Five years ago this month we opened Ember Hall. The printworks had been empty for nine years. The floor was poured concrete, the walls were brick, the roof leaked in three places. We spent six months on it before we opened.
The grill was the first thing we installed. We built the kitchen around it. We built the room around the kitchen. The counter came last; we wanted ten people who could see the fire.
We have learned five things in five years.
First: cook the food you want to eat. The day we cook food we do not want to eat is the day we close.
Second: hire for calm. A calm kitchen is a good kitchen. We do not shout.
Third: keep the menu short. A short menu is a promise kept.
Fourth: pay people properly. We pay above the rate and we share the tips fairly.
Fifth: close on Mondays. Mondays are for rest.