Restaurants have good days and they also have bad days. The ideal situation is that good days are excellent and bad days are slightly less excellent. Consistency is a key factor in getting people to come back again and again. Having a good time one meal and a not so good another really doesn’t help. Often there are clear reasons for this, chefs day off, inconsistent treatment of recipes or supplies. A number of establishments close for a couple of days each week to minimise any shift changes.

To consider the importance of consistency, ask yourself this question. How many times do critics, inspectors and new customers visit before making an opinion? Very simple number, one. The Michelin Guide works on the premise that there is no such thing as being able to tell it’s chefs night off. If you get it wrong when you get a hygiene check, you will be downgraded. If you get it really wrong, you will be visited again very shortly to ensure compliance with any improvement notices. First time customers often come from word of mouth. Do you ever hear a new customer say “I heard this place was terrible, so I thought I would give it a try?”

Consistency is at the minimum about setting a standard and then keeping there. Unfortunately, it gets repetitive and people slip up when not kept on their toes. Is it not better, to raise the standard higher each time just to keep you stretched?