Stair master: 5 Questions with Sara Brown, GM of Mama Delia & Bordel
As general manager of two hospitality venues in one three-story Wicker Park building, Sara Brown easily gets in her steps each day. While being fast on her feet is a plus, it’s her cool-headed personality and passion for creating the ultimate guest experience that takes her management skills to the next level. Here, Sara reveals a few more of her industry secrets.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY?
I always had jobs that were very interactive. During high school, I worked at a church rectory and nannied. Once I got to college, I moved into working for the athletic ticket office, interacting with guests at all the home games. It was definitely that first step towards realizing the fun you have creating guests' experiences. When I came home for the summer, I decided to try working at a new Italian restaurant in the burbs. They hired me as a server, and I never looked back.
WHAT SKILLS DOES SOMEONE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT YOUR JOB?
You need to be able to handle curve balls or sudden changes that are out of your control. Once you learn how to adapt, you make the best of all the situations presented to you. With some positivity, it's within your realm to change what could have been a bad experience into something mind blowing that a negative attitude could never have achieved. It’s also super important to be reliable and a team player. There is nothing that I would ask any of my coworkers to do that I wouldn't do myself.
As cheesy as it sounds, we're all in this together with the end goal of our guests leaving happy.
WHAT MIGHT SURPRISE PEOPLE ABOUT YOU?
I actually worked in electrical sales with 3M and would train the union guys. So, if a power line goes out, I have the general knowledge on how to splice it together.
WHAT'S YOUR SUPERPOWER?
Keeping calm in stressful situations. Switching between Bordel and Mama Delia means your attitude and demeanor have to change a bit as they’re two very different experiences with different fires to put out. Also: cardio. Walking up and down the stairs from Mama Delia to Bordel carrying a full tray of food can be taxing. I’ve mastered 80-plus flights of stairs a day without being short of breath.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I like not knowing exactly what the day will bring and that I get to contribute to someone genuinely enjoying a night out. There's no 'recipe' that we follow each night as there are different challenges and interactions unique to each day. We can prepare and train for service, but each individual guest and teammate brings a special energy to the space. I love being able to figure out what will make the experience the best we can offer and how we can present these amazing dishes and cocktails to create something memorable. The feeling that you get when someone calls you over to compliment a teammate or a dish is unmatched.
