SO you want to run a restaurant? Play host, glass in hand, dispensing wit and wisdom to your clientele? The reality can be very different, especially in Hongkong where one food and beverage consultant describes the business as ''cut-throat''. Restaurants come - and restaurants go.
Barry Kalb, of Il Mercato and Marco Polo Pizza, warns against the wouldn't-it-be-great syndrome. He explains: ''A bunch of friends, none of whom is in the food business, sit around saying 'what this town needs is a Mongolian mock turtle restaurant, wouldn't it be great? Let's do it!' '' Rule number one: is your idea endurable? ''Will it bring in customers day after day, lunch and dinner?'' said Kalb, who is also a restaurant consultant.
You must also know your clientele: ''You might know who you would like them to be, that's not the same thing,'' said consultant and executive chef Rosemary Lee.
Location is critical. The ideal, is, of course, something central, but as Kalb says, in Hongkong it can be difficult to find decent-sized premises at a price that makes sense: ''You always have to make a compromise,'' he said.
Tania Webb, general manager of Pomeroy's in Pacific Place, admits location was the main reason for the wine bar-cum-restaurant's slow beginnings. ''Pacific Place Mall had just opened, Pomeroy's was on the third floor where few shops were then open. ''There were not a lot of customers,'' she said.
When the first manager left after just a couple of months, the shareholders took the opportunity to bring in a restaurant trouble-shooter, Kim Murphy, and public relations consultant, Susan Field.
Murphy changed the English pub-grub menu to more upmarket dishes, concentrating on fresh produce. In order to attract attention, Pomeroy's introduced regular food and wine promotions, and Sunday champagne brunch. Staff training, direct mailing, advertising also played its part.