How do I pass on my diner’s daily specials and weekend cook routines?
Write the specials calendar and each weekend routine as a plain step-by-step guide, then have the incoming cook run a shift from your notes. Include prep timing, portions, suppliers and how you decide quantities. What lives only in your head will be lost on handover.
List the specials by day, with what goes into each, the portion sizes, the prep that has to happen the day before and the supplier or cut you rely on. Add what sold out, what was left over and how you adjusted. This history is useful to a buyer who wants to understand the numbers.
Weekend routines deserve their own pages. Describe who arrives when, what is made from scratch, what is bought in, how the kitchen is set for a rush and what you do when a delivery is late. Photos of plated dishes and the line setup help the next cook match your standards.
Then test it. Ask the incoming cook, or the senior person on staff, to run a full weekend using only the notes while you watch. Fix what is unclear. This also shows regulars that the food will stay the same. Pair the written guide with a handover period. Think about succession as a plan, not an afternoon, and agree with the buyer how long you will stay and what role you will play. Photograph the board or sheet used on each day, and keep the supplier phone numbers with the notes so a new cook can call when something is short.
Key takeaways
- Write the specials by day, including prep, portions, suppliers and typical sell-through.
- Have the next cook run a shift from your notes while you watch.
- Agree a handover period in writing instead of relying on goodwill.
Related reading
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Succession
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat is succession planning?
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAfter buying a business, what is the next step?
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