There’s a wide gap between men and women at the top of the restaurant industry. According to the National Restaurant Association’s latest report, women make up 63% of entry level workers, while they hold just 38% of executive positions.
Kim Owens is the owner of Main St. Provisions, a successful local restaurant on Main Street in downtown Las Vegas.
She opened her first restaurant right in the middle of the pandemic. And two years later, she brought us drinks to talk about her successful big boss vibes.
To create the restaurant's comfortable yet upscale atmosphere, "you have to start with yourself," she said. "Then you also have to hire the right people that have hospitality in their soul."
The National Restaurant Association says one in three restaurants won't make it to the one year mark. Owens said she has a desire to never lose, to always win and to find people who want to win with her.
On her new chef, Patrick Munster
The new menu that Patrick introduced back in September is definitely being well received. We definitely stuck with the new American comfort food vibe, because that is what I've always wanted. But both Patrick and I have very deep steakhouse roots. And I wanted to introduce some steaks into the menu. I wanted to create that that approachable neighborhood-style steakhouse. But without the stigma of the steakhouse without the huge price point of a steakhouse from let's say, the Strip, I tapped Patrick on the shoulder and said, "This is what I want to do. This is where I think the menu needs to go." And he came in like gangbusters. Chef Patrick's flavors are bold. And so we haven't lost any of that vibe at all; the menu's very approachable, but not boring. And it will continue to be seasonal. So we'll do three major seasonal changes a year. But even through this winter season, we've changed several dishes a few times.
On being a woman leader in the industry
I've always had a level of confidence. Even if you make a mistake. I think you're okay. I think as women, we get a little nervous to make a mistake or to say the wrong thing. And I don't think that men have that fear as much as we do. I think you just have to be confident in yourself, I think you have to know where your limitations are always, you just have to know what you do. Well, part of what it comes from is I'm happy. I do everything I can in my life to make sure that I'm happy. I'm in an amazing marriage for 32 years now. I tap him on the shoulder and tell him what we gotta learn. But I think that confidence comes from being happy and being secure in who you are, and knowing that you're gonna make mistakes and knowing that you have to forgive yourself if you do make a mistake.
On how she deals with burnout
I know when to slow down. I know when I need to stop. A couple of weeks ago, I was just a little tired. And it doesn't happen very often. And I knew that I could trust my team to take care of business and I left and walked across the street to Majestic and saw Hedwig across the street. Gotta love the Arts District. I think we have to know where our limitations are. Since this pandemic, what's happened is a lot of people have realized that burnout is a real thing. And so many people exited our industry. I think now we as the leaders have to define when it's time for everyone else to slow down, because you get someone who's young and hungry. They're just going to keep pushing and they're going to burn themselves out. I think as their leaders we have to tell them, "You know what? It's okay to slow down for just a minute." I think we all need to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
Guest: Kim Owens, owner, Main St. Provisions
