We do a lot of tasks here every week: serve booze, make coffee, clean tea towels, open doors, water gardens, put out menus, clean toilets, order supplies, enter receipts… Tasks are knowable, recordable and replicable. Business is made up of thousands of tasks like these, held by various staff who expect to do them. That’s part of their job, to … Read More >>
People walk into Wandering Cooks looking for a job quite often these days. The more considered of them often send us an email, too. Either way, they come equipped with cvs to do their explaining: I have 20 years of experience in hospitality here, here, here, here and here (so I know what I’m doing). Sure, someone with a lot … Read More >>
I know it’s normally ‘thanks for the feedback’, but let’s be frank. It’s the bad stuff that stinks. We get bad feedback sometimes. Everyone does. Easiest thing to do with bad feedback is to label it bad. Bad as in, incorrect. What were they talking about? They must have been eating in another dimension than the one I was serving … Read More >>
When we begin food businesses, we knead care into our meals with pride and excess. Everyone loves the taste of craft, and craft persists. It’s why workshops on old skills oversubscribe and cookbook publishers still commission whole books on fermenting. It’s why high end restaurants still serve warm bread and freshly churned butter to begin a meal, no matter how … Read More >>
The news of another farmer closing for business reaches us today. That’s the third this year. I’m not going to mention them by name. Like most food businesses that close, these farms have quietly dropped away, and maybe that’s what they wanted, so I don’t want to call them out. But the reason these farmers were special to us I … Read More >>
Jo’s packed up, hugged a hundred goodbyes, and driven away to her future. Ahead of her, 6 months spent on the road in her troopy (Hans, @troopy_on_tour) with her man (Tom), making their way back to Germany where she will begin a food business of her own. Jo was Wandering Cooks’ General Manager. The incredibly diligent, energetic, loving approach she maintained … Read More >>
Wandering Cooks has come close to financial catastrophe more than once. This is not an unusual experience for start ups. Thankfully, we’re doing well now. That’s no accident. And it’s the reason that one of my favourite tasks is now financial reporting and analysis. Wandering Cooks would no longer exist if I hadn’t made best friends with many many spreadsheets. If … Read More >>
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