Service with a Smile

Although downtown Salt Lake boasts a plethora of dining establishments that draw locals and visitors alike for their culinary creations, sometimes it’s the people who help serve you—those rare gems who choose to make the business their career—and excel at creating memorable experiences for guests that bring you back time and again. A great server can make a mediocre meal memorable and bad service can ruin an otherwise perfect dining experience.

Behind the Scenes at the LaSalle Restaurant Group

Meet Sarah Fults, the new operations manager for the LaSalle Restaurant Group—which owns and runs Caffe Niche, Oasis Cafe, Faustina, Kyoto and Current. Fults explains of her role, “I could talk all day about budgets, cost centers, labor and profit and loss statements, but my main purpose and goals are to support all of my outstanding hourly employees, general managers, chefs and assistant managers so that each restaurant runs successfully and every guest leaves with a smile on their face.”

Not many understand the passion, drive or insight it takes to make sure patrons have a phenomenal and seamless experience Fults explains. “I create an atmosphere of structure and systems to maintain a balance of happy guests, happy staff and happy business.”

Keeping people happy is oftentimes a thankless task filled with emotion and misunderstandings. So it’s no surprise that Fults feels the best part of her job is when someone comes in and says, “‘that was the best service I have ever had’ or ‘I will be back to eat this every week and tell my friends’. It really makes my heart happy and gives me a feeling of purpose.”

In her role with the LaSalle Group, she visits multiple restaurants on a daily basis and fills in for any position that may need help on any given day. “I assist with making sure we have effective scheduling to ensure labor costs, I work with the chefs on consistency and menu creation, I give the managers and hourly staff the tools to sell more to make the restaurant successful as well as the hourly staff making a better income.”

It’s a hefty task but one that Fults embraces fully. “I get to learn something new every day,” she says. “Not only do we get the chance to meet and learn from people, we get the chance to educate them on amazing cuisine and cocktails.”

Fults’ dedication to listening to her customers are what has made her successful in her chosen profession she feels. “I listen to our guests. I ask them questions about what they would like to see. Providing great service and food for people is what I love.”