Cover Photo: Eric McNew/Unsplash
Photo: Eric McNew/Unsplash
1 / 1
Known to be the ace up the sleeves of many successful restaurants and F&B brands in Metro Manila, Beyond the Menu’s Toogy and Laveena Clavecilla share their origin story and dish out sage advice for budding business owners, free of charge
Many of Manila’s restaurants have benefited from Beyond the Menu—the food and beverage consultancy firm of couple Toogy and Laveena Clavecilla— and they have the House of Representatives to thank. A younger Toogy, freshly graduated from college after majoring in political science, was ready to change the world and dove right into a job at Congress. “I ended up working in Congress while waiting to do my law school entrance exam...After that, I did not want to go to law school anymore,” he explains with a laugh. Disillusioned, or perhaps it was merely the re-direction he needed, considering food had always been his passion while growing up.
“I was always cooking. My household likes to eat a lot. My first restaurant job was with chef Jessie (Sincioco) at Le Soufflé in Ortigas in the late 1990s. I applied. I asked my uncle to ask her, and she took me in. That’s why I’ll always think of chef Jessie as a saint. Back then, I didn’t even know how to hold a knife, there was neither knowledge nor kitchen work ethic. That all came after when I left for New York to study.” Toogy enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and upon graduating, he made the rounds working in the kitchens of the traditional fine dining restaurants in those days, such as the iconic Lutèce on the East side, which operated for 40 years before closing in 2004.
Above Beyond the Menu’s Toogy and Laveena Clavecilla
Beyond the Menu’s Toogy and Laveena Clavecilla
1 / 1
The story of Beyond the Menu truly began when Toogy took his master’s degree at Le Roche—arguably the most prominent school in hospitality management—in Switzerland. That was when he shifted from back to front of the house, acknowledging that he did not have the “athleticism” it took to survive the punishing conditions of restaurant kitchens. Back in Manila, he started working in corporate with the Pancake House group by building their new concepts and then launching them to the market. Soon, with so many side projects coming his way, his wife Laveena left her job in San Miguel Corporation to help him start the company, not only because she wanted to lighten his load but also because she believed in what Toogy was doing. “We realised that since people are asking Toogy to do this, it means no one was doing it then,” Laveena expounds. “Plus, he is really good at it. He has a way of connecting with people, which is very important in training. He’s done both front and back-of-house, so he truly understands what it entails to get the job done.”
They divide their workload based on their competencies, with Toogy doing all the FOH training, as well as everything a restaurant needs to set itself up. Laveena builds the systems meant to provide plans and guidance for the long term. “The goal is always to leave the client with enough tools to carry on with whatever you left them with,” she says. “They cannot keep calling you, it’s not fair to them that they become so dependent and reliant you. I have to ‘manualise’ everything for the client.” In an industry that is very much on an ad hoc basis, the Clavecillas believe that putting systems in place will ensure better profitability and longevity for the business. “They always think it’s the food, concept, and branding— those are what make a great restaurant,” Laveena starts. “That’s a large part, but at the end of the day there are so many moving parts to keep a restaurant profitable. And, it is so reliant on people. People come and go. So what happens? Consistency becomes an issue in that situation. However, systems will never leave you. For as long as you have systems in place, then you can feel assured that things will be done the same way regardless of who is doing it.”
Above Photo: Edward Howell/Unsplash
Photo: Edward Howell/Unsplash
1 / 1
With daily operational systems in place, restaurant owners can shift their focus to other things, such as growing the business and making sure it remains profitable. “Cost control is such a complex matter in restaurant operations that a lot of people do not really understand what it means. People think it’s about saving and cost-cutting. It’s more about allocating resources— time, money, energy, and people— in the right areas so those can be leveraged for growth and efficiency.” Laveena continues, “spending on technology, for instance, might be expensive today, but in the long term: What does it give you? Accuracy, for one. It could also save you the expenses of one employee. It saves you from headaches and gives you peace of mind.”
Toogy cautions against skipping certain factors due to shortcuts or false economy. “We have to sometimes deliver the bad news that there are some things that need to be done to avoid foreseeable bad things from happening. That there will be repercussions down the line if we skip certain things,” he says. Laveena points out that it is perhaps one of the biggest knowledge gaps in the industry. “To what extent do people understand cost control and the importance of service? All of which support the core product, which is the food and the brand. You can have the best menu as well as reputable chefs. But, somehow, they cannot keep a restaurant going because there’s more to it than the creativity.”
Toogy once again emphasises that the business needs to make a profit. “That is what my boss told me when I was still in corporate: art should always be backed up by science. And, I feel, that is really what we are about—we build the systems, the infrastructure to support the art.” Laveena also wants to remind business owners that they get caught up in the motions of creating and building, that they forget to ask where the road actually leads. “We always tell our clients, before anything else is done, work the numbers first,” she says. “Let the numbers tell you what decisions you have to make. A lot of times it comes after, when they are already operational, that is when they question their profitability. It should be done at the beginning, then it is with that knowledge where you base your moves and decisions.”
Above Photo: Hanxiao / Unsplash
Photo: Hanxiao / Unsplash
1 / 1
With that, we ask what are the top things budding restauranteurs should consider? “First, if they do not own the space, they need to realise that their landlord is also a partner in their business,” says Toogy. “Not literally on paper, but at least the rental scheme needs to be equitable for both parties. Second, if they are the chef, they need to learn how to delegate other parts of the business. They cannot do it all. Best to get this all straight from the beginning and not when they are already drowning with work and other responsibilities. They must define the roles of the people around them and the job that has been delegated to them.” After countless businesses that they helped build or remedy, Laveena also shares her observation regarding partnerships. “We have seen so many partnerships where coming in they are so enamoured by the prospect of working together and setting up a business with friends, only for it to fall apart when there’s an overlap and they cannot work things out. And, oftentimes, it cannot be helped; there will be an overlap, but at least then, everyone can just keep doing what they’re good at. When you find yourself faced with difficulties, your partner, who is good at that, can carry that load. It’s actually also really good marriage advice,” she adds.
NOW READ
2024 restaurant openings you need to know about
A lavish Chinese New Year celebration at Hennessy’s pop-up at Greenbelt 5
Topics
Jaclyn Clemente Koppe is a food and lifestyle writer, as well as a consultant to some of the country’s beloved food and beverage brands. Her passion for food and drink is only surpassed by her devotion to her family, most especially to her soulmate, Pepa the poodle.
