Great restaurant!

Who Designed and Built This?

We often see newspaper and magazine articles praising the design of new, exciting restaurants and bars.  The design community, proud of their contributions to these ventures, promote them on their websites and online communities.  It’s always good to see new and creative spaces, concepts and themes opening up. We are always looking for the next great place for cocktails, a meal or to get together with friends.

Putting your name and credentials on a successful hospitality venture is good marketing.  You and your team worked hard, solved some problems and shared in the joy and satisfaction of creating a successful restaurant. We all want to get the recognition and exposure for our work and build our client base.

But please be realistic as to where you fit in the overall scope of the venture.  The common phrases, “we designed that restaurant” or “we built it!” gets tossed around too easily and doesn’t give credit to all the players.

It’s probably not your concept or idea. You didn’t find the space or define the market.  It’s not your money.  You were selected to provide a necessary and valuable service. You are part of a team of professionals chosen to help create a viable business.  It’s exciting, challenging and rewarding. Revel in the opportunity and your contribution to the overall venture.

Recognize that many varied skills were brought together to achieve this success. You don’t need to roll the credits like a film, but be humble enough to recognize that “you” did not design or build this restaurant. You were part of a team that worked closely with an operator or ownership group and many other design and construction professionals to bring this concept to life.  Be proud of your accomplishment and contribution.

Appreciate and acknowledge the team effort. By acknowledging the collective effort, you enhance your own reputation as a valuable team player and collaborator. This is a desirable attribute sought by many developers and owners.