With the holidays around the corner, hospitality businesses are gearing up for a deluge of events – holiday parties, family get-togethers, corporate events, and more. After a couple of challenging years when employment in hospitality was well below its pre-pandemic level, businesses are looking forward to a more normal season. But not everything is going back to the way it was; the labor market has many more options for workers and businesses alike.
Using these options is the key to assembling a reliable staff that can flex to meet demand. That's why we've brought together three luminaries from the world of catering and food service to discuss how they put together winning teams. On November 21 at 1 pm EST, we'll be joined by these great speakers for a lively panel discussion and Q&A:
Adele LeGault, Vice President of Operations, Restaurant Associates (New York) – Adele has two decades of experience as a manager, service director, general manager, managing director, and now vice president of operations in major restaurant and food service businesses. She has overseen teams of general managers and taken responsibility for P&L and strategy, as well as overseeing the staff journey from training through evaluation and retention.
Maggie Barton, Chief Executive Officer, Butler's Pantry (St. Louis) – is in her fifteenth year as a catering professional and recently took the helm at Butler's Pantry, which boasts more than 500 employees and 40 venues in its portfolio. She received the St. Louis Business Journal's 30 Under 30 Award in 2016 and was one of BizBash's Top 500 Event Professionals in 2021. She now serves on the board of the Elite Catering & Event Professionals industry association.
Jeremy Campbell, Vice President of Sports & Entertainment, Proof of the Pudding (Atlanta) – Jeremy has two decades of experience in planning and executing events in all major sports, both professional and collegiate. Before joining Proof of the Pudding, he was a longtime manager at Aramark and a tournament director in professional golf. He's heavily involved in large events from start to finish and is a big believer in innovation and creativity.
Building a team for the holidays and beyond
Creating a team is a multistage process that's never completely finished. We'll break down the process and talk about how to improve decision-making at every stage. These are a few of the topics we'll be discussing on November 21:
Strategy and planning
How do you plan ahead for seasonal changes in demand?
What sort of personnel structure should you try to build for each event?
How can you figure out the right mix of permanent and temporary workers?
Talent identification and recruiting
How do you quickly assess skills for kitchen and bar staff?
What are the most telling kinds of experience for front-of-the-house staff?
What jobs are suitable for people without prior experience?
Management and retention
What sort of feedback loop can you create, even among temporary workers?
How can you ensure that people will stay with you for multiple events during the season?
How can you identify people who could be candidates for permanent hires?
You'll also have the chance to ask your own questions during our Q&A. Whether you work at a single-location restaurant or a national food service operator, you're sure to pick up some valuable insights about staffing from these experts. Sign up today to reserve your place!