In the latest episode of Turning Tables, host and growth strategist, Kathleen Wood, and her guest, Peter Sclafani, chef, restaurateur, chief executive officer and founding partner of Making Raving Fans Hospitality Group have an insightful discussion on customers, service and most importantly hospitality.

Making Raving Hospitality Group has four restaurant concepts Jubans Restaurant, Portobello’s Grill, P-Beau’s, and SoLou.

Sclafani says, “I'm a third generation chef and restaurant tour. My grandfather started as a chef in the 1940s and he had his own restaurant.” He adds, “my family lived above the restaurant, so everybody worked in it. My dad ended up going off on his own and creating his own restaurant and I started working there when I was a little kid and one of my earliest memories is standing on a milk crate washing dishes in a three compartment sink and I was just so excited to be a part of the team.”

Wood askes Sclafani what is happening to hospitality in our industry now and he says, I'd start with my history. I grew up in a family restaurant and the restaurant was named after us, so the brand was extremely personal. Nobody taught me that we have to focus on hospitality. We have to focus on how we make people feel, we were protecting our family name so it just came naturally.” Sclafani talks about service and its importance but more so how hospitality is what separates brands. He shares “It's about the way they make you feel, it's the story, it's something that was done a surprise and delight that was a little bit extra. That's what people talk about .So I feel so strongly about it that we named our company Making Raving Fans and that's what we focus on everyday.” Sclafani talks about delivering that kind of hospitality so guests will talk about the restaurant and want to come back.

“I think hospitality is so important. There's been a shift in the industry. We know there's this labor crunch and a lot of people that are out there that are coming into the hospitality industry are first timers and they don't have that experience. They haven’t seen it before and they're learning the steps of service. We've realized we have to do a better job at explaining hospitality.” Sclafani says.

To hear Sclafani share more about the importance of hospitality and steps to teaching it to the team as well him turning the table on Wood, tune into this episode of Turning Tables Podcast on Apple Podcasts.