Dare "we" speak the truth about the vulnerability restaurateurs face?

There is an old joke that starts out: Do you know how to make a small fortune in the restaurant business? The answer is start with a large fortune.

I have been in and around restaurants most of my adult life. I have washed dishes, bussed tables, greeted guests, and emptied the trash. I have been an employee, a manager and an owner. (By the way, the name you see as my byline is a pseudonym.)

Over the years, I have also experienced many ups and downs in the restaurant industry, which has been my source of income. I have also had the privilege of working with and alongside many fellow restaurateurs.

Restaurateurs are also quite dedicated to the cause of hospitality and passionate. In tough economic times, they also tend to be quite coy.

In our competitive industry and with the potential downside of the – often cruel – rumor mill, restaurateurs are cautious about talking about the tough times.

But let there be no mistake, Tucson restaurateurs right now are facing the most challenging environment since 9/11. In fact, I would argue these times are even more challenging.

The cost of goods is getting increasingly more expensive. On top of that we are seeing fuel charges added to our daily deliveries. Unlike most other businesses, our goods have to be fresh. When they get old, we can’t discount them and have a sale, we have to toss them out.

And, now as consumers are faced with ever higher expenses to fill up at the gas station and buy groceries, many are deciding to cut back on dining out. Just last week, Reuters reported a survey that said 31 percent of respondents would cut back on dining out.

Summers are historically the slowest time of year for Tucson restaurants. I know restaurants that see business fall off 50 percent from what it is at the height of tourist season.

This year it’s already shaping up to be even more of a struggle. Not a lot of restaurateurs are talking publicly about it, but the chances for survival this year is more vulnerable than ever.

Those who receive the regular e-mail from Janos Wilder of Jano’s and J-Bar restaurants recently received one that, frankly, scared me when I first started to read it. "Everyone I talk to in business, from doctors to retailers to restaurateurs, are being affected and trying to figure out how to cut back and adjust."

But then it goes on "After 25 years of business here in Tucson I’ve learned a lot of lessons, the most important being to stay confident in the face of adversity, and to turn weakness into strength. That is exactly my plan for confronting the seemingly difficult times ahead."

Wilder then goes on to talk about his restaurants’ music series and summer specials. He also said he has significantly lowered menu prices. He also talked of the importance of supporting local growers and sustainability.

The part of Wilder’s letter I liked best was: "Perhaps now, when things aren’t as good as we’d all like them to be, you need us more than ever. We need you too."

As we approach the depths of summer, if you’re one of those we’ve heard about who is doing a "staycation" this summer, I urge you to consider our local restaurants and their survival.

Bistro Philippe is fini

In less time than most of us might take to plan a vacation in France, Bistro Philippe has shuttered its doors. It was open only four months.

The closure probably had less to do with the current economy and more to do with the fact the restaurant never quite hit its stride. Except for an embarrassingly gushy review in the Arizona Daily Star, hardly anyone talked postively about the place.

The restaurant in Palomino Plaza, at the southeast corner of North Swan and East Fort Lowell roads, was a partnership between chef Philippe Trosch and Metro Restaurants’ Bob McMahon. Trosch had been executive chef at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort when it first landed AAA’s five diamonds for the Ventana Room. McMahon’s local chain includes his McMahon’s Prime Steakhouse and the newly opened Italia Italian restaurant as well as several grills around Southern Arizona.

Now, apparently, the Bistro Philippe space reverts back to Metro Restaurants.

Contact T.J. Katz at tj.katz@yahoo.com. Meals & Entertainment appears weekly.