On condition that Firebirds Wooden Fired Grill sees itself as “the grasp of fireside,” it is smart that the informal eating chain needed to deliver the wood-grilled flavors and expertise into its beverage program as effectively. Firebirds, the BevX winner for Single-Idea Restaurant, has carried out simply that in a number of novel methods.
For one, the restaurant chars fruits corresponding to orange and pineapple on its wood-fired grills earlier than juicing them for cocktails. It additionally makes use of the grilled fruit to garnish drinks.
Firebirds brings smoke into drinks in a number of methods, corresponding to smoked thyme sprig and cinnamon stick garnishes, house-smoked honey and even a torched marshmallow. This previous 12 months the chain geared up its bartenders with hand-held torches to smoke the garnishes, says director of beverage and particular initiatives Lisa Kozloff.
“The Wooden Fired Grill is our signature. That’s what we wish to be identified for — the flames, the char and the smoke,” Kozloff says. The grilled fruits and smoked garnishes assist deliver that taste, aroma and visible enchantment to the bar. The efforts are additionally a part of the restaurant’s dedication to premium and scratch-made substances within the bar, in addition to the kitchen.
One common drink, the Fuego MojitaRita, makes use of grilled jalepeno pepper and mint for slightly additional spicy taste. One other seasonal cocktail is the Torched Pineapple, made with grilled pineapple puree, lime and a house-made sizzling honey. “It nonetheless has spine of a Margarita however has acquired slightly additional in there for the company which might be extra discerning for a craft cocktail,” says Kozloff.
The advertising staff labored to extend consciousness and frequency for the seasonal cocktail packages by way of digital and social channels. Images performed an enormous function within the success of those efforts, which helped drive a 15% improve in bar gross sales 12 months over 12 months. These gross sales will increase had been paired with decreases in general value of gross sales because of strict menu engineering.
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Firebirds revamped its bartender and bar supervisor coaching to assist drive further gross sales by way of velocity of execution and visitor satisfaction. Bar managers earn the Hospitality Beverage Specialist Certificates from the Society of Wine Educators.
What are company searching for when the come to the bar? Primarily cocktails, Kozloff says, and curiosity in tequila and mezcal has been sturdy.
The corporate this previous 12 months moved the house workplace into a brand new location in Charlotte, NC; the house has a full analysis and growth kitchen and bar, says Kozloff. She’s a part of a Menus of the Future government committee that travels to different cities to go to the recent eating places and bars and search for concepts and inspiration.
Firebirds has discovered that clients’ degree of expectation is way larger within the post-Covid local weather. Visitors need a incredible expertise, they usually don’t have loads of endurance or understanding if issues aren’t excellent, she notes.
“Ensuring that we live as much as that degree of expectation has been essential to us as we’ve moved by way of Covid.”
