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00:00I've been a hotelier for over three decades.
00:04Please remember at all times that you're representatives of the hotel.
00:08And I know just how tough this profession can be.
00:11It's 24-7. We're just exhausted.
00:13But not once in all my years...
00:16Oh, my God.
00:18...have I seen so many businesses...
00:20Everything I've earned has gone into this place.
00:22...and owners closer to the point of collapse.
00:25We are tired.
00:26It's too much.
00:28Sorry.
00:30So I'm back, here to help rescue these flailing businesses.
00:34Can you put your belly away?
00:36It really looks like you just don't care.
00:39From hotel newbies...
00:40It's absolutely terrifying.
00:41...to traditional seaside B&Bs...
00:44On the beach like Pamela Anderson.
00:46...and village pubs.
00:48Sleeping under a pie may be a step too far for me.
00:51Where's your sense of humour?
00:52It's not my idea of fun.
00:55And I'm up against the clock...
00:57Feeling very anxious.
00:58...because they're all on the edge.
01:00Very critical situation financially.
01:03I don't like failing.
01:04I'll be rolling my sleeves up and getting stuck in...
01:08...that's closer to nature than I've been in a while.
01:11...delivering some tough love...
01:12It's a tip for me.
01:14I don't know which place I hate most.
01:15I'm sorry to be hurtful.
01:17I mean, hello.
01:19...to help these hospitality owners on the right path.
01:23I don't have any way to put a pair of knickers...
01:25...but I've got a recycling bin.
01:26...before it's too late.
01:28Now our bookings...
01:29...empty.
01:34This time...
01:35It's a Tuesday lunchtime...
01:36...and so far I'm the only customer in here.
01:38...I'm called in to rescue a greasy spoon cafe...
01:41...with a twist.
01:43Do you need anything else?
01:44I don't think so, darling.
01:46And maybe sometime.
01:47Can I stop this business from going off the boil?
01:50Why is that fair?
01:53What does that say about you?
01:55Or is it already toast?
01:57I mean, call me a genius...
01:59...but maybe that's why you're not making any money.
02:07Morning.
02:08I'm placing my order for Charlton Metro Cafe.
02:11Okay, thank you.
02:13More than 20 years ago, 60-year-old Manjeed...
02:17...different pronunciation.
02:20We say, aubergine.
02:21He said, ooh, aubergine.
02:22I said, yeah, aubergine.
02:24And his wife, Zahara, also 60, a former interpreter...
02:29My husband loves my burger.
02:33He said, your burger is the best.
02:36...left their homeland of Iran behind...
02:39...in search of a better life in the UK.
02:42Well, we're my normie down to jump on.
02:44My year kicking, normie down.
02:46We've been together nearly 35 years.
02:49...and we have two children, one boy and one girl.
02:55For a while, their dream became a reality.
02:58Majeed, a qualified civil engineer, ran a successful construction business.
03:02I was doing in a construction field, like surveying.
03:07As-salamu alaykum.
03:08As-salamu alaykum.
03:09But when the 2008 recession hit, the work dried up and the couple were forced to start again.
03:16I applied for several jobs at the time.
03:20Because of my age, I couldn't get any of them.
03:23Desperate for an income, they changed direction completely and poured their life savings of £90,000 into 36-seater greasy
03:32spoon, the Metro Café.
03:35And despite having zero experience, flipping burgers and dishing up fry-ups, they set about building their own little corner
03:42of Iran.
03:45In Choulton, one of Manchester's most competitive foodie suburbs.
03:52Now, alongside full Englishes...
03:54Quick-fix extra sausage, bacon and hash brown.
03:58Okay.
03:58Scramble it.
03:59Scramble it.
04:00Okay.
04:00You'll find home-cooked traditional Persian stews, aromatic rice and grilled meats.
04:06All infused with saffron, limes and pomegranate.
04:09I learned from my mom and my recipe comes from Iran.
04:16That's a pomegranate puree, cram walnut and you can't feel it.
04:20It's very tasty.
04:21I have to see the code of that in good news.
04:25I believe our food is one of the best food.
04:30But despite having a menu of 2,500-year-old recipes, what began as a lifeline has turned into a
04:38life sentence.
04:39I'm working between 8 to 9 at the night.
04:44It's a back-breaking job.
04:46We have no idea what's the reason people walk up and down and they don't notice this is a Persian
04:54restaurant.
04:56Unable to afford staff to help...
04:58I work every day, Monday to Sunday.
05:02Always, we are tired.
05:04Majid and Zahara are locked in a daily battle just to pay the bills.
05:09No.
05:09We don't take any wage.
05:14We can't close a shop because even if we close a shop, we have to pay all the income overhead.
05:22And at a time in life when most people are winding down, they're missing out on the moments that matter
05:29most.
05:29I want to spend time with my family, my daughter, my son, and my grandchildren.
05:39Exhausted and with nothing to show for their efforts, every day is a struggle just to keep the lights on.
05:45Like for three days, we had just four or five customers.
05:51They don't want to lose everything.
05:53Sometimes when you are tired, all you need is some push.
05:59You will go a bit faster even than before.
06:04Ah, a push.
06:05That's where I come in.
06:08Now the UK's fifth largest city, Manchester has seen extraordinary growth over the past decade.
06:15Helped along by big names like BBC, Amazon and Google all setting up shop here.
06:21And with this rise in well-paid white-collar jobs, has come something of a culinary explosion.
06:28The food scene here has grown exponentially with a 48% increase in restaurants since 2011.
06:36So there is fierce competition.
06:39And nowhere is that truer than in Cholton.
06:42Just four miles from the city centre, this leafy suburb has become a culinary hub.
06:47I mean, the tricky thing about running a cafe is you really have to stand out for the crowd by
06:55trying to offer something different.
06:57I feel positive for today's visit, but criticism is different from humiliation.
07:04If she's going to start to humiliate personally, I won't let her to carry on.
07:13According to the article online I read about it, it's rather a hidden gem.
07:19Sounds rather unlike my usual run-of-the-mill.
07:32Hidden gem hay.
07:34Doesn't look much like a hidden gem.
07:37Diamond in the very, very, very rough, obviously.
07:41Erm...
07:43I actually have no idea where to start on what an abomination this is.
07:48It's just...
07:50Why?
07:51So, you've got coffee, traditional Persian dishes, but you know, espresso, la la la.
07:58Erm, I'm not sure if they inherited this colour.
08:02It doesn't scream Persian to me.
08:04I mean, actually, it doesn't look like somewhere you're going to eat very well.
08:10That is the point.
08:12It doesn't look like somewhere where they know what they're doing.
08:14Because this is just such a mess.
08:18Hello.
08:19Hello.
08:20Hello.
08:20I'm Alex.
08:21Very nice to meet you.
08:23Thank you very much for it.
08:24Thank you for coming, Alex.
08:25So, why have you asked me to come here?
08:27What is the problem?
08:31There is a lot of problem.
08:34It's very good.
08:35Yes.
08:38And what is ordered more, English or Persian?
08:41I think, for now, we are serving more English breakfasts and sandwiches and less Persian dish.
08:50Okay.
08:50So, what I think I would like to do, if it's okay with you, is order some food.
08:55Okay.
08:56And then we can talk again.
08:57Okay.
08:58Lovely.
08:59I'll sit down and I'll see you in a minute.
09:01While Majid and Zahara rustle me up three traditional Persian dishes, as well as their builder's breakfast,
09:07like any customer, I'm taking a moment to soak in the surroundings.
09:12What is this doing here?
09:16What's this got to do with anything?
09:18They say you also eat with your eyes, so the way a place looks is just as important as what's
09:24on the plate.
09:25Immediately, this is not a thing of great beauty.
09:29Does it have to be here?
09:31I don't know.
09:32And the decor isn't exactly wetting my appetite.
09:35It's very haphazard, and it doesn't take, you know, a hospitality professional to understand
09:42that this does not give a very coherent view of what they're offering.
09:49I mean, I don't know what to say about that, except why.
09:54Why?
10:05I'm in Chorlton, one of Manchester's top foodie neighbourhoods.
10:09Packed with independent eateries, vegan cafes, and high-end brunch spots, competition for customers is fierce.
10:17Knock, knock, can I come here?
10:19Hello.
10:20I've been called in by struggling cafe owners, Majid and Zahara, to try and boost their business
10:26so they can stop working seven days a week, pay themselves a decent wage,
10:30and spend some well-earned time with their grandchildren.
10:33How many dishes are on your menu?
10:35Six.
10:38Six Persians, and how many English?
10:41Five English Persians.
10:43And when is the last time you did a costing for your food?
10:47One of them.
10:47So far, I've found a confused offering inside and out,
10:52so when it comes to the food, I'm expecting more indigestion than inspiration.
10:59How much is this on the menu?
11:01Two toasts, it's £10.80.
11:04OK, lovely.
11:05OK.
11:09As a bolder's breakfast, they're all going to go to work hungry after this, aren't they?
11:14It's competitively priced and well put together.
11:17So far, so good.
11:21This one is a pomegranate puree with a walnut.
11:29Lovely.
11:29Do you need anything else?
11:30I don't think so, darling.
11:32And maybe some time.
11:33Take your time.
11:35There's a lot of food.
11:38Very nice.
11:39You'd be forgiven for thinking I was catering an event.
11:42But no, this is the standard portion for three mains.
11:46Thank goodness.
11:47The quality within was better than it appears from without.
11:53It's a Tuesday lunchtime, and so far I'm the only customer in here, which doesn't bode well, the Zara and
12:01Majid.
12:01But I think also there has to be a better way to sell the Persian food and to market it,
12:06I would have thought.
12:09My first thoughts are that the food is much nicer than the exterior suggests.
12:14The place has a prime spot on a main road and yet remains invisible to the passerby.
12:21So that is a conundrum that I'm going to have to solve.
12:25But for now, the aesthetics are going to have to go on the back burner.
12:28Because although their Persian food may be delicious, it's no use if we can't find a way to make people
12:35want to buy it.
12:36So I'm going to have a little stroll, have a look what the competition is, see where it's busy.
12:42So I've got a kind of valid argument for when I come back.
12:47If there's one thing Chorlton isn't short of, it's places to eat.
12:51In fact, there are more than 30 restaurants and cafes packed into just two square miles.
12:57And being on the edge of a city that's nearly three times more diverse than the national average,
13:02Chorlton's rich cultural mix has helped create a vibrant, thriving food scene with something to suit every taste.
13:10But what really stands out is the area's love affair with cafe culture,
13:15where it's definitely breakfast and brunch that reigns supreme.
13:20Interestingly, this place is also open 8.30 till 5.00.
13:24It's not open in the evenings.
13:26It has a really nice menu.
13:27It's got a big menu.
13:28It's got the kind of menu you want to eat.
13:31So it is possible to do a lot of different things.
13:35I just think the way that Metro Cafe are doing it isn't the right way.
13:40I think I have to go back and quiz Majid and Zara a bit about, you know, how financially savvy
13:49they are,
13:50whether they really understand their costs.
13:52You know, what are they trying to achieve?
13:55Right, so, the first question is, what do you think your net profit is a year?
14:02Last year was something like a 23,000.
14:05Yeah.
14:07While we are not taking any wage.
14:09Okay.
14:12A 23,000-pound profit might sound healthy, but to get there, the couple have sacrificed everything.
14:19They've run the cafe without any support and only taken enough out of the business to cover the mortgage on
14:25their home and the weekly shop.
14:27And even if they had paid themselves a full 23,000 pounds, working eight hours a day, seven days a
14:33week,
14:34they'd have earned less than four pounds an hour.
14:38At the moment, the main issue we have is a cafe, very old, old design, and looks very, very old.
14:48I know, Donny, but...
14:49As you have seen.
14:50I don't have a magic wand to give you 30,000 pounds to transform the cafe.
14:54What we can do is make sure you're doing everything right that you can possibly do.
14:59Yeah?
15:01Agreed?
15:01It's okay.
15:03I'm happy.
15:05Majid's right.
15:06The cafe does look tired and unloved.
15:10And whilst I need to improve the aesthetics, I don't have a blank check.
15:14So if I'm going to invest, it has to be where it matters most.
15:19So, we've got the old-fashioned menu there.
15:24You've got this lit-up cup of coffee here.
15:27It's a mess.
15:28So I think we have to decide how it is possible for us to explain what it is that you
15:34do to customers.
15:35It's possible.
15:36And I think we can do this.
15:38Now come in, please.
15:41So, why is that there?
15:44What does that say about you?
15:47Nothing.
15:48It says nothing.
15:50Yeah.
15:50About you.
15:51About you.
15:53Yeah.
15:53What people like is they like to feel like something is authentic.
15:58And you are authentic.
16:00You come from Iran.
16:01You want to serve the food that you love.
16:04There's all these things that have nothing to do with you.
16:08So I think that's what we've got to change.
16:10We've got to change that impression.
16:11Yeah?
16:13My second area of focus is the menu and pricing.
16:16Majid thinks breakfasts are his bestseller, but I want clear empirical data to back that up.
16:22Which means keeping a detailed ledger of every item sold and calculating exactly what it costs to put a dish
16:29on the menu.
16:31What I would like you very much to do before I come back.
16:34So you're going to do your costings.
16:36You're going to see what dishes sell and what dishes don't sell.
16:39Finally, having discovered that in Chaltern breakfast reigns supreme,
16:43I need to weave their unique selling point, the delicious Persian cuisine, into that part of the menu.
16:50I want at least two dishes that you can suggest to me that are some kind of Persian twist on
16:56an English classic.
16:58Okay.
16:58I need you to help me work out how to combine these two cultures, these two cuisines.
17:04Mm-hmm.
17:05Yeah.
17:05Okay.
17:06Okay.
17:07See you soon.
17:09We have to find some kind of fusion of English and Persian dish.
17:15It's a bit difficult, to be honest, that we'll try to find this something.
17:21The thing is, a plan has started coming together.
17:25I know what I want to take away, but I'm not sure what I want to replace it with yet.
17:29And I really hope that they're going to be responsive to my ideas, but you never know.
17:48It's been a week since I left Majid and Zahara, and they've been going great guns on the homework I
17:54set them,
17:55trying to merge British and Persian breakfast offerings.
17:58We are trying to do a new dish, which is Persian spinach, onion, and fried egg, which is in the
18:06Persian language called Nargesi.
18:09Majid has been tracking sales, but although he seemed on board with my plan when I was with him,
18:15now I'm not so sure we're singing from the same hymn sheet.
18:19Any result from these few days, in my opinion, is not going to be useful.
18:24We need to make it proper at least one year.
18:27We need to have more data. This is my opinion.
18:31But all the data in the world won't help if no one's tempted through the door.
18:35So I've sent in my trusted designer Claire to start the transformation.
18:43I'm giving the exterior a fresh Persian-inspired paint job,
18:47and importantly, stripping back the endless sea of signs.
18:52Now I'm on my way back to Manchester, ready to analyse the data and deliver the rest of the master
18:58plan.
18:58So what I have planned for the next few days is the big one is a relaunch in three days'
19:05time.
19:06I've got a lot to do before that moment.
19:09I want to make them much more visible on their Prime Street location,
19:14make the variety in their cooking a bit more apparent to the outside observer,
19:19and look at their menu and make sure the pricing is right.
19:23I mean, goodness, the list of things I've got to do is enormous.
19:35Good morning.
19:36Morning.
19:37Morning.
19:37Right, so we've got quite a lot to do.
19:41How do you feel about the colour change?
19:43Really good.
19:44I'm happy.
19:45Yes?
19:46I'm happy, very happy.
19:47Good.
19:48So we're trying to do it so it changes everything,
19:51so that we really give you an identity.
19:56At least Majid's more impressed with my design skills
19:59than he is with my methods for collecting sales data.
20:03But like it or not, the numbers don't lie,
20:06so it's time to tuck into what's working on the menu.
20:10So, darling, we sold 34 special breakfasts in the first week,
20:14so that's obviously a really good seller.
20:16And where we can grow his profits.
20:19Okay, so let's do builders.
20:21So how many builders?
20:23Builder breakfasts as well.
20:25Okay.
20:26I was 17.
20:27So that's another really good seller for you, isn't it?
20:30Yeah.
20:31What it tells us very, very clearly is breakfast is your main deal.
20:35That's the building block of your business.
20:38And with this bigger seller, the Builder's Breakfast,
20:41priced at £10.80 and costing £4.20,
20:45it's hitting the industry standard 60% gross profit figure,
20:50ensuring there's enough margin to cover overheads
20:52and still make a sustainable profit.
20:55However, not everything is performing so well.
20:57So there's been 19 Persian dishes sold over the last two weeks,
21:02which isn't enough to make it worthwhile, is it?
21:05We have to up it.
21:06Yes.
21:07Because I think one of the reasons that your Persian doesn't sell so well
21:11as your English is because it's a much more expensive proposition.
21:16What does a Persian dish cost you to put on?
21:18I'm going to give you.
21:19I'm going to give you.
21:21Lamb one is a 12.
21:22It's a cost?
21:23Yeah.
21:25What?
21:27You can't do the lamb.
21:29You have to do a tiny little pot of lamb like this,
21:32like a tiny little miniature one.
21:34But it's 12 quid, so to make money,
21:36you have to sell it for £25.
21:38And what are you selling it for?
21:40£14.50.
21:41Well, I mean, call me a genius,
21:45but maybe that's why you're not making any money.
21:50Darling, cut it in half,
21:51and then suddenly you are making money.
21:56Yes, you can tell him.
21:57I'm going to give you a portion of your money,
21:59and you're going to give you a portion of your money.
22:01What are you doing?
22:07Sit down, naughty, naughty, naughty woman.
22:12You've got to make the portion smaller.
22:15What?
22:16It's your name, Shauna.
22:18What's he saying?
22:19You know what he's saying.
22:20What, tell me?
22:21People are not going to be fully filled with food.
22:25Go on.
22:27That's no business.
22:28That's no business.
22:29That stops now.
22:30When she's laughing,
22:31I mean, she knew she's a bitch.
22:34This is not a charity.
22:37I am going to look like a genius,
22:39because you asked me in to help improve your business,
22:41and it's very easy.
22:43But your price is up.
22:44Make your portion sizes smaller.
22:52Smaller plate, cheaper price, can sell more.
22:57I think that went as well as it could possibly have gone.
22:59I'm really pleased.
23:00But I think Majid's on side.
23:02He definitely sees the light has come on behind his eyes.
23:06And even Zara seems to agree.
23:10But while I'm driving change on their end,
23:13there's a mountain of change I need to deliver, too.
23:17I'm panicking about the look of this place.
23:20There's still a lot to do, so that's my priority now.
23:23But with the daylight rapidly dwindling,
23:26and the painter's Stallone on the first coat,
23:29tempers are starting to fray.
23:32F***.
23:33I mean, there's literally stuff everywhere.
23:37My idea is,
23:40this table, instead of being here,
23:44we should put it over there next to the Coca-Cola machine.
23:47You should put the fridge on it,
23:49and then you would have a much clearer counter to serve people.
23:53OK.
23:54I'd like to try.
23:56You might have to push it up, darling.
23:58Are you all right?
23:58Yep.
23:59Not only that,
24:00it will also instantly make the space feel more welcoming
24:03to customers walking through the door.
24:06OK, well done.
24:07But after more than a decade of doing things his way,
24:11Majid is less convinced.
24:13It's a display fridge.
24:15I know, darling, but...
24:16It's going to be blocked.
24:17I know, but I'm saying we put it so that you can open it this side.
24:22So we put this side on the front.
24:27Majid, just trust me, Doc.
24:30Majid, the reason they asked me in
24:33is because they want their business to be more successful.
24:37Unfortunately, I couldn't help them to do that
24:39by keeping things exactly as they were.
24:42There's nothing...
24:43Oh.
24:45It's heavy, it's heavy.
24:47It's heavy, be careful.
24:48It's heavy.
24:49End of the day, I have to work in this situation.
24:52She's trying to change everything.
24:54I mean, let's move it back, darling.
24:56It doesn't matter.
24:57It's a fridge.
24:58Let's put it wherever you want to put it.
25:01I mean, you know,
25:02you've had it this way for 12 years.
25:04Let's not change anything, for God's sake.
25:09Don't argue with him.
25:10Let's just do what he likes.
25:24There's a little bit of painting inside,
25:26but hopefully Wayne's going to get on with it.
25:28Yeah.
25:30I'm in Chorlton, a suburb of Manchester
25:32with a thriving foodie scene.
25:35How many should get in yours?
25:38To help cafe owners Majid and Zahara
25:40become successful enough to finally take a wage
25:44and enjoy some well-earned time with their grandchildren.
25:48And she said, I don't have any quality time with them.
25:51I need to be there.
25:53You are tired.
25:54After a tense end to yesterday,
25:56like the fridge that's now in its new home,
25:59tempers have cooled.
26:01Claire and her team are back
26:03and going full throttle on the exterior.
26:05Because with just 24 hours
26:07before we relaunch the cafe to the great and good
26:10and hopefully hungry people of Chorlton,
26:12there's no time for grudges, only progress.
26:16I'm a bit nervous for cooking for Alex.
26:19I hope she likes my food.
26:22Having conquered the pricing
26:24and the sizing of the Persian dishes,
26:26next I want to tackle their brunch offering.
26:29On my first day, I asked Majid and Zahara
26:32to create some breakfast dishes
26:33that fuse their Persian offering
26:35with British cafe classics
26:37and cost them so that they actually make a decent profit.
26:40I'm looking forward to trying this.
26:44Yummy, yummy.
26:44OK, let's see.
26:46That looks delicious.
26:48If we can create dishes
26:49that bring together these two cultures,
26:51we should capture that lucrative brunch market
26:54and give them the edge they've been missing.
26:56This is a Christian pancake.
26:58I love how these look, by the way.
27:02There's still a lot of food on the plate.
27:05Their first dish might look like a cafe classic,
27:09but these pancakes come with a Persian twist.
27:11Cardamom in the batter and rose petals on top.
27:15So tell me a price on this.
27:17£1.72.
27:18Great.
27:18This, if you can charge £10.50, £11.00, £9.00.
27:23They will come back more.
27:25They will come back more.
27:27Pancakes are an ingenious idea.
27:29They might be simple, but they're a gold mine.
27:33If this is costing them £2.00 to make
27:35and they sell for £10.50,
27:37they're making over 80% gross profit,
27:4120% above the 60% they should be aiming for.
27:53A traditional Iranian breakfast staple
27:56made from spinach, fried onions, garlic,
27:59and topped with fried eggs.
28:01How much, this one?
28:03It's the perfect addition to the menu.
28:07It's lovely.
28:10At £3.50 cost,
28:12if we put this on the menu at £8.75 or above,
28:15they'll be making that target 60% gross profit margin.
28:20I love these dishes.
28:22I really like them.
28:25Good.
28:26Well done.
28:26This was a good exercise.
28:28I'm very, very happy.
28:30And also, I do think these dishes
28:33make you different.
28:36Yummy.
28:38Good.
28:42Until now,
28:44we're doing just randomly
28:46pricing and ingredients.
28:48And we introduce them.
28:50They will be very, yeah.
28:51They will be bringing more customers.
28:53I'm positive it will work.
28:56Well, first of all,
28:57the food that I tried today
28:59was definitely the nicest food
29:01I've ever eaten now.
29:02But also,
29:03you kind of see the dawning light
29:05of realisation in their eyes,
29:06which is really exciting.
29:08And the excitement doesn't end there,
29:11because I've got another tried and tested tool
29:13to help drive footfall through the door
29:15and profit into their pockets.
29:17So, darling,
29:20you're brand new
29:21with your new yellow
29:23loyalty card,
29:25Persian and English food
29:27all-day breakfast phone number,
29:30spend £10,
29:31get a stamp,
29:33then you get a free item
29:34up to whatever.
29:37If it works for the big chains,
29:39it can work here, too.
29:41Studies show that 75% of consumers
29:43say they're more likely
29:44to return to a business
29:45that offers a loyalty programme.
29:49But to build loyalty,
29:50we need to spark curiosity
29:51and get people through the door
29:53in the first place.
29:54And to do that,
29:56I have another cost-effective solution
29:58up my sleeve.
29:59I know how important
30:01having a social media presence is.
30:04This is not my area of expertise.
30:06So, I've asked someone
30:07to come in
30:08and give Majid
30:09a bit of a tutorial
30:11about how to improve
30:13his visibility.
30:16With no budget for marketing,
30:18Majid and Zahara
30:19need to harness
30:19the power of social media.
30:21So, I've called in the experts.
30:23Amy and Chris,
30:24two of Manchester's
30:25top food bloggers.
30:27Their Instagram
30:27has over 140,000 followers,
30:30all hungry for the next big thing
30:32on the city's food scene.
30:34And I've asked them
30:35to come down
30:36to give Majid
30:37a crash course
30:38in snapping,
30:39mouth-watering,
30:40scroll-stopping shots
30:41of his new
30:42Persian fusion dishes.
30:44I can go a little bit higher.
30:46So, what it's all about doing
30:47is having a look
30:48at where you're going
30:49to frame your plate.
30:50So, you've got a nice mix
30:52of the restaurant name.
30:54It's a nice bit of blue sky
30:55so it shows it off
30:55of it all looks nice.
30:56So, if you were to just see,
30:58for example,
30:58that one photo,
31:00you know what it is
31:01that they sell,
31:02where it is,
31:03and how lovely it looks.
31:04Are you ready?
31:06Yeah, I'm ready.
31:07Go for it.
31:09Absolutely stunning.
31:11Got it.
31:13Regular posts like this,
31:14especially around breakfast
31:16or lunch,
31:17are key to keeping
31:17the cafe visible
31:19and building
31:19an online audience.
31:21Perfect.
31:22So, you've now already got
31:23two pieces of content
31:24that you could use
31:25on your social media.
31:26And there's yet more
31:28positive change occurring.
31:29It looks like it's transformed.
31:32It looks like the best one
31:33on the high street,
31:34doesn't it?
31:34It's really nice.
31:36With less than 24 hours
31:37before we relaunch
31:38the new look and menu,
31:40the painters have got
31:41the second coat
31:42onto the exterior.
31:44And I'm adding
31:45new Persian stock window decals
31:47that sit alongside
31:48the Metro's classic
31:49greasy spoon identity,
31:51making it crystal clear
31:52there's more than
31:53just a fry-up on offer.
31:56But what will Majid
31:57make of the transformation
31:59now that the sea of signs
32:01has been swept away?
32:04That frame of top
32:05needs to be painted
32:07because not job finished
32:08without it.
32:09You have to do
32:10that frame as well.
32:12Look, darling, it goes...
32:13You're cutting every corner.
32:15That's not very nice.
32:16There's a lot of work there
32:18and I'm not just going to
32:19slap a layer of paint over it.
32:21The sticking point
32:22is that I am not doing
32:24the top cornice
32:25of the building.
32:27This section needs
32:28to be totally re-rendered
32:30and unfortunately
32:31I have to draw
32:32the line somewhere.
32:34The whole place
32:35looks a lot better
32:35than it did
32:36when we arrived.
32:37You know,
32:38I'm here to give him advice.
32:40I'm not Santa Claus.
32:42Sweetheart,
32:43can I ask you?
32:44This is a half a job.
32:45It's not a finished job.
32:49We can have something incomplete.
32:51But it is complete.
32:53I will do that one.
32:54It's okay.
32:54Fine.
32:55Good.
32:55Fantastic.
32:56But for tomorrow,
32:57it's not ready.
33:01He really offended me
33:02by saying it's a half a job.
33:04I mean,
33:05I honestly don't think
33:06he vaguely understands
33:07how much time
33:08and energy
33:09and effort
33:11it takes
33:12to affect
33:13a transformation
33:14like this
33:15as quickly as we have.
33:16Are you happy?
33:18No.
33:19No?
33:19Wow.
33:22I've never walked off
33:23on a contributor before
33:24or maybe once.
33:25I try not to be so rude.
33:27Actually,
33:28he's really roiled me.
33:30And actually,
33:31it just makes me want
33:31to wash my hands of him
33:33and walk away.
33:45How's it looking?
33:46It's good.
33:47Yeah.
33:49It's the morning
33:50after the night before
33:52and after our clash
33:53over the paintwork.
33:54I think it's a
33:55really big improvement.
33:57Yeah.
33:58Majin's turned up
33:59with an attitude
34:00as sunny as his cafe's
34:01new paint job.
34:03So you're happy with me,
34:04are you?
34:05No, I know.
34:10Always change is difficult.
34:12But in the end,
34:14the change was very positive.
34:17Yellow is my favourite colour.
34:20And I'm happy.
34:22I'm feeling really positive.
34:23I want us to end on a high.
34:25I've had my ups and downs
34:27with Majid.
34:27And so I'm hoping
34:29that he'll see the value
34:30of all the hard work
34:31I've put in.
34:34When I arrived,
34:36the cafe's tired purple exterior
34:37was almost invisible
34:39to pass us by.
34:40Buried under a clutter
34:42of conflicting signs
34:43with nothing to catch the eye
34:45or tempt you inside.
34:47Now for a budget
34:48of just £2,000,
34:50it's been transformed.
34:53The bold yellow paintwork
34:54is eye-catching
34:55and enticing.
34:57We've removed
34:58the confused signage
34:59with new decals
35:00that clearly shout
35:01about the Persian delights
35:03that lay within.
35:04The interior has gone
35:06from outdated,
35:07dirty and depressing
35:08to clean,
35:09fresh and welcoming.
35:11We've reorganised
35:12and decluttered,
35:13deep-cleaned every surface
35:14and added Persian-inspired tiles
35:17for a splash of colour
35:18that echo the vibrancy
35:19of the new exterior
35:20and the wonderful flavours
35:22in the food being served.
35:24Finally,
35:25there are contemporary
35:26menu boards
35:27featuring their new
35:28fusion breakfast dishes,
35:30best-selling British staples
35:31and traditional Persian favourites.
35:34And crucially,
35:35every item
35:36is now properly costed,
35:37hitting that all-important
35:3960% gross profit mark.
35:42So, today's going to be busy
35:43because we've invited
35:45some guests at 12.30.
35:47We still have to do
35:48a bit of pimping
35:49in the cafe
35:50so that I can make it look nice.
35:52But otherwise,
35:53are you ready for today?
35:54Yeah.
35:55Good.
35:58To relaunch the metro
35:59to the great and good
36:00of Toulton,
36:01I've invited a group
36:02of journalists,
36:03influencers
36:03and local office workers
36:05to come down
36:06and sample the food.
36:08I am starting
36:09and cooking half-past
36:11drinks this morning.
36:14But with lunchtime
36:15fast approaching,
36:16we're nowhere near ready.
36:18I couldn't sleep
36:19and I was up again
36:2010 to 3.
36:22We have loads to do.
36:24Now,
36:25just we are planning
36:26to do the job on time.
36:29And if we don't pull it off,
36:31the whole relaunch
36:32could fall flat.
36:33Hello.
36:34Morning.
36:35Oh, it's nice
36:35to have a man
36:36at the cloth in.
36:37I wouldn't mind
36:38seeing as you have
36:38a direct line.
36:39Give a little prayer
36:40for us.
36:41A prayer shall be offered.
36:42Because we need
36:43all the help we can get.
36:44We've hurt really hard
36:45to get this going.
36:46Yes, you are.
36:47No problem at all.
36:48So, is it okay?
36:50Yes, it's okay.
36:51Homemade by Zara?
36:52Yes.
36:53Very well done.
36:54Can I put it up?
36:56Can I put it up?
36:58Ta-da!
36:59Good.
37:01Thank you, darling.
37:02Let's get it out of the way.
37:04Let's get this out of the way.
37:05Empty the bin in a minute.
37:07So, this side of the room
37:09is basically good.
37:11All we're missing
37:12is some customers
37:13to fill it.
37:14Hello.
37:16Hi.
37:16Hi, hi.
37:17Hello, all of you.
37:19Very nice of you all
37:20to come in.
37:21What I'm going to do
37:23is we're going to do it
37:25family style.
37:26So, we're going to do
37:27a whole load of dishes.
37:28We'll give you each a plate
37:30so you can all try
37:31whatever you like.
37:32OK.
37:33So, I'm just getting
37:34the food organised
37:35for you
37:35and I'll get you
37:36some plates
37:36and I'll be right back.
37:37Thank you so much.
37:40Oh, I'm so looking forward
37:41to how long we're at.
37:42Yeah.
37:44But it's not just
37:45full stomachs
37:46that will drive success
37:47for Majid and Zahara.
37:48And sausages.
37:50They need visibility,
37:51buzz,
37:52and momentum online.
37:53These guys
37:54are going to post
37:55for us.
37:57OK.
37:57To try and get some
37:58generate some interest.
38:00OK.
38:03Which is why
38:04I brought food bloggers
38:05Chris and Amy back
38:06to snap, share,
38:08and shout about the cafe.
38:12Giving the six-year-old couple
38:13the digital launch
38:15they need to step confidently
38:16into the world
38:17of social media.
38:18It's really yummy.
38:19That's really nice.
38:21I'm making a mess
38:22with you, actually.
38:23OK.
38:24Do you want to,
38:25do you want to,
38:25that farmer's...
38:26Well, some in that,
38:29maybe lamb
38:29and chicken in these.
38:31OK, this one is good?
38:32Yes.
38:32OK.
38:33How are we getting on?
38:35Everything OK?
38:36Absolutely.
38:37Fantastic.
38:37I'm glad you're here.
38:38We love it all.
38:40I'm really pleased
38:41you're enjoying it.
38:42Thank you so much.
38:43I think this is going
38:45really well.
38:45We've had lots of people in.
38:47We've got lots of people eating.
38:49Everyone's chatting away,
38:51seeming really happy.
38:52I couldn't be going better.
38:54And if you look closely,
38:56even Majid seems to be
38:57enjoying himself
38:58in his new surroundings.
39:01It's a very old
39:02traditional food.
39:04Goes back 5 to 8 BC.
39:06Really?
39:07Yeah.
39:07It was delicious.
39:09It was super hearty,
39:09super comforting.
39:11Just felt very authentic.
39:13Very delicious.
39:14Yeah.
39:14Really loved it.
39:15Already can't wait
39:16to come back again.
39:16Thank you so much.
39:17Yeah.
39:18So anyone,
39:18this is the speciality
39:20that we don't normally get.
39:21This is the burnt bit
39:23at the bottom of the pan
39:24of the rising moon.
39:25Oh, yeah.
39:26And it is absolutely
39:27bloody delicious.
39:28I'll have 100%.
39:31Ooh.
39:32Manchester's absolutely
39:33obsessed with their
39:33hidden gem as well.
39:34So it's nice to have
39:35made a hidden gem
39:35a little bit less hidden
39:36and a bit more accessible.
39:38It's really nice.
39:39I'm so glad that it worked
39:40today and everyone's
39:41been charming about the food.
39:43Everyone's been lovely
39:44about Majid and Zara.
39:46I mean, honestly,
39:47I'm really, really happy.
39:49In just a few weeks,
39:50we've given the cafe
39:51a clearer identity,
39:53tightened up the pricing
39:54and put tools in place
39:55to help bring in new customers
39:57and keep them coming back.
39:59And if Majid and Zara
40:00can keep building on that,
40:02they might finally find
40:03the breathing space,
40:04not to mention some wages
40:06they need to enjoy
40:07a little more time
40:08with their grandchildren.
40:10So how do you feel
40:11about today?
40:13It was inspiring me,
40:14honestly, very good
40:16because everybody,
40:17I believe,
40:18they are going to
40:18spread the word
40:19and they will share
40:21the experience
40:22what they had in here.
40:24I hope so.
40:25With your friends.
40:26That's the idea.
40:27Definitely they will do that.
40:28And were you happy
40:29with today?
40:31Yes.
40:31Yesterday I was worried
40:33but today I'm happy.
40:36I'm good.
40:37That's what I'm doing.
40:38The final thing
40:40I want to say to you
40:41is portion size,
40:43price.
40:44Portion size,
40:45price.
40:46The portions are big,
40:47the prices have to be big.
40:48The portions are smaller,
40:50the prices can be smaller.
40:51We want it to make money,
40:53we want you to be proud
40:54of your food,
40:55but we want profit
40:56and also we want you
40:58to have time off
40:59so that you can
40:59endure your family.
41:00That's what you said to me
41:01when I came.
41:02Yes.
41:02So I think for me,
41:04I'm very happy.
41:05Do you have any last questions?
41:07I need your number.
41:09I will give you my number.
41:11Today was great.
41:13Today was great.
41:15Well done.
41:16Yay!
41:17Thank you as well.
41:19I'm very happy.
41:20I hope you are too.
41:21Thank you, Alex.
41:23See you again.
41:24See you.
41:26Thank you, darling.
41:29I'm feeling
41:29a mixture of evolution.
41:33Happy, excited, yeah.
41:36Event arranged by Alex today
41:38was inspiring.
41:40I think despite
41:41Majid's reservations,
41:43the combination
41:44of everything
41:45that we've managed to achieve
41:46over the time I've been here,
41:48I mean, we've done
41:49an awful lot
41:50and I think he really
41:51had his reservations
41:52about how well
41:53that was all going to work.
41:54I don't think he has
41:54any reservations now.
41:56I'm really hoping
41:57that this is just the first
41:59of many, many busy lunch times
42:01that they'll quickly see
42:02the point of hiring somebody
42:04so they don't have to be here
42:0512 hours a day,
42:07seven days a week,
42:08and then they get to spend
42:09some time with their family.
42:11Hi, Alex.
42:12Basically, I'm feeling
42:14more confident
42:15and we've been
42:16more busier than before.
42:17Thank you from
42:19the bottom of my heart.
42:21Compared with before,
42:23which we've been
42:24invisible business
42:26and cafe in this area,
42:28people can see more
42:29and we feel
42:31we are not anymore invisible.
42:33I'm spending more time
42:34with my grandchildren
42:36and I now have
42:38three of them.
42:40A new baby was born
42:42one week ago
42:43and I'm very happy.
42:57Thank you for listening.
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