How do I judge a sushi restaurant’s fish supplier reliability before buying?

Start with the supplier relationship itself. Ask for the names of the main suppliers, how orders are placed and how often deliveries are late or short. If the owner personally handles the relationship, find out whether the supplier would deal with you on the same terms. A call with the supplier, arranged through the seller, tells you more than a document.

Look at the backup plan. Does the kitchen have a second supplier it has actually used? Ask what the menu looks like on a day when the best fish does not arrive. Watch how deliveries are received: who checks them, how they are stored and how waste is recorded. Your lawyer or accountant can help with any supplier terms or credit arrangements you would inherit.

Finally, compare supplier invoices with the food cost shown in the financial statements. If they do not line up, ask why. Ask what the food safety authority has said in past inspections. Ask neighbouring restaurateurs or industry contacts how they find the same supplier, and what they do on a bad week. Do not forget the small suppliers for seaweed, rice and sauces, since a gap there can stop service just as quickly.

Key takeaways

• Speak with the main supplier before closing, through the seller.
• Ask whether a second supplier has actually been used.
• Match supplier invoices to the food cost in the statements.
• Ask how deliveries are checked, stored and recorded on arrival.