This is a generational business.
It started a little over 37 years ago.
I started at The Herbfarm in 2007.
Took over the kitchen in 2011, and then was fortunate
enough to actually purchase the restaurant in 2021.
I like to say I outlasted people. (laughs)
My name is Chris.
I'm the chef and co-owner of The Herbfarm Restaurant.
We have five acres of farmland
that we manage.
And that produces
food for the restaurant.
Running a restaurant like The Herbfarm
requires wearing many different hats.
As a chef, you're used to organizing things physically.
But when it transitions into having to do that mentally,
you really do need some tools and some help.
One of the biggest benefits that we've seen from M365
is creating a common language
amongst several different departments.
We use Microsoft Access
as a method of tracking guest relationships, including things
as sensitive as allergens or dietary preferences.
We also use OneDrive as kind of a central place
to hold a lot of information
and make sure it's accessible to everybody in the company.
Being able to use a program like Excel
to see what's in the field in real time can directly affect
what we serve that same night for dinner.
It allows us to be
more spontaneous with the dinners we serve each night.
The Herbfarm is a place that
I would say evolves more than changes.
It's been owned by three different generations now,
and each generation has put small pieces of himself into the business.
We act as shepherds for the next generation.