You all have been loving our ‘spotlight on’ series, and quite rightly so. It allows our visitors a detailed insight into the team, their favourite dishes and plans for the future. In the spirit of ‘giving the people what they want’, we now bring you our next instalment.
Up until now, admittedly, the kitchen team have been stealing the limelight with our former and current Head Chef being under the microscope. So, we’ve decided to take things downstairs and give the Front of House guys some airtime.
To kick this chapter off, we thought, who better than owner Ryan. He has been with us since the very beginning and can shed some light on where The Buttery began, challenges that he has faced, and what strategies he has implemented to maintain its roaring success for decades. Let’s get into it…
Where it all began
Ryan’s journey to a fruitful career in hospitality didn’t start how many would have thought. He in fact began his adult years at the prestigious Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow, majoring in Dramatic Studies. Following graduation, he worked in some roles aligning with his field of study, but also worked part-time for Alloa Brewery, who at the time, owned the Rogano and The Buttery.
It would be this part-time position at the Rogano that sparked Ryan’s passion for the industry, eventually working his way up to Manager at Café Rogano in just one short year.
Ryan notes: ‘it was in this position that I found a real love for the industry, and I happened to be very good at it too.’
The makings of a young entrepreneur
Around 1997, Ryan decided to leave Alloa Brewery, and went into business to open the iconic Gavin’s Mill in Milngavie. This venue was fairly similar to what The Buttery is today – high quality Scottish food in an inviting and relaxed environment. The restaurant was a resounding success, and Ryan chose to sell up and move onto new ventures in 2001.
Following this, he opened our very first Two Fat Ladies unit on Dumbarton Road, shortly followed by the City Centre venue in 2005. Both were very successful, and this paved the way for his chance to buy our forever home, The Buttery on Argyle Street.
Ryan was now in business with our very own co-director Gavin’s father and boy did they have their work cut out.
Unfortunately, back in December of 2006, there was a fire in the kitchen causing significant damage to the property. This resulted in a lengthy and costly six-month refurbishment project prior to opening their doors, with Ryan noting that ‘it took twice as long, and cost twice as much as first projected’.
He added: ‘this project was far bigger than anything we’d worked on before. The sheer scale of it was uncharted territory for us as we had been previously used to smaller units. Thankfully the banks were very supportive with our endeavours.’
Fast-forward to 2007, and it was finally (re)opening day at one of Glasgow’s most iconic restaurants.
The early days of The Buttery
Reflecting on the inception of the restaurant, Ryan stated that: ‘interestingly, the first review we got was from The Herald and it was an absolute stinker. That being said, it got people talking, and visiting too. We already had a great reputation from our other two units in the city, so that definitely helped. We put our all into the business from the very beginning, and it all seemed to pay off thankfully.’
The phrase ‘no risk, no reward’ definitely springs to mind here.
Ryan and his team wanted to maintain the offering of The Buttery that he remembered from the 90’s – good, honest, Scottish food. But he wanted to take away the element of ‘stuffiness’ he felt it had and turn it into a much more relaxed dining experience. Anyone who has visited us will likely agree this has been achieved ten-fold.
Fun fact: one key part that did change was actually the way guests would enter the premises. Previously, they would join us from the side entrance that runs alongside the car park. When the unit was under refurbishment, the original Victorian entrance was discovered behind some sheets of plasterboard. This would become the main entrance and actually made the venue’s layout way more practical.
More recent times
When asked what sort of dining experience The Buttery aims to provide, Ryan simply replied: ‘service led, delivering the best of Scottish food.’ At The Buttery, the team are encouraged to showcase their personalities, connecting to guests and making them feel at home when they join us. Ryan adds: ‘it should be our pleasure to serve them, rather than the other way around.
Looking at the reasons The Buttery remains so unique and stands out amongst other restaurants in the city, Ryan notes that: ‘uniqueness isn’t something you can buy or teach. The Buttery is a very special place with a distinctive charm unlike any other. It is an almost museum-like piece, essentially in the middle of nowhere. It is a hugely unique space, and we want to make sure that nothing changes. We could never recreate The Buttery; it really is its own piece of Glasgow history.’
When hiring team members here at The Buttery, Ryan notes that while skills and experience are great, he generally looks at the individual and their personality at the interview, stating that: ‘emotional intelligence is the most important asset anyone can have. Our team work so well together and that really extends to the unmatched customer experience we have here.’
Ryan adds: ‘we have a genuine care for the team, and owners are always on the floor at some point. There is a real empathy between the management and the staff.’
The customer experience
Here at The Buttery, we always aim to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction for ever guest who visits us. Ryan notes: ‘we put customer satisfaction at the very core of everything we do. While food and drink are obviously important, our guests having the best experience is so key to everything we do.’
When asked if there were any memorable customer experiences he would like to share, he simply stated: ‘they are all truly special, I couldn’t choose a few from the time I’ve been at The Buttery. I do however take great pleasure in watching a whole family tree sitting at a table enjoying lunch or dinner. The joy of seeing grandparents, right down to grandchildren, is something so remarkable.’
Some lessons learned
When asked if there were any lessons he had learned from his time as a restaurant owner, Ryan notes a few…
‘Never take things for granted, you always need to stay on top of your game and maintain standards, even when it may not be financially viable.’
He also notes that business success isn’t always quantified by a healthy bank balance and material possessions, it should also be measured with enjoying the job, and what people actually think of the business, and their experiences.
Looking at some of the challenges faced by The Buttery, he notes that ‘food inflation, energy costs and business rates are a real concern. We aren’t really on a level playing field with the rest of the United Kingdom currently. Staffing is also an issue. While we’ve been so lucky with a consistently stable team, there is a real skill shortage in the country, particularly with chefs and management roles.
That being said, we’re still doing what we do best here at The Buttery. And long may it continue.’
Some advice to aspiring restaurateurs
There may be some of you reading this article that are thinking of opening your own venue or are in the process of doing so at the moment.
When asked what advice he would give to any budding entrepreneur Ryan notes: ‘you should always get as much experience as possible. Try to work in every area of the business – bar, restaurant and kitchen, before taking on any project.’
He also adds: ‘you should always have an airtight business plan in place, with a solid understanding of where you want the business to go throughout its timeline. Restaurants are a very expensive venture to run, so you should be aware of the costings of everything.’
Finally, he notes: ‘reputation is everything. You should always strive to build and maintain this. Word-of-mouth, customer experience and a solid marketing strategy are all so key when trying to achieve distinction in this competitive industry.’
Future plans
When asked what the future plans for The Buttery are, Ryan simply stated: ‘it takes so much time and effort to maintain our prestigious standards here. Currently, we have no plans for another venue. But, if the right place were to come up, who knows what could happen.
Right now, our focus is on maintaining all areas of this establishment, particularly in recent years. We want our guests to continue having the best experience possible. That is, and always will be, the cornerstone of The Buttery.’
