We see them as family: Muse owners on the importance of building a team [video]

The operators of the award winning Hunter Valley fine diner, Muse Restaurant, have released a video in conjunction with the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence program, expressing the importance of building a strong and cohesive restaurant team.

Troy and Megan Rhoades-Brown launched Muse in 2009, and this year was presented with two hats from the SMH Good Food Guide. In 2014 Troy took out the Young Restaurateur of the Year category of the Appetite for Excellence Awards, and he’s partnered with the program, which aims to inspire, celebrate and nuture up-and-coming industry members, explaining how he and his wife have built a loyal, talented team of staff members.

The key, Megan said, is to ensure everyone feels like they’re part of a team.

“The relationship between our front and back of house is a key contributing factor to the success that weve had,” she said.

“We don’t micromanage. We expect all our staff to take ownership for what they do here. They know that they are so important to us. We see them as family and they feel heard, and when people feel like that, they thrive.”

Troy said both the kitchen and front of house staff recognise the value that each other bring to the business.  

“It’s a collaborative effort between not just the floor staff and the kitchen but everyone involved, day in, day out, with the running of the restaurant,” he said.

“Our front of house staff know how many hours our chefs work and how dedicated they are to what they do. There’s no point in them doing that if we then can’t deliver that beautiful food in a way that it deserves to be presented,” Megan added.

Hear what else they had to say in the video below.