Ambassador Hotel

[Pete]

The Ambassador just hired their new executive chef, who had previously been at Cafe 501 in Classen Curve and Deep Fork Grill.


As I've mentioned before, the nicer restaurants in town seem to be stretching the personnel resources pretty thin in terms of chefs and experienced wait staff and bartenders.

OKC has opened a couple of dozen of nicer restaurants in just the last few years, with a bunch more on the way. There clearly is going to have to be an adjustment period while lots of less inexperienced staff learn their trades.

[hewi]

There clearly is going to have to be an adjustment period while lots of less inexperienced staff learn their trades.

Hallelujah Ouch!

[ljbab728]

As I've mentioned before, the nicer restaurants in town seem to be stretching the personnel resources pretty thin in terms of chefs and experienced wait staff and bartenders.

OKC has opened a couple of dozen of nicer restaurants in just the last few years, with a bunch more on the way. There clearly is going to have to be an adjustment period while lots of less inexperienced staff learn their trades.

Is it difficult to recruit from out of the OKC area if we can't find adequate staffing here?

[Pete]

^

All the chef hires I've seen have been locals -- just moving from one place to another.

And I don't think the recruit outside the city for waitstaff and bartenders.

[LakeEffect]

^

All the chef hires I've seen have been locals -- just moving from one place to another.

And I don't think the recruit outside the city for waitstaff and bartenders.

Matthew Kenny recruited from out of OKC when he replaced Ryan Parrot... and then I believe he let the new guy go as well (not a nice welcome to OKC).

[Pete]

[Urbanized]

Chef Andrew Black, who oversees Vast and other Devon dining operations, was originally recruited to OKC from the Peabody Hotel in Memphis (where he was Sous-Chef) to become Executive Chef at the Skirvin, so it does happen. But more often than not it is local churn that populates new restaurants. That business is incredibly incestuous, and also likes to promote from within like few others.

Also, you often see one Executive Chef in charge of multiple restaurants, especially when within the same restaurant group.

I think the problem is likely more with entry-level and mid-level servers and kitchen staff (though that is mostly a separate labor pool). I can tell you, in this market I can't imagine why any competent and personable FAST food worker remains in that business, other than not knowing better. I guarantee they could tomorrow make at least twice what they are making today if they applied at a real restaurant. This is probably one reason the quality of fast food service has slipped so noticeably in OKC in the past few years, as decent individuals are absorbed by the growing number of quality restaurants.

I have also known a number of servers over the years who have sort of "topped out" in the market and moved to other cities like Las Vegas, New York, Dallas, Austin. If you're at the top of your game at a top-earning establishment here - and not interested in moving into management - moving to a higher-end market is the only way to appreciably increase your income (of course, it also increases your cost of living). I would seriously doubt, however, that servers in other markets would consider moving here, though. If inclined to relocate they would probably head to the same places our people leave for.

I would be really interested in hearing Tuck's take on the issue.

[shawnw]

I am a huge fan of this project and building overall, but am I the only one that wishes the elevator shafts matched the building just a little better (either the color, or use of near-matching brick)? Or if you're not going to match, go for something entirely different like Braniff-style all-glass for the shafts. I know I'm being picky, but they are just so darned visible from the rest of downtown and stand out to me. Don't get me wrong I'm not unappreciative of this effort overall. If this is the best we could do, I'll take it. Just wondering if I was alone in this sentiment.

[HangryHippo]

I am a huge fan of this project and building overall, but am I the only one that wishes the elevator shafts matched the building just a little better (either the color, or use of near-matching brick)? Or if you're not going to match, go for something entirely different like Braniff-style all-glass for the shafts. I know I'm being picky, but they are just so darned visible from the rest of downtown and stand out to me. Don't get me wrong I'm not unappreciative of this effort overall. If this is the best we could do, I'll take it. Just wondering if I was alone in this sentiment.

You're not. I wish the same thing every time I see it.

[Urbanized]

That was probably partly dictated by the acceptance of historic tax credits. Doing so would require that any new construction is easily discernible from the historic. That said, there are a myriad ways to do this (glass, different-colored brick, etc.), and it would not have specifically required the bland, beige, EIFS exteriors you see here. A good example of this is the back of the St. Nicholas Hotel building (now Schlegel Bicycles), around back where Peloton is located.

I think the goal with The Ambassador must have been to blend, but you're right that they stick out a bit. Hopefully when the rest if the job is done it will distract from them.

[Pete]

They have been shooting for a March 1 opening date but there is no way at least parts of this project will be done by then.

They have a pool and courtyard to put in the back and I think there is still tons of work in the common areas (lobby, bar, restaurant).

[Dubya61]

Chef Andrew Black, who oversees Vast and other Devon dining operations, was originally recruited to OKC from the Peabody Hotel in Memphis (where he was Sous-Chef) to become Executive Chef at the Skirvin, so it does happen. But more often than not it is local churn that populates new restaurants. That business is incredibly incestuous, and also likes to promote from within like few others.

Also, you often see one Executive Chef in charge of multiple restaurants, especially when within the same restaurant group.

I think the problem is likely more with entry-level and mid-level servers and kitchen staff (though that is mostly a separate labor pool). I can tell you, in this market I can't imagine why any competent and personable FAST food worker remains in that business, other than not knowing better. I guarantee they could tomorrow make at least twice what they are making today if they applied at a real restaurant. This is probably one reason the quality of fast food service has slipped so noticeably in OKC in the past few years, as decent individuals are absorbed by the growing number of quality restaurants.

I have also known a number of servers over the years who have sort of "topped out" in the market and moved to other cities like Las Vegas, New York, Dallas, Austin. If you're at the top of your game at a top-earning establishment here - and not interested in moving into management - moving to a higher-end market is the only way to appreciably increase your income (of course, it also increases your cost of living). I would seriously doubt, however, that servers in other markets would consider moving here, though. If inclined to relocate they would probably head to the same places our people leave for.

I would be really interested in hearing Tuck's take on the issue.

Isn't there a culinary school in the metro? What's the demographics on their graduate placement?

[CuatrodeMayo]

I am a huge fan of this project and building overall, but am I the only one that wishes the elevator shafts matched the building just a little better (either the color, or use of near-matching brick)? Or if you're not going to match, go for something entirely different like Braniff-style all-glass for the shafts. I know I'm being picky, but they are just so darned visible from the rest of downtown and stand out to me. Don't get me wrong I'm not unappreciative of this effort overall. If this is the best we could do, I'll take it. Just wondering if I was alone in this sentiment.

I was told they originally were going to do all-glass, but the historic tax credit reviewing body (not sure who, honestly) wouldn't allow it.

[shawnw]

I was told they originally were going to do all-glass, but the historic tax credit reviewing body (not sure who, honestly) wouldn't allow it.

That's good to know, so I will give the benefit of the doubt on this project knowing that they tried to do better.

[shawnw]

Isn't there a culinary school in the metro? What's the demographics on their graduate placement?

I thought Platt College had a culinary school on Memorial at one time...

[Urbanized]

Wow. That's a shame. That would be SHPO, but I don't understand why glass would be disallowed for new construction on historic tax credit work. I've seen it used before. Bummer if they were willing to use a higher-quality finish and were told not to.

[BoulderSooner]

That was probably partly dictated by the acceptance of historic tax credits. Doing so would require that any new construction is easily discernible from the historic. That said, there are a myriad ways to do this (glass, different-colored brick, etc.), and it would not have specifically required the bland, beige, EIFS exteriors you see here. A good example of this is the back of the St. Nicholas Hotel building (now Schlegel Bicycles), around back where Peloton is located.

I think the goal with The Ambassador must have been to blend, but you're right that they stick out a bit. Hopefully when the rest if the job is done it will distract from them.

If I remember correctly the original submission to ddrc had the new additions much darker than the building. But ddrc didn't like it and asked for a more closely matched color

[foodiefan]

I thought Platt College had a culinary school on Memorial at one time...

they do. . .think there is also a branch southside. . .

[Pete]

If I remember correctly the original submission to ddrc had the new additions much darker than the building. But ddrc didn't like it and asked for a more closely matched color

Yes, you can see the original submission here:

[Teo9969]

Platt is definitely still around and pumps out a lot of cooks and some Sous-Chef types, and every BOH has a fair amount of Hispanic workers, both legal and illegal. Many of the hispanic workers also end up working two jobs. Until the last 5-ish years there has probably been too few jobs available for executive chef type talents that train in OKC under people like Fleishfresser, so I think the pool for BOH staff is still fine to handle everything coming on the market in the next year.

Top end servers do pretty well in this market, well enough that most of them don't even consider management unless they know they can get to a GM/Proprietor position (and at that point, they probably don't want all the baggage that comes with that position that servers don't have).

$60k to $80k is where top-end servers land in OKC, and if they are pushing the $80k number it's probably not worth the leap to NYC/LA/CHI and possibly even Vegas to get over that $100k mark, because you can actually invest income at that range in OKC…and honestly, your position is pretty well locked up (as opposed to competitive markets like the above, where I imagine the industry is far more cut-throat).

Most of the rest of the server positions are typically filled with Millenials either 1. Putting themselves through school or 2. Trying to figure out what they want to do. Host/Bus staff is almost always high school/early college age people…I think for the most part that pool is pretty elastic.

I think the industry will be fine with what's coming online over the next year. There will be more turnover in restaurants that aren't used to having much turnover, but the overall quality should not see much of a decline.

[Pete]

[Pete]

From catch22 this morning:

[Pete]

They are having a vote to chose the name of their restaurant:


https://www.facebook.com/AmbassadorH...maCity?fref=ts

Friends and Fans...We Want Your Help to Choose the Name of OKC's Newest Restaurant! Comment, Private Message or Email (specials@ambassadorhc.com) Your Pick!

Restaurant Name Options Below-
Chive
Delos (First Name of Mr. Walker of Walker Ave.)
Iris
Paul Michael's
Romeo's

[betts]

I picked Iris but Delos, to me, is a close second.

[CCOKC]

I would have picked Iris but I was swayed by the history of Delos. Hope Mr Walker was not a Tate Brady.