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Breakfast Diva

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Our restaurant license went into effect today, and I have my first dinner right now. I'm hoping nothing goes wrong! As you all know, timing is everything, so I hope I've timed everything right. It's only 1 room, but they've ordered different meals. Meal #1 is broccoli cheddar soup, marinated flat iron steak, small herbed baker potatoes (think golf ball size), vegetable medley, garlic bread & cheese cake with lemon curd melted on top. Meal #2 is same soup (Yeah, I know it's a lot of cheese for this meal), veggies, garlic bread, lasagna & cheesecake.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!
 
Fun! Best of luck to you in your new adventure! You are not just a breakfast diva anymore!
 
I'd like to know how it works out differently from breakfast when we're trying to hustle them out the door and in the evening when it can be a relaxed, hour-long dining experience.
I think that's what I would focus on, relaxed & casual- it doesn't have to be a rush, they don't have to be anywhere (or do they?) and the time constraint is really how long you want this to take.
Let us know how you planned out that part- how long you were going to devote to serving dinner, cleaning up and prepping for tomorrow. Also want to know if you will stick with multiple menu offerings or have a set course after this experiment. Is it BYOB? Can the guests have their own wine or can you provide wine?
 
Look at it this way- this dinner cost you about $3500. The next one you do will cost less and so forth! Eventually, you'll be down to the cost of the ingredients.
 
Fun! Best of luck to you in your new adventure! You are not just a breakfast diva anymore!.
Thanks suellen, but I don't think I'll be a dinner diva for a few years!
These are the nicest people! I couldn't have asked for a better couple to be my first. They have been so appreciative since they first stepped in yesterday. I'm hearing moans and groans of happiness, so I think they are enjoying it.
 
I'd like to know how it works out differently from breakfast when we're trying to hustle them out the door and in the evening when it can be a relaxed, hour-long dining experience.
I think that's what I would focus on, relaxed & casual- it doesn't have to be a rush, they don't have to be anywhere (or do they?) and the time constraint is really how long you want this to take.
Let us know how you planned out that part- how long you were going to devote to serving dinner, cleaning up and prepping for tomorrow. Also want to know if you will stick with multiple menu offerings or have a set course after this experiment. Is it BYOB? Can the guests have their own wine or can you provide wine?.
Our breakfast experience is different than most...we deliver breakfast to their door in the morning...knock and run away! We don't even have a dining room.
So, when planning on serving dinner, I figured I would do it the same way. Well, it's a combo of both it seems. I prepared their soup in bowls and had the soup and silverware, napkins, etc. on a silver tray when I first knocked on their door. I actually went into their room, set the soup & things on their table and left, telling them that it would be another 10 minutes before their dinners were delivered. This gave them time to eat at their leisure.
Here's where the timing is critical (as it is with our breakfasts for delivery). Everything has to be ready and plated to deliver on the large tray we use for breakfast. By the time I delivered the main, they were done with their soup, so it was perfect timing.
I then took everything off their tray and placed it in front of them, which seemed the natural thing to do. It's weird for me, since we don't "serve" at breakfast. I came back with the soup bowls and empty trays, then quickly returned with their desserts, which I placed on the table outside their door (where we typically leave the breakfast tray). I figured they could get up and get their dessert when they were ready.
I then told them to place their dishes outside their door when they were done so they could take as long as they liked. I gave them some sheets of aluminum foil in case they wanted to save any leftovers. At this point, they were quite happy and excited and said how special it was to have their own personal chef...and commented that they wouldn't be able to go any place else to get this kind of service.
If I had to wait around and serve the different courses instead of deliver it, it would take a huge amount of time out of my night and I probably would get burnt out quickly. I know that most places are not really set up for their guests to eat in their rooms, so my method wouldn't would for them.
 
When I do my dinners, both people have to have the same thing .. unless dietary issues of course. The other thing I do is ask
what don't you like to eat and / or are allergic to and I work around that. In 5 years 99.9% of people have cleared their plates, except one who "forgot to tell me that he didn't eat salmon" ......
 
All will be well. Tis the same as it was for your first B & B guests. the first one is always a tummy churner - but once the first one is under your belt, it will be clear sailing. I want #2 with both soups. It is NEVER too much cheese!
 
I'd like to know how it works out differently from breakfast when we're trying to hustle them out the door and in the evening when it can be a relaxed, hour-long dining experience.
I think that's what I would focus on, relaxed & casual- it doesn't have to be a rush, they don't have to be anywhere (or do they?) and the time constraint is really how long you want this to take.
Let us know how you planned out that part- how long you were going to devote to serving dinner, cleaning up and prepping for tomorrow. Also want to know if you will stick with multiple menu offerings or have a set course after this experiment. Is it BYOB? Can the guests have their own wine or can you provide wine?.
Regarding the BYOB, we are able to sell wine and beer without a liquor license (6 or less rooms), so they can add that on top of the dinner. We also sell sparkling cider. No beverages come with the dinner. I'm charging them $60 for the dinner and it took me about 40 minutes in the kitchen. It's a short amount of time because I made individual lasagnas and froze them a couple of weeks ago, soup just had to be heated and the steak was less than 10 minutes on the George Forman grill.
 
When I do my dinners, both people have to have the same thing .. unless dietary issues of course. The other thing I do is ask
what don't you like to eat and / or are allergic to and I work around that. In 5 years 99.9% of people have cleared their plates, except one who "forgot to tell me that he didn't eat salmon" .......
Since I've done a very simple menu and have individually frozen the entrees (lasagna, marinated flat iron steak, fillet mignon, salmon) it doesn't seem to be too much to have separate entrees. Of course, I might change my mind next week!
 
All will be well. Tis the same as it was for your first B & B guests. the first one is always a tummy churner - but once the first one is under your belt, it will be clear sailing. I want #2 with both soups. It is NEVER too much cheese!.
I forgot to tell you it was garlic CHEESE bread! LOL I'm with you, never too much cheese. Besides, I'm in dairy country.
You're right Kathleen...after I delivered it all successfully, I feel so much better. Now I just have to wait to see if they ate everything.
 
All will be well. Tis the same as it was for your first B & B guests. the first one is always a tummy churner - but once the first one is under your belt, it will be clear sailing. I want #2 with both soups. It is NEVER too much cheese!.
I forgot to tell you it was garlic CHEESE bread! LOL I'm with you, never too much cheese. Besides, I'm in dairy country.
You're right Kathleen...after I delivered it all successfully, I feel so much better. Now I just have to wait to see if they ate everything.
.
Probably down to the last crumb!
I did a venison meatloaf for dinner today. I made 2 loaves so i could send one home with Reuben - I know our radio station pays VERY little and we have "adopted" each other. I also made a double batch of the Reuben dish - scalloped corn so i could send him home with some of that also. It was a lovely New Years Day.
 
Congrats! Enjoy every minute. People are happy when they get great food and service, you are making people very happy!
cheers.gif
 
Breakfast - which state are you in? I wonder if they will allow me to sell wine with dinner (under 6 rooms) for registered guests as well ....
 
Breakfast - which state are you in? I wonder if they will allow me to sell wine with dinner (under 6 rooms) for registered guests as well .....
I'm in OR. I've never heard of another state with this liberal of a law. Its been great for us, especially with the booming wine region (pinot) in the Willamette Valley. It's not a big money maker for us, but it's great to have it available for our guests since we're rural and not close to a store. I have them in our gift pantry which is an "honor" area so guests can just pick up whatever & whenever they feel the urge to embibe. I put a little slip on the counter they fill out, then I just add it to their room charge for check-out.
 
Thanks everyone for you support last night. The dinner went over really well and the plates came back picked clean! They really appreciated everything and also appreciated the aluminum foil to take home their leftovers.
Like Alibi said, now I only have to sell $3,440 more!
thumbs_up.gif
 
Breakfast - which state are you in? I wonder if they will allow me to sell wine with dinner (under 6 rooms) for registered guests as well .....
I'm in OR. I've never heard of another state with this liberal of a law. Its been great for us, especially with the booming wine region (pinot) in the Willamette Valley. It's not a big money maker for us, but it's great to have it available for our guests since we're rural and not close to a store. I have them in our gift pantry which is an "honor" area so guests can just pick up whatever & whenever they feel the urge to embibe. I put a little slip on the counter they fill out, then I just add it to their room charge for check-out.
.
Thanks!
 
Breakfast - which state are you in? I wonder if they will allow me to sell wine with dinner (under 6 rooms) for registered guests as well .....
Considering the State you reside in, I wouldn't think you'd be able to sell wine without a liquor license regardless of the number of rooms. We could not even give it away here (5 rooms) and there's a law which actually states that businesses here are not supposed to have liquor on the premises without a liquor license. I'd be interested to know if you can sell it there.
The other B&Bs here were doing whatever they wanted to for years with no licensing though.....
 
Breakfast - which state are you in? I wonder if they will allow me to sell wine with dinner (under 6 rooms) for registered guests as well .....
Considering the State you reside in, I wouldn't think you'd be able to sell wine without a liquor license regardless of the number of rooms. We could not even give it away here (5 rooms) and there's a law which actually states that businesses here are not supposed to have liquor on the premises without a liquor license. I'd be interested to know if you can sell it there.
The other B&Bs here were doing whatever they wanted to for years with no licensing though.....
 
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