As restaurants struggle to keep afloat, Strictly Restaurants™ offers its top-tier accounting and consulting services to restaurants nationwide in a bid to revive one of the largest industries in the United States. Jeff Lavelle is the CEO of Strictly Restaurants™. He has spent 24 years in the hospitality industry as a Restaurant Controller prior to opening Strictly Restaurants™. His immense success is attributed in part to his detailed work experiences in various positions within the restaurant industry and his strong financial background. Jeff and his family previously owned and operated their own restaurant/deli for several years. His last full-time position as CFO/Controller was with French Chef David Bouley which led them to start Strictly Restaurants™ thereafter. As being an industry insider, Jeff has come to understand what each position and individual brings to the success or failure of a restaurant.
FMM: You have spent 24 years in the hospitality industry as a Restaurant Controller prior to opening Strictly Restaurants™ and Hospitality Services. What lessons have you learned along the way?
To be successful in this industry you must have full knowledge of all positions, you must have worked them and understand them. The restaurant industry is all about timing, and the best way to learn timing is by working in all positions. You must have confidence in oneself because you are a salesperson, to grow from Washing Dishes to becoming a Controller/CFO you must always show those above you that you can hustle and that by investing into you they will see an RTO. Other lessons are listening to what the consumer is saying about your restaurant, know the vibe, the energy this is key to longevity.
FMM: Why do you love the hospitality business?
It is never a dull moment, always moving (people, product, concepts (rebranding) you must be alert and be on board or you miss the boat.
FWM: You have turned an average restaurant into a Michelin star worthy place. Tell us more.
– Cash flow. taking on restaurants that are either just starting or have been around, cash flow is king. If we manager the cash correctly it allows the restaurant to purchase quality product, pay its employee’s/owner and its overhead. Like a chain on a bicycle, we keep it greased (cash) and all things will flow.
FMM: What led you to Strictly Restaurants™?
When I was young and needed to work to help with the family matter (during the 70’s) the restaurant industry was the only one where I could have gotten a part-time job. My Mom said I was 16 which was the min age, however, I was 12. I worked washing pots & pans first, and sometimes during my work I would be hungry and asked if I can eat something. I realized then that this is the field for me. It is a place that always would be there (work) and for me being from a family of 8 kids there was food for me to eat. So, I vested my time in working from the dish sink to salad prepping, to grilling station, to Kitchen Manager (when I was in 10th grade, I was the Kitchen Manager for My Mother Chicken & Ribs in Levittown NY, I realize there was more in life, and I needed to expand out.
I was hired by a professional cafeteria company name Whitcomb’s (they ran the F&B in College’s, Office complex and even Factories). Here I even had to start out at the bottom and push a Hot Dog Cart on the grounds of Nassau Community College (where I was told I could only sell the dogs in certain locations) well people would ask for a Hot Dog along my route to the destination so I would stop and sell them. I always sold out and just kept returning during my shift to replenish my stock. Again, I was able to eat. This really is where I got the full picture of the restaurant industry, as I proved myself, I was moved to an office complex in Garden City NY, and it was here where I learned about timing. I would go to school for few hours every morning, then a school bus would pick me up and take me to my job and I would arrive in time to help for the lunch rush and prepare for the afternoon coffee rush. It is funny to think backwards as no matter what where we go in life as we are young, we always must prove our worthiness here as well I had to show I can do the task at hand, so as usual I was prepping. washing pots & pans breaking down the salad bar etc., but I ate lunch and even ate something before going home. When I was off from School, I would put in full-time hours, and was promoted to Line Cook, where now I was out Front & Center dealing with the guest. I learned how to make Eggs (any style) Burgers, and even work on the Deli side making sandwiches, it was so much fun. I prove myself so well that the company transferred me to a Factory in Farmingdale NY to work in the cafeteria. This was so easy for me because I have already been through the rush of Breakfast/Lunch in Garden City that here it was Dinner Time. I worked/managed and even closed by myself. But like the hot dog cart, the office cafeteria I sold and sold, that I decided to stay open late upon approval to be there for the factory Swing Shift to get a second chance of purchasing product and made more money for the company. Working for the Whitcomb’s in their various settings made me who I am today. I learned so much from pushing the boundaries and pushing myself, as my family need this income (in fact I worked a full summer full-time and paid for my younger Brothers & Sister school clothing and all I got was 2 outfits) to help put food on the table. It made me mature, strong, and able to withstand whatever is thrown my way. Plus, I always had food in my stomach.
After 4 years in the Navy, I stayed in Philly (my last station) and just worked in many various restaurants even worked for Denny’s (in Wayne PA), here I also worked my way from the BOH to the FOH, running the Kitchen by myself on a Saturday morning/afternoon and even worked the overnight shifts. I also worked in a Dinner running the floor here as well by myself (the funny thing here is “I was fired 10 times from them but never went anywhere, because of how I worked, no one could compare). The job that landed me in the office was an Accounts Payable position for Sfuzzi’s in NYC. There I told the Controller that I knew all about invoices as I would be the one doing the receiving and ensure that the company was getting what was billed (in my previous positions), I was hired. It is this same company that I was working for not even a year and asked to go to California to open one of their restaurants in San Diego. Again, due to my work ethic and my ability to handle the task at hand and then some, I was moved to CA. While in San Diego we were expanding to Costa Mesa, so I started to think, how can I expand myself here further as I am now a Staff Accountant (Jr general ledger work), so I proposed and created a position call Regional Staff Accountant, as Sfuzzi has individuals in each store, I felt that if we broke them up into groups (having one person be responsible for multiple locations, this would save the company money). So, I wrote out the proposal and was told if I can prove it works in my region then the company would apply it countrywide. I became the Regional Staff Accountant for (San Diego, Scottsdale/Glendale AZ and even Denver CO), and then it was implemented across the company. Side note, one of the GMs in NYC (when I was Accounts Payable) was moving to CA, and him and I worked well together that I asked him to tale me with him, he said go ask the owners.
To this day this man and I still work together 31 years later as he is and has been a client since 2014. Sfuzzi like what I did out west that they asked me to move to Dallas (new office location) my wife said, “Babe you will not like Dallas heat”. so, I seek employment in CA and found a job for Gladstone’s Universal location at City Walk in Universal Studio’s as their Controller. From there I just kept on growing to becoming the CFO for a chain up/down the East Coast (who moved me back) and for a while had my own Deli/Restaurant then right to my last full-time job which was with David Bouley. After my experience with David, it was time to get out and do my own business as Strictly Restaurants Accounting, I felt that with all my years working in every position. every concept (even a French Chef in Philly), that I should get out on my own. One of my first clients is Iron Chef Morimoto, then Kajistu Michelin Star the Cagen Japanese and just continue to expand to now having clients in NY, NJ, PA, DC, VA, NC, GA, KY, and TN.
FMM: What is timely now about what Strictly Restaurants is doing for the industry?
Keeping things real. We at times have dropped the ball or we thought we would tell the consumer what He/She/They want or should have. I like to always keep it real, meaning look at what one is offering in terms of their menu, concept, decor, people the total package “what is it that you are offering that makes you stand out?” I would have to thank my blessing and our clients that we all worked together during the pandemic as it was here in reality that you must stay real. Stay to your core principles, by just being there and giving what is expected at the price point that is acceptable. Push them to think outside the box and adjust to survive, put on your owners’ pants, and get out there. Look at the financials and understand where they are going guiding them when needed and sometimes telling facts (real) that changes need to be made.
FMM: What services does Strictly Restaurants® provide?
We are the client’s full back office, for those who realize that they are stronger in the FOH and not the BO (back office), we manage all the accounting functions from A-Z. Restaurant accounting, payroll, Profit and loss spreadsheets, Bank reconciliations, Sales Taxes, Daily Sales, overall finance management.
I also provide an insight from a customer’s point of view, meaning when you work in a place every day you lose site of the details that a customer would catch, it happens to all of us. Well, I never go in as an employee I always walk through the door as if I never stepped in their restaurant before. Instead of going in like Nicole Kidman’s “Eye Wide Shut”, I go in with my Eyes Wide Open and see everything. I share these finding with my clients (Management team) and to help keep it real. So much to talk about here.
FMM: Tell us about your team?
My team comprises of many different backgrounds. That I feel bring their own personality to the job and contribute to our success. What I found the most is when the team finds out about my past and sees how I arrived at where I am today, they want to be a part of Strictly Restaurants what it stands for, and for that I admire them.
FMM: When working with clients, take us through the process?
I have a phone call with the client to get a feel of what they want followed by a face-to-face meeting to get a feel of where the company is and what’s needed to help them grow or get back on track if they fell off a little for whatever reasons. From there I would draft up a proposal on what Strictly Restaurants can do to assist them. If accepted, my team and I will get to work on what was agreed upon with client.
FMM: Can you provide a challenging situation when working with a client or a case study?
The most challenging situation would be Me trying to give a client advice on what needs to be done to fix a situation and the client not listening to my expert advice. Some will just give a tongue and cheek and go back to their own ways of doing things which got them to the point in call me in the first place. If one really wants to make a difference, then they must TRUST me and relinquish control. I let them work on their vision and I will help them along the way, all along while me & my team are building up the financial positions (Cash is King)
FMM: What makes a restaurant successful and how to you help restaurants get there?
Know your brand, believe in it, but not so much that you are “Voguing” like Madonna (meaning take the blinders off). Because we always have room for improvements. The life span today for a very good restaurant is under their first 10 years lease, the challenge is getting past and into the 5-year extension option/renewal. Any restaurant can do well if they have the proper back office in place from the start. If the back office is effectively running as stated before then you are buying the right products, the staff paychecks are clearing wages are increasing and the Owner is Happy. CASH is King. Cash is success to longevity for any business. We will be the guide they need.
FMM: What does Strictly Restaurants® bring to the table that no other service can bring? Mustang
I have worked in every position, worked in every setting, I worked late nights by myself, ran dining rooms by myself, cooked all day by myself, opened not just one business but two (Deli/ Restaurants and now this a Boutique Restaurant Accounting company, with 8 years thus far under my belt. To be Strictly Restaurants you must know all the ins/out the do’s & the don’ts and lastly, we will customize our services to fit the customers’ needs/wants.
FMM: Share your vision for 2022.
I would like to have Strictly Restaurants office in 4/5 regions throughout the United States.There are many restaurants out there that feel there is no way out, I want us to be there for them and show them that they don’t need a TV show to survive, all they need is us doing their accounting and helping them get back/startup or even revive for a better future.
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