I opened my first restaurant 20 years ago when I was 27 years old. I had simple plan. Create great food using fresh, high quality ingredients and sound culinary technique. I now own several restaurants in the DC area and am increasingly excited about the opportunity to apply this simple formula to an often overlooked corner of the hospitality world - food service.
Recently, we began providing food services at my alma mater, Georgetown University serving a community of 52 Jesuits living at Wolfington Hall. Prior to us coming onboard, they were using a large food service provider. What they were getting was very poor quality food and poorly maintained facilities. And to add insult to injury, they were paying a great deal for it. Morale was down and many residents were rightfully worried about the impact on their health.
Our Corporate Chef, Steve Mannino (a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and former Executive Chef of several outstanding local restaurants) and I worked closely with our point of contact to create weekly menus that focused on fresh ingredients sourced from the same suppliers used by our restaurants. Dishes were healthy, flavorful and cooked to order (not pre-cooked and warmed for service as with previous supplies). We used proven recipes that had been hits with our restaurant guests. Sauces, soups, dressing, pastries, pastas ... you name it ... are all made from scratch. The way they are supposed to be made. Special Events like Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July or the Feast of St. Ignatius have been wonderful opportunities for us to apply our restaurant catering experience to create memorable occasions.
Our well trained team of professionals has ensured the facility was well maintained and product was properly ordered. We used our purchasing power to negotiate the best pricing from the best vendors and we even processed invoices and paid vendors on the Jesuit's behalf. We also brought with us our core belief in hospitality. As we do in the restaurants with our guests, we encouraged residents to provide feedback. Our employees were trained to be welcoming, open to feedback, adaptable and happy to accommodate special requests or dietary restrictions.
The results have been outstanding. The residents were thrilled. Attendance at meals jumped as residents invited guests to join them. Indicators of health dramatically improved as well. I met with the resident nurse about 6 months into our time there and she informed me that the health of the residents had made substantial improvement.
We know there are many institutions are facing similar food service challenges as our friends at in the Jesuit Community. We want to provide solutions. As a local business, we are accessible and will work closely with you to build a customized solution that is right for you and your institutions need.
If you interested in learning more about how Chef Geoff's Restaurant Group could help your organization, email me at geoff@chefgeoff.com.
Cheers!
Geoff Tracy