What an incredible staff meeting this past Sunday at Cilantro and Chive.  Getting everyone together in a 7-day a week operation now is challenging and difficult to organize, but we were blown away by the great turnout and how engaged everyone was. We started our meeting discussing the upcoming season, but we couldn’t not start without a reflection on the year that was.

We spoke on how far we’ve come this year – 2017 being a complete whirlwind of excitement and humbling attention! We’ve blown away projections from last year, we’ve doubled our employees, and we’ve exceeded ALL types of expectations.

But we’re not a success right now I told them – because today’s a new day. Success is rented, it’s not owned – and the rent is due every day. Our guest’s expectations are higher than ever and those walking through those doors are wanting us to be awesome.

Why are we popular? Well we aren’t perfect and could still do things a whole lot better, but the staff in that room believe in the vision that was started by Rieley and Kim from the beginning. Have fresh, simple, eats. Focus on local and the community. Treat a customer like a guest in your own home with engaging and knowledge service. And above all, have fun! Then make it our own personal “groundhog day” of a restaurant. Wake up, be awesome, repeat.

We are extremely fortunate to have hand picked some pretty amazing young people over this past year. Many of whom are just looking for the ability to be creative & passionate, have fun, feel respected, experienced individuals allowed to be leaders, and above all else everyone just be themselves. We as management, we are to give them the tools to be awesome, and then just try and stay out of their way.

So as we look to launch our new Autumn menu for food and beverage this weekend – we’re proud in knowing that our crew also had a hand in it. Our culinary team has helped create tasty new fall-inspired menu items utilizing locally sourced product. The service team has pushed us to develop even better systems to make us more efficient, and our bartenders have assisted us in molding creative new cocktails. All the while we have owners who constantly re-invest back into the business with their time and resources that it only pushes all of us to be better for their brand.

2017 has been an incredible ride. We are doing such amazing things at such a rapid pace, that for many of us it’s the most work, the biggest challenge… and also the most fun we’ve ever had while at work. But *never* are we sitting back and taking it for granted, because we always must be changing, growing, and evolving into something even better. All at the same time, working with 50 team members in an ever busy machine, to never forget the vision and identity of a brand and company that began with just 5 team members not that long ago.

People tell me that we’re a success, I thank them and are happy they have had great experiences – but for me the true measure of success is what you’re doing today. Yes, when you’ve worked hard and accomplished a lot, especially in developing the right people in the right places on your team – that just helps give you the ability to be more awesome on a consistent basis. But what we were successful in yesterday, the bar is (and should be) always moving up. So if you want to keep in that direction = strive for perfection. You’ll never get there, but out of that journey… what you’re left with is pretty awesome.

 

 

Jason Burns

Restaurant Manager

Cilantro and Chive

Lacombe, AB

#FreshSimpleEats