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Located in the heart of Portland, Maine, Sur Lie is a James Beard Award-nominated tapas restaurant with a menu spearheaded by chef Mimi Weissenborn, a recently announced contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef.
While Weissenborn takes the helm in the kitchen, owner and James Beard Award semifinalist Krista Cole works behind the scenes to ensure a smooth service night after night. She first opened the restaurant out of her love for tapas and wine pairings, filling a gap she couldn’t find in Portland. Then, Weissenborn came along and changed the game. Now, their unique dynamic is a key component to their success at Sur Lie.
“[We’re] this incredible dynamic duo,” Cole says. “I’m very data-oriented, organized and efficient, and she’s the brilliant, creative brain that comes up with the menu, which is why people come into Sur Lie as well. We have a really good relationship that way. As women in the industry trying to break down barriers, we focus on what we’re both really good at and how to complement each other.”
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Together, the pair has crafted innovative menus and an even more impressive tapas service. One customer, Mike C., visited the restaurant on a post-holiday trip and still remembers his server’s name today.
“Service makes the meal, and it can break the meal,” Mike says. “Meg — because I do remember her name — she was really great, super friendly, nice and casual but professional. The service that we got was attentive but not overbearing. I’m not looking for them to come up and check on me every second, but I also don’t want to have to look around when I need them. That’s service: learning that knowledge, that experience, that know-when-to and when-not-to.”
Cole says she isn’t sure if the sixth sense for exceptional service can be taught, but she encourages her team to develop pride in their work. She notices a clear improvement in service when servers treat their work as a craft and feel empowered to add their own personal touch.
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It also helps to have a passionate chef running the show. “I think the most important thing, too, is [Mimi is] an amazing leader, and that, to me, speaks more than being an amazing chef because when you can lead a team of people and really inspire in our industry, then that translates into the guest experience,” Cole says.
Building a dream team doesn’t happen by mistake. Cole uses two hiring tactics to find employees who show promise. First, she reviews the applicant’s resumé and researches their previous workplaces to understand their past work cultures and see if they would be a natural fit at Sur Lie. Second, she asks about the applicant’s favorite workplace and why, gaining insight into their values and cultural contributions.
From hiring to inventory, Cole does it all, emphasizing the importance of organization to stay on top of everything. Before becoming a restaurateur, Cole worked as a healthcare manager and studied entrepreneurship, gaining expertise in team and organizational structure that still serves her today.
“Having systems and processes in place is super important to providing quality and consistency,” she says. “[That translates into] having your team really engaged in the work they’re doing and being able to hold people accountable. It should be a well-oiled machine, and there should be very clear expectations and one way of doing things.”
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With such systems and expectations in place, Cole is able to protect her limited time. She owns and runs two other eateries in Maine in addition to Sur Lie. Something as simple as creating an Amazon order request form or preparing a meeting agenda saves her precious time and ensures she addresses every issue with her team.
Reading customer reviews is always an item on Cole’s to-do list and an essential component of Sur Lie’s well-oiled machine. She appreciates anyone who takes the time to provide feedback, but she really takes it to heart when it comes from a local resident.
When she first took over the restaurant Gather, she invested in the brand by hiring experts and sourcing local ingredients, resulting in higher menu prices. “[We were] hearing from the community that it was getting too expensive,” Cole says. “We definitely took that feedback seriously because you’re not a destination restaurant in a small town. Usually, you’re supported by your community and the locals. So that was something that we shifted and tried to make a little more approachable for people, especially in a family-oriented community.”
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From starting in healthcare to owning three restaurants, Cole continues to steer her entrepreneurial journey with these key lessons:
Pick up transferable skills along the way. The entrepreneurial journey is often a winding road, but skills from other industries can prove invaluable in the long run.Listen to locals. Community is the driving force behind all local businesses. Make sure to listen to locals and value their opinions to foster long-term loyalty.Get a good read on the market. Determine if there’s a hole in the market your business can fill and assess how you can differentiate yourself from competitors.Service is a craft. Service leaves a lasting impression, good or bad. Encourage your team to bring their own flair to customer service and take pride in their craft.Protect your time. Set clear expectations with your team on when and how you’re available. Whether it’s a form for inventory requests or an agenda item for the all-hands meeting, having a system in place will help you work smarter, not harder.Hire to enhance your culture. If you don’t invest in your staff’s careers, they won’t invest in the customer experience. Recognize their value and how it aligns with your company culture.
Listen to the episode below to hear directly from Cole and Mike C., and subscribe to Behind the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday.
Editorial contributions by Erin Palmero and Kristi Lindahl
