Historic Beginning
Many chefs only dream of running their own restaurant but Peter Everett and his partner Keith Noonan are fortunate not only to man their own haven of hospitality but they’re proprietors of the historic building on High Street which houses Everett’s, and an archaic wine vault. Peter was raised on Waterford produce and nowadays repays the favour by showcasing the best of seasonal bounties from artisan producers and suppliers from the South East of Ireland. The menu reads as a celebration of their favourite fishmonger, cheese–makers, butchers, and fruit & vegetable growers.
Guys, you chose a great spot for the business! High Street is like ‘restaurant row’ in the city. So tell us about life in the restaurant…
We opened Everett’s in Waterford, in April 2018. Everett’s is a relaxed fine dining restaurant, serving Irish cuisine using locally sourced produce wherever possible. We’ve fourteen full and part-time staff. We open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday and lunch on Fridays and Saturdays. During the Summer months, we also open for dinner on bank holiday Sundays. The restaurant is located in the historic John Collyn House which dates back to the 15th century. Set over two floors, our Vault Dining Room is located in an ancient wine cellar which offers a really unique dining setting.
Partners of ‘the Sublime’
We focus on providing high standard, delicious food with a friendly, welcoming service. The restaurant has been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2022 and it has been included in Ireland’s Top-100 lists in the McKennas’ Guides, Sunday Times, Irish Times, Irish Independent and Sunday Independent.
What’s your favourite thing about running your own business?
One of the best things about running our own restaurant is getting to know our regular customers and seeing them coming back to celebrate milestones and important celebrations in their life. There is great job satisfaction in knowing that people are choosing your restaurant for their special event.
And what’s the most frustrating?
As much as you try to be prepared for every eventuality, things may not always go to plan. There are times when you do your best but you still want to do better, which can be frustrating!
Restaurant Trade
Describe an average workday.
I begin my morning in the restaurant, getting my prep done for the day, I take-in deliveries and do some orders with suppliers. I follow up on and address any issues, during the day. About 11am I go for a coffee in Trade, a café just off Henrietta Street, nearby. I try to fit this into my daily routine as it’s nice to get out for a while and go for a short walk. When I return, the fish delivery is normally in and I’ll start to prep and portion fish for that day’s menu.
At about lunch time, the chefs begin to arrive so I’ll have a chat with them before I go on my lunch break. We’ll discuss any problems with deliveries and issues for the service ahead. After lunch, the front-of-house staff start arriving. I have a quick chat with the restaurant manager regarding any matters that need sorting for the day and any emails/voicemails needing my attention. Then, I do whatever ‘prep’ is left and I start setting-up for service; dinner starts at 5.30pm. We generally do early service at 5.30pm and 6pm and later service at 7.30pm and 8.30pm.
I’m usually on the ‘sauce section’ which looks after the meat and fish. After service, I might pop out to the restaurant and say hello to some of the tables if I can. Then after this, Geraldine who has been with us since the restaurant opened, will fill me in with the local gossip!
What keeps you going or inspires you?
I’m inspired by nice produce, like the beautiful halibut I got in this week from Liam Burke (Billy Burke’s Fish Shop). I like to chat with the other chefs in the kitchen about the produce and we run ideas passed each other as to what dishes would be interesting to add to the menu.
Did you manage to get any support or funding for your business?
Initially, we decided to try to buy our own place rather than rent, so we applied for and received a mortgage on the property. We used our savings for start-up capital.
Can you see your business expanding further or have you any other projects that you’re working on?
Right now, our focus is on continually improving the service we offer at Everett’s. We’ve built up a great customer base and a strong reputation, so now, focus is on trying to keep standards high and ensuring that our customers consistently get a great experience and value for money.
Do you have any ‘time saving’ tips for business owners?
It’s important to be well prepared for the week ahead. I like to write everything down, it’s the only way I will remember things! It sounds obvious but delegation is also very important. You can’t do everything by yourself so think about everything you do and ask yourself, could someone else do this for me?
Digital Mix
Has having an online presence helped or hindered your business?
Having an online presence has definitely helped our business. We use social media to keep our followers informed of what’s going on in the restaurant. We get most of our reservations via ‘online’ through the website etc., which saves time for front-of-house staff. Plus, we keep our website up-to-date with our latest menus, and we sell vouchers online too.
How do you engage with your online customer?
We’ve a presence on Instagram, Facebook, Threads and X. We like to use Instagram for food pictures and keeping followers up to date on any events happening. Also, we find the ‘stories feature’ on Instagram great for taking quick, on-the-spot photos or videos to share with followers and as a handy way to get instant engagement or feedback from customers.
Tasteful Tips
What advice would you offer someone who is thinking of starting their own food business?
- Like all business ventures, it’ll be a roller coaster ride- with great highs but it’ll be stressful at times too. You’ll need to have good resilience to get through the rougher times and keep going.
- You’ll need to know from the beginning, what it is you want to achieve and what will make your business successful. Keep focused on what makes your product or service great, then hopefully it will all fall into place.
- It’s important to have a support network around you.
And, better still, if you can start your business with a partner that supports you and who you can rely on.
Cheers Guys for taking the time to chat to us! Best of luck Peter with your upcoming Harvest Festival Lunch in September. Congrats to you both on all the successes to date and wishing you continued success for the future!
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LOCATE THEM ON GOOGLE MAPS
BOOK the HARVEST LUNCH WITH PETER EVERETT via WATERFORD HARVEST FESTIVAL website.
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