Learn how some old-fashioned recipes led to a new wave in the desert landscape with the creator of SusieCakes.

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Give An Ovation is the podcast where we interview restaurant owners, operators, and experts, to get their strategies and tactics so that you can deliver a 5-star guest experience. Available on all major podcasting sites.

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Susan “Susie” Sarich created SusieCakes for two reasons: 1) to make it easier for women to work in hospitality, and 2) to bring back classic desserts recipes to the culinary wild west she was witnessing in San Francisco. With her Grandmas’ timeless recipes and a focus on each guest, SusieCakes has grown to 26 locations and is poised to continue rising.

Here are some highlights from her journey:

What’s the most important aspect of the guest experience? (4:13)

“It has to be embedded in the culture and I think that it starts with. Our mission at Susie Cakes is connecting through celebration, right. So I always say we’re in the celebration business, I’m not in the bakery business. Yes, we sell cakes and we make amazing desserts, but we are in the celebration business.”

Any tactics or tools that you specifically have found to be successful in creating a great guest experience? (8:57)

“Part of our staff of service is to ask everybody, ‘What are you celebrating today?”‘

Who’s someone who deserves an Ovation in the restaurant industry? (15:02)

“I mean I love Richard Melman and Lettuce Entertain You Restaurant Group out of Chicago. I think he was such a visionary started his company in the 70s, kind of did the first you know theme restaurants, if you will.

I also worked for him and just found his passion for the business and for food and hospitality to be infectious and something that lives on today. I mean, the company is now what, 50 years old? And still thriving, and so I have huge respect for him right and still thriving, and so I have huge respect for him.“

For more, visit susiecakes.com or follow @susiecakesbakery on Instagram!

Thanks for reading! Make sure to check out the whole episode, as well as other interviews with restaurant gurus by checking out “Give an Ovation: A Podcast For Restaurants” on ovationup.com/podcast or your favorite place to listen to podcasts.

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