CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Paul Ah Cook is operations director for all three Ruth's Chris Steak House eateries in Hawaii.
Ah Cook drawn
to food service
How much more of a challenge is it now that you're director of operations for all three Ruth's Chris Steak House locations instead of just the general manager at Restaurant Row?
Paul Ah Cook
>> Position: Director of operations for Desert Island Restaurants' Ruth's Chris Steak House in Restaurant Row in Honolulu, Front Street in Lahaina and The Shops at Wailea on Maui. Also, general manager at the Restaurant Row location.
>> Previous jobs: Director of operations and general manager of Let's Eat Hawaii, the parent of Sam Choy's Restaurants, Sam Choy's Product Line and Sam Choy's Catering; general manager of Michel's at the Colony Surf.
>> Education: Bachelor's degree, zoology, University of Hawaii; McKinley High School.
It's a huge challenge because Ruth's Chris Steak House is really corporate driven as far as systems and structure. So what I need to do is get all three restaurants in Hawaii in alignment with each other and with corporate structure.
What does that entail?
We have some pretty well laid-out specs we have to follow and procedures. All of our food items have certain specifications we have to follow. Part of the challenge is getting those specifications into Hawaii for our use. I've always been a huge believer as far as buying Hawaii first. So, as much as I can, I'm trying to replace specs laid out by corporate with Hawaii products.
How much is bought from Hawaii now?
All of our produce comes from Hawaii. Most of our dairy comes from Hawaii. And our seafood comes from Hawaii. But all of our meats, the butter, seasonings and other key ingredients are all corporate spec. We have to get those from certain purveyors from the mainland.
Does your purchasing vary between the Ruth's Chris Steak restaurants?
Yeah, it has a lot to do with logistics. On Maui, we deal with different purveyors than we do in Honolulu. Costs are different on both islands. If we can increase our buying power with all three restaurants by getting goods from the same sources, we definitely relieve our costs a little bit and then also end up with the same end product.
What do you do as the director of operations?
No. 1 is to make sure all three restaurants operate profitably. That all has to do with facility maintenance, human resources, marketing and advertising, and, of course, purchasing.
Do you feel you were destined to get in to the restaurant business because your last name is Ah Cook?
I've been asked that before and I had no choice. I just had to end up in this business. The funny thing is that I didn't end up in the kitchen. I started my restaurant career in front of the house (the dining room) and got into management and stayed there.
How did you get interested in the restaurant business?
I've been in it for 26 years. I just worked in all different types of food establishments from fast food to fine dining. I worked in a lot of restaurants during college and maybe I got a passion for it and just stayed with it.
Are you a good cook yourself?
I like to think I am. My wife might say differently. I do enjoy cooking. It's a passion for me. Basically, I'm a foodie. I guess you could call me a food geek.
How has the opening of Morton's in Ala Moana Center two years ago affected business at Ruth's Chris?
I hate to say it, but it never really affected our business. After they opened, we showed an increase in comparable sales from the prior year. I think it speaks volumes of people's love for a good steak that our numbers didn't go down even after our competition opened up down the street.
Which of the three Ruth's Chris locations does the best business and are they all profitable?
All three are profitable. Honolulu, by far, is the busiest and the most profitable and does the most volume.
How has the slowdown in Japanese tourism affected business?
It hasn't affected Honolulu as much as it probably affects Lahaina and Wailea. Honolulu's client base is very different from the two on Maui. Honolulu probably experiences about 85 to 90 percent local clientele vs. 10 to 15 percent for visitors. That's kind of reversed on Maui. Part of it has to do with the location of the two Maui restaurants. They're in the resort area. But we have confidence we'll build a loyal client base on Maui as well. Ruth's Chris Steak House has been at Restaurant Row for 14 years, Lahaina has been open for five and Wailea for two.
Are you looking into expansion?
We (Ah Cook and Randy Schoch, owner and chief executive officer of Desert Island Restaurants) have been discussing that the past several months. We want to make sure we get the right property, but we definitely have interest in opening one or two more, possibly on Oahu and we're also very interested in the Big Island.
Inside Hawaii Inc. is a conversation with a member of the Hawaii business community who has changed jobs, been elected to a board or been recognized for accomplishments. Send questions and comments to business@starbulletin.com.
