This restaurant pays for their staff to travel the world to eat

Les Amis, a two Michelin star restaurant in Singapore pays for their staff to dine around the world so they love their craft more.

In business for over 25 years, Les Amis in Singapore, is known for its impeccable service and fine French cuisine. Placing 33rd in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2019, it has gained and continually retains the highest of reputations in a city with an eclectic choice of high-quality fine dining options. The flagship Les Amis restaurant was so successful indeed that the business has expanded to include 22 restaurant concepts and 29 outlets in Singapore and 30 overseas.

That success and longevity is based on two things, Desmond Lim, Chairman of the Les Amis Group, told Cna Luxury. One is highest quality ingredients and the other is service.

"Not just professional (service) because that’s a given. But service with a certain warmth and sincerity," he said.

"Not a snooty kind of service. We want to give everyone that walks through the door a special experience especially if you've come from a far."

Restaurants are just like any other business, they aren’t just bricks and mortar, tables and chairs, but a collective of people working together towards common goal. Just as the best restaurateurs understand that what they are selling is not just food on a plate, but a whole experience. That experience starts from the moment a customer decides to reserve a table in that restaurant. If everything goes well, that experience can last a lifetime and even longer as customers become regular customers, they become part of the family.

To ensure the very best service both in the kitchen and up front, the Les Amis Group pays for their staff to travel to places like France, Rome, Naples, Florence, San Sebastian and Tokyo to eat in some of the best restaurants so they can learn. They also get the chance to meet local food producers and experience different culinary cultures. The experiences are open to all staff across the Les Amis Group and not just the flagship restaurant. 

"We hope these trips will allow our staff to develop a greater appreciation and understanding for their craft," said Lim. "And inspire the team to deliver memorable experiences for our guests."

Obviously, not every restaurant can afford to send their staff on overseas jollies, but the concept should be transferable to a restaurant of any size, at any stage of their trading life.