Question:
I have an a la carte casual fine-dining restaurant that is doing OK, not great. Busy on the weekends and brunch, slow weeknights. I see a lot of the new restaurants opening are doing a supper club model. What do you think about that approach, either during the week or 100%?
– Chef-Owner
Answer:
Supper clubs are “in,” for sure.
In the last month or so, I’ve been to four, which ranged from, “What did I just pay for? I should have stayed home,” to among the most thoughtful and memorable dining experiences of my life. And I think that sums it up: If it’s going to be a supper club, it has to be great to work. Otherwise, it’s just a long and overpriced banquet meal.
There is no single definition of a supper club, and they often mean something distinctive regionally. Supper clubs can be characterized by a few features. Despite their informal name, supper clubs these days often serve high-end, prix-fixe menus with limited choices, usually with little patience for dietary restrictions or special requests. There may be only one or two seatings per night. The setting may be informal in a restaurant or even clandestine like a private house, bar or office building. Service may be similarly relaxed and informal, but servers should be as knowledgeable and competent as fine-dining servers. Chefs typically address the dining room to explain a bit about the menu and their process in creating it. Supper clubs are often pricey, small and a challenging reservation to get.
Doing special events or prix-fixe menus can be a great way to drive business on slower weeknights. As a diner, I often find myself content to cook a simple dinner on a weeknight but will rally for a collaboration dinner, pop-up or special event. Operationally, there are a few major advantages to the supper club model, including predictable forecasting, reduced waste, the opportunity to batch cook, the ability to change the menu to take advantage of seasonal market offerings and good deals on product, and—depending on the venue—affordable space.
I think the success of supper clubs in many cities reveals much about what diners are looking for these days: warm hospitality; a unique chef-driven menu; cool, exclusive experiences to document on their social media; and a relaxed setting. A good supper club is a special place that is built around the chef’s vision and an intimate setting. If done poorly, you risk losing the goodwill and business you’ve carefully built up on the weekends.
My advice is to try launching a supper club as an event series first and assess how it goes from there based on the business and guest feedback.
More on supper clubs here.