For independents, breaking the chains' grip is linked to serving 'fine' dining experiences

I recently read in an important industry publication a major report on the future of the restaurant industry. The essence of the report was that chains would dominate the marketplace because they will be able to gobble up the diminishing labor pool, along with all of the other major technological and purchasing advantages that exist when you are big, publicly funded and, obviously, powerful.

The question remains, however, What does the future hold for the independent fine, or not so fine, dining operations?

My answer is that good operators with culinary skills and business acumen have as great an opportunity today as ever before. The reason, in most cases, is that there is a sameness to chains, which does not mean that they are not OK, but that they are never great. They are just what they are, OK.

In today's world many operations are spending a fortune on exteriors and interiors but fall to excel or differentiate themselves in the kitchen and on the plate. We have more and more young people graduating from professional culinary schools, and when asked what they want to do, 99 percent will tell you that they want to have their own operation and be their own boss.

I would like to provide you with an example of a local operation in Fernandina Beach in Amelia Island, Fla. It is a family-run restaurant located in an Exxon station. The father owns the station, and the son, who is most skilled at producing basic but great food, runs a super, very casual restaurant. The environment/ambience is, as one operator told me of his own establishment years ago, "early Sanford and Son." The tables are few and do not match, and no two chairs in the place are the same. The counter, just past the 30-weight oil cans -- or antifreeze in Florida -- is small and faces the kitchen. You might call it a variation of Charlie Trotter's chef's table. The chef, named Ray, cooks up a storm on Amelia Island. His father's name is Terrell Ray, and the restaurant is named T/Ray.

The hamburgers are offered in two sizes, one regular and the other jumbo, and believe me when I tell you they are thick and juicy. The Philly steak is as close as it gets to my college days in Lancaster, Pa., where wonderful steak sandwiches were far superior to the Amish shoo fly pie.

People flock to T/Ray's on Thursdays for Ray's famous chicken and dumplings. But his chili, omelets, onion rings, grouper sandwich, fried chicken and cheese grits aren't far behind in popularity. Everything is served fresh, hot and on plastic. What better definition is there of casual dining?

Families with passion always will drive the foodservice business. And while location, location, location works, and ambience is important -- Generation X loves blue -- formulas do not mean success. People, not interiors or exteriors, make restaurants succeed.

I hope that you will accept my word that T/Ray's is great. Please realize that I have eaten my way through the industry for 34 years and do know what's good. I love the Manor in New Jersey and Felidia's, "21," Aureole and Union Square Cafe in New York. There's also the Grill in Los Angeles, The Sardine Factory in Monterey, Calif., Tony's in St. Louis, Brennan's and Tony's in Houston, Commander's Palace and Mr. B's in New Orleans, yada, yada, yada. But when it comes to good down-home cooking, remember this: No one beats a professional cook with a passion when it comes to making a difference.

The market is always open for good food served at a fair price. And if the owner-operator can establish a major point of difference between their operation and the competition, the world is their oyster.

I rate T/Ray's of Fernandina Beach, Fla., "Four Stars." Come on down and see for yourself. Who knows? Just think how many Exxon stations are out there. Down the road, T/Ray's might be tomorrow's McDonald's.

I hope that you will accept my word that T/Ray's is great. Please realize that I have eaten my way through the industry for 34 years and do know what's good. I love the Manor in New Jersey and Felidia's, "21 ,"Aureole and Union Square Cafe in New York. There's also the Grill in Los Angeles, the Sardine Factory in Monterey, Calif., Tony's in St. Louis, Brennan's and Tony's in Houston, Commander's Palace and Mr. B's in New Orleans, yada, yada, yada. But when it comes to good downhome cooking, remember this: No one beats a professional cook with a passion when it comes to making a difference.

The market is always open for good food served at a fair price. And if the owner-operator can establish a major point of difference between his operation and those of the competition, the world is his oyster.

Thomas J. Haas is principle of Haas & Associates Ltd., a foodservice consulting firm in Amelia Island, Fla.

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