Margot Eisbart: Seven Years at Mandolin Aegean Bistro

Anastasia Koutsioukis and Ahmet Erkaya opened Mandolin Aegean Bistro in 2009. With just 20 seats and a small outdoor patio, Mandolin at that time was quaint and cozy: It felt like being in a family home. Fifteen years has brought enormous growth and success to the restaurant, which now takes up almost an entire Miami block with 200 seats available for clamoring guests. And that feeling of family has remained, which is why employees never seem to want to leave.

Indeed this is what has kept Brand and Operations Manager Margot Eisbart in her job for since 2018, the longest stint she has ever worked in one restaurant. “When I began, I was the floor manager, then the event manager, then the role I have now. Since I started here, I’ve found potential for growth in every position. From the expansion of the physical space to the expansion of my own hospitality knowledge, there is always something new to learn.”

Margot isn’t the only veteran on staff. “We have a handful of people who have been here for upwards of 12 years,” she says.  Like many of her colleagues, she was able to work her way up the ladder at Mandolin — something owners Anastasia and Ahmet are known for.

In fact, the restaurant promotes from within more often than they hire from the outside, which means that most servers have been bussers and runners. So by the time someone becomes a server, they’ve often worked every position. This means fewer mistakes are made on the floor and transitions are far more seamless.

“Anastasia and Ahmet have worked on the floor very closely as mentors to every person on our staff,” Margot says. “While we have a large management team, they’re always the ones that everyone feels comfortable going to.” This is because the pair focus on honing everyone’s unique strengths — if someone is naturally hospitable or detail-oriented or does well under pressure, they nurture those talents and put them in a position that makes sense for them. Why? Margot says, “The investment in the team always ends up helping the restaurant down the line.”

“Longevity doesn’t come from just asking people to commit—it’s about investing in them. The hallmark of a good manager and owner is ensuring that everyone feels seen and supported.”

This is what Margot means when she notes that the Mandolin is built on family values: That there is mutual investment and respect from top to bottom, from the front of the house to the back.

Of course, there are always hiccups along the way, so the team is always prepared with effective conflict resolution. “We always try to be honest, and lead with empathy and respect,” says Margot. “The goal is to treat everyone like human beings … Things are usually squashed right away if people just explain themselves. Things can get heated if you don’t take care of it right away. There’s not a lot of time in a restaurant to dwell.”

If there’s something that a team member is unhappy about, they’re always invited to bring it up with management; she adds that sometimes they use translators to make sure conflicts get resolved quickly and fully, so that everyone can really move forward. For example, at the Mandolin, they’ve changed uniforms because the aprons were too warm in the summer. They’ve allowed people to wear shorts, too. “These little things can make or break someone’s day,” Margot adds. “If enough people come together to say something isn’t working, we’ll say, ‘okay, show us your way and if it works, we’ll put it into effect.'”

Even when Margot started at Mandolin, she was asked how she might adjust operations given her previous experience. “Within 24 hours we changed the flow of how bussers were running dishes back to the kitchens. Those things can make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things. It was really amazing being so new and being able to sit with my manager and give my opinion,” she says.

Management is often soliciting feedback from the team — checking in and asking what they like about their jobs, what they wish they could be doing. Ultimately, it allows each person to feel like they’re contributing to a bigger picture and not just clocking in and clocking out.

Speaking of clocking out, the Mandolin team spends a lot of hours together. Margot explains, “There are people from all over the world on our team, so we have family meals based on where people grew up: We have food from Haiti, Venezuela. Line cooks and servers will come together, so we all get to try foods from different countries.” They also do ice cream sundae parties and tie-dyeing outside. They even do clothing swaps. “You never know,” Margot adds, “there are so many people too who need things. So you’re not just helping yourself out by giving away clothes. You might be helping someone’s family out too.”

Margot notes that a lot of the staff members have other jobs, so some can offer yoga classes or give discounts to other places where they work. “When I started here, I just gained 100 new friends,” she says.

“It’s just so amazing to see our culture and the things that our guests say. It’s very uplifting. Sometimes I have to remember to take a step back and take a moment and truly appreciate what I’m a part of.”

And why would anyone want to leave that?

*Opinions and views in articles shared on Resy OS are presented for the purpose of discussion and commentary on topics of interest in the restaurant industry; they should not be viewed as substitutes for advice given by professionally engaged business consultants and advisors.