There is little doubt that restaurant kitchens are hectic. So, any possible way to slow things down a bit is a gift from the gods. A and that starts well before meal service begins. The ability to be able to ditch recipe book blinders and toss the clipboard, is exactly why the chef-friendly Opsi app was created.
Opsi: Enhancing Efficiency in Cloud Kitchen Management – Food & Beverage Magazine
Opsi is a new cloud-based workflow application aimed at helping chefs and hospitality teams streamline operations. The management platform keeps staff communications and operational checklists all in one place removing guesswork while making everyone accountable and on the same page. These digitized recipes, prep lists, and tasks can be accessed on the app from any mobile device, tablet or computer.
James Passafaro, a chef who teamed up with his childhood pal and tech guru Matt Luckey to develop the game-changing app, says Opsi is a “hospitality first, tech second” platform.
“We wanted to create a tool that’s easy to use and useful to those that are using it,” Passafaro says., “It’s built from the perspective of people doing these jobs every day. Who better to develop the technology?”
The idea was born out of the need for better organization and time management. So, one day, Passafaro, who has worked as a chef for 20 years, and at times alongside chefs such as Chef Michael Mina and Chef Gavin Kaysen, reached out to Luckey.
“We always had entrepreneurial mindsets and always wanted to start something together, but we went down completely separate paths.,” Luckey recalls., “James went to hospitality, restaurant, chef, and I went to the technology side. James always knew that and one day he reached out to me and said there is a big painful void in kitchens when it comes to technology. There was plenty of technology in the front of the house, but it was really lagging behind in kitchens. There wasn’t much to help out the cooks and employees in the kitchen. James was managing paper prep lists and recipe books. A lot of paper, a lot of clutter. So, he reached out to me and said, ‘I really see a need to digitize prep lists and tasks,’ and I was quickly sold on the idea.”
Not only does Opsi do away with paper and document mess, but it also reduces costs and saves time by creating a central point where the team can get their information.
“Once we got Opsi, I stopped printing prep lists. I get hours a week back not having to manage that,” Passafaro says laughing., “You’re not constantly correlating and printing. Think of this as a digital clipboard. We move everything from a physical space to a digital space and give everyone access to it. You’re not doing anything different. The only difference is it’s on your phone or a tablet and you’re gaining visibility so the whole team can be involved in the process leading to fewer misses and better results.”
Passafaro says young, tech-savvy cooks have taken to the app right away. He has also noticed that working in an Opsi kitchen helps with morale.
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“Systems are culture builders,” he explains., “If you have a great system in place it helps with the culture. When you give people access to things right away and they know it’s always going to be there, some anxiety is gone.”
Luckey says chefs will see some familiarity in the app too.
“We wanted recipes to continue to feel and look like recipe cards,” Luckey says. “But the biggest thing is it has to be simple to use. We wanted to make it so the user could quickly hop on, navigate it and find their recipe or task list on the fly.”
For more details, visit the company’s website at www.opsi.io.
