Join us on Tuesday, May 15, 2018
for second meeting of the
Mid-Shore Restaurant Association
The meeting will be held at
Layton’s Chance Vineyard and Winery
4225 New Bridge Rd, Vienna, MD 21869
Starting at 6:00 pm
A letter from Chef Patrick Fanning :
At our kick-off meeting there was agreement to have another meeting to hammer out details on how the group should be structured to provide the most benefit to all concerned. There was a lot of good discussion during the meeting and the notes below are only a high-light of the key points discussed.
1. Co-op buying power was of interest to many in the room and all agreed should be part of the association. It will benefit some more than others.
2. Legislative engagement was discussed as akey aspect of an association by several in attendance. License fees from the City, County and Health Department were used as examples. State regulations like paid leave, minimum wage, and scheduling were discussed at length and it was pointed out an association of restaurants will have a significantly stronger voice in Annapolis than any single restaurant could.
3. Another key concerned expressed by many in the group was the lack of quality, local staffing and high turnover rates. There were several suggestions on how the association could help with this issue. The first was to work with local public-school systems to engage students earlier in the process and help them understand what is expected and needed as an employee in the industry. Get engaged in apprentice/internship programs with high schools and community colleges. Raise funds for culinary scholarships. Provide join educational/training opportunities for existing staff.
4. Public relations were discussed on multiple levels. First was the obvious buying power for advertising as an association versus a single business. Second was working together to provide specialized programing that drives traffic to the area: Organic week, Farm to Table, All Local Fare, and Pop-ups were a few of the examples presented. Joint marketing efforts of the association should be able to drive more traffic into the area to help all members.
5. The broad objective of working to change the face of the industry was also discussed. This ties into items 3 & 4 above. There is clearly the need to help younger folks understand there are career opportunities in food service. Providing high quality, unique food with high quality service is an art and a business. It requires skill and desire. It was also pointed out we need to work to educate consumers and change their views of the food they choose to purchase. We need to expand the understanding of the different options that exist from a bag of chips from a vending machine to a high-end meal at a top-notch restaurant and everything in between.
6. The last topic discussed was the ability for the members of the association to assist each other. The association would create the ability and define the processes for restaurants to act as consultants to one another to improve overall operations.
At the May 15th meeting we will work to define the structure for the group, prioritize the areas of that will provide the most benefit, and create a plan to attack those areas.
You can reach out to me at patrick@cambridgeeateries.com to confirm your plans to attend or use either of the following methods:
· Call: 410-228-3575 or 410-749-0144
· Email: bill@dorchesterchamber.org or bchambers@salisbury.com
I hope you can make the meeting to help us continue the work to turn this concept into a reality that will help our businesses and the communities we serve. Please reach out with any questions or suggestions.
Sincerely,
Chef Patrick Fanning, Owner Cambridge Eateries
