At this boot camp nobody complains about KP duty.
The basic trainees are New Yorkers planning to open their own restaurants and who need guidance through the minefields of dealing with city agencies, hiring staff, getting liquor licenses and dozens of other problems.
Hundreds of people have already graduated from “Restaurant Management Boot Camp” – a 21/2-hour free course run by the city each month.
Alex McCrery, 29, a Manhattan chef, is a recent grad.
“For me, [the class] was a background check to make sure I was aware of the things I would come across when opening my restaurant,” he said.
“When you open a small business you have to be prepared for everything because time is valuable, and your first year can definitely make or break you.”
Small Business Services Commissioner Robert Walsh said, “We want to do everything possible to make sure they’re successful,” noting restaurants have “one of the highest failure rates of any business.”
The workshops are “a reality check of what [restaurant owners are] going to get into when they open that door,” he said.
The agency, looking to meet greater than expected demand, has added an extra class starting in November.