August 2010
1 post
4 tags
How to Advertise for Small Business
Thinking about spending money on advertising? Before you do you should ask yourself these important key questions that will support your decision and make sure that you get the best ROI (Return On Investment). Listed below are some key steps that you should think about and write down to have all the pros and cons prior to starting on the advertising path.
1. Know your product or service- Do you...
July 2010
4 posts
3 tags
Canada's Seafood Guide
Do you like seafood? Then make sure that you know about what is some best choices, some concerns and seafood to avoid http://firstserviceshospitality.com/blog
5 tags
How to choose a great event planner?
Choosing a great event planner starts with first knowing the type of event that you want to produce? Is the event a corporate event or a social event? Both types of events may require different styles of event planners, although some event planners are skilled to do both generally they will specialize in one or the other. Corporate event planners, work mainly with corporate clients to produce...
4 tags
Labour Relations Codes in BC
If you are a small business owner and employ a staff then you should make sure that you know about the Labour Relations Codes in your province. Labour Relations codes can be found on the internet on-line manual form that will provide the owner and employee with information about rights, duties and un-fair labour practices. There are many sections and some of the sections that an owner may find...
5 tags
Mouth-Watering Blueberry Pancakes Recipe!
This is a recipe that I have made over and over again! It is always a big hit and it is works really well for a family breakfast, brunch or catering. With blueberries coming into season now you can either go to your local farmer’s market or how about a trip out to pick your own blueberries at some local farmers. If you can not get out to either of these two options then a trip to your...
June 2010
7 posts
5 tags
How about Cupcakes at your next event?
Are you getting married and want something a little different than a traditional wedding cake? How about stacked cupcakes? Cupcakes can make a wonderful and delicious addition to your wedding. Why not have a whole range of flavors: Simple vanilla/yellow/white cake, but frosted with Nutella , Strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese, Black Forest, Oreo cupcakes, Mocha Caramel, Black Sesame cupcakes,...
3 tags
How to create a cash out sheet.
Cash out sheets are very important to staff and management and are a necessary part for anyone that must do a cash out at the end of their shift. I have seen where there is not a proper record and reconciling the cash plus the amount of time spent by the employee trying to reconcile the information can be time consuming. A good cash out helps keep records straight eliminates lengthy time spent on...
8 tags
Beer and Food Pairing
There has been so much focus on wine and food pairings that I thought beer should get it just rewards. I am sure that there are so many different opinions that I thought a few simple rules here may be what is required to make your food and beer pairing experience magical. There are two different styles of beer ale and lager. The difference is the type of yeast used in the fermentation process....
6 tags
A visit to the Okanagan- Chocolate and Wine...
As weddings are getting under way this summer, it is a good idea to keep in mind what wine will work best with chocolate. If you are planning a dessert buffet then make sure to have some wine that compliment this choice. If you are planning on giving chocolates away in gift boxes then why not add a couple of wine facts of which wine to serve with the chocolate and add a personal note. If you are...
4 tags
How to create a flyer for a target market?
The first thing to consider when creating a flyer for a target market is what are you trying to sell and to whom are you selling this to? Once you have these two questions answered then you can start to lay-out the information in an attractive manner that will highlight the product or service that you are selling to this target market. The flyer will need to be laid out in a way to prompt the...
15 Steps on how to put on a job fair!
When designing a job fair there are steps to remember in order to make the event successful and to attract the best candidates to fill the vacant positions. Job fairs are initially put on to fill more than one position in one department they are to fill many positions in the companies organization. Job fairs are typically put on when there is a new operation that is starting out, like a...
4 tags
Spring and Summer Bruschetta Recipe
At a recent event we served this Bruschetta recipe on a lunch buffet that was really well received by both the vegetarians in the crowd and non-vegetarians. Who can resist a summer grilled vegetable bruschetta and then placed on top of your favourite baguette or Artisan loaf. We have listed the recipe below for you and do hope that you will provide us with some feedback as we always enjoy reading...
May 2010
12 posts
4 tags
The Effects of Social Media on Small Business!
With all the new technology and devices that are coming out onto the market it is hard for the small business owners to keep up! We have been told from news papers, media, e-marketing news letters and tech savvy business owners that if we do not have a Facebook Business Page, Tweet on Twitter or Write a Business Page on Yelp then we are losing out on our share of customers. The challenge which...
Chicken Afritada - For Dinner Tonight!
Try this new Filipino recipe that a friend of mine Medde Grace submitted. I am sure that it will be delicious as every meal I have had at her home has always been well prepared, delicious and true to her cultural heritage.
Chicken Afritada Recipe
1 kilo (2.2 pounds) chicken, cut into pieces
5 pieces potatoes, peeled and halved
1 red onion, diced
1 head garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper,...
4 tags
Farmer's Markets!
This past Sunday we visited a Farmer’s market in Port Coquitlam and if you have never been to one this is definitely something that you should do. A Farmer’s Market is a cornucopia of items on display for sale, and you will find local artists selling their crafts, honey, organic meat, fish, produce, breads, jams, jellies and plants and much more. During one of our recent visits we...
7 tags
"Old Vines, New Wines" new sloggan of Spain!
Today, I watched Fanny Kiefer on Studio 4 she had Mireille Sauvé, Sommelier & President, The Wine Umbrella, www.thewineumbrella.com as a guest. I found this show particularly interesting as I am a wine lover and enjoy trying and tasting different varietals. Did you know that Spain is becoming the new France for wine touring? I know countless people that booked their vacation time to go to...
New Blog!!!!
If you are interested in reading a great blog with event staffing tips, catering recipes, wine info, please check out Hospitalityblog
Forums- Are they a Community?
Most people join a forum because they like the whole idea of being part of a community that has like-minded people as part of the environment. People are social be nature and like to give their opinions. You are more likely to find people join the same forums from the same industries. As part of this community we do have responsibilities to share your knowledge and experience when and where...
How to obtain a Special Occasion License in the...
Special Occasion Licenses are also commonly referred to as a Special Event License, both are generally the same thing and you will need to complete a couple of steps prior to getting one to hold your event. You generally decide to get a special occasion license if you are going to be holding an event that is serving alcohol. Weddings, Tournament Awards Dinners, Fundraising Events all fall under...
Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours, major subjects...
When starting a training program, managers should consider the following three subjects as major items to be covered during this time.
1. Skill, does the new employee come with a skill set that was evaluated during the interview process? What type of skills are required, and how can the employee put these into practice? Can skills be learned on the job or should all skills be taught in a...
The Bottom Line.
I have been reading this book called “If Only I’D Said That” Vol.V by Peter Legge and thought that I would share one of his pages of wisdom from this book. Definitely, something that we can all practice, as this will only add to our quality of life!
The Bottom Line
Face it.
Nobody owes you a living.
What you achieve or fail to achieve in your lifetime is directly related to what you do or...
Baked Cannelloni with Spinach and 3 Cheese...
This is a recipe that I promised to a client that I would post on my blog. You can make the pasta tubes if you like or save time and this step and buy cannelloni tubes that are oven ready. Give this one a try and let me know what you think?
Spinach and 3 Cheese Filling:
8 oz. spinach leaves that have been washed
1 Tbsp of butter
2 c. fresh ricotta
1/2 c of grated Asiago
1/2 c of shredded...
Setting Up An Event Contract.
Setting up an event contract, means that you include many items so that you can avoid misunderstandings with your client in the future. The only thing that you want after an event is another booking, happy clients, referrals and to collect the last amount of money owing without challenges.
Things that you must put in writing when setting up an event contract is: get the client name, event title,...
New Drinking Laws,in BC!
I just read an article written by Craig McInnes, from the Vancouver Sun Newspaper, about the new drinking laws coming into law this fall. The news of the “New Drinking Laws” has been and I believe will be in the news for the next few months. While it is my personal opinion that drinking and driving laws are a good thing to have to keep us all safe from the chronic drunk drivers, it is...
April 2010
11 posts
Chicken Afritada Recipe
Try this new Filipino recipe that a friend of mine Medde Grace submitted. I am sure that it will be delicious as every meal I have had at her home has always been well prepared, delicious and true to her cultural heritage.
Chicken Afritada Recipe
1 kilo (2.2 pounds) chicken, cut into pieces
5 pieces potatoes, peeled and halved
1 red onion, diced
1 head garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper,...
New Tips For Hiring Great Employees.
Have you ever been in a situation where you need to hire a great employee? Before you take this on you must read this information “new tips for hiring great employees”! By following the tips below you will be able to hire the right employee to fill the vacant position. As an owner, manager or Human Resources Department you must not panic and hire the first warm body that comes through...
Networking - how, why and when!
Do you own a business or do you want to get that promotion in your company? If you can answer yes, to either of these two questions, then you must become an expert at networking! How-you probably don’t realize it but you actually network everyday, you pass along information to your friends and colleagues regarding experiences about services and products that you have tried and liked or did...
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival...
This past Saturday April 24th, I attended the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, that was held at the new Trade and Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC Canada. As many clients ask me to recommend a wine for their event I was on a mission of sorts to try a variety of wines, starting with champagne, whites, reds, dessert wine and then a port. We tried a variety of price points some high...
What's For Supper? Trout Almandine!
If you enjoy a great trout fish meal and one that is simple to prepare then this is sure to make you and your guests happy! Species of trout will be different depending on what they feed on and if they live in salt or fresh water. Trout are thin skinned and have small scales and come in a variety of sizes so for the smaller ones- lake trout do not require scaling while the larger steelhead trout...
It is all about the WINE!
A recent article in the Vancouver Sun written by Anthony Gismondi titled “An insider’s guide to the wine festival” prompted me to write this blog. In today’s hospitality environments a manager must pay attention to the wines that they offer to their customers. Wine lists are no longer just based on what the manager pays for a bottle of wine and the return on the...
Starting a Company Fitness Program.
Do you realize the importance of a company fitness program? Most company’s today, unfortunately do not and the in-balance of the workplace is then effected. You will notice advertisers display advertising slogans “sound mind sound body” this is the Asics slogan. Asics believes that a ‘sound mind sound body” that running cleanses the mind and body. Focusing on running...
Training tips that will make the difference!
First Services Hospitality believes that a company needs to create and reinforce your company’s procedure on training of new and exsiting staff. If you decide to ignore this procedure then you are leaving yourself open to unsatisified customers. Service is such an important part of the dining experience! Excellent food cannot sustain a food service operation today without a well-trained and...
Cheddar, Jalapeño Jack and Bacon Muffins
The recipe listed below is one that I have used for catering to clients for their breakfast events. These go over very well with the guests and it is really nice to have a savoury type of muffin instead of all sweet. Try these let me know what you think and if you have tweaked them to add any of your favorite ingredients?
Cheddar, Jack and Bacon Muffins
Ingredients:
6 strips bacon
...
Silent Shopper Programs – Protect Your Restaurant...
Have you been unsatisfied with a customer service experience at a restaurant or after checking out of a hotel? It is the wise restaurant or hotel owner that makes sure that they protect their asset by having a “Silent Shopper Program” in place. Silent Shopper Programs: will provide the owner with valuable feedback from service, food quality, presentation, check-in, cleanliness, staff willingness...
Event Staffing Tips!
When you are planning an event and you require staff to run the event it is always a good idea to call a professional company that can help you with this part of the event to ensure success. It is never a very good idea to staff your event with friends and family. Friends and family while they have good intentions get caught up in the moment and then that is when your event can take a turn for the...
December 2009
1 post
Holiday parties on a budget!
Tips and tricks on how to plan a budget friendly holiday party!
Listed below is our advise on how to entertain this holiday season and not break the bank or come off looking cheap. If you follow the suggestions below we are sure that you will accomplish a successful event that is budget friendly and leave your guests talking about it but in a good way.
Lunch can be better than dinner…....