Opening a Restaurant in NYC? Then We’re Sending You to Boot Camp

April 1, 2007 - Thinking about opening a restaurant in New York City? "Restaurant Boot Camp," a free, half-day seminar on starting and managing a restaurant, is the right place to start. The course, which is offered at the Lower Manhattan Business Solutions Center, is taught by a business consultant with a specialty in the restaurant industry, and covers everything from obtaining permits to labor laws to the City’s health code.

Vicki Cutting, who owns The Catch, a Jamaican restaurant located in St. Albans, Queens, attended "Restaurant Boot Camp," and found the seminar "helpful because opening a restaurant was a new venture for my family. I was starting from scratch."

"Not only did I meet other people who were about to start their restaurant who I could share information with, but at the seminar they gave us a Restaurant Management Guide that was a great working tool for me," she said. "I learned about managing my cash flow, but also the guide provided all the necessary information about what agencies to contact for permits and licenses. I learned about health code regulations, and was referred to Department of Health classes on food inspection so I could get my license."

The "Boot Camp" is also a way for restaurateurs to develop an ongoing relationship with the agency’s Business Solutions Centers. After attending "Boot Camp," Ms. Cutting continued to work with NYC Business Solutions, and she ultimately received free legal counsel from an attorney who reviewed the lease for her restaurant.

The "Boot Camp" is held every month at the Lower Manhattan Business Solutions Center and operated by the Department of Small Business Services’ community partner Seedco. The next seminar will take place on Monday, April 23rd at 2:00 p.m. To RSVP, call Carleen Jones at 212-618-8862.