June 2008 Archives

Can a Job Description guarantee perfect work? Telling someone to 'be good' never guarantees perfection, but if it's clearly written down, at least they know what 'good' looks like. If you don't offer a proper 'road map' you are asking for disappointment. It may start out well, but then usually declines.

A Job Description does many things, and sets out tasks and responsibilities. It shows applicants you're organized and efficient, and it's a guide for new staff on what to do. It's the basis of a productive performance review. It can also be a checklist for discipline and a warning to the lazy. A clear and understandable document sets you apart from your competitors who still rely on verbal direction and yelling.

La Tasca Inc. operates La Tasca Spanish Tapas Bars and Restaurants in the United States in a joint venture partnership with La Tasca Restaurants, LTD headquartered in Bolton, England. La Tasca was conceived in Spain and exported to the United Kingdom in 1993, where the Company now owns and operates Spanish Tapas Bars and Restaurants.

At La Tasca, they are focused on a passion to be Spanish; to be local to the community while bringing to it a taste of Spain. Guests can enjoy the unique atmosphere while choosing from over 35 authentic Tapas dishes and classic Paellas as well as a wide selection of Spanish wines and beers. La Tasca even features a Sangria Menu of nine unique and delicious Sangria blends.

Each La Tasca restaurant is designed to their guests a careful blend of everything that is good about Spanish style, food and hospitality. From the classic wrought iron railings and artwork to the hand-painted tiles to the fresh flowers arranged daily, it is the attention to authenticity that makes La Tasca special. A great many elements are combined to create a unique and relaxed atmosphere, where the guest can choose to eat, drink or talk as the mood takes them.

The Tapas format allows guests to sample and enjoy a wide variety of different flavors and menu items while encouraging sharing. La Tasca's traditional Spanish recipes feature a wide variety of Spanish seafood, chicken, beef and pork dishes and, whenever possible, La Tasca has imported ingredients from Spain.

La Tasca Spanish Tapas Bars and Restaurant, a upscale service type bar & restaurant, has open from 65 outlets to 72 outlets with 11% growth by February 2008

Understanding conventional ovens

Conventional range ovens heat the interior oven air and walls with burners or heating elements usually placed at the bottom of the cavity. The food cooks from the outside in as naturally occurring currents of hot air pass around the food.

Several factors however decrease the efficiency of conventional ovens:

1) Food naturally holds a cold pocket of air and moisture around its exterior, deflecting the heated currents of air passing randomly around the cavity.

2) Different configurations of food items cause differing patterns of air currents, which in turn can affect the cooking process. Since heat rises, food in the middle racks is often undercooked while the food closest to the burner and the top is well done.

3) Cooking times for conventional range ovens tend to be long and capacity limited, restricting food production efficiency.

Waiting for fuel costs to fall? Dream on.

There's a fundamental shift underway in the cost of doing business: this could be the greatest challenge of the decade. Attention has to be focused on three areas: direct supply costs, customer experience and the impact on staff.

Costs go under the microscope
Last time there was high inflation (in the 80's), much of it could be passed on to customers - raising prices was a sport. But when fuel prices multiply by four, this is not a game. Even cheap consumer goods and machinery will take a hit. As an example*, it now costs $8,000 to send a container from Shanghai to the US East Coast, compared to $3,000 in 2000, and similar rises have hit Australian and European importers. Goodbye cheap tableware, furniture and linen.

Delivery charges are now a cost centre. Free, fast delivery used to be the norm. Now there are minimum orders, fuel surcharges and other add-ons. Have another look at minimum quantities and par levels. Do methods that relied on 'a little and often' still make sense? Does everything have to be delivered within 24 hours?