Jimmy Bussey joined Bishop’s Post in Chesterfield with a focus on strengthening the restaurant’s ties to the local community. As assistant general manager, he works closely with Missouri farmers, brewers and suppliers to source ingredients and products locally whenever possible. Bussey says supporting local businesses is part of what helps both the restaurant and the broader community grow.
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Organization: Bishop’s Post
Title: Assistant General Manager
Age: 43
Hometown: Ponca City, OK
What motivated you to get involved in this work/community/activity? When Ben Bishop Jr asked me to join his team at Bishop’s Post I thought it was an amazing opportunity to help build on an already strong foundation of a restaurant built around the local community. Working in the hospitality industry, I learned the importance of supporting your community. I wanted to bring my passion for supporting local to a locally owned place.
What values or principles guide how you show up in this role/community? Supporting local vendors to help build up our community. We buy from local farmers like Cold Creek Mushrooms, from Dixon Missouri; Tony Family Farms; and Kern meat company. We partnered with 4-Hands Brewing on a beer. We even use a small hydroponic farm out of Maplewood called Vertigreens for some of our greens and herbs. Supporting the people that live and work here helps our community grow stronger every day.
What’s the most enjoyable aspect? Seeing the growth of our team over the past year. When one of our teammates has a tough day we remind them, one day doesn’t define us. As long as we get up and work to improve just a little bit every day. Don’t settle just keep getting outside your comfort zone to grow, both personally and professionally. Because of this we have seen tremendous improvements in both levels of service, as well as knowledge. John Cain our wine director built an awesome training manually that’s 60 pages that every one of our servers and bartenders studied and tested on. It creates a culture of learning.
Can you briefly share a few standout memories? Just recently, on April 25. We had a massive day of service on our patio. We were busy nonstop, from 12:30–11:00 p.m. The staff did a tremendous job of staying focused on what turned into a marathon day. Another amazing day was New Year’s Eve. We tried—for the first time—a limited menu that Executive Chef Rolando Melendez created himself. You might think it’s not a big deal—lots of places do this on those special holidays—but it truly was a unique experience. I was so nervous about the event that I begged my wife, Melissa, to come and help work the door. She is magnificent at chatting up the guests. She handed out complimentary champagne to everyone that came in. It was truly a special evening for our team.
Can you share an insight about this role that most people don’t know? Managing a restaurant is so much less about managing people and so much more about helping. My job is literally just to go and support my team where they need it. If it’s making some drinks to help dig out the well, taking plates out of a servers hands so they can get back in front of the guest quicker, or cleaning a table so our magnificent host team can seat our guests. A manager’s job is to make everyone else’s job easier.
What’s one key piece of advice you’ve embraced? Never get too high or too low. Consistency is the most important thing in a restaurant. Not just in food, drinks, and service, but also in your attitude. It’s easy to ride the highs and crash with the lows. Don’t. Smile and celebrate with your team, and cheer on their wins. Coach them quietly when there are misteps, but never change your demeanor. Always stay positive and upbeat regardless of what is happening both internally and externally.
What’s the greatest challenge? Doing the above. We are human, and every interaction makes us feel a certain way. Holding the line and trying to maintain that positive view and staying grounded is a tough task. I would have had no chance in my younger years.
Where do you find inspiration? Family and the community. My wife and daughter, along with my parents. Working to try to get rid of the feeling that no matter what you do or how hard you work you’ll never be successful enough to make your family proud—even though they tell you every day. The community, and the responsibility you have to the 60-plus people that make their livelihood at Bishop’s Post. Knowing that if you fail, you are failing not just those people, but their families as well. It is a heavy weight to hold. It’s one that I don’t take lightly.
