Tango Strategy talks with stove-poet, Troy Guard.
Named one of the “Great Regional Chefs of America” by the James Beard Foundation, Troy takes the world’s taste buds by storm with his bold fusion of flavors, multi-cultural curiosity and endless appetite for the unexpected. Troy’s latest endeavor, TAG, opened in Denver in early 2009, and combines his love for travel with his flair for culinary innovation to create a brand-new genre that he calls “continental social food”.
What change in your industry driven by this 'new economy' has surprised you the most? Please explain the change and why it is so surprising.
Something good and positive can come from any negative because you have to reevaluate. You have to look at yourself and ask – how can I be better? How can we be more efficient, more value oriented.
I used to buy whatever I wanted to cook with. Now I look around more. Anyone can do a lobster or a fillet, but can everyone be creative with a value cut like pork cheeks? Instead of going right for the asparagus I’m looking at new ways with squash and zucchini.
We are still getting great business (traffic) but to be profitable we have to find a value or give more than we use to. We do more training with our staff on food and wine and we work more closely with our purveyors. We train and talk more than we ever used to. We can’t take it for granted that Friday night will be good.
What is happening in your industry that you view as a change or shift towards the positive that you hope continues?
We (other chefs) email each other more. For instance, if someone has to let a guy go and he’s good, we’ll let the others know he’s available. Or if we found a great new product I’ll tell others to check it out.
We (the chef community) know there’s enough business to go around, so let’s share our strengths and help each other out. It’s creating a closer bond, a closer friendship and more of a food community.
What positive shift or change in consumer/ client or customer behavior or attitudes in the past six months has had the greatest impact on your business?
Customers have more knowledge because of the Food Network. They are also busy and eat out more, they travel more and they have more overall access to information.
For instance, we had an ingredient on our menu listed from Colorado and our customers called us out – they knew it wasn’t in season yet at this location. That customer knowledge forces us to be better. It’s raising the bar and keeping us on our toes.
What does Continental Social Food mean?
We all love to eat. Food brings people together. I’ve lived all over the world, so I wanted to have a global sense to my food but I didn’t want to use that word. I thought “continental” implied a level of sophistication and implied global.
“Social” because my food is interactive and created to share. Food should be social, it stimulates sharing and fun.
“Food” – it is food, but I focus on being fresh and innovative.
How does Continental Social Food work in these economic times?
People want to eat out, maybe even eat out more, but they don’t want to spend a lot. With smaller portions you can come here 2-3 times per week. Get a sushi roll, a beer or something and still get out with tip for less than 15 bucks. We do have people who come in several times a week just like that.
Our ticket average is lower, but folks are still coming. Now they won’t get the extra appetizer or the dessert or the expensive wine. They still get wine, just not the expensive one.
What excites you about this day and age we find ourselves in? What, if any, new opportunities do you feel are arising?
People want to be out and about. I want to challenge myself to keep growing as my guests do. The world is only getting bigger yet it’s smaller because everyone knows each other.
We’re family here (at TAG). We all spend too much time at work. So work should be a friendship, a partnership, a bond. Today you and I are meeting, next time we’re having lunch together and then our families are getting together for dinner. That’s what I mean.
