“Hire your chef, but discuss meals two weeks in advance. My man, for example, kept the same menu but sometimes would throw an extra dish into the mix,” Lucian said, and Maggie interrupted him.
“Yes, they are called specials. I want homely, cooked food. Stuffed steak pies, sausage and mash, soups, casseroles, and food nourishing and filling. I don’t wish to turn the inn into one of those fancy pubs where you get a celery stick, and they call that a feast. Basic, simple dinners prepared well and enjoyed,” Maggie said, smiling.
“Meals that remind you of childhood?”
“Yes!”
“So set up a standard menu and then discuss two weeks in advance your specials. And hire a housekeeper and two maids; they can clean the rooms and ensure everything is perfect for your guests. Employ people to work the bar, waitresses to clear tables, and a busboy? Somebody who collects empty glasses?” Lucian asked, struggling with the strange word.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Maggie replied with a gentle smile.
“Well, after your busboy, you’d need someone to book rooms and answer the phone? Is that correct, a telephone? The communication device,” Lucian explained.
“Yes, it’s a phone, and we’d have a landline, which means it’s fixed in place. The landline doesn’t move around like our mobile phones,” Maggie replied.
“Ah, that makes sense!” Lucian chortled. There was so much to learn, and he experienced a momentary pang of terror. He ruthlessly shoved fear aside after a few moments. Lucian was intelligent; sooner or later, he’d adapt to this way of life.
“Let me create a list,” Maggie announced, grabbing her notebook. “I’d not even thought about hiring staff!”
“Well, you can’t run it on your own!” Lucian teased, and Maggie blushed. She looked adorable when she did that. “Before you make your list, what of your opening hours? I had the inn available all day and night because of coaches arriving at different times. That is rare now.”
“Yes. I think we should open at eleven and close, say at ten, during weekdays. Then from Friday to Sunday, eleven to midnight,” Maggie mused.
Lucian nodded his head in agreement, and Maggie jotted it down.
“So, those are long opening hours. How do you break them down for staff?” Lucian asked as Maggie blossomed under his encouragement. He’d not seen this side of her, slightly unsure and worried. But Maggie was capable. He knew full well she was.
“During the week, I could hire a cook to work Monday to Thursday, ten till ten at night. And then a weekend chef to perform similar hours and close the kitchen at ten each evening to finish at eleven. The bar can remain open till midnight. We’ll need two sous chefs on each shift matching the chef’s,” Maggie mused. Lucian reached over and took her notebook and pen. The item felt strange in his hand, but he quickly became used to it. He jotted down what she had said.
“The housekeeper?” Lucian asked, letting Maggie find her own way.
“I don’t think I’d require two. But she would need to be here from nine in the morning because she’d have to organise which rooms needed cleaning, sort the bed linens, and check the cleaning standards. I believe we’d require her from Wednesday to Sunday, and she could have Monday and Tuesday off. Weekends usually see an increase in weekend travel. So, say nine to five to look after the guests who are staying. She’d need an office too!”
“Mr Evans has plenty of space. Once we rip the wall down, he can add one. How many maids?”
“Two? Or four?” Maggie asked Lucian.
“What time will you allow them to arrive and ask them to depart?”
“Oh. I never thought of that!” Maggie gasped, and Lucian saw she suddenly felt overwhelmed. He reached out and took her hands.
“This is why we’re doing this now, my dear. Take a moment and think it through. What times worked best when you holidayed?”
“I never had one. But I heard customers complain when they have to wake and rush around to leave for ten. So, if we say eleven to check out and arrivals from four, that’s rather generous and gives the maids time to clean!” Maggie concluded with a smile. Lucian chuckled as he wrote that down. “So, six maids in total. Three a day! And I can throw in overtime if required to.”
“Quite easy to resolve, wasn’t it?” Lucian said, trying to ignore the fact Maggie had never had a holiday.
“Yes, although I felt overwhelmed at first,” Maggie admitted.
“Barkeepers,” Lucian prodded and watched as Maggie worked that out.
“We’d open at eleven and close at ten. So, it should get busy between twelve and two and then from five to eight for dinner. I’d say two and ensure a waitress can also work the bar. But only from Monday to Thursday. And in the evenings, I think we would require three bartenders because the locals would use this as a pub still, I hope. I’m confusing myself! And we need a breakfast cook and a receptionist. Oh my God!” Maggie growled, and Lucian reached out and held her hands.
“No, it is simple. Here look, Maggie. I added a coffee server as well. Let me jot this down a moment,” Lucian said as he wrote quickly. He turned the notebook to Maggie to view, and she released a sigh of relief as she read Lucian’s handwriting.
‘Monday to Thursday11.00–22.00:
Chef10.00–22.00