Sorry. I wasn't clear. They could make baguettes cheaply and sell them at an easy profit. And a bakery in Aquitaine is long overdue.
Bistro 205 Renovation for 2015
- Thread starter Zachary
- Start date
I meant the same also. Many types of french bread could be made cheaply and sold for large profit. Plus I have sudden confidence in Culinary's bread making after tasting the new Breadstick Bites at Restorante Della Piazza.
I didn't mean to make that sound like I was questioning or conflicting with your statement, Nicole.
I didn't mean to make that sound like I was questioning or conflicting with your statement, Nicole.
High-quality bread isn't cheap, but if you can do it nearly as well as Balthazar or Sullivan Street, the markup can be quite attractive.
There are two types of eateries in the park. Restaurants and Snack Stands. Who in a theme park is going to be buying just plain bread? Honestly, I love the idea of a bakery because it would add to the realism of a French village, but I can't see too many people saying hey I want to buy a baguette to just snack on. People are either looking for full meals or actual snack snacks like churros, crepes, pizza cones, french fries, popcorn, etc.
Basically, is the demand really there? (Demand from the General Public and Tourists, not Enthusiasts)
Also, what about gluten? People have gotten more gluten-concerned. Some people refuse to eat gluten for diets while others do have more serious concerns. Can they make their bread gluten-free while still tasting like regular french bread?
Basically, is the demand really there? (Demand from the General Public and Tourists, not Enthusiasts)
Also, what about gluten? People have gotten more gluten-concerned. Some people refuse to eat gluten for diets while others do have more serious concerns. Can they make their bread gluten-free while still tasting like regular french bread?
:heart: :heart: :heart: I have nothing to add except this thread has made my Friday. :heart: :heart: :heart:
/me puts on chef's hat
No, you cannot make french bread without gluten. In fact, you can't really make any proper yeast-leavened bread without gluten. Gluten is the protein structure that allows bread dough to rise as the yeast produces carbon dioxide.
Gluten is the skeleton of bread, the architectural framework upon which great loaves rise.
/me removes chef's hat
I think that a park that sells cuckoo clocks and home decor could sell high-end take-home breads. Most breads can also be miniaturized, such as demi-baguettes, tiers and the bâtard, which could be sold with some good French cheese, fresh fruit and wine as very French-style lunches.
It's not always about volume of sales; prestige items add to the value and charm of a brand, especially to a park that (once) advertised itself as European in character.
No, you cannot make french bread without gluten. In fact, you can't really make any proper yeast-leavened bread without gluten. Gluten is the protein structure that allows bread dough to rise as the yeast produces carbon dioxide.
Gluten is the skeleton of bread, the architectural framework upon which great loaves rise.
/me removes chef's hat
I think that a park that sells cuckoo clocks and home decor could sell high-end take-home breads. Most breads can also be miniaturized, such as demi-baguettes, tiers and the bâtard, which could be sold with some good French cheese, fresh fruit and wine as very French-style lunches.
It's not always about volume of sales; prestige items add to the value and charm of a brand, especially to a park that (once) advertised itself as European in character.
And to respond to PR, if they sold hot, fresh baguette, I would buy it all day long. I would take french bread and butter over the crap they sell at the snack stands every time.
I would also note that I used baguette as an example. My hope would be that they would create a real bakery with pastery and good bread. (And no, nothing like that place in Banbury.)
I would also note that I used baguette as an example. My hope would be that they would create a real bakery with pastery and good bread. (And no, nothing like that place in Banbury.)
They could have eclairs and other Bakery-appropriate treats.
A tasty variety of butter would add to the warm bread tasting experience. Whipped cinnamon butter, honey butter, apple butter, and other creations would make for some tasty fun. I would stop in this shop on EVERY visit!
I would love any type of French bread with Cheeses on the side to eat it with or to put on the bread. Plus, making french dessert items and pastries, like Thomas mentioned, could easily draw any type of guest into the bakery who is looking for something sweet. I would be all for transforming the whole building that contains Cafe Lulu and La Grande Glace into a decent sized bakery.
If the park wanted to and tried to, I think they could easily pull it off. And Aquitaine, a hamlet based on a country world renowned for cuisine and food, is lacking the most in culinary offerings, and that simply needs to be fixed. Giving excuses as to how the average guest won't like a bakery, without trying it first is never going to progress the park's culinary offerings. Perhaps they could even give Cafe LuLu minor interior renovations for one season and temporarily try a smaller-scale bakery concept out, and if it's successful, they could go from there.
If the park wanted to and tried to, I think they could easily pull it off. And Aquitaine, a hamlet based on a country world renowned for cuisine and food, is lacking the most in culinary offerings, and that simply needs to be fixed. Giving excuses as to how the average guest won't like a bakery, without trying it first is never going to progress the park's culinary offerings. Perhaps they could even give Cafe LuLu minor interior renovations for one season and temporarily try a smaller-scale bakery concept out, and if it's successful, they could go from there.
Matthew said:
When your business relies on making profit you have to think of the average guest. To do that you also have to do research and have data backing up that the idea is profitable. Once you have the data backing up the profitability that is when you should start making changes and trying out the idea. I'm not saying the idea is a total loss, the point in asking those questions was to get more ideas stirring about what else other than just bread could they serve to help make it more profitable.
But the general idea that I'm getting from these ideas is a miniature French Panera Bread in the park.
So spending thousands on moving the ice cream stand was a good, profitable decision?
The average guest does not know what it wants. You cannot rely on the guest to tell you what they truly want. You have to give it to them in order for them to know they want it. If the park let the guest tell them what they wanted out of culinary, the park would have no culinary department and instead there would be out-sourced operations by different fast-food chains.
Do you think the average guest told the park they wanted a Food and Wine Festival out of the blue? No. But the park gave it to them, and they ended up loving it. Do you think the average guest wanted a highly themed coaster such as Verbolten put in the park? No. But the park gave it to them, and they loved it.
The park has to try, and I can guarantee you guests will love it and enjoy it.
Do you think the average guest told the park they wanted a Food and Wine Festival out of the blue? No. But the park gave it to them, and they ended up loving it. Do you think the average guest wanted a highly themed coaster such as Verbolten put in the park? No. But the park gave it to them, and they loved it.
The park has to try, and I can guarantee you guests will love it and enjoy it.
Matthew said:
It places the lotion in the basket. It does this whenever it's told.
Thomas said:
Honestly I don't think so. I think it was a rather poor choice. You could save so much more money by upgrading the existing ice cream store and putting something new in Bistro 205.
Matthew, the thing is no smart investor would buy that. They want real research and data. They want to make sure without a doubt their money will go to good use and they will make some profit. The thing is, the park doesn't go to investors every time they make a business decision. Quite honestly, it is scary the lack of effort in research they do.
Look at their Entertainment offerings as an example. The park clearly did not research the profitability of London Rocks! or Entwined. You can't just say "The guest doesn't know what they want, but I do" or else you end up with things like those shows. You are right though, sometimes the park hits the mark with things like the Food & Wine Festival. That, like everything else the park does, is a gamble. Verbolten was actually considered a $54 million failure because it failed to bring attendance to what they wanted.
1: You can in fact make gluten free yeast bread through the use of gums like xanthan or guar (I've baked all sorts of gf yeast things). But it's not the same thing taste or texture wise, especially baguettes, and BGW would be insane to open a gluten free bakery. It's a TON of work, the ingredients are expensive, and you'd need to keep it obsessively free of gluten -- not conducive to the curious wandering in with waffle cones.
2) Opening a BREAD bakery, while y'all make it sounds appealing, isn't a sound investment. French pastries seem like a much better idea. Beignets, croissants, etc.
2) Opening a BREAD bakery, while y'all make it sounds appealing, isn't a sound investment. French pastries seem like a much better idea. Beignets, croissants, etc.
I know this is anecdotal, but I have never met anyone who doesn't like baked goods. Even the people who can't have gluten like pastries; they just can't eat them.
Similarly, I have never been to a nice restaurant that didn't serve bread automatically with dinner. I believe that might be an indicator that many people like bread.
Regardless, I think the parks shops and special events are full of food and merch that people didn't know they wanted, before experiencing them at the park.
I do not think that it is a valid argument to claim that the park would only serve food that the lowest common denominator already eats all day. I also believe the majority of Americans like bakeries.
Similarly, I have never been to a nice restaurant that didn't serve bread automatically with dinner. I believe that might be an indicator that many people like bread.
Regardless, I think the parks shops and special events are full of food and merch that people didn't know they wanted, before experiencing them at the park.
I do not think that it is a valid argument to claim that the park would only serve food that the lowest common denominator already eats all day. I also believe the majority of Americans like bakeries.
Okay, but who goes out of their way to get a pizza cone?Party Rocker said:
The pretzel shop is a sort of example of how it could work to have a bakery or a pastry shop in France. I mean because the park put in that store, I can't just go to any snack stand in the park and get a pretzel. It's just not the same.
Replacing the ice cream shop with either a bakery or pastry shop would work. They could easily have some quiet indoor seating. Hell they could probably throw some of the wine tastings there too if done right. i'm in favor of this idea, providing they really are moving the ice cream shop to Bistro 205. (which isn't the best move imo.)