An Idea, Reminder, and Warning I Got From Working at Restaurants

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“What do you think you’ll do at the restaurant once we open?” asked my business partner Nick when we started talking more seriously about roles and responsibilities for our new diner, Agnes and Sherman.

After two decades of working in and leading high-growth tech companies but having literally zero experience working in restaurants it was a fair question (but it is not for a lack of trying - I was unfortunately rejected from California Pizza Kitchen in high school).

So began the (mis)education of Lisa Lee in hospitality.

Still, one of the greatest albums of all time.

Together, we came up with a plan for me to stage – pronounced stahj and typically means a temporary unpaid internship – at a few restaurants differing in style so I could get an accelerated and truncated understanding of what it was like to get a glimpse of restaurant operations. And, to work the floor! Knowing that labor cost for independent restaurants increased by 9% in 2024 and will continue to trend upwards according to the 2025 James Beard Foundation Independent Restaurant Report, I both wanted to, and needed to be the kind of owner where no role is beneath me.

Here are my three takeaways after staging at five very different concepts. While these were learned on the floor, the takeaways are applicable in every stage of your career.

1/ A new idea: Don’t aim for what’s fair, aim for what’s memorable

During a typical buzzing service, I noticed the General Manager (GM) huddled with the Chef, and neither looked happy. Come to find out, a server had accidentally brought the wrong bottle of wine to a table. Not only was it the wrong bottle, it was twice as expensive as the one that the guest ordered. The guest agreed to pay the price of the original bottle and all was well.

However, I continued to turn this situation over in my head. If I had ordered a sirloin steak but instead got sent wagyu beef and still had to pay for the sirloin, would that have been fine? Ultimately, the guest didn’t get what they ordered, and what may have felt like a fair exchange essentially rendered an opportunity a mere transaction. What would’ve happened if the restaurant decided to comp the bottle of wine for the guest, but not out of punishment for doing something wrong. Rather, out of the desire to recognize that the guest didn’t get what they ordered.

So the new idea for me is this: In every mistake, there’s a perceived “fair” way of resolving the issue. But in the heart of hospitality sits what is memorable: the memorable way you made someone feel seen, included, special, and these are the building blocks of loyalty. In short, you did something that you didn’t have to, and that sticks.

2/ A reminder: Don’t stop trying

While I was shadowing the GM and doing a lap around the dining room, I noticed a small object on the floor. We were on the go but I bent down to grab it, thinking it would be an easy task. To my horror, my manicured nails were too long for me to be able to pick up the object. I was mortified. Irrational thoughts flooded my head about how out of touch I must’ve looked as a former corporate executive (no one knew or cared). Even though I was next to a rowdy table of six, I felt as if the whole room went quiet and all eyes were on me. Finally, I picked up the object after what felt like an eternity. We kept it moving, and needless to say, I promptly cut all of my nails the next day.

So the reminder is this: When you find yourself having one of those days, the only way out is through. Learn, don’t dwell. Take a deep breath and keep going.

3/ A warning: Don’t be shortsighted

“You only get to open your restaurant once.”

The owner who gave me this advice shared this perspective after I told him that we’ll have to start paying rent before we’re ready to open. He laughed and told me that their restaurant opened three months later than planned, right before COVID hit. But now, as he took in his gorgeous space and their 4th anniversary, he barely remembered the cost of those three months and he relished all the upsides.

In an industry where 50% of restaurants close within one year of opening, restaurateurs are fighting an uphill battle every day that very few people understand. While it will be tempting to approach everything from a +/- calculation, asking ourselves the question of “will I be proud of this thing I’m putting out in the world?” was at the heart of his encouragement.

So the warning is this: Always remember that we embarked on this journey because we wanted to build community through food and create meaning to everyone it comes across. Doing this will take time, money, and energy. Don’t succumb to the daily pressures of operating in the green. Play the long game.

-Lisa

Big thank you to Chef G and Graham at Street to Kitchen (James Beard Award Winner for Best Chef in Texas 2023), Chef Aaron, Victoria, and Cherif at Bludorn (Michelin Recommended 2024), Chef Tracy and Arjav at Birdie’s (James Beard Award Finalist for Best Chef Texas 2024), Chef Mark and Terry at Squable (James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best Chef Texas 2024), and Chef Rafiq at Rolo’s in Brooklyn (Michelin Bib Gourmand 2024) for your time and generosity. Extra love to all the staff for being so welcoming and encouraging.

*The original article was published on LinkedIn