Do the Italian restaurants’ stars shine no longer?

Do the Italian restaurants’ stars shine no longer?

Decreasing sales and bottles bought in 61% of the restaurants with stars in the first semester of 2012. JFC does a scan of the Italian restaurants that count

 

The restaurants awarded by the Michelin, Espresso and Gambero Rosso guide books are a very important sector of the appeal that our nation has to offer for guests coming from abroad. Massimo Feruzzi owner of JFT, one of the most important centre for study and consultancy for tourism, makes us notice that <<17.220 employees with profiles and competences of very high level are guaranteed a job>>. In other word it really is the icing on the cake of what is on offer on the national wine and food front.

But, in the starred restaurants all is not going well! 61,6% of these have seen a decrease in the income of the first semester in 2012 A decrease of 19,1% of the income comes from serving beverages or rather wine ( 64,7%) and banquets. Activities such as this seem however to be concentrated in a few societies which are better structured which have seen an increase in business volume.
For the owners of starred restaurants the major problems are financial and the impossibility to make investments. Less critical is the administration of the personnel and of the excellent goods, while the increase in bureaucracy is an impediment as is the lack of occasional personnel.
A qualified restaurant ha san average of 7 full time employees among which the majority are Italian. It is this super qualified staff who is the supporting structure of the luxury catering but we see that here too there are some problems.

The majority of these super restaurateurs connect results with the

professionality of its employees, or rather to their lack of it, especially in the dining room, where their welcoming skills, social/organisational skills with clients, and dish presentation skills result decisive. The improvements of the preparations and the recognizable chef-identity have a great impact on the clients’ satisfaction.
It is certain that the economic crisis has given this sector a hard blow in so decreasing the number of guests and their individual spending.
Among the marketing actions chosen to contrast the crisis one notices the promotions and offers for tastings. Very frequently the web is used, while traditional publicity does not get everyone to agree: some increase it others leave it totally.

In total 58% of starred restaurants have decided, in 2012, to change their business model: offering cookery courses, catering services, or increasing the banqueting service. There are those who have TV or radio programmes regarding cuisine and there are those who’s restaurant activities goes side by side with their agricultural one, or who works as a consultant in food companies. Diverse choices, but one thing is evident: the starred restaurants can no longer live off just that.
In any case the starred restaurateurs see a dim future: contraction in the amount of business and increase in costs connected most of to bills and taxes. Regardless of this only 9% will increase the prices on their menu. This a t least, for the more glutton and demanding clients, is good news.
Read for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini