LESSONS FROM LOCKDOWN

2020 is the year which flipped our world upside down!  Six months ago we would never have dreamed that our lives would be dictated by ‘Levels’ and words and phrases such as lockdown, social distancing cough into your elbow, don’t touch your face and oh yes…. wash your hands, would be our new everyday lingo!  Our new heroes became supermarket workers, health care staff and all the essential workers who helped get us through such extraordinary times.

But our little country at the bottom of the world – a team of 5 million – we did it!  We pulled together and got us back up and running as best we could.  There is still a long way to go, and maybe the worst is yet to come as we enter into unprecedented economic times particularly for our hospitality and tourism sector which have been hit hard.

However, it is heartening to see Kiwis getting out and about again and supporting their local hospo outlet.  The lock down has certainly put restaurants and chefs to the test on how to recover, what to change and what lessons have been learned to keep going forward to survive.

We chatted to long time restaurateur Shaun Clouston on what lessons he has learned and how it has changed their business model at Logan Brown – the iconic Wellington restaurant in the heart of Cuba Street.

Shaun is co-owner and chef of Logan Brown as well as Grill Meats Beer, also in Cuba Street and parliament’s Bellamy’s by Logan Brown.  Shaun says since reopening they have become a lot more hands on.  Prior to Covid Shaun says he and Steve Logan were doing a lot of external work, out of the restaurant.  That has all stopped now and with staff numbers down they are back at the coal face working more closely with their team.

Shaun says it’s about working smarter – he’s doing all the rosters and purchasing now, which allows him to watch everything closely and is a better use of his time.  He scrupulously watches every detail and is careful not to over-order keeping costs down.   Steve is back on the floor and keeping a good eye on everything front of house.

They have been super busy – actually busier than their normal pre-covid winter season, which is great to hear.  Shaun says Wellington is buzzing and thinks this is down to locals not being able to take a winter holiday overseas.  Instead they are out and about, supporting their local businesses and spending their holiday dollar on meals out with that extra special bottle of wine.  In fact according to Steve, the percentage of beverages to food has risen by by between 10 - 15%.

Shaun says they completely flipped the menu at Logan Brown, creating more of a bistro style set menu at a more affordable price - $70 for three courses. Customers can pick from a choice of three entrees, four mains, and two desserts which has kept prices down.  Pre-covid this would have been unheard of – but it’s working and bringing in a new younger demographic of diners that they haven’t seen before at Logan Brown. 

Shaun changes the menu every two weeks, so return customers get a different choice each time they come in.  Diners can add on ‘extras’ if they so desire which is also proving popular for those wanting to spend a little more on their night out and has helped to push up the ‘spend per head’ for Logan Brown.

Another change has been to reduce their opening hours.  They stopped lunch service and are now only open for dinner Wednesday through to Sunday, which has kept staff and operating costs down.  However, they have also kept their ‘Logan Brown at Yours’ kit set dinner packs going, which they began during Level 3.  Shaun says they have the space to accommodate this type of business from their premises and it has remained popular, so it was a no-brainer to keep it going.  He says the revenue lost from reducing their opening hours has been more than made up by the kit set dinner packs going out each week.  Keeping this going is also a safe guard against any future return down the levels and back into lockdown.

Shaun says beef and lamb have remained a stalwart on both their dining room and ‘at home’ menus.  He’s flipped the dishes around though, using the low and slow secondary cuts such as lamb shoulder or beef cheek as the hero on the plate with the more costly prime cuts taking a secondary role with a smaller portion size. He says keeping his dishes simple and using tasty cuts that showcase the products has been a winning combination.

After more than twenty years in Cuba Street, Shaun says they are enjoying a new resurgence and a new generation coming through the red doors to enjoy Logan Brown.  He says although things are ticking away again nicely, the future is still very uncertain.  The worst could be yet to come and things are going to get tough, but he says all they can do is keep everything as tight as best they can for now and keep going, adjusting their business model to fit the economic climate as they need too.