Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Talbot Reiber. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Talbot, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
One of the biggest breakdowns in the restaurant industry is between the kitchen and the front of the house. There is always a tension between the two areas since they exist as two entirely separate entities within the same restaurant. We have found a way to break down the barriers that exist between the two areas and have focused on using manners to cultivate that change. I encourage my employees to be cool. Respecting others has always taken center stage. Our focus has been on maintaining employee happiness within a constantly fast paced environment by truly getting to know each employee on an individual level. When the employees’ happiness becomes the focus of the business, it is easy to see how everything else seamlessly falls into place. I have spent a lot of time in the dish tank over the years and have been able to watch employees interactions and attitudes from that unique vantage point. Even after all of these years, part of every day is spent washing dishes and filling in the kitchen or front of the house wherever it is needed.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
As some people are military brats, I could be considered a restaurant brat, as my family has been involved in the restaurant business since I was born. I grew up in the restaurant business and no matter where I have moved, the restaurant business has been part of my life. I spent some time in Atlanta and Raleigh honing my talent before returning back to Western Pennsylvania. In 2017, I took a leap of faith and opened Talbot’s Taproom and Terrace. The idea was to perfectly blend music, art, food, drink and vibe. One of the things that sets us apart from other restaurants is our attention to detail in all facets of the business, ranging from presentation of food, placement of art, tempo of music, the correct amount of lighting, smiling faces and on time jokes when talking with customers. Every aspect of the business is intentionally thought about in this manner. Our social media game is strong, so when you follow us, we hope #foodpornwednesdays will quickly grab your attention.
Talbot’s Taproom and Terrace: Bringing culture to Mercer County since 2017
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
The old business adage is 100% correct…there are no shortcuts to becoming successful. You have to do every job that you expect others to do. No way around the work. Consistency is key and actions speak a thousand times louder than words. As I was starting my own business, Talbot’s Taproom and Terrace, I realized early on in the first year that since my name was on the restaurant, I could not have an outwardly bad day. People feed off of your every move. If I was feeling frustrated or irritated about something, I couldn’t let that show on my facial emotions or attitude because it impacts my staff. Positivity breeds positivity in this environment.
Building a culture begins with your consistent positive attitude when you are at the helm. Hugely important.
It is important for me to know each employee in a manner that I can speak to them casually at all times…as I have never been a fan of small talk or hollow conversations. How I treat my employees has a huge impact on how they treat others. When employees feel valued, they enjoy coming to work on a daily basis. Fully understanding that concept was a game changer.
Keep things light. Smile. Joke. Be human.
How did you build your audience on social media?
I built my social media following because I started creating posts that matched my personality. I found that I was consistent, I always tried to tell a story and I was informative. I have always been aware of the fact that you take the first bite with your eyes, thus knowing that framing food in the correct manner was hugely important in the social media climate. As our food execution in the kitchen got progressively better, it made me get better as well. The unique way we framed our food begin to match the unique way we told our story, and our followers ballooned. By year three, we had over 25k followers. We are now just shy of 50k followers that always look forward to the stories that we will tell.
Be unapologetically yourself. Be unique. Do what makes your soul happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.talbotstaproom.com/
- Instagram: @talbotstaproom
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talbotstaproom
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@talbotstaproomterrace
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3tSU1lm_Ec