’s profitability, as well as popularity, so that proactive planning, recipe design and customer pricing decisions can be made. Menu engineering is not a substitute for proper purchasing, food rotation, standard recipes or any of the other basic kitchen controls that can negatively impact your costs. Rather it is a method of evaluating every item on your menu relative to its present contribution to bottom line dollars, thereby allowing managers to recognize the items they want to sell!

Even if you’re currently a restaurant’s resident dishwasher, it is still very possible for you to climb the ladder to the very top with hard work, persistence and the right set of skills. A lot of restaurant operators seek people who already have ample experience in nearly all restaurant duties, so if you’ve been rotating on different tasks for the past months or years, you already have one foot in the door.
However, given the present times, most owners are eyeing potential candidates who have formal qualifications to fill supervisory and managerial roles in the company. While experience also carries a lot of weight, job opportunities are likely to be more open and better if you have an associate or bachelor’s degree to your name, particularly those that have something to do with restaurant and institutional food service management.
Understanding Your Work Conditions
A restaurant manager’s daily life is often very hectic and subject to high levels of pressure. Thus, a considerable amount of resilience, stamina and physical, mental and emotional endurance is required of you. Since evenings and weekends are the most busy times for restaurants, you should be prepared to work during late nights and weekends. It is not uncommon for restaurant managers to work for around 50 to 60 hours per week, and you will most likely be the first to arrive and the last to leave everyday.
A restaurant manager’s work hours and job nature are also highly intermittent, as you might have to fill in for an absent employee, no matter what his job designation is, at the last minute. Hence, it is very important that you know all the restaurant’s operations inside out and from top to bottom, as being a restaurant manager does not just mean sitting behind a nice desk and making chitchat with customers. There will be times that you will have to perform all sorts of “dirty work”.
The pressures of making sure everything is in order almost always happen simultaneously with a number of other responsibilities. Whenever there are problems, it will be your duty as restaurant manager to seek a solution with the least possible disruptions to other operations, particularly in the serving of customers. This can be further aggravated by uncooperative and stubborn staff, as well as irate clients. You have to have a lot of patience for this job if you want to pull through sanely and in one piece.
Duties of a Restaurant Manager
A restaurant manager’s daily duties are not to be underestimated. Apart from the usual tasks of selecting what to place on the menu and determining each of their prices, ensuring quality service and proper food preparation and the efficient utilization of supplies, taking responsibility for the rising number of human resource and administrative tasks are also part of the job description.
Typically, the management team is composed of a general manager, one or two assistant managers (depending on the size of the place) and one executive chef, who takes charged of all kitchen operations. Often, in the case of small restaurants, the manager and the executive chef is just one person. In the case of major fast food chains, there are a number of assistant managers to supervise the different shifts.
All of the members of the managerial team should expect to be working from the moment the restaurant opens until it closes at all days of operation. Because a manager is responsible for all, he does not have the liberty to just skip work because he doesn’t feel like going. Restaurant management, though accompanied by considerable perks, is a full service job that requires full time commitment.
Managing the Menu and Supplies
It is a restaurant manager’s job to determine menu items. This is often doen with the help of the executive chef and will be decided on based on the past popularity of certain meals and the likely number of customers who will patronize it. Sometimes, a new dish is introduced in order to accommodate and avoid the wastage of unserved food. How the menu is arranged also depends on what raw ingredients are in season or simply for the sake of variety and novelty.
Managers also review each dish to find out how much it costs to prepare them, taking into consideration certain overhead expenses, to know what price best represents its value. Items on the meu should also be done ahead of time so managers can estimate what supplies are needed and when these should be bought and delivered. Upon delivery, it is the manager’s duty to check the content and evaluate their quality, particularly the meats, fruits, vegetables, fish, baked items and poultry.
Grocery items are not the only supplies that should be monitored. Tableware, linens, cooking supplies, furniture and cleaning materials should also be checked regularly. Waste disposal and pest control should be addressed, as well.
Hiring the Right People
How smoothly a restaurant runs depends a lot on the people who work there. That’s why it is important that managers hire the right people for the job. It is the manager’s responsibility to explain the company’s rules and regulations to all staff members and to provide the training necessary. Employee work schedules are also under his jurisdiction.
Because restaurants at peak hours are considered one of the most stressful working environments in the business world, managers should be able to exercise maximum grace under pressure and handle problems with the least disturbance.
Administrative Duties
While majority of administrative functions are handled by the bookkeeper, managers should also know how there are run, particularly for smaller restaurants where he might have to do the job himself. Issue like work hours and staff wages, tax and licensing paperwork, payroll, supply and equipment purchases and other disbursements fall under this category. Given a highly technological business environment today, managers will also need to learn how to operate computerized point of sale systems to increase productivity and efficiency. POS systems can help minimize the workload by automatically talling sales, supplies and ranking which dishes on the menu are the most popular among clients.
Training to be a Restaurant Manager
Given the multitude of responsibilities managers face each day, it is important that he is well equipped to handle the job. Colleges and universities offer two to four-year programs on restaurant related subjects like food technology, nutrition, food planning and preparation, accounting, even restaurant and hotel management itself.
The demands of the times today do not only call for a vast experience on the business, but also the adequate formal and technical know-how in order to grow safely with the changes and industry advances.
To further bolster you chances of becoming a restaurant manager, you might want to acquire a certification as a Foodservice Management Professional from the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association. This can be obtained after you’ve successfully completed a series of food service management related courses, passed a written test, and met certain minimum requirements pertaining to performance and experience.

There are plenty of good restaurants on the island of Lanzarote but here are my favourites to date.

Almacen De Sal – Situated right on the sea front promenade in the centre of Playa Blanca, this restaurant is my very favourite. This restaurant used to be an old salt repository so has bags of character and charm. The service is second to none as is the cuisine. There is an extensive menu to choose from and I have many favourites on the menu including the onion soup, advocado with prawns, steak, fresh fish, paella, to name but a few. This restaurant also has live piano music and is very child friendly yet also romantic.

Restaurante Playa Quemada – Playa Quemada. We would definately recommend this restaurant if you are prepared to go a little off the beaten track! From Playa Blanca is it just after Yaiza and there is a right turn that takes you down to Playa Quemada. Don’t wear your high heels as the car park leaves a little to be desired! This restaurant serves fabulous food and there is always excellent fresh fish available. Booking is definately advisable.

Mirador de Lobos – Playa Blanca, next door to the entrace of the Natura Palace Hotel. This restaurant is a firm favourite in our family as it is definately child friendly and has an extensive menu. The fresh fish and any specials of the day are worth trying. The staff in this restaurant are really friendly and make you feel very welcome.

Don Camillo – Playa Blanca, on the sea front promenade towards the harbour. Don Camillo offers excellent international cuisine with an extensive menu. There are three different kitchens, including a steak grill and pizzeria. The T-bone steak is wonderful but don’t order it unless you haven’t eaten for a while!

La Era – Yaiza, behind the Town Hall. This restaurant is open all week from 1.00pm till 11.00pm and booking is advisable. La Era is in the lovely little village of Yaiza, set in a 300-year-old farmhouse with gardens, courtyards and outbuildings restored by Cesar Manrique into a fascinating and beautiful place to eat and drink. La Era serves authentic Canarian cuisine as well as International dishes.

La Bocaina – next to the petrol station in Playa Blanca, on the right, travelling toward Playa Blanca. This restaurant has been around for 40 years although now under new ownership. The soups, sauces are all homemade and prepared to order. Therefore do not come to this restaurant if you are in a hurry! First class Cuisine and this restaurant is closed on Mondays.

Restaurante Terraza Case Pedro – Playa Blanca. I would recommend this as an excellent fish restaurant down on the promenade of Playa Blanca. Walk down to the sea front and when you reach the small beach area in front of the restaurants, turn right. You are heading for the green restaurant which is on the corner. Keep walking until you see the restaurant called Restaurante Terraza Casa Pedro. Beware, there is a restaurant next door to it that is also called Restaurant Pedro – make sure you go in the first Pedro restaurant. We thoroughly recommend that you have the ‘fresh fish of the day’ served with canarian potatoes and sauce. This is a lovely evening restaurant, but is also excellent at lunch times, as you can sit out by the sea in the outside eating area. This restaurant is normally closed on Thursdays.

El Bodegon Del Mano – Playa Blanca. This is a superb restaurant for steak. This is a small restaurant run by Chef Jesús Martínex Lebrusán and is excellent. The Chef himself cooks and is the waiter too – he has one assistant helping in the kitchen. It offers a very small but exclusive menu and we thoroughly recommend the steak in pepper sauce, mushroom sauce or chestnut sauce. This is a quiet restaurant, probably not suitable for very young children and is usually closed on Mondays. It is located in the pedestrianised shopping area behind the sea front. Walk past the Marcial Supermarcado and the restaurant is on your right-hand side, not directly after Marcial Supermarcado but the next right. It is situated underneath Restaurant Romantica. It is recommended that you book this restaurant prior to going as it can get very busy.

LagOmar – Oasis de Nazaret – at the top of the village, off the road between Tahiche and Teguise. If you´re looing to dine in dramatic surroundings then LagOmar is hard to beat as this restaurant, serving modern international food, used to be part of former film star Omar Sharif’s home – built into the side of a disused quarry by two German architects in the style of Cesar Manrique.

The menu never seems to change that much but the location itself makes up for that and the quality of cooking is excellent.

Amura – Far end of the marina at Puerto Calero – which is a ten minute taxi journey from Puerto del Carmen. Amura enjoys a great sea front location in the marina at Puerto Calero and offers top quality international cuisine in up market surroundings.

Like many other leading restaurants, Amura has a New Years Eve spectacular planned – which involves fireworks, free bar and live music and dancing. Excellent for a special occasion.

So, please enjoy my top 10 Lanzarote Restaurant suggestions and feel free to try them out for yourselves! I still have many restaurants to try around Lanzarote, but as I am a villa owner in Playa Blanca, I will be in a position to try more as time goes by and then pass on my reviews to the future guests of my Villa.