Clear vision for success

What makes a restaurant successful? There are as many different answers to this question as there are successful restaurants.
BISTRO interviewed Omar Majdi, the owner of Souk in the City, the winner of the 2009 Australian Restaurant and Catering Association Metropolitan Award For Excellence in Middle Eastern/North African Restaurant.

Back in Morocco his family owns two restaurants. Looking at his father’s long hours he did not want to go down the same path – too hard!
Omar left home and worked in hospitality in Spain, Italy, France and England. This opened his eyes to the potential and the opportunities to succeed in this industry.
When he came to Australia, he decided to do what he knows best – open a restaurant. Since then, he has established four restaurants in Sydney and has just seen success with his fifth. His previous establishments – the Mosquito Bar, Dar Es Salaam Casablanca, Out of Africa, and most recently, Tajine – have all gained favourable reviews and loyal customers. Omar’s current dining vision is Souk in the City, in a new development off Bourke Street in Surry hills.

What is your formula to run a successful restaurant?
“The restaurant does not become successful over night. You need to work towards it. The restaurant business is very competitive and the margins are not as lucrative as some other businesses.
“That’s why it is very important to have a plan and stick to it. If you start to change your mind about your business, you will confuse your staff and of course will confuse your customer.
“People go out to have ‘an experience’.
It does not matter what it is – for me it is bringing a piece of Morocco to Australia, for some it could be an old Irish pub experience or a cool wine bar. It does not matter – but you have to be clear on what you are.”

Moroccan food is not what you usually see on a restaurant menu, does it contribute to your success or work against you?
“My first restaurant in Australia was a very little place in Mosman, called Mosquito Bar. Hassan M’Souli (my business partner) and I did not have enough confidence to put out a fully Moroccan menu. We cooked mostly Mediterranean and Spanish-inspired dishes and from time to time we would put a tajine on our specials board. And people loved it!
“These days we have so many different restaurants offering almost any cuisine in the world. For me, Moroccan food – that’s what I know.”

And what is Moroccan food?
“Moroccan cuisine has many influences, due to centuries of interaction by Morocco with the outside world.
“The Moroccan diet is very healthy – it is usual for a Moroccan family to have five different salads in the beginning of the meal. There are plenty of fruit and vegetables all year around; if you walk in the supermarket now, just see how many fruit comes from Morocco!
“Characteristic flavouring ingredients in cooked dishes include lemon pickle, cold-pressed, unrefined olive oil and dried fruits.
“Our cuisine is a mix of sweet with savoury,” says Omar.
“A very important ingredient is orange blossom water.
“In a lot of meat dishes we use apricots, raisins etc – which is different to the Australian palate.
“And everyone loves the mint tea – a cleanser after a meal.”

Do you think Souk in the City has reached its potential?
“Not yet. Again my plan for it is to have 500 – 600 hundred diners a week. We can seat about 110, and I am not interested in ‘turning tables’. I like to people spend a lot of time eating and enjoying their meal. This is a part of the experience we are offering…”
What qualities in your opinion are a ‘must have’ for a restaurateur?
“You have to be passionate about what you are doing. You need to have an eye for every little detail.
“I know all chefs put a lot of attention to how the food tastes, but do you pay enough attention to how it is presented? What colors are on the plate? How your table looks? They all add or detract from the customer’s experience.
“In my restaurant we are cooking traditional Moroccan recipes, but to suit the Australian clientele, we have to present it a different way.
“So, of course the food has to be great, but the décor will set the mood for your customers. For example Souk in the City is a part of a big building with a huge paved courtyard. I installed the lights in the restaurant to match the ones already used through the courtyard of the building.”

What other qualities do you need to run a good restaurant?
“You need good staff. Good staff, which loves food and hospitality.
“You cannot buy these qualities for money. I try to give my staff something besides their paycheck. Every day we all eat together, whatever is cooking in the kitchen, at 5.30. Everyone is there, we share some food, and some of our thoughts, ideas and problems go around the table. I like that family feel, belonging to something.”

BISTRO, March 2010

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