Let’s Talk Trash! MAY/JUNE 24 ©2023 - 2024 The Keenan Group, Inc- instant owners and operators of 10 restaurants, 9 in Tennessee and 1 in Destin Florida. Being brothers, how do you find a way to work together? I take care of the front of the house
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aspects of the restaurant business? I could say the same things my dad said in his interview … I am a professional bus boy! I started out working at the Crow’s Nest when I was in high school as a foodfunner in 2016 and began managing both Crow’s Nest and Joe’s Place in Green Hills in 2018. It was the best “hands-on” training to learn how the restaurant business worked… and of course my Dad! What separates a successful restaurant from a failure? What are the advantages or disadvantages of owning your own restaurant? That is a loaded question! What makes a successful restaurant are its people from the general manager, employees, and most important Customers. We pride ourselves in being a part of the community, getting involved, and supporting local groups. No matter what restaurant
played Basketball for 4 years. After graduation, I attended Western KY university thinking I would go into the Law;
however, I did not find it appealing and decided to make a change studying Business Management at Belmont and then graduated from Trevecca in and played football for 4 years and then went to culinary school at Nashville Tech for a year. What was your go to sandwich when you were a kid? Well, it really isn’t a sandwich, but 2020. Auston loved History biscuits our granny & papa would make us every Saturday morning. What kind of skills, experiences, does one need to learn all the my go to was the incredible bacon
and Auston takes care of the back of the house. The front being operations, customer care, and employees. Auston is a Chef
and handles the menu creations using our great Aunt’s recipes that were actually created by our great grandmother. He manages the kitchen! The fact is, all of our restaurants serve these time proven recipes. Where did you go to school? Did you play any sports?
We both attended Father Ryan in Nashville. My favorite subject was math, same as my Dad and I
after awhile they graduated to the front line. To be successful in the restaurant business, you have to love people! It is a service business. SOMETHING LIKE 60% OF RESTAURANTS CLOSE WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF OPENING. WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, SEPARATES A SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANT FROM A FAILURE? It is probably more than 60%. It is very important to be able to open and run a restaurant with three years of operating capital (money). If you want to have Continued on next page
those who help make the restaurant successful. Actually, we all work for the people (customers) who come in the door! First and foremost, it is very important to know how the back-end works. The back-end is where things get started, like the kitchen and all those who make it happen there before we can have a successful front line, which is where customers are served. I have two sons, Dalton 21 years old and Auston 18 years old, both of whom I have encouraged to learn this process. They started working in the kitchen and
now called Nashville State College, and graduated with an associate degree in small business management. I always knew I wanted to own my own business! A RESTAURANT OWNER HAS TO WEAR MANY HATS. IF SOMEONE WISHES TO BECOME ONE, HOW SHOULD THEY PREPARE? WHAT KIND OF SKILLS, EXPERIENCES, AND EDUCATION DOES ONE NEED TO LEARN ALL THE ASPECTS OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS? Well, I call myself a professional bus boy! That means I am no better than
helping out by doing dishes and cleaning up. As a kid, I loved using monopoly money as tips to the waitresses. I guess that is where I began my current career not knowing it at the time. You never know what chores and jobs you have as a kid may play into what you will become later in life. So, I guess I always wanted to be involved in the restaurant business as long as I can remember. DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE? WHAT DID YOU STUDY? Yes. I attended Nashville Tech, which is
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