Manager Interview: Managing and Leading in a Restaurant
The purpose of this report is to describe results of an interview undertaken to identify the managerial and leadership style and philosophy of a specific individual. Results of the interview will be linked to relevant concepts drawn from the theoretical literature on management and leadership. Questions were developed to elicit from the subject his philosophy of management and the ways in which this philosophy is translated into managerial actions and behaviors.
Description of the Subject and the Company
The interview subject was Mr. Mubarak, a forty-five year-old owner/manager of a Long Beach, California, Middle Eastern restaurant named "Open Sesame." The restaurant, which was created by its current owner, has a single location and has been in operation for a total of four years. At this single location, the owner manages and leads a staff consisting of three cooks, two food preparers or kitchen assistants, and four waiters. The restaurant seats a total of 60 customers and, in addition to casual dining, offers take-out service. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
"Open Sesame," according to its owner, was initially conceived of as appealing primarily to the growing Middle Eastern population located in the Long Beach community area. Items selected for the menu include a range of traditional Middle Eastern foods, including kabobs, hummus, chick pea dishes, falafel, salads, preparations based on eggplant and other vegetables, and halal meats. Though the early clientele of the restaurant tended to be predominantly drawn from the early target market, over the course of the past four years the restaurant has gained in popularity. It now serves a diverse and multicultural clientele who have, according to the owner, become familiar with and interested in ethnic Middle Eastern cuisine.
Though relatively small, this restaurant has gro...