LUX Winter 2018

LUX - Winter 2018 27 Leading Chefs in a Leading Restaurant Leading Chefs in a Leading Restaurant Constantly finding ways to push the boundaries in dining experiences, Varanasi aims to be perceived in the same bracket as the leading restaurants throughout the world. Rory tells us what factors help the restaurant to stand out amongst its competitors in the sector, explaining how important the staff are to the success of the venue. “Since being established, we planned to stand out from the beginning with such an opulent and grand design, and a huge investment has gone into this business to ensure we are a cut above the rest. “Recently, we have created a staff manual, and stress to our employees how important it is to stick to our ethos, which we call the Varanasi way. By sticking to this template, accompanied by regular staff training and meetings, we believe with the strong staff we already have that these goals can be obtained. Some of our chefs have all relocated from Michelin Star restaurants, so they already know what it takes to maintain the highest of standards.” Drawing on his own personal experience, Rory comments on what attributes he believes are essential for a firm to succeed in the sector, before explaining how much expectations have changed since the restaurant was established. “To succeed in the industry, we have to be fearless and not afraid to be different. Everything we invest in must be productive to ensure that we offer the best service. A strong and loyal team is very important, as loyalty is a very hard thing to come by in this industry. “Furthermore, clients’ expectations increase every week, due to the wow factor of the restaurant. We encourage it as it also keeps us motivated to keep pushing raising the bar. It has not affected us as such because we ensure that our restaurant is beautiful, safe, clean, provide excellent food and service.” Ultimately, there are clearly exciting times ahead for Varanasi, and Rory encourages us to keep an eye out for future developments for the restaurant. “People within Birmingham especially are becoming more and more educated on food and drink, you are going to be seeing a lot quirkier food and drink concepts here, as you would find all over the world. Our overall goal and ambition is to be aiming for a Michelin star.” Varanasi Restaurant is the Midlands’ largest fine dining restaurant providing haute Indian Cuisine. Operations Director, Rory May talks us through the excellent food served up by staff, outlining what makes it so special. Company: Varanasi Contact: Rory May Contact Email: [email protected] Address: 184 Broad Street, Birmingham, B31 1AD, UK Phone: 0121 633 3700 Website: www.varanasi.uk “To succeed in the industry, we have to be fearless and not afraid to be different. Everything we invest in must be productive to ensure that we offer the best service.”