'You can’t be everything to everyone.'

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In Seattle, many restaurateurs are feeling the double whammy of a recent minimum wage hike and the rising cost of dining out. But chef Aaron Tekulve has been here before. His fine-dining restaurant, Surrell, was supposed to open on the same day the COVID-19 lockdown was announced. He not only survived the multi-year disruption and financial hit to his restaurant, he is thriving.

Here, he has some advice for those who are dealing with difficult financial times, regardless of their restaurant’s price point. -Julien Perry

Seattle is certainly feeling the financial strain. How is this affecting your business?
We have seen rising prices on all goods and many services. For decades, our industry has not been diligent about raising prices along with annual inflation. I think part of this is because we want to focus on taking care of our guests, and raising prices doesn’t feel like we’re meeting that goal. But we have to remember that we also need to take care of ourselves and our staff. So, price increases slowly throughout the year are very necessary to run a financially healthy business.

What are you doing to ensure you not just stay open but flourish during these challenging times?
Having a strong private dining and catering arm is one of the most powerful attributes that you can have. Not enough restaurants build a form of catering and private dining into their business model. It’s the only way to truly give your business exponential growth, and you don’t have to sign another lease. Even in tough times, guests and clients are still interested in birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, corporate dinners and lunch drop-offs.

As a diner, what do you see restaurants doing wrong during tough times?
You can’t be everything to everyone. You have to accept that if you want to have a strong business, you need a strong POV in your cuisine, ambiance and service. It’s better to filter out potential guests who won’t enjoy the experience before they come into your restaurant so neither of you is disappointed. Decide what you can do well that’s sustainable, and focus on that.

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