Today we’d like to introduce you to Ais Almahdi.
Ais York Almahdi founder and Chief Operating Officer at S.A.H.P. Group and Five Star Formula is a New York Native who has found success in numerous endeavors. A bar and restaurant industry owner and expert, he has invested in, operated and consulted on restaurant and bar projects in major cities across the United States, including Atlanta (GA), Brooklyn (NY), Manhattan (NY), Dallas (TX), Houston (TX), Miami (FL), Charlotte (NC), and Las Vegas (NV). Ais has successfully grown many popular concepts including The El Felix Restaurant (Atlanta, GA), Caribbean Social (Brooklyn, NY), Suede Kitchen (Brooklyn, NY), Caribbean Kitchen (Brooklyn, NY), Delta's Restaurant (New Brunswick, NJ), Oak (Atlanta, GA), Oak Craft Bar (Sunrise, FL), Café Circa (Atlanta, GA), Traffik Kitchen (Atlanta, GA), Premiere Bar & Lounge (Miami FL), Studio 23 aka Club XXIII (Miami FL), and many more, generating a collective revenue of over 25 million dollars in the last 3 years.
Ais comes from over 30 years of experience under the tutelage of restaurateur, Coretta King of Delta's Restaurant and Larry Daniels, general manager of the Hyatt Hotel in New Brunswick, New Jersey. While attending Rutgers University-New Brunswick he worked in numerous positions at Delta’s restaurant, sharpening his service and hospitality skills. Later in his career Ais went on to work with large restaurant groups such as Chef Ford Fry’s Rocket Farm Restaurant Group, and many more.
Ais opened his first restaurant and nightclub in Atlanta, Georgia, followed by locations in New York in 2009. Since, he has consulted on varied projects ranging from restaurants and bars in New York, to nightclubs and lounges in Miami. With the help of The National Restaurant Association, and The American Hotel and Lodging Association, Ais opened the first full-service bar and restaurant industry school in Atlanta. He has assisted in providing people serious about the hospitality and retail industries with industry-standard training and nationally recognized certifications.
Ais aims to cultivate the culture, and improve the operation of all the restaurants and bars in his portfolio. He continues to expand Five-Star Formula into new markets, creating industry-standard operations, professionalism and 5-star service, while arming the industry with a highly skilled workforce.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story.
Question: Has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We all know the impact Covid has had on the way business operate and the
way customers interact with our product or service. I had time to sit back during the pandemic, take a breath and zoom out. I realized that my entire portfolio was comprised of all non-essential businesses. I had to stop the bleeding and cut my staff, negotiate with my landlords and buckle down. I had to trim the fat and get really lean as far as operations. Now, I have to plan accordingly. But at the same time, the bull in me is out here reinventing myself and trying to take advantage of a landscape where I can acquire assets, pennies on the dollar. I’m working on some amazing new projects and raising capital against great concepts with below normal operating costs due to COVID.
Alright – so let’s talk business.
Tell us about S.A.H.P. Group and Five Star Formula – what should we know?
We are a premium consulting, training, and recruiting agency specializing in the restaurant, bar and retail industries, that have trained and placed over 500 people in the hospitality and retail workforce in the last two years. We assist restaurants, bars and even retailers by quickly arming their staff will the knowledge and tools needed to provide exceptional service that will optimize the guest experience. We understand that our industry has a very high turnover rate, and that turnover and retraining are costly. To reduce the time and monetary cost associated with turnover, we have created online tools and modules to streamline the process including new COVID regulations.
S.A.H.P. and Five Star Formula are the Nation’s first and most complete online hospitality training site covering a diverse range of courses. NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE ACTION! S.A.H.P. is offering students of all experience levels a well-rounded and diverse selection of courses to ensure the skills they need in today's workplace. Employers can hire with confidence knowing that every person who completes an S.A.H.P. course has the know-how and competitive edge needed in today’s market.
S.A.H.P. and Five Star Formula are the Nation’s first and most complete online hospitality training site covering a diverse range of courses. NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE ACTION! S.A.H.P. is offering students of all experience levels a well-rounded and diverse selection of courses to ensure the skills they need in today's workplace. Employers can hire with confidence knowing that every person who completes an S.A.H.P. course has the know-how and competitive edge needed in today’s market.