Raphael Michael Of Beverly Hills Grill in Beverly Hills, MI: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became a Restaurateur
An Interview With Martita Mestey
Take the time to think and make decisions, rather than just reacting. For example, when I bought the restaurant, I didn’t like the martini glasses that were here. I wanted new glasses, so I just ordered these glasses that looked great. I didn’t even get a sample. And we ended up breaking at least two and a half cases of them in the first month because they weren’t durable, and the stems were thin. I learned my lesson and, the next time, I took the time to research and find glasses that would last.
As a part of our series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became a Restaurateur”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Raphael Michael.
Working in the restaurant industry since he was a student at Eastern Michigan University, Raphael Michael started out as an assistant manager at Happy’s Pizza in Ann Arbor when he was 19. At age 24, he bought the pizzeria’s Kalamazoo location, where he stayed for the next 12 years. In October 2022, he moved to metro Detroit and took over Beverly Hills Grill from local restauranter Bill Roberts, who opened the Grill in 1988. Since buying the restaurant, Michael has maintained what guests have come to expect while keeping all of Roberts’ employees on the team.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to ‘get to know’ you a bit. Can you share with our readers a story about what inspired you to become a restaurateur?
I jumped into the food industry when I was 19. When you’re young, everybody tells you to do what you love and find things you’re passionate about. For me, I love to do things that I’m good at. And I quickly realized that I was very good in the food industry, and I was good at leading people.
Do you have a specific type of food that you focus on? What was it that first drew you to cooking that type of food? Can you share a story about that with us?
It’s not really about a specific food or type of food. It’s the experience that makes the meal memorable for my guests. That’s the most important thing. After opening the Beverly Hills Grill, I learned how impactful the atmosphere can be — where the staff knows your name, and the bartenders remember your drink order.
I have thousands of examples since I’ve been there. I remember one day working behind the bar and helping out because we were really busy. A group of people walked in, and they were looking over at the bartender. And the bartender told me, “I’m going to take care of making these three drinks.” And I thought, “How does he know what they want? He hasn’t gone over and talked to them yet.” So, he made the drinks, walked over, handed it to them, and greeted them by name. And I thought, in a bar full of people, that was one of the most special and intimate things I’d seen in a long time in the restaurant industry.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you became a restaurateur? What was the lesson or take away you took out of that story?
We had a chef’s special — arctic char, which is a type of fish. We sold out of the dish before the day was over. The line cook thought we all knew that we were out of the arctic char. So, without telling anyone, he made a type of salmon, which was the substitute fish, for the next customer. After the food was served, the waiter came up to me and said, “The customer is asking why his fish looks different.”
When I saw the guest’s food, I could tell immediately that it wasn’t the arctic char. So, when he asked, “Are you messing with me?” I said, “Of course I’m messing with you,” and he started laughing. I told him, “It’s arctic char’s first cousin,” and he laughed more. We ended up comping his food, and he said, “You really turned a complaint into a nice, funny encounter.” He still regularly comes into the restaurant, and, to this day, orders fish almost every time. And he always jokes with me when he comes in, asking, “Do you have the right fish today?”
I realized, through that encounter, to never take things too seriously. Everybody tenses up when something goes wrong, but, you know, just take it easy. It’s not the end of the world. Everything can be taken care of, and we can all have fun.
Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? How did you overcome this obstacle?
When I first started, I had a lot of thoughts like, “I shouldn’t be here. I don’t belong in the position I’m in.” Of course, there are moments for everyone when the weak part of your mind overcomes the confident part of your mind. But if you trust in the business you worked so hard to build and trust in the people who are working beside you, your confidence will shine through. When you focus on the results and things you’re doing very well, that will propel you into getting even better.
In your experience, what is the key to creating a dish that guests are crazy about?
Keep it simple. I’ve learned that guests don’t like complex dishes. I mean, it can be complex to make — but keep it simple so your eyes are seeing what you’re supposed to be tasting. Don’t have too many things going on in one dish, or it can be too intimidating for a lot of people. To me, food should not be complicated. Also, everything should be made from scratch — that’s the other main thing.
Personally, what is the ‘perfect meal’ for you?
The perfect meal is something that reminds me of my childhood. A meal that’s very hearty, comforting and warming — where you get full after the first plate. That, to me, is my perfect meal.
Where does your inspiration for creating come from? Is there something that you turn to for a daily creativity boost?
Honestly, it’s my family. Without knowing it, they inspire me to do better and to be more ambitious everyday.
Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? What impact do you think this will have?
We’re hoping to start a remodel and expansion project at the beginning of next year — which includes expanding the dining room as well as adding a private room for events. I want it to feel the same as the Grill feels now — but, obviously, bigger. We’ll be able to do a lot more and host more events. But, this building has been around for a long time, so I want to make sure it keeps that timeless feel. As you can imagine this adds another layer of the business for any owner. Working with architects and designers in order to present plans to the city to gain acceptance and the go ahead. It is very important that our community is engage with us and that we are a part of the city.
What advice would you give to other restaurateurs to thrive and avoid burnout?
Honestly, when you’re starting out, burnout is inevitable and being exhausted is part of the process. Anything that you’re doing that you really want to succeed at takes a lot of time, energy and mental capacity. But they key is not to burnout multiple times. Focus on the things that need your attention right now — but once you’ve built a team, you can trust them to help with the other things that would have previously overwhelmed you. Having the right people beside you and being able to delegate is essential.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started as a Restaurateur” and why?
So, I don’t really have five; I have four. The first one is: Don’t buy a restaurant. That’s a joke — because of how hard it is. But if you get scared about how hard it’s going to be, you probably shouldn’t buy a restaurant. That’s how you weed out the people who don’t want it enough.
Second, take the time to think and make decisions, rather than just reacting. For example, when I bought the restaurant, I didn’t like the martini glasses that were here. I wanted new glasses, so I just ordered these glasses that looked great. I didn’t even get a sample. And we ended up breaking at least two and a half cases of them in the first month because they weren’t durable, and the stems were thin. I learned my lesson and, the next time, I took the time to research and find glasses that would last.
Number three — there’s a big difference between “owner” and “owner operator.” For me, as an owner operator, I’m not only working on the business; I’m working for the business. If something’s leaking, I’m a plumber that day. If something’s dirty, I’m the janitor that day. If plates need to be cleared, I’m the busser. If somebody has a problem with payroll, I’m HR. I’m part of running the restaurant and making sure we succeed every day.
The last one is a motto I go by: “Aces in their places.” That means, as a leader, you have to figure out what positions your employees shine in. Often, they don’t even realize it themselves. So, you have to show them that they’re really good in a certain role, and they are going to propel in this position. When people are in the right positions, they can better themselves and better other people. You have to figure that out because, if they’re succeeding, that means you’re succeeding.
What’s the one dish people have to try if they visit your establishment?
Creole pasta. It’s been on the menu for 35 years now, and it stands the test of time. It’s that simple, comforting, warming dish that I spoke about earlier.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I remember this class in high school where every two weeks, students would go and work in a different industry. And, in that time, they could see the hardships the people in that specific industry went through on a daily basis. By having kids do this, they get firsthand, real-world experience of what someone in the food industry may go through or what a cashier may go through. They learn what it means to work hard, what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes, and maybe even what industry they want to work in someday.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
https://www.facebook.com/BeverlyHillsGrill/
https://www.facebook.com/BeverlyHillsGrill/
https://www.tiktok.com/@beverlyhillsgrill
Thank you so much for these insights. This was very inspirational!
